The Blackhawks rather extended offseason will be a time to rest, after playing until late May/early June the last three years, reflection, upon how to improve from this year’s team and what to do better next April, as well as thinking about the future. There are a lot of things to be accomplished in this area. This is a presentation of what the Blackhawks’ priorities should be, to ensure a better future.
1. Andrew Shaw bridge deal
Andrew Shaw was one of the very few to come into the playoffs ready to play, and who came out of it productive. He was one of the few who actively tried to beat the Blues, and who wanted to get to the next round. It makes sense, considering he was in a contract year, even if that contract is signed as a restricted free agent. Shaw, in all of his post-game and post-series interviews, comes across not as a guy chasing the money – like Saad – or as a guy prepared to leave the team. He wants to stay in Chicago, play with his friends – nobody is better with Toews AND Kane than Shaw, and if anybody’s going to be put in charge of “babysitting” Kane this offseason, it should be Shaw. Nobody embodies the city of Chicago nor the ideal play of the Blackhawks like Shaw. He’s great on the power play, he tries 100% every game, and he’s capable in both ends of the ice. The thing is – with the cap unlikely to rise much, and the Blackhawks needing to figure a few things out – we may trade Shaw. We need a fourth defenseman, as the Blues series proved. We should be able to rest Keith and Seabrook and Hjalmarrson, and being able to rely on a third pairing of TVR and Gustaffson, the should be future of the Blackhawks blue line, will allow this to happen. Adding someone like Brian Campbell will add veteran presence, able to play well in our system. Unfortunately, a move like this costs money, money Shaw deserves, but cannot make here. Which means if he’s going to stay he must take a discount – something people have said they’d be willing to do before breaking our hearts and moving on to Columbus.
Q likes Shaw. Bowman should like Shaw. All of the team likes Shaw. The fans like Shaw. Kids like Shaw. Shaw is the most likely future face of the franchise if he stays. Toews is bland and Kane should be out of the limelight. Hossa will retire soon, Keith and Seabs can be considered (at times) dirty, and Panarin doesn’t speak English and is kind of refusing to learn how. Shaw wears Cubs and Bears hats in the offseason. He stays close to Chicago, and is incredibly vocal, and is a large personality. If I had to choose the next Eddie O on this roster, it would be Shaw. It’s not hard to see him calling games in the future. He has to stay. A bridge deal, for one or two years, at a discount needs to be the Blackhawks priority this offseason. Whether that means trading/buying out Bickell, allowing Hossa to spend the rest of his career on LTIR, or finding room in other ways, the Blackhawks need to keep Shaw.
2. A veteran defenseman
A guy like Brian Campbell allows for depth on defense, some rest time for our top three, and the further development of our good young defensemen. Stan Bowman tried three times to find this guy last season – Trevor Daley, Rob Scuderi, and Christian Ehrhoff. Neither Daley nor Scuderi fit within Q’s defensive scheme, and Ehrhoff was never given a proper chance. Unfortunately, it seems the guy who has experience in our system, Campbell, is not wanting to leave Southern Florida. And with the potential in the Florida Panthers, who can blame him?
This leaves two viable options – Kris Russell, currently of the Dallas Stars, and Keith Yandle of the Rangers. If the Rangers had left Yandle on the trade table before the deadline, Bowman may have made a move on him. Yandle is a puck mover, someone we could pair with Hjammer. He’s been to All Star Games. He’s a veteran presence who is still able to play and could help develop Goose and TVR. Not yet thirty, Yandle is in position to make one big contract – but would he trade it all in to win some cups? Perhaps. There would be a lot less pressure on Yandle in Chicago, and he would be free to play his game, provided he got along with Q. A long term contract at less than four million could be ideal for both parties.
The other option is Kris Russell. Also younger than 30, Russell is very much in the Niklas Hjalmarsson school of defensive defensemen. He blocks shots, backchecks well, and stays out of the offensive rush, preferring to be able to get back and defend quickly. With Brent Seabrook hitting his offensive prime, maybe the Hawks don’t need another puck moving defenseman. With what happened this season, maybe we can use another Hjalmarsson, except one that doesn’t turn the puck over as much. Russell is also more likely to take a smaller contract than Yandle, and that’s what we need. A good defenseman on a smaller contract.
Less likely additions include Alex Goligoski or Jason Demers of the Stars or Dan Hamhuis of the Canucks.
3. Artemi Panarin extension
Artemi Panarin has been a crucial addition for the Blackhawks since joining the team in the offseason before the 2015-16 season. He has helped Patrick Kane reach his first Art Ross season and if all goes according to plan, win his first Hart trophy as the first American to do so. In addition, Panarin is the most likely candidate to win the Calder trophy for rookie of the year. Stan Bowman has already stepped forward and announced that getting an extension for the 23 year old Russian is something he plans on doing, and with the cap expected to rise again next season, (hopefully Justin Trudeau gets the Canadian economy back on track, he certainly got it done within the last month or so), Panarin can make a good bit of money and the Blackhawks will be able to afford contracts for the bevy of stars coming off the books at the same time.
It would be easier to see the Blackhawks extending him for a few years at first, as Panarin will not become an unrestricted free agent before the age of 27, rather than extending him to a longer-term deal. Current expectations should place Panarin at a 2 year deal worth 4 mil a season. If he continues to perform as he did this season and push Kane and Artem Anisimov to new heights and be a factor on the best line in hockey, expect him to get a long, expensive deal after the bridge, and after Marian Hossa should be placed on LTI-Retirement.
4. Draft a Goaltender
With Scott Darling’s contract ending soon, the Blackhawks could be looking at a bidding war for the backup, as he could serve as a good starter in the league. Especially with expansion right around the corner – Vegas is for sure coming aboard, and Seattle will most likely join them – the Blackhawks have a number of veterans they must protect and a few young guys they would prefer to – TVR/Goose, (if re-signed) Shaw, Panarin, and Anisimov – as well as their current goaltender Corey Crawford, who has delivered the team two cups and who is looking for his deserved Conn Smythe trophy.
With this in mind, as well as how many young forwards the Blackhawks have and how they continue to rely upon Keith, Seabrook, and Hjalmarsson, and they haven’t broken yet, as well as the future being somewhat known with Erik Gustafsson and Trevor Van Reimsdyk on the blue line, the most likely selection in the second round – a reminder that we gave up our first round for minimal performance from Andrew Ladd, a move I suggested and was proven right about being a bad move – should be either the best or second best goaltender available. Crawford will be able to mentor a good prospect, and they will earn valuable games if Darling is indeed selected in expansion.
With Michael Leighton likely retiring, the Blackhawks could use goaltender depth, even if Darling is not selected.