The Blackhawks host the Stars tonight and Thursday. Although the Hawks lead the season series 3 games to 1 and are ahead in the standings, they can't sleep on the Stars who are 3 points behind (39 to 36).
A series sweep would be ideal to increase the lead by 7 points. A split keeps them even, of course, at a 3-point differential. But if Dallas wins both games, they surpass Chicago by a point. Simple math.
All of that is to keep the Hawks ahead of the Stars in the Central Division. However, there are bigger fish to fry to gain ground on the Predators and overtake them to reclaim the 4th seed.
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Game Day
Game 40, April 6:
Blackhawks vs Stars
7:00pm CST
Records:
Blackhawks, 17-17-5, 39 Pts (5th)
Stars, 13-13-10, 36 Pts (6th)
Season Series:
3-1-0
Goals For/Game:
Blackhawks, 2.74 (16th)
Stars, 2.69 (20th)
Goals Against/Game:
Blackhawks, 3.08 (22nd)
Stars, 2.50 (8th)
Power Play:
Blackhawks, 31-120, 25.8% (5th)
Stars, 28-112, 25.0% (6th)
Penalty Kill:
Blackhawks, 81-110, 73.6% (28th)
Stars, 81-105, 77.1% (22nd)
For Dallas, Jason Dickinson, Joel Kiviranta, and Alexander Radulov are on IR while Ben Bishop and Stephen Johns remain on LTIR. Additionally, Tyler Seguin is still unavailable.
The Hawks no longer have any players on the NHL COVID-19 Protocol List but Anton Khudobin just came out of protocol yesterday. Lucas Wallmark and Tanner Kero were placed on waivers yesterday, too.
The Stars projected lineup (per DailyFaceoff.com):
Robertson - Hintz - Pavelski
Benn - Dowling - Gurianov
Cogliano - Gardner - Comeau
Caamano - Faksa - Dellandrea
Lindell - Klingberg
Oleksiak - Heiskanen
Sekera - Pysyk
Oettinger
Khudobin
Also available: Joel L'Esperance (W), Taylor Fedun (D), Joel Hanley (D), Landon Bow (G), Colton Point (G).
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There's quite a bit of uncertainty next season about who will make up the pack of centers for the Blackhawks. Quite frankly, Kirby Dach is the only given as he heads into the final year of his ELC.
It's unknown whether Jonathan Toews will come back. Dylan Strome has another year left on his bridge deal but could be trade bait if the Hawks have determined whether or not he fits the long-term plans.
Forwards like Ryan Carpenter and Philipp Kurashev also have another season remaining on their contracts. Carl Soderberg is a UFA this summer while Lucas Wallmark, David Kampf, and Pius Suter are RFAs.
The likelihood is high that Kampf and Suter are re-signed but Soderberg and Wallmark are probably gone. Even then, are Carpenter, Kurashev, and Suter viable candidates to be full-time centers next season?
With that in mind, Dach and Kampf are the virtual locks at 1C and 4C. The picture of middle 6 centers becomes murky. There are options in house, no doubt. However, are they the right options moving ahead?
Consider this as center depth for 2021-22:
Dach
Strome
Kurashev/Suter
Kampf
Obviously, one factor to consider is who the wingers are on each line. Putting that aside, is this a center cadre that the Hawks can go to battle with each night and contend or should the team explore more?
Another option could be 2020 1st rounder Lukas Reichel. His emergence as an 18-year-old force in Germany's DEL could have him fast tracked to the NHL. He could start off at wing but has done well as a pivot.
After Reichel, though, there really are no more center prospects who have the pedigree to play middle 6 let alone top 6. It's unlikely that a gem pivot who can step in right away is unearthed in the 2021 draft.
So that leads to a free agent signing and/or trade to try shoring up the talent up the middle. For instance, Jesperi Kotkaniemi is an RFA this summer. Could a trade-and-sign be an idea? Or an offer sheet?
Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin has coveted Nicolas Beaudin in the past. Maybe he still does. Beaudin has 2 years left on his ELC. Could he be a centerpiece for a trade-and-sign? Is that worth it?
A swap like that would require the Hawks to feel good about their depth on defense. Beaudin has the makings of an all-around top-4 defender. Can the Hawks afford to ship him out like they did Henri Jokiharju?
Consider this as potential blueliners in the coming years:
Vlasic - Boqvist
Kalynuk - Mitchell
Kaiser - Regula
Carlsson/Galvas/Krys/Phillips
The other question is whether a young center like Kotkaniemi can still reach his potential to play top 6. What if he tops out as a 3C? Assuming Beaudin hits his own potential, that deal may not be worth it.
If that's the case, just keep Beaudin to be part of a mobile D corps from spots 1 to 6 and rely on not only Kurashev, Suter, and/or Reichel to round out Chicago's centers for years to come but also the draft.
This proposed trade is merely an example -- probably a laughable one at that -- of leveraging a place of strength (D prospect depth) to enhance a place of perceived weakness (top 6 center depth).
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See you on the boards!
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