In the last blog we took a look at the Blackhawks forwards so here's a view of how the defensemen stack up at present:
McCabe - S Jones
de Haan - Murphy
Stillman - C Jones
In the mix: Kalynuk, Mitchell, Beaudin
A few considerations:
* During the start of the free agency period, Calvin de Haan was rumored to be on the trade block yet he's still on the team so there's either no buyers or general manager Stan Bowman rejected offers.
* An assumption with this projection of the D corps is that the likelihood is high for two of Wyatt Kalynuk, Ian Mitchell, and Nicolas Beaudin to be the top pair in Rockford to start the season.
* Whoever out of this trio makes the cut could be impressive enough to be an everyday player. If not, expect a rotation with Riley Stillman and Caleb Jones or a sub scenario to give de Haan intermittent rest.
* Another potential situation is all three young rearguards begin 2021-22 with the IceHogs and a veteran D-man is brought in on the cheap whether via free agency or a camp PTO that's parlayed into a contract.
Puck Movers
A member on the message boards recently posed the question of who would be the puck movers on the Hawks back end. If the definition of a puck mover is one who has the mobility to transition play up ice through skating or a solid first pass out of the zone, then there are options.
Seth and Caleb Jones as well as Stillman are fairly mobile. None are elite in that regard but neither were Brent Seabrook or Niklas Hjalmarsson, both of whom were sufficiently able to move the puck out and up. Connor Murphy, Jake McCabe, and de Haan aren't far off either.
That latter triumvirate does have their flaws, though. Murphy isn't horrible at the transition game but he lacks pace and conviction as it's not his strong suit. Health has impacted de Haan's ability to get around the ice. McCabe may be the best of them despite leg injuries.
If any of Kalynuk, Mitchell, and/or Beaudin crack the roster, they add a more favorable quotient to a mobile blueline. Kalynuk is smooth with his carries and protects the puck well as he cradles it closely. Mitchell and Beaudin are quite good if they have time and space.
PP Quarterbacks
Another question that has arisen is who of the D personnel would be the quarterbacks on the power play units. The Jones brothers may be lead candidates while Kalynuk, Mitchell, or Beaudin would get consideration if any of them make the team out of camp. Stillman is a longshot.
The ideal choices would be out of Kalynuk, Mitchell, and Beaudin but only one of them may be with the big club once the season opens. Given his mobility and booming shot, Seth Jones seems like a lock for PP1. Younger brother Caleb has similar traits and could get a chance.
With options limited, it would seem safe to think that head coach Jeremy Colliton employs 4 forwards and just one defenseman on each unit. If this is the case, the forwards need to be ready to scramble back swiftly if the puck turns over and the other team has a PK rush.
Penalty Killers
Filling out the D pairs for the penalty kill is easier even though the on-ice results may differ greatly from what is penciled in on paper. It's possible that all of the blueliners get time on the PK with de Haan being least likely in order to preserve him for even strength.
The success of the penalty killers -- including the forwards -- may largely be dependent on the schemes taught by the coaches and the acumen by the players to consistently execute whatever is drawn up. The fear, though, is the former may make the latter hard to do.
Offense
Last season, the Chicago blueliners deposited 21 goals in the shortened 56-game schedule. For a full slate of 82 games, that prorates to 31 goals or about 5 goals per starter on the backline. That's not a bad figure as far as secondary scoring but more would be most welcome.
Points racked up by the D-men don't matter as much as starting the rush that leads to offense. In other words, manufacturing of goals doesn't happen if those on the back end can't routinely flip the ice and be reliably efficient with transitioning the puck up ice.
Defense
Like the PK, effectiveness by the defensemen at doing their namesake may be predicated on the system expected of the coaches and whether the players can not only enact it but also rely on fundamentals and instincts to stay smart and poised when breakdowns will inevitably occur.
Is it too much to ask for the D corps to prevent zone entries, protect the net, escape the zone with their feet, and either move the puck to a forward in the neutral zone or get to the offensive zone then set up for options? Ditto with pinching wisely and being ready to retreat quickly.
Final Thoughts
While all eyes will be on Seth Jones to live up to the trade and to his massive contract a year early as it doesn't kick in until 2022-23, the onus is on every single defenseman no matter who it is. The Chicago defense has been weak and the team will only go far if it sharply improves.
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Mike Hardman
Building through the draft is a primary way to get back to contention again but there are other methods including signing undrafted college free agents. Like other teams, the Blackhawks have hits and misses with this latter route. Remember, Drew Leblanc, Kyle Baun, and Matt Carey?
Mike Hardman may be cut from a different cloth as he made an impact immediately as a late-season signing out of Boston College and turned in an NHL debut with 3 points and 38 hits in 8 games. It was shrewd to get him re-signed for a few more years after his ELC ends next summer.
Big, physical, and mobile enough, Hardman applies a heavy forecheck and is a handful down low and in front of the net. He chips in secondary scoring and is decently dependable in his end. Still too early to tell if he has shutdown capacity but he's not a liability on defense either.
Not necessarily right away in 2021-22, Hardman could in due course form an effective and formidable 4th line with MacKenzie Entwistle and either Josiah Slavin, Evan Barratt, or Andrei Altybarmakian. Any combination of these prospects would be a lot for the opposition to handle.
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Cliff Watson
Even though re-signing career minor leaguer Cliff Watson provides veteran experience and decent depth for the IceHogs, it wasn't a necessary transaction as the Rockford blueline is starting to get pretty crowded:
Beaudin - Mitchell
Krys - Galvas
Phillips - Regula
Stanton - Krutil
Watson - Osipov
This doesn't even count Kalynuk if Blackhawks management feels more seasoning in the AHL is better for his development. Also missing from this cohort is 2019 7th rounder Cole Moberg who showed well on an amateur tryout last season and was much more noticeable than Watson.
Depth and leadership are definite assets to have on the farm team and Ryan Stanton, Dmitry Osipov, and Watson provide both. Yet, head coach Derek King and staff have a balancing act on their hands to ensure the prospects get ample playing time so their growth isn't stunted.
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Tony Esposito
Rest in peace, Tony O.
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Troy Murray
Be strong and get well, Muzz.
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See you on the boards!
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