Five ways the Blackhawks will be better next year!
It has been a rough season for the Blackhawks, but with the worst behind them here are five things to bring us hope for next season!
1.Out With the Old in With the New
With the end of Erik Gustvafsson, and Calvin De Haan's contract expiring, and them not playing particularly up to par. There are more openings to get out rookies on the roster. For players like Lucas Reichel and Alex Vlasic who had a chance to earn their first NHL goals late into the season.
2. A Clean Slate for the Coaching Staff
It seems that the rebuild applies to the coaching staff too. As Derek King's coaching style has not been received especially well, there is a huge possibility that King could be replaced as next season approaches. Two assistant coaches Mark Crawford, and Mark Cookson. There is however a sliver of hope that Joel Quenneville is being looked at for coming back as a head coach. Hopefully a new perspective can help show some improvement from this season.
3: Many Players Have Set Personal Records This Season
Despite failing to make the playoffs this year, there have been some achievements for individual players such as Kane, Strome, and Debrincat who all made career highs this year.
Kane was able to tie his career high of 66 assists. Debrincat followed up by creating a goal high of 40, being the leading goal scorer of the season. While Strome hit both a goal high of 22 and tied his assist high of 26.
4: Draft Potential
As the draft approaches in the following weeks it's a great time to pick up amazing prospects, especially if they're defenseman to help fill the gap of the ones we will lose due to expiring contracts. The one upside of being an underperforming team, is the Blackhawks get better picks, which can help build up our roster to acompian the veteran players.
5: The Players Have High Hopes
While there is the frustration that is to be expected, from players who feel they can do better, the vast majority of the team is a united front. As Debrincat remarked he has no immediate plans to leave Chicago, and with Kane making similar statements it's hopeful that the two will stick around for another year. Connor Murphy followed up by saying he's not disappointed about being a part of the rebuild. After a season like this a positive mindset is the first step in the right direction for a long road ahead.
Vlasics first goal
https://youtu.be/5xp15OlQEKQ
Lucas Reichel highlights
