As teams begin getting eliminated in the NHL Playoffs, Puck Prose will take a look at how they got eliminated. First up: Chicago Blackhawks.
The Chicago Blackhawks entered the NHL Playoffs as the expected favorite to win it all, maybe besides the Washington Capitals. That's not what happened, as the lackluster Blackhawks were swept by the Nashville Predators. How did this happen? How did a team that won the Western Conference become the first one seed to be swept by an eighth seed in NHL playoffs history?
One Line Scoring
Chicago Blackhawks left wing Artemi Panarin (72) celebrates with right wing Patrick Kane (88) and center Artem Anisimov (15) (Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports)
The Blackhawks for much of the season relied upon a line of Patrick Kane, Artem Anisimov, and Artemi Panarin. While those three are great players, and that's a great line, that's not enough in the NHL playoffs, and the four-game losing streak proved that.
In the regular season, the Kane line accounted for three of the top six scorers on the Blackhawks. One of the other top scorers was Duncan Keith, so he can be put somewhat with that Kane line. So that's four scorers on the ice at the same time. That's easy to crack down on the rest of the time.
Without another line able to score consistently, the Predators were able to put their best defensemen on that Kane line and effectively stopped them. That line only put up one goal in the playoffs. And that's something that partially helped kill this edition of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Another thing was that Jonathan Toews never had consistent line mates this season. That's partially a side effect of the Joel Quenneville "blender", his tactics of shuffling lines often. Without the built up chemistry that players like Kane are afforded with their line mates, Toews didn't score until the last possible moment. The Blackhawks can't win with a player getting paid 10.5 million not scoring.
How to Fix It
Chicago Blackhawks left wing Richard Panik (14) celebrates with center Nick Schmaltz (8) (Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports)
This is something that is easy to fix. When Toews was afforded actual consistent line mates, he started scoring. His best month of the season was in February when he had Richard Panik and Nick Schmaltz constantly on his wings. That line helped make Toews back into a scorer. Affixing them to Toews for a full season, including the playoffs, will help Toews get back to that point.
Something that also negatively affected the Kane line was health. Anisimov, Kane's now long-term center, was hurt in March and missed a month, right up until the start of the postseason. He can't be blamed for being a little bit rusty. If healthy next year, Anisimov should be back to his 45% face off rate and better offensive abilities.
Experience Before Skill
The Blackhawks looked, as some have prescribed, "old". That's because even with starting this season with six rookies, not many of them played in the playoffs, or for that matter consistently throughout the regular season. The rookies were decent scorers, but in the regular season made characteristic "rookie" mistakes.
And it didn't help that Joel Quenneville and Stan Bowman chose to keep adding to the team with aged veterans instead of allowing the young players to develop. Players like Brian Campbell and Jordin Tootoo, signed in the preseason, were often used instead of players like Michal Kempny and Vinnie Hinostroza. Even when Kempny and Hinostroza were shown to be better performers. The situation only deteriorated with the addition of veterans like Johnny Oduya and Tomas Jurco at the deadline.
Chicago Blackhawks left wing Ryan Hartman (38) (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)
Ryan Hartman looked like he lacked confidence in the NHL Playoffs. So did Nick Schmaltz. The Blackhawks, while looking old, also looked like a team without a lot of leadership. Again, this is on Jonathan Toews for not being the captain he had been in the past, but also on the coaching staff, which we'll get to.
When Michal Kempny was finally inserted, as a seventh defenseman, it was too little too late for the youth. Something that could have helped the team was speed and youth, and Joel Quenneville was reluctant to use what was already there. When Kempny did play, he looked good. So did Hinostroza. And yet they didn't play every game.
How To Fix It
Again, this is an easy fix. Allowing older players like Oduya and Campbell to walk in free agency, replacing them with players like Kempny and Gustav Forsling, already on the roster, will do the Blackhawks well. Trading away Brent Seabrook, who has substantially aged over the past few seasons, would also help.
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk (57) (Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports)
And the Blackhawks already have a Seabrook replacement in Trevor Van Riemsdyk, who next to Duncan Keith looked like the Blackhawks best defenseman in the NHL playoffs. Van Riemsdyk is another young player who could do the Blackhawks a good service with more playing time.
Allowing the players who have proven themselves, Hartman, Hinostroza, John Hayden, Kempny, Schmaltz, allowing them to get another full season under their belts will help the Blackhawks in the next NHL Playoffs. That's when those younger Hawks will be a vital ingredient in the Blackhawks postseason success.
Assistant Coaches Need Assistance
In all honesty, I don't know what Kevin Dineen and Mike Kitchen do. However, and I am willing to believe this, Bleacher Report has reported that one of the major responsibilities is the special teams.
Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville gets an explanation from the officials about a disallowed goal by the Blackhawks in the first period as assistant coach Kevin Dineen looks on (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)
Now, the Blackhawks power play and penalty kill were not great in the playoffs. They weren't great in the regular season, either, ranking in the bottom half of both statistics. Somebody needs to go for that. Somebody needs to go for the performance in the NHL playoffs.
That's not Joel Quenneville's fault. Quenneville has been in Chicago through three cups. Kevin Dineen has been here for one. Kitchen for two, but for four first-round exits, including immediately after the 2010 Cup.
Kitchen, in his playing days, was a defensive defenseman. It leads me to believe he might be partially in charge of defensemen, and maybe in charge of the defensive playing style, the Blackhawks adopt when leading. It's not a great strategy.
Now, this may not be the case. Maybe this is all Joel Quenneville. Even if this is the situation, what's wrong with getting new voices in Joel Quenneville's ear. Clearly, Kevin Dineen and Mike Kitchen aren't as inspiring as they once were. Quenneville never appeared as… well, passionate, in this year's NHL playoffs.
How to Fix This
Maybe looking outside for a new assistant will help wake Quenneville from whatever funk he's in. Maybe promoting somebody like Ted Dent, the head coach of the Rockford Ice Hogs, will help the youth in Chicago.
Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom (5) (Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports)
After all, when Nick Schmaltz had returned from his stint in Rockford, he was a different player. For reference, the Blackhawks had an eighteen percent successful power play. Rockford, with significantly less talent, had a 14.3%. That's not that bad. The Ice Hogs actually had a better penalty kill than the Blackhawks this season.
Somebody outside the organization could help run the defense for the Blackhawks. Former greats have worked out, like in San Jose with Larry Robinson. You know who should get a shot at coaching? Nicklas Lidstrom, perhaps the greatest defenseman since Bobby Orr. Who better to fix the defense?
Break Up The Core
Lastly, the Blackhawks may have to consider breaking up the core. The core, as currently assembled, are the following players: Duncan Keith, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Brent Seabrook, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane. Those are the six players who have won three Cups with the Blackhawks.
Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook (7) (Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports)
Out of these, the most likely to be traded is Brent Seabrook. Seabrook is an aging defenseman, but somebody who could still play top four minutes for a team, perhaps even top 2. He's a leadership guy, one with the ability to lead a young defense. Seabrook's contract is worth 6 million though, and he has a No Move Clause, cause Stan Bowman hands those out like candy at a parade.
But if the Blackhawks are able to convince Seabrook to waive, to go somewhere warm like Arizona or Dallas, somewhere where the team is in need of veteran, still capable defense, that'll be best for the team. The Blackhawk defense needs to get younger.
Artemi Panarin's new contract is expensive. The Blackhawks still need the kid, even though he has yet to make a playoff mark. Moving Seabrook helps in multiple ways, and it will be Stan Bowman's job to convince him to waive his NMC.
So How Do the Blackhawks Change?
They get rid of the Seabrook contract and make the blue line get younger. They play their rookies so they gain experience, and develop talent. Change the voices around Quenneville, hopefully making the team more passionate. Hopefully, Ted Dent and another defensive coach.
Mar 29, 2017; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Los Angeles Kings right wing Jarome Iginla (88) during the second period against the Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome. Mandatory Credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Keep Toews with steady line mates, preferably Richard Panik and Nick Schmaltz, with whom Toews was great. Look into getting more scoring depth.
Which reminds me: bring in Jarome Iginla. A veteran without a Cup has always made the Blackhawks better. From Kimmo Timonen and Antoine Vermette to Marian Hossa in 2010 to Michal Handzus and Jamal Mayers in 2013. Jarome Iginla can capture that, and help bring fire back to the hearts of the Blackhawks.
And as long as he's affordable, who doesn't want to help win Iggy a cup?
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