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Chicago Blackhawks: 5 Reasons They Can Win 2017 Cup

By Colin Likas |
Jun 15, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in game six of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 15, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in game six of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
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Jun 15, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Teuvo Teravainen (86) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in game six of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 15, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Teuvo Teravainen (86) hoists the Stanley Cup after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in game six of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

Chicago Blackhawks Can Take Stanley Cup Back In 2017

On Sunday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins ended another NHL season by winning the Stanley Cup, defeating the San Jose Sharks 3-1 in Game 6 of the Final and giving the Penguins their fourth-ever Cup (first since 2009). It officially led to the dethroning of the Chicago Blackhawks as reigning Stanley Cup champions.

So that means it’s time to look ahead to next season. We won’t have NHL regular-season hockey until October, preceded by World Cup action in late September and preseason play starting around the same time. But it’s never too early to dream about the Blackhawks earning an unprecedented fourth Cup in eight seasons.

It’s certainly within the realm of possibility, as suggested by the sports betting site Bovada:

Yes, the Blackhawks are early contenders to return to the Stanley Cup Final in 2017. Here are five reasons that will happen, and why they’ll come away with the chalice as well.

Apr 9, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook (7) against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets won 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 9, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook (7) against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets won 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /

5. Rest And Rage

Members of the Blackhawks roster that have been around for all three of the recent Cup runs have obvious mileage on their bodies. Guys like Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Niklas Hjalmarsson have played in several hundred games in a relatively short timespan, and Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane aren’t far behind them.

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While most of those guys and some of their teammates are going to play in the World Cup in September, having a longer offseason to decompress is good for the club. Sure, we’d love to see the Blackhawks make a run at the Stanley Cup every season, but it’s just so difficult to accomplish in this day and age of the NHL.

It was almost relaxing to see guys post pictures to their Twitter accounts of them relaxing and taking a breather. They’ll have a nice bit of time to rest up, and just as much time to come back motivated to take the Cup back.

That’s the other aspect to this longer layoff, especially considering the Blackhawks went out of the postseason at the hands of the rival St. Louis Blues. The Blackhawks may sleepwalk through some of their regular-season games, but fans know this group has some of the more fiercely competitive athletes in the league today. Led by an always-serious Toews, you know what the goal for the 2016-17 season will be from Day 1.

Next: Reasons 4 And 3

Apr 21, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (2) in action during the first period in game five of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 21, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith (2) in action during the first period in game five of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the St. Louis Blues at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Billy Hurst-USA TODAY Sports /

4. Defensive Improvement

This isn’t totally worked out yet, but I have to believe General Manager Stan Bowman is well aware of how bad the Blackhawks defense was last season. It’s a reason why he went out and signed Kontinental Hockey League blueliner Michal Kempny before the Stanley Cup Playoffs had even ended.

While the salary cap projects to stay pretty stagnant — or even go down a bit — you know Bowman isn’t done improving this defensive group. Rest for Keith, Seabrook and Hjalmarsson will be a nice boost, and Kempny projects as a No. 4 D-man early on. The Blackhawks could hardly say they had one of those last season, so that should be a nice boost.

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From there, Bowman has decisions to make on free agents and such, which means he’ll probably have to get creative when carving out space for any potential blue line additions. But if Bowman doesn’t think the Blackhawks have enough reliable options already in the system to fill out the rest of the blue line, there’s a good chance he’ll go outside the organization to find at least one piece.

Coach Joel Quenneville will also be giving every defenseman already in the system a shot to make the opening roster, you’d have to think. Sure, Q is in love with Trevor van Riemsdyk despite TVR’s heavy struggles last season. But it doesn’t always take much to fall out of Q’s favor, and it sometimes doesn’t take much more to gain it forever. The coach will need to keep his eyes peeled in training camp for any semblance of defensive help.

The defensive situation is very fluid right now, but we have to believe it’s going to be better than last season, which rivaled 2011 and 2012 as the worst defensive groups since Q arrived in Chicago. And that could well be good enough for this team to make a Cup run.

Apr 23, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) makes a glove save during the third period in game six of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the St. Louis Blues at the United Center. Chicago won 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) makes a glove save during the third period in game six of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the St. Louis Blues at the United Center. Chicago won 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Corey Crawford

I don’t think I’m stretching too far when I say this: I’m sure there are Blackhawks fans out there who hope Crawford falls apart early in the 2016-17 season so Bowman will consider moving him (because Scott Darling is the answer, you see), thus opening up ample cap space to improve other areas of the team. There is at least one person out there who feels this way.

Even if I’m writing for an audience of one with this line, I’ll say it: Crow is not going anywhere anytime soon. And it would be a death knell for the Blackhawks if he did.

It’s no secret the Blackhawks’ organizational depth at goaltending is … poor. It’s why InGoal Magazine saddled the Blackhawks’ goaltending prospects with a collective “F” earlier this year, the only NHL team to receive that grade.

The Blackhawks need Crow if they have any Cup aspirations next season. Even if his game dips a bit from the stellar numbers he posted in 2015-16, it’s still going to be enough to push the Blackhawks in a positive direction. Remember, Crow was carrying this team through long stretches of last season (along with Kane). And yet the group had a very viable path to the Cup Final if it had gotten by St. Louis.

More of the same from Crow next season would certainly be appreciated, especially if the defensive situation doesn’t improve much. But his experience alone and his seemingly growing confidence will be critical for this club in any Cup run.

Next: Reasons 2 And 1

Apr 25, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (27) chases Chicago Blackhawks right wing Richard Panik (14) during the first period in game seven of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 25, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo (27) chases Chicago Blackhawks right wing Richard Panik (14) during the first period in game seven of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Line Control

This one does fall on Q’s willingness to lay off his line blender, so it’s an iffy proposition. But I do think he saw some critical points at different points in the season:

— Marian Hossa can no longer effectively play a top-line role

— Richard Panik (should he be re-signed) can handle tougher assignments and playing alongside stars (AKA Toews)

— Teuvo Teravainen (should he remain with the team) needs to play alongside real players and not Brandon Mashinter

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— The second line doesn’t get broken up

This at least gives his forward corps some direction for 2016-17, which is something it had very little of last season. It was pretty much “follow the second line,” and that’s why the Blackhawks struggled to win when that line couldn’t produce.

Let’s say Panik and Tomas Fleischmann are able to return to the Blackhawks in the offseason, Teuvo is also kept around and Andrew Shaw, Dennis Rasmussen and Mashinter don’t return, as won’t Andrew Ladd and Dale Weise. Your forwards are:

— Kane, Toews, Hossa, Teuvo, Panik, Fleischmann, Artem Anisimov, Artemi Panarin, Marcus Kruger, Andrew Desjardins

If you want to carry 13 forwards, you need three more. I’m going to guess Kyle Baun will be given every chance to shine once again, despite the fact he crapped all over that proposition last year. Mark McNeill should be given heavy consideration to play up a level next season. You know guys like Tyler Motte, Ryan Hartman, Vincent Hinostroza, Tanner Kero and maybe even Ryan Haggerty will also get good looks.

Overall, I would be comfortable with that group of 10 plus two or three of the youngsters mentioned below. And this isn’t considering any magic Bowman can work in the offseason. Comfortable enough to call the Blackhawks a Cup contender? Well … the 2010 group won it all with Ben Eager, Adam Burish, Jake Dowell and Tomas Kopecky playing key roles, so … yes.

1. Experience, Experience, Experience

There’s no substitute for having been there and having done that. We see it every season, and we even saw it again in this Stanley Cup Final. Yeah, Pittsburgh was probably the better team all along, but they had multiple guys who were around for the 2009 Cup run. What did the Sharks have in that department? Not a whole lot.

And what do the Blackhawks bring in that department? Just a majority of the league’s active three-time Cup winners:

It can’t hurt, right?

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