Chicago Blackhawks’ 10 Burning Questions Heading Into Training Camp

With Chicago Blackhawks training camp right around the corner, what will fans be hoping to see and asking about heading into the regular season?

Chicago Blackhawks training camp is drawing near, and that means hockey is almost back. After a long and sometimes painful offseason, the Blackhawks will finally be returning to the ice when training camp opens, and we will get our first look at the 2017-18 roster.

The team has several returning faces, some new additions and a number of eager youngsters hoping to make an impression. With all of this to look forward to, what are we most curious about heading into Blackhawks camp? Well, here are 10 burning questions we hope to get some answers to over the coming weeks.

Who will step up on the penalty kill?

Marcus Kruger’s trade to the Vegas Golden Knights for the coveted return of future considerations was one of the major losses of this offseason. While Kruger’s contract was too steep for the Blackhawks to keep around, Kruger was one of the most reliable penalty killers in the entire league.

More from Editorials

• Blackhawks: List Of Things To Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving
• Blackhawks: Changes to the coaching staff are a step in the right direction
• Chicago Blackhawks: Reasons for optimism and cause for concern
• Blackhawks: Kick off four game road trip against Kraken
• Recapping the Jeremy Colliton era with the Chicago Blackhawks

Kruger saw first-line penalty kill time throughout his time in Chicago and averaged above 70 percent defensive-zone starts over the last four years (capping with 81.3 percent starts in the defensive zone in 2015-16). A defensive center relied on like Kruger will not be easy to replace, and the Blackhawks’ penalty kill could certainly suffer for it.

Who will step in to take the place of the ‘Hawks’ best penalty killer last year on a team that was only able to manage a 77.7 percent penalty kill? The Blackhawks will need several players to step up on special teams if the team is going to find success in 2017-18, and the biggest gap will be the loss of Kruger. Whether it be Tanner Kero or another center option, the loss of Kruger could be a major hurdle for the ‘Hawks this coming season.

Can Anton Forsberg step up?

The Blackhawks will absolutely be hoping for a strong year from Corey Crawford once again in 2017-18, but the fact is that Crawford will definitely need some nights off for rest and maintenance.

With Scott Darling heading South to Carolina to become a No. 1 goaltender, Anton Forsberg (acquired in the Brandon Saad/Artemi Panarin trade) will be the next backup goaltender the Blackhawks hope they can rely on.

Following on a list of backups that includes Darling, Antti Raanta and Ray Emery, Forsberg has some big skates to fill. And with only one NHL win to his name, Forsberg is a big question mark heading into the 2017-18 season.

‘Hawks fans can certainly be interested in how Forsberg performs in Blackhawks camp and if he will be a reliable backup to fill in for Crawford when needed. Knowing that most No. 1 goaltenders can only really start somewhere around 60 games in a full NHL season, the Blackhawks will be depending on another goalie for 20 games or more next season. Will Forsberg be that next man up and a strong option for coach Joel Quenneville? We will have to wait and see.

Will Patrick Kane be able to produce without Artemi Panarin?

There is zero doubt that Patrick Kane loved playing with Panarin on his line. If the smiles and Harlem Globetrotter style of play were not evidence enough, Kane had two incredibly successful years with Panarin, scoring 106 and 89 points in the two seasons they played together. He even won the Hart Memorial Trophy for league MVP with Panarin on his line.

Chicago Blackhawks

But with Panarin gone, will Kane continue to be as dynamic? Well, the fact is Kane is one of the few elite scorers in the league and has had success with and without Panarin. While the 1.29 points per game in 2015-16 and 1.09 PPG in 2016-17 were two of the three highest totals of his career, he still managed 1.05, 1.00 and 1.17 PPG in the three years before Panarin even arrived.

Kane finds ways to score from everywhere on the ice and with anyone on the ice. The question of if he will still be able to produce is answered with a resounding yes. The underlying questions of if he will still be eclipsing over a point per game and who will be on the line with him remain to be answered.

Blackhawks camp will be our first chance to see Kane playing without Panarin on his line for quite a while. It will be very interesting to see how the winger looks, who is slotted with him and if his offseason workouts have made him an even stronger player on the ice.

Are Nick Schmaltz and Ryan Hartman ready to take it to the next level?

Nick Schmaltz had an up-and-down 2016-17 season that saw him sent back to Rockford after starting the year with the Blackhawks, only to return a renewed player. He finished the year with 28 points and was a spark in the dreary winter months of January and February that helped the team get on a hot streak.

If Schmaltz can take the short success he started having in 2016-17 and lengthen it out to a full season, he will be a huge asset for the Blackhawks’ roster. Schmaltz’s speed and drive with the puck are something the ‘Hawks could really use full time in their lineup, and his cheap contract makes him an incredibly useful asset. Schmaltz starting the year off right in camp and finding success with his linemates could be essential to the team having a great 2017-18 campaign.

Likewise, Ryan Hartman had a fairly strong 2017-18 season. He finished with 19 goals and 31 total points and was able to bring some edge and offense to the ‘Hawks. If Hartman can take that success and build on it even more, he can help the ‘Hawks even out their lines and scoring, making them a hard matchup for any opponent.

Hartman will also be playing in a contract year in 2017-18, so the success he finds on the ice could result in a better payday for the forward — only more incentive for him to find success early and often this season.

If Schmaltz and Hartman can take the next step with the team, just as players like Saad and Andrew Shaw did before them, they could be the pieces that transform the Blackhawks from good to dangerous.

How does Patrick Sharp look coming off his hip surgery?

Patrick Sharp returned to the Blackhawks on a very affordable deal that will cap at $1 million if he manages to make all of his bonuses. It is the kind of deal that can pay dividends for a cap-strapped team like the ‘Hawks, but is very cheap for a reason.

Sharp suffered multiple injuries last season, most notably a major concussion and a hip injury that required surgery. While early reports from the team indicate Sharp is already skating and looks good on the ice, we will need to see Sharp playing full speed and against competition to get a full idea of how he is healing.

If Sharp is able to come back from the hip injury and play near the form he was at in his last years with the ‘Hawks before leaving for Dallas, he will be a solid and affordable asset for the team.

But if Sharp is unable to perform and play at a decent level after his injuries and surgery, the ‘Hawks may struggle to find the net regularly in the 2017-18 season. Let’s just say that while a contract coming in at $1 million is worth the risk, we won’t be happy to see any money being given out to Sharp if he can’t keep up on the ice and is taking a roster spot from a young player who could develop in his place. Sharp needs to get healthy and remain healthy throughout the season.

Will Jonathan Toews and Brandon Saad return to form?

More from Editorials

• Blackhawks: List Of Things To Be Thankful For This Thanksgiving
• Blackhawks: Changes to the coaching staff are a step in the right direction
• Chicago Blackhawks: Reasons for optimism and cause for concern
• Blackhawks: Kick off four game road trip against Kraken
• Recapping the Jeremy Colliton era with the Chicago Blackhawks

We have mentioned many times on Blackhawk Up that Jonathan Toews has not been the same player since Saad left town. While the move to bring Saad back has been generally met with excitement (once the dust settled and the loss of The Breadman reached a grieving stage of acceptance), much of the talk has been that this move is going to make Toews, and therefore the whole team, better.

Toews was just listed as the 12th-best center in hockey by NHL Network, a ranking that could be seen as justified right now, but is far too low for ‘Hawks fans to accept Toews playing at.

If Toews is not able to reignite some energy and excitement on offense with Saad rejoining the team, there is an even bigger question to be asked about Toews’ decline and future with the team.

I fully expect Saad and Toews to work well together (along with Richard Panik on the top line), but what if that chemistry is not quite the same and the pair doesn’t find the magic playing together again? At the risk of trading away one of the most dynamic scorers in the game to reacquire Saad, this line needs to work out for the Blackhawks to be successful.

We will start to see how Toews and Saad look back together throughout training camp and early in the regular season. Hopefully everything goes according to plan.

Will any youngsters surprise?

While there was not a ton of buzz coming out of the Blackhawks’ prospect camp for players that may crack the opening night roster in October, the ‘Hawks certainly have some young prospects with a good amount of talent and a roster with a few spots of uncertainty.

Could a player like Alex DeBrincat or Alexandre Fortin find himself a roster spot when the 2017-18 season begins? While it certainly seems like a long shot from an outside perspective, the ‘Hawks have been making moves all summer to become younger and faster.

Could a younger player find his way into the lineup to gain valuable experience throughout the regular season while also providing a spark and a little extra speed in the lineup? It is always a possibility, even if a slim one.

It will be very interesting to see how some youngsters invited to training camp perform and if any of them can shine when playing alongside the veterans. Keep an eye out to see if anything special starts happening at camp, as the ‘Hawks would probably love nothing more than to find the answer to a lineup void through their affordable youngsters.

How hot are Stan Bowman and Joel Quenneville’s seats?

We will probably not be able to answer this question through camp alone, but throughout the summer fans and writers alike have speculated if Quenneville and Bowman are on the hot seat if the ‘Hawks cannot perform well this coming season.

There was plenty of talk when Bowman fired assistant coach Mike Kitchen, a friend and trusted assistant of Coach Q. Are there ripples in the relationship between Bowman and Q? Is this the first sign of bigger moves to come with the coaching staff and the front office?

While we may not be able to get any closer to an answer in training camp, keep an ear open to interviews from both Bowman and Quenneville during camp and pay attention to any roster moves and lineup changes that you see. Are both men moving forward in the same direction and with a similar plan? Does there seem to be any animosity from Quenneville over the team that has been built for him?

Next: Toews Falls in Rankings

It will certainly be hard to get a full answer (if even any kind of clue) from camp alone, but there is no doubt that entering into training camp and the 2017-18 season there are some questions on the long-term status of these two men.