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Five Reasons Chicago Blackhawks Fans Should Be Excited For The 2018-19 Season (Part I)

By Samuel Boland |
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After two less-than-desirable seasons for the Chicago Blackhawks, Blackhawk Up gives you five reasons to be excited for the 2018-19 campaign (Part I).

Four seasons ago, the Chicago Blackhawks were on top of the world, having just hoisted their third Stanley Cup in six seasons. They were a power house, a force to be reckoned with.

Two seasons ago, the Chicago Blackhawks held not only the best record in the Central Division, but the best record in all of the Western Conference. Hopes were high, but disappointment was higher after being swept out of the first round by the Nashville Predators. For fans (especially young ones), things couldn’t get much worse. With their roster at the time, the Hawks seemed to be a shoe-in to the playoffs every year, so a first round sweep was devastating.

One season ago, the Blackhawks were expected to be back searching for revenge. They came in with something to prove, a chip on their shoulders, a statement to make. They wanted to show the league the cup window wasn’t closed. This team wasn’t done.

The results?

A Corey Crawford head injury derailed the team and sent them spiraling into a last place Central Division finish. It was their worst season since the 2006-07 campaign where they went 31-42-9 and head coach Trent Yawney was fired and replaced by Dennis Savard.

After a year like that, things are looking pretty dark for Blackhawks fans. However, Blackhawk Up will give you five reasons why you should be excited (and optimistic) going into next season.

No. 1: The Year of the DeBrincat

Our first reason comes from our good friends over at FanSided’s Puck Prose who gave one reason each NHL team should be excited for the upcoming year. Dave Stevenson, the author of the article, pointed out that according to the Chinese, 2018 is the “year of the dog.” However, according to the Blackhawks, 2018 is the “year of the cat.”

The Alex DeBrincat, that is.

Last season, everyone was told to “pump the brakes,” on the 2016 second-round draft pick, but DeBrincat felt otherwise. Even though he started the year in a bottom-six forward group playing with veteran Patrick Sharp, DeBrincat still managed to get his points. He managed to play well enough to continue earn himself ice time, and thus, more offensive opportunities.

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Those type of opportunities only continue to pour in for the 20-year old sensation.

Though he finished 10th in Calder Trophy voting last season, its largely due to the fact that his rookie class was as loaded as it gets. Alex totaled 52 points on 29 goals and 23 assists last year. His 29 goals were a team high for the Blackhawks and those 52 points tied for second most on the team. Additionally, Debrincat finished behind only Patrick Kane in five-on-five points per hour with 2.14.

His season last year was undeniably impressive and the kid looks poised to have yet another solid season this year. Furthermore, if DeBrincat stays on a consistent line with Nick Schmaltz and Patrick Kane, his production could continue to rise once again. Plus, without the learning curve he experienced coming straight from the OHL, the ceiling is high for DeBrincat.

As our own Aaron Goldschmidt put it, “It’s truly amazing that a kid who can’t even buy a beer can be considered one of the most lethal goal scorers for the Chicago Blackhawks.”

Click here for a more detailed story on DeBrincat’s possible production next season from Aaron himself.

Goaltending

Coach Joel Quennville and General Manager Stan Bowman have both consistently confirmed that Corey Crawford will be ready to go at the start of training camp. However, Corey Crawford’s answers aren’t nearly as confident.

“That’s hard to say right now, but it’s very possible,” Crawford said at the Chicago Blackhawks convention this past summer. “We’ve come a long way in the last couple months, and there’s a really good chance that could happen.”

He continued, telling the Chicago Sun-Times’ Mark Lazerus that he’s “feeling pretty good right now, [but] I am not at 100 percent yet.”

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    • While all of this is encouraging and a significant improvement over what we last heard on Corey, it should be taken with a grain of salt. Mark Lazerus was in attendance at the 2018 Blackhawks Convention and claims that Crawford’s “voice betrays his words.” Laz continued in his article regarding Crawford, saying “his eyes reddened a bit and his voice wavered when he was asked about the last seven months and whether he, at any point, feared for his career or his long-term health.”

    Crawford’s words, though, did stay consistent with the rest of his message.

    “Treatments are going well, and we’re making small steps. And I’m getting a little better, so it’s a process,” he said. “It’s been a process since I left in December. It hasn’t been easy.”

    According to Laz, Corey closed by pausing, and then saying “But I’ll be back.”

    As most of us know, the Blackhawks have been without goalie Corey Crawford since Dec. 23 of the 2017-18 season and struggled in his absence. The No. 2 position, initially handed to Anton Forsberg, was perhaps the biggest question mark for the Blackhawks last season. Five different goalies tried to win the backup job during Crawford’s injury.

    None of them were good enough to do so.

    Cam Ward, a 13-year veteran and former Carolina Hurricane, seems to be the guy to finally change that. His on-ice performance isn’t an exponential upgrade in comparison to the performances the ‘Hawks saw last year in goal. However, he brings experience and consistently with him that the other No. 2 goaltenders lacked.

    Those five goalies who couldn’t fill the back up position won just 17 games in 55 starts. In comparison, in 42 starts last year, Ward went 23-14-4. Goalies are more than just their records, so let’s compare Ward’s statistics with the guys he’s replacing (for now, anyway).

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    Forsberg, Glass, Berube and Delia started 55 games. In those, they posted a combined .897 save percentage with a 3.51 goals against average. In addition, only 41.3 percent of their starts were deemed “quality starts,” these stats according to Hockey Reference (and an iPhone calculator).

    On the other hand, Ward put up a .906 SV% with a 2.73 GAA. Twenty-one of his 42 starts were quality starts. His quality save percentage of 50 is just 3 percentage points below the league average. While these numbers aren’t outstanding, Ward isn’t an outstanding goaltender.

    He is, however, experienced and reliable; two qualities the Blackhawks badly need in a backup. Ward is set to provide stability in a net which badly needs it as Crawford’s health still remains uncertain heading intothis year.

    Though Corey Crawford’s return is certain, the time table is not. Fortunately, Cam Ward will help to make the Blackhawks goaltending more consist than it was last season. Last year was a season in which nearly everything that could’ve gone wrong, did. Now, with a more consistent net presence, Stan Bowman will be able to identify where the Blackhawks biggest roster holes are and address them in the most effective way possible.

    Next. Patrick Kane Joins Connor Murphy As Chicago Blackhawks Playing In Stars and Stripes Showdown. dark

    Stay tuned for the three other reasons Blackhawks fans should be excited for the 2018-19 season.

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