25 Chicago Blackhawks in 25 Days: Day 24 Calvin de Haan

With 24 days left until the season begins, we are highlighting a new face on the Chicago Blackhawks’ blue line, Calvin de Haan.

Calvin de Haan is a big upgrade for the Chicago Blackhawks. He will provide a consistent defensive presence that the team has been missing for quite some time now.

Joining the ‘Hawks fresh from a trip to the Eastern Conference finals with Carolina, de Haan looks to be a big part of the Blackhawks’ blue line.

Player Spotlight: Calvin de Haan

Calvin de Haan played last season in Carolina. Unless you are new to the NHL, and didn’t follow the playoffs last season, you know how amazing the Hurricanes were last year.

They were one of the most exciting teams in the NHL, with their push to make the playoffs and push to the conference finals.

The 28-year-old defenseman has played with the New York Islanders and Carolina Hurricanes throughout his career.

De Haan is a very strong defenseman who is capable of playing big-time minutes in big-time situations.

De Haan has had a solid career in the NHL and likely has a few productive years left in the tank. He has dished out 755 hits and blocked 793 shots throughout his 7-year career.

His first and only goal as a Hurricane actually came against the Blackhawks.

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• These Lineup Changes could Solve the Blackhawks’ Scoring Problem

Calvin de Haan is not a defenseman that will win you games by scoring big goals.

Rather, he is someone who will help block shots and play a heavy defensive style. To me, he is similar to ex-Blackhawks defenseman, Niklas Hjalmarsson, or maybe even Connor Murphy.

The Blackhawks gained a defenseman with experience, skill, and most importantly, defensive ability when they traded for de Haan and it didn’t cost them much (Gustav Forsling and Anton Forsberg).

Many were linking the Blackhawks to Justin Faulk, de Haan’s partner on the blue line. Instead, Chicago ended up with a different top-4 defenseman who is probably a better fit.

With just 24 days until the season starts, I can’t wait to see the impact de Haan has on the blue line, and who his partner will be.