Projecting the Chicago Blackhawks lineup for next season

Dominik Kubalik – Jonathan Toews – Andrew Shaw

Kubalik needs to have another great season next year for the Blackhawks to make the playoffs, and they are going to need Shaw to stay out of the penalty box and the injury list. Shaw can be a firecracker on the ice, whenever he is healthy enough to get things done that is. Jeremy Colliton and company could move Shaw up and down the lineup, I like him with any of these units. Only time will tell what Chicago is going to do here.

Brandon Saad – Kirby Dach – Patrick Kane

I like this line. I am not going to lie, I was not that high on Kirby Dach to kickstart the year. I wanted this team to take someone else, but when you look at the numbers he has put up so far he certainly looks like the right piece for this team. Chicago is lucky to have Dach, and pairing him with Patrick Kane only makes this team better.

Alex DeBrincat – Dylan Strome – Drake Caggiula

Strome and DeBrincat have not had the best year, and while that might help Stan Bowman in the office getting Strome under contract, it does not help the team on the ice. The Blackhawks are going to need Strome and DeBrincat back at the top of their game next season, and I think a big offseason priority should be finding someone who can play on their wing with them. Caggiula can slot in nicely for now, but we need to look down the road. If Chicago does end up with a first-round draft pick this offseason if a right-winger falls into their lap they might want to take him.

Alex Nylander – Ryan Carpenter – David Kampf

Gosh, I still can not get over the great move Stan Bowman made this offseason when he gave up Henri Jokiharji for Nylander. Nylander has been so instrumental on the fourth line. Anyway, the Blackhawks fourth line could use some work. Maybe we could put Shaw down and put Nylander on a line with more offensive talent, but that would just make the top lines weaker with turnovers from Nylander. I would like to see the Blackhawks try to find a place for Nylander, I just don’t see any place besides the bench for him right now.

Now let’s turn our attention to the defense.

Duncan Keith – Adam Boqvist

This pairing is good, and with Adam Boqvist a year older with a little more meat on his frame I think the Blackhawks have an excellent pairing here. Chicago could move Boqvist down and bring up Ian Mitchell in his place, but I believe the Blackhawks would be getting a rather similar player.

Calvin de Haan – Connor Murphy

This defensive pairing would be lights out. Murphy has quickly become the Blackhawks top shut down guy. While Calvin de Haan was an instrumental piece with the Carolina Hurricanes blue line last season. The Hurricanes defense has struggled without de Haan more than they will admit. Hopefully, de Haan can stay healthy next year and play alongside Murphy in the Blackhawks’ end.

Olli Maatta – Ian Mitchell

This line has some upside. They would play well with the puck in the offensive zone and would be able to make plays up and down the ice. While Maatta might not be the fastest player in the NHL, he does have a good stick.

The defense is missing a few players on my list. Brent Seabrook and Erik Gustafsson do not make appearances, and I do not have Slater Koekkoek either. I believe Koekkeok would fit well as a seventh defenseman slotting in for someone every once in a while. Seabrook on the other hand, just has too much going on to come back strong next season.

I hope we get to see the number seven back in the UC, but with two hip surgeries and a shoulder surgery that seems unlikely. If the Blackhawks re-sign Erik Gustafsson and he plays with the Blackhawks again I will be the first one to admit I am wrong, but then again Stan Bowman would be in the wrong for bringing him back because Gustafsson can not play in his end.

The defense is only as good as who is in the net. Let’s take a look at my predictions for next season’s starting goalie!

Starter: Corey Crawford / Backup: Collin Delia

If you have read any of my articles so far or follow me on twitter you might understand that I don’t think the Blackhawks can re-sign Robin Lehner. Lehner has already stated that he will not take a pay cut to play for this team, and I understand that. Lehner deserves eight or nine million the way he has been playing. I don’t think the Blackhawks will have the money for that.

Crawford has done it all in this league and might only want to play for a few more seasons. Let’s show him our loyalty and give him two or three years, a three-million-dollar contract and let him finish his career with Chicago. Then one of our many great goalies in the organization can step up. Collin Delia could play in the NHL or so could Kevin Lankinen. Let Crawford help teach these guys how to play.

Now there is still a lot more hockey to be played this season. If the Blackhawks do make the playoffs I bet you are wondering which team they will face off against in the first round. We have you covered!

I know that it is still kind of too soon to be talking about next season, but at the same time when we start looking at pieces to give up in a trade, I think we all need to understand we are trading away pieces in the lineup down the road.