Examining The New Chicago Blackhawks Core Group

The Chicago Blackhawks look a lot different now than they did a few seasons ago. The days of our Toews and Kane core group leading us to championships is over, but some new group can take their place.

The group of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Marian Hossa, and Niklas Hjalmarsson have done a lot for this city and the Chicago Blackhawks organization. But the fact of the matter is three of those players are now not playing in the United Center, and one is questionable to ever play again following a lot of surgeries this offseason. While Toews and Kane should be able to spend another five years playing for the Blackhawks, a new group needs to help take over.

I think we all can guess the main few players that are going to make up the new Blackhawks core. While Alex DeBrincat did have an off-year this season, I still think he is going to be back and ready next season. DeBrincat, Kirby Dach, Adam Boqvist, and Connor Murphy make up the first pieces of the new core.

Assuming Dominik Kubalik, Ian Mitchell, and Dylan Strome re-sign with the Blackhawks I would consider them just as big of parts of this core group. The Chicago Blackhawks are going to be in pretty good hands moving forward assuming they can get those three key players to re-sign as well. Throw in the veteran leadership of Toews, Kane, and Keith and you have a pretty good group leading the Blackhawks.

Our defense, assuming everything goes well, will have Boqvist, Murphy, and Mitchell with the other players Stan Bowman feels best fits this team. Then the offense is going to have three great centers to give a great one-two-three punch in Toews, Strome, and Dach, with some great wingers to flank them.

I know that things are not so bright for the Blackhawks, or even the world right now, but just know that assuming these young Blackhawks players can continue to progress in the right direction, there is no telling what this team can do. Plus, do not forget we do have another first-round draft pick that can hopefully bring in a talented young winger!