Blackhawks: These 3 players could make the difference against the Oilers

Dylan Strome #17, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Dylan Strome #17, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks have had three scrimmages so far in their summer training camp. Their second line has been hot, scoring 7 goals in three games.

Patrick Kane has always found a way to make players around him better, but he might have found his perfect linemate outside of Jonathan Toews, with Dylan Strome. Strome is the best center, outside of Toews, that Kane’s played with on the Chicago Blackhawks, in a very long time.

Strome has shown some great potential with the team since coming over in November of 2018. He’s shown his best play with Alex DeBrincat, but there could be more success for him in the playoffs with Kane, and Alexander Nylander, as he’s played well with Kane and Strome in training camp so far.

Kane scored 33 goals this season, along with 51 assists for 84 points. Strome had 12 goals with 26 assists for 38 points, even though he missed 12 games during the season. Nylander has turned things around for the most part, coming from Buffalo, scoring 10 goals with 16 assists for 26 points in 65 games.

This line makes up for 148 points out of the team’s 558 points.

In three scrimmage, this hot second line has scored 7 goals out of Team Black’s 12. Team Black is undefeated, winning 2 of the 3 games, with there being a 1-1 tie last Saturday.

These three have done well in other drills too, with Jeremy Colliton saying the following on them: “That line’s looked really good so far. They’ve been active, skating well, showing a lot of chemistry, and they’ve been scoring, so hopefully, that continues.”

"“That line’s looked really good so far. They’ve been active, skating well, showing a lot of chemistry, and they’ve been scoring, so hopefully, that continues.”"

From things fans have seen on social media, everyone can agree they’ve looked the best out of all of the players, being fast and on-point during drills. These guys have stayed together from the beginning of summer training camp, with now Colliton keeping them together, as it makes the most sense, with how hot they’ve been.

If they can keep this going during the playoffs, it could be what puts the Blackhawks ahead of the Oilers. Edmonton might have two of the best scorers in the NHL, but precision beats power, and timing beats speed. If this line can be precise and have good timing, they can add the pressure need to get past the Oilers.

Schedule