Chicago Blackhawks’ Fans Need To Brace For A New Reality

I want to see the next wave of star Blackhawks step up and start creating their legacy in the city of Chicago.

The Blackhawks have great players in Toews, Kane, and Keith, but they need to take a step back a little if they want to remain effective. Taking a step back allows new players to step up. The players the Blackhawks already have in their locker room could prove ready to elevate their game.

Alex DeBrincat might have had an off-year last season, but that does not mean he won’t come back better than ever next season. I am excepting to see players like DeBrincat, Strome, and Murphy take more significant roles in their position next season.

DeBrincat needs to get more opportunities on the special teams and should be a go-to player when the Blackhawks are down a goal. Strome needs to work on his faceoffs and make sure the Blackhawks can look to him moving forward when the Blackhawks need the puck. While Murphy needs to make sure he is ready to log more ice time for the Blackhawks on a blue line filled with inexperienced young players and older veterans.

Now, I know I did not include players like Ian Mitchell, Kirby Dach, and Adam Boqvist on this list above; I did that intentionally. While I know that they are all going to be influential pieces of this roster years down the line, I do not know how much we can put on their plate next season. We do not want to overwork our young guys too soon. So what does that mean for next season?