What we should expect from Blackhawks forward Alex Nylander in 20-21

Alex Nylander of the Chicago Blackhawks has wrapped up his rookie season. Mired by inconsistency and an inability to gain more playing time, he looks to improve and have a strong showing in 20-21.

Alex Nylander of the Chicago Blackhawks had an acceptable first NHL season, and we’ve already gone over the details of that. Now it’s time to look ahead – what can and should we expect him to do in this next season?

Obviously he is going to have to put the work in to win over the fanbase, but we should expect him to truly stake his claim as a middle 6 option for the Blackhawks with consistent offensive production and as a power-play specialist.

First and foremost, he is going to have to cement his spot on the roster, but he should be safely in the 3rd line wing role, alongside Drake Caggiula and centered by either Kirby Dach or Dylan Strome (depending on who wins out for 2nd center). Assuming no FAs are added or trades are made, that would make the Blackhawks’ forward chart shake out like so:

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Kubalik – Toews – Saad
DeBrincat – Dach – Kane
Nylander – Strome – Caggiula
Carpenter – Kampf – Highmore
Suter

(Zack Smith bought out, Andrew Shaw on LTIR)

It’s a pretty good group laid out on paper, with multiple pieces that can slot up or down or be rotated in and out for different opponents.

Second, we need to see a noticeable improvement from the 26 points Nylander registered as a rookie, his season was fine but he absolutely needs more to secure his spot. While I would love for him to truly break out and score 50+ points, it’s probably more realistic to expect around the 37-42 mark with more reps on the second power-play unit.

Given his offensive mindset and a probable boost to his offseason training program, we should expect to see an improved effort from him. Guys that lit teams up in the lower levels that find it harder to have NHL success have to take their training seriously if they don’t want to be a washout.

Which brings us to the third item on this list, and the catalyst for any of this to happen. Alex Nylander should get on the phone with Patrick Kane and start working with the superstar’s trainer, Ian Mack. Kirby Dach went to Mack during the pause and came back a completely different player.

He won more board battles and 50/50 pucks, his first step was more explosive, and his already good defensive sense leaped to a new level. I’m not saying all of that will happen with Alex Nylander, but even better decision-making alone would catapult him as a hockey player.

If Nylander can find similar success then all of a sudden that solid forward lineup is deep and dangerous, Chicago would have three lines that could practically score at will. The “pick your poison” between Toews and Kane lines the championship teams were famous for would have a third line added to that mix to punish teams that used all of their defensive firepower on the big names.

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The ‘Hawks might not be a bonafide championship-caliber team (mostly because the defense and who is in goal is a question mark), but they absolutely would be on the road back. They could make the playoffs with it. And as we all know, damn near anything can happen in the Stanley Cup Playoffs if you just make it in.