Blackhawks: Simulating Five Years in the Future Using NHL 21

2021-22 Season – (Year 2)

Offseason moves to begin the year:

Chicago started the season with two first-round draft picks and added a center and a left-winger with the picks. That offseason they signed both of their first-round draft picks to contracts.

Zach Senyshyn was signed for three years at 1.5 million
David Kampf was signed for four years at 1.5 million
Nick Seeler was not re-signed and was released to free agency

Shesterkin was an RFA in New York and Chicago offered him a contract which the Rangers were unwilling to sign. Shesterkin is now on a 5 year 5.05 million dollar contract with Chicago.

Ryan Strome joined the Blackhawks to play with brother Dylan on a two-year contract worth 5.55 million

Chicago traded Brent Seabrook to the New Jersey Devils with a second-round pick for New Jersey’s fourth and fifth in 2022.

Regular Season Record: 46-30-6 (Wild Card Team 1)
Playoff Finish: Stanley Cup Finals Loss
Stanley Cup Champion: Carolina Hurricanes
Award Winners: None In Chicago
Point Leaders: Goals (Kane 34) Assists (Kane 44) Points (Kane 78)

Notes:

This previous offseason really fixed the team with Chicago adding Igor Shesterkin a 25-year-old netminder that is now the apparent starter for the future. Plus the addition of Ryan Strome bolstered the top six greatly.

The Seabrook contract really is hindering the Blackhawks even in year two. With Boqvist and Dach both on expiring contracts at the end of the season that money would be great for those two. Getting Seabrook off of the payroll definitely is necessary for this team to bounce back. Chicago’s lineup consists of two many star players with Toews and Kane around to fully rebuild.

Even with Mitchell and Boqvist taking on big roles on the defense, they still needed more depth at the position at the NHL level. Dallas offered Jake McCabe for a second and sixth-round pick. McCabe was on a two-year contract at 2.23 million at the time of the trade.

With the young players like Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and Kirby Dach all stepping up on the ice Jonathan Toews’s morale dropped greatly due to a decrease in ice time. Toews was untradeable at the deadline even though he was on the block.

No deadline deals were worked out for the Blackhawks this season, even though Chicago was trying to actually buy this year. Even still, Chicago snuck into the playoffs as the first wildcard team.

Shockingly enough Chicago took a run to the Stanley Cup Finals after getting past the Vegas Golden Knights in six games, the Anaheim Ducks in seven games, and the Minnesota Wild in five games. Chicago fell short of the cup losing in game six to the Hurricanes. Alex DeBrincat led Chicago with 10 goals and 15 assists throughout the playoffs.

Notable Contracts:

Chicago re-signed Adam Boqvist for eight years at 9.95 million a season
Chicago re-signed Kirby Dach for eight years at 5.9 million
Chicago re-signed Connor Murphy for one year at 1.5 million