3 Blackhawks who deserve respect this season

The Chicago Blackhawks have been a more competitive and exciting hockey team to watch through their first four games. While guys like Frank Nazar, Connor Bedard, and Spencer Knight are emerging as the heartbeat of the team, several other Blackhawks have been bright spots so far this season. Three players in particular have really stood out positively, and each of them deserves their flowers.

1) Louis Crevier

Louis Crevier had a very encouraging season last year, and it earned him a two-year contract extension with the Blackhawks, seemingly to serve as the team's replacement-level seventh defenseman. However, through the three games he has played, he has really stood out and made a significant impact.

Crevier is never going to be a guy who plays every night and racks up points, but in a defensive group with guys like Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov, Alex Vlasic, and Kevin Korchinski, he doesn't need to be a scorer. His value lies in his massive size and willingness to knock guys off their skates. I loved how he stood up for Nazar in Montreal and beat the brakes off of Kaiden Guhle. For a young team like the Blackhawks, that's the sort of thing that sets a culture and an internal confidence that you and your teammates are in it together.

I've really been impressed with him, and it is such a luxury to have a guy who can sit out a few games, then play a few games, and seemingly give you a consistent effort every time he draws into the lineup.

2) Ilya Mikheyev

I know that for many fans, Iyla Mikheyev may not be a sexy name to read about. But I love this dude's game. He is quiet, reserved, and technically terrific. He does all the little things well that help a team win. He possesses blazing speed and a tenacious puck-seeking mindset on offense and defense. Mikheyev can often be seen chasing down a puck in the offensive zone or chasing down a helpless winger in the defensive zone.

Mikheyev has thrived on the penalty-kill in particular, where his fast and tenacious skating make him an ideal puck-tracker. He also possesses a bit more scoring upside than people give him credit for. Remember that last season, he was a 20-goal scorer for the Blackhawks, and I have no reason to believe he can't replicate that goal total.

This is exactly the kind of depth player that the Blackhawks had been lacking in recent years. No offense to Boris Katchouk, Reese Johnson, Mackenzie Entwistle, and others, but Mikheyev actually has a clearly defined skillset that he can reliably and consistently utilize. He has an identity. He is fast, smart, and defensively dependable. I really like Mikheyev, and I'm hopeful that the Blackhawks can lock him up on an affordable extension.

3) Wyatt Kaiser

Wyatt Kaiser is another guy that Blackhawks fans have been sleeping on for far too long, but I somewhat understand why. He isn't a sexy defensive prospect like Korchinski, Rinzel, or Levshunov. He's not a veteran like Connor Murphy, nor is he an established young star like Vlasic. He's just a really good hockey player who continues to improve.

It's so easy to overcomplicate things, but honestly, Kaiser is just solid and gets better each game. Jeff Blashill seems to agree, as Kaiser actually led the team in ice time against the Utah Mammoth. There is a theory that a really good defenseman shouldn't be overly noticeable. If you are noticing a defenseman a lot (unless he's Cale Makar or Quinn Hughes), it's likely because he is struggling or making mistakes. Kaiser is playing really good, solid, and positional hockey. He is a big reason that the defense seems to be really steady despite having two rookies in the top four.

One other thing I adore about Kaiser's game is his willingness to run guys over. He has an edge to his game that this team desperately needs, especially as Nazar and Bedard emerge offensively and opposing players start to target them more and more. If Kaiser continues to improve throughout this season, the Blackhawks may have yet another gem in their young defensive core.