Can the Blackhawks still have a top penalty kill without Ilya Mikheyev?

The Chicago Blackhawks penalty kill will look different next season as Ilya Mikheyev's time with the Blackhawks is all but confirmed to be over. Insider Elliotte Friedman revealed on the 32 Thoughts podcast that Mikheyev and Chicago have been unable to reach an extension agreement. As a result, Kyle Davidson has placed Mikheyev's signing rights on the trade block in the hopes of acquiring assets for the top UFA's services.

The loss of Mikheyev is an unfortunate blow for this team. He was arguably the biggest reason why the Blackhawks finished the season with the second-best penalty kill at 83.6%, an astonishing stat for a team that finished 31st in the standings. Only the league-best Colorado Avalanche iced a better PK than Chicago.

The question is, can the Blackhawks maintain an effective penalty kill unit without Mikheyev next season?

Keys to the Blackhawks 26-27 penalty kill success

The good news for Chicago is they still have a plethora of strong defensive players to work with next year. Alex Vlasic and Louis Crevier are the first two that come to mind; the two towering defenseman were a hassle for the opposition to deal with on the man advantage. With Vlasic and Crevier's long sticks/reach in the way, it will still be difficult for teams to generate high-quality chances in the slot with little room to work with.

But that's on the defensive end, who steps up amongst the forwards in Mikheyev's absence? This is where the young guns will have to prove their worth.

Oliver Moore is a prime candidate to fill this role. A healthy Moore will be important next season for this squad. Mikheyev was known for generating shorthanded chances with his fast motor and relentless forecheck. With Moore's high pace and work ethic, he appears to be the most viable option to replace him in that regard.

Frank Nazar will no doubt be relied upon heavily on the PK. He has proven himself as an adept two-way player who can be utilized on both special teams. Like Moore, he has tremendous speed in his arsenal as well. Look out for him to generate breakaways with the man down.

Ryan Greene will be another one to watch. Greene has those Jason Dickinson-esque qualities you look for in a defensive forward specialist. He is solid on draws, forcing takeaways, and positionally sound.

Landon Slaggert could be another player here. He has that dog-on-a-bone mentality when it comes to pressuring puck carriers and causing turnovers.

Last, but not least, is Spencer Knight, of course. The goalie has to be your best penalty killer. Knight has performed well on a rebuilding Blackhawks team and will only improve as the defense around him gains more confidence.

Beyond the players, the most important factor to take into account is the system itself. Most people expected the Blackhawks' penalty kill to fall off a cliff post-trade deadline with the trades of Dickinson and Connor Murphy. The team had the best unit in the league by the deadline. Despite those heavy veteran losses, Chicago only dropped one place in the PK pecking order within the rankings.

That is a testament to the work the Blackhawks' coaching staff has done in implementing an elite penalty kill. Jeff Blashill brought in assistant coach Michael Peca to run the PK, and he has worked wonders thus far. The aggressiveness of Chicago's defensive attack has been a problem for opponents to cope with.

If Chicago can remain with a dynamic penalty kill next season in what projects to be a youthful group; that would be impressive. It would prove the team can deploy virtually anyone on the PK, courtesy of Peca's system.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow