Chicago Blackhawks goaltending remains bright spot despite tough season

It’s no secret the Chicago Blackhawks had a tough season defensively.

The team finished second-last in the league with a 3.56 GAA this season. But the club did finish slightly better with a .894 SV%, good for 24th in the league.

At first glance, those numbers seem awful. But then again, there’s reason for optimism for the Chicago Blackhawks between the pipes. So, let’s take a deeper look at why the Chicago Blackhawks' goaltending remains a bright spot heading into next season despite this year’s sour year.

Looking at why Chicago Blackhawks goaltending remains bright spot despite rough year...

Let’s start by looking at the raw numbers. The Blackhawks used four goaltenders this season. That alone signals the lack of stability in the crease.

Arvid Soderblom, Peter Mrazek, Spencer Knight, and Drew Commesso combined for that 3.56 GAA and .894 SV%. Now, the bulk of the starts this season went to Soderblom and Mrazek. So, let’s focus on Mrazek.

Before being shipped off to the Detroit Red Wings at the trade deadline, Mrazek played 33 games, registering a 10-19-2 record, a 3.46 GAA, and an .890 SV%. Pretty rough numbers even with the defense playing in front of him.

Mrazek became expendable when Spencer Knight came over from the Florida Panthers. Plus, the Red Wings wanted some goaltending insurance. That made the deal sensible for both sides.

As for Soderblom, he registered a similar record at 10-18-7 with a 3.18 GAA and an.898 SV%. Slightly better numbers in 36 total games this season. It’s worth pointing out that Soderblom played better overall, based on the eye test.

Based on those two netminders alone, the numbers don’t seem too flattering. They signal a lack of consistency, considering the team in front of them.

Spencer Knight could be the answer for Chicago Blackhawks.

Let’s now look at Knight. In 15 games since coming over from the Florida Panthers, Knight went 5-8-2 with a 3.18 GAA and am .896 SV%. Those numbers alone point toward a significant improvement over the numbers shown earlier in the season.

When looking at Knight’s individual performances, he made 41 saves against the LA Kings on March 3. He stopped 36 of 39 against the Utah Hockey Club on March 7. And so goes the list. The only game we could call a “stinker” came on March 18 when he surrendered six goals to the Seattle Kraken.

That’s it.

Knight had tough losses against the Colorado Avalanche twice, the Winnipeg Jets, and Washington Capitals. As such, the fact that Knight and the Blackhawks weren’t blown out by top teams signals the Blackhawks have reason for optimism next season.

In my estimation, a more solid blue line and defensive approach next season could yield significant benefits. The Blackhawks could target an upgrade at backup or potentially look for a 1B-type goaltender.

For instance, free-agent goalies like Alex Lyon, Dan Vladar, or Anton Forsberg could provide the Blackhawks with a reliable backup, allowing Knight to take over the reins. Of course, there’s work to be done on the blue line. But the seeds are there to build on.