Matt Grzelcyk Should Be Given a Contract with the Blackhawks

Is Matt Grzelcyk the second coming of Bobby Orr? Nope. Is his name exceptionally hard to spell? Yup. But beyond these two facts, the reality is that he is a solid depth defenseman. The Chicago Blackhawks obviously want to make this season about the development of their young players, but he will actually help that occur by providing an extra steady defender that they can utilize when needed.

I just really struggle to imagine allowing a defensive group with only one true NHL veteran in Connor Murphy to take the ice for the majority of games this year. I believe that Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov will be stars, but they are not stars yet. The best way to ensure they succeed in their first full NHL season is to have a steady NHL defensive partner, like Grzelcyk, playing alongside them.

Why Veterans Matter

And, as much as I hate to say this, the chances are that Murphy will miss games this season, based on his health over the last several years in Chicago. Furthermore, he may end up being a very attractive trade chip at the deadline for a contender. If Murphy misses time or is dealt, there would be no defensemen on the Blackhawks older than 24. As much as we all value the young players and want them to receive plenty of ice time, having them sink or swim in the NHL without any veteran support is a recipe for disaster. We don't want to shake their confidence by throwing them to the wolves completely.

Signing Grzelcyk is a low-risk, low-reward addition for the Blackhawks. You can sign him and have him ride the bench anytime you want, but in case of injuries or when a young defenseman is getting overwhelmed and needs a night in the press box, Grzelcyk is there. He and Louis Crevier are solid seventh and eighth-defensemen to have when you have a team filled with very inexperienced defenders.

He will not be blocking any of the young defensemen from an NHL spot, as Davidson has made it clear that the guys that aren't completely ready for the NHL (Korchinski, for example) will play in Rockford, where they can play top-line minutes rather than riding the bench in the NHL. Frankly, I don't think that Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro, or Nolan Allan have definitively proven that they are NHL-ready. Out of that group, I've actually liked Allan's game the most, as he plays with the most snarl and aggression. When a young defenseman isn't yet polished in all areas of his game, being aggressive and physical can make up for some of your limitations, and at least provide something valuable on a nightly basis.

Having Grzelcyk here would be an added layer of depth that I believe this young Hawks roster will need. Every year, we seem to forget that injuries happen, often all at once, and depth becomes vital. This addition wouldn't cost the Blackhawks anything substantial, and it has the potential to work out very nicely for them as the season progresses. He has played well enough in his career and in the preseason to warrant a contract with Chicago, and here's hoping Davidson feels the same way.