Blackhawks: Could Alex Debrincat take the Next Step into Stardom?

Alex Debrincat is set to become the next Blackhawks superstar, but he is also on pace to finish the season with 52 goals.

Alex Debrincat has been an interesting case since he was drafted in 2016. His skill level and natural scoring touch was widely known by scouts. His speed and tenacity despite his small size was also there, but, again that small size of 5'7", 165 lbs kept him out of the first round. Thankfully, despite not owning a first-round pick, the Blackhawks took the chance on him and they were rewarded.

Alex Debrincat is widely known as a top-five talent from his draft class now, with a recent re-draft by NHL.com putting him at 3rd overall in 2016. The Blackhawks nabbed a lottery pick in the second round... It's still hard to grasp that fact.

Since his drafting, Debrincat has not looked back and quickly became a member of the Blackhawks' core. In 2019, his second year in the league, he scored 41 goals and earned 35 helpers for 76 points in 82 games. Last season saw him score 32 goals and earn 24 helpers for 56 points in 52 games. Playing with Patrick Kane certainly doesn't hurt his points production, as his points-per-game has been on the increase, but his role as a sniper is about to hit a whole new height.

Debrincat has been on a roll as of late with 6 goals in 5 games, and his ability to find space is starting to pick up. As a sniper, he is starting to find time and space in the opponent's coverage for a high-quality scoring chance. Against the Blue Jackets, Debrincat found a wide open section of the ice after the faceoff and Riley Stillman found him for the snap shot. As his offensive awareness will only increase as he plays and practices with Kane, it's not to farfetched to believe that Debrincat will hit the 50 goal mark this season. A Dylan Strome, Patrick Kane, and Alex Debrincat line should be reunited in the near future.

Debrincat is already a member of the future of the Blackhawks' core, and could very well be one of the next cornerstones of the franchise. If he can consistently put up 45-50 goals per season, the Blackhawks will be well off for the next decade IF they properly build around him.