Kane And Toews Welcome To Stay Through Blackhawks Rebuild
When then-interim general manager Kyle Davidson was officially handed the job, he made it clear that the Chicago Blackhawks were headed for a rebuild. He then quickly doubled down on those plans by trading away up-and-coming forward Brandon Hagel for a package of first-round picks and pro-ready prospects. Davidson has also discussed trades for fellow young forwards Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome and has been less than committal about re-signing veteran defenseman Calvin de Haan, who would like to return.
The situation has raised many questions about the futures of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. The duo have long been the franchise cornerstones of the Blackhawks and will see their numbers in the rafters of the United Center one day. However, they each have just one season remaining on their current contracts and if they want to compete for yet another Stanley Cup before their careers come to a close, they will likely have to leave Chicago for the first time in their careers. Toews has already been vocal about his disappointment with the direction of the club, moving into a rebuild while there is still some veteran talent on the roster, and has questioned whether he would go elsewhere to end his career. Meanwhile, Kane is still one of the most dangerous offensive players in the NHL, fresh off of a 92-point season. If he does not plan to re-sign with the Blackhawks, the team can charge a king’s ransom to trade him this off-season.
Yet, it seems that Davidson’s rebuild plan may not require that his future Hall of Famers go elsewhere. Speaking to the media today, Davidson responded to a question from the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope about how Toews and Kane fit into the Blackhawks’ future:
There’s definitely a place for Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane moving forward. I don’t think there’s any question about that. What their roles are and how they fit into things, that’s part of the dialogue that we’re having. [We’re] being very honest about with how we see their role and what we need out of them moving forward. They’re fully aware of what those [views] are, and there’s going to be questions and further conversations to really firm that up because it is something that isn’t… solved with one conversation or understood with one conversation.
Having them around is something we’re never going to shy away from because they can show this next wave of players how it’s done. And you never know, maybe they could be part of (this) when we’re back to having success. We don’t know the timeline of any of that yet, but [with their] amount of experience, the understanding of what it takes to be a good professional, what it takes to develop into a high quality professional and then win at the professional level, that experience and understanding is invaluable, so absolutely there is a place for 19 and 88 with the Blackhawks in any form that they wish.
Davidson certainly didn’t parse his words. He understands that the situation may not be ideal for his iconic veterans, but if they are willing to stick it out then he is willing to keep them. If Toews and Kane want to re-sign with the Blackhawks then that is what will happen. It’s now on the players to make it clear in their conversations with the team what their thoughts are on the future. Will they stay on as the living embodiment of what Chicago wants out of the young stars of their rebuild? Or will they ask to be traded and chase another title while they still can? While the two side have plenty of talking to do, we may know sooner rather than later what the future will bring.
NHL Announces 2022 Draft Lottery Odds
With the conclusion of the 2022 regular season coming this afternoon after the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Seattle Kraken 4-3 in regulation, the entire league standings are finally settled, and so are the odds for the 2022 NHL Draft Lottery, which will take place on Tuesday, May 10th, at 6:30 pm ET. The odds, which increase in reverse order of the NHL standings, are as follows (link):
Montreal Canadiens – 18.5%
Arizona Coyotes – 13.5%
Seattle Kraken – 11.5%
Philadelphia Flyers – 9.5%
New Jersey Devils – 8.5%
Chicago Blackhawks* – 7.5%
Ottawa Senators – 6.5%
Detroit Red Wings – 6.0%
Buffalo Sabres – 5.0%
Anaheim Ducks – 3.5%
San Jose Sharks – 3.0%
Columbus Blue Jackets – 2.5%
New York Islanders – 2.0%
Winnipeg Jets – 1.5%
Vancouver Canucks – 0.5%
Vegas Golden Knights** – 0.5%
* As a result of the Seth Jones trade on July 23, 2021, Chicago will transfer their 2022 first-round pick to Columbus, unless it is a top-two pick, at which point they will transfer their 2023 first-round pick instead.
** As a result of the Jack Eichel trade on November 4, 2021, Vegas will transfer its 2022 first-round pick to Buffalo, unless it is a top-ten pick, at which point they will transfer their 2023 first-round pick instead.
As a reminder, the NHL announced changes to the rules for the operation of the draft lottery on March 23, 2021, which in effect limits the amount of spots certain teams may move up. Teams are not eligible to move up more than 10 spots in the lottery; so, only the eleven teams with the highest odds can receive the first-overall pick. For example, the San Jose Sharks have the potential to receive the first overall selection, however the Columbus Blue Jackets, who have the next-highest odds, cannot select any higher than second overall. In previous years, any team in the lottery was eligible to move up to the first, second, or third position.
Another change to the lottery this year will be that only two teams will be chosen in the lottery, unlike previous years when three were selected. Then, like previous years, the remaining teams will be awarded their selection in reverse order of the NHL standings. This change means that a team with the highest odds, this year Montreal, will be guaranteed a top-three selection, whereas they could drop to as low as fourth in previous lotteries.
Although the odds drop off steeply as the list goes on, the lottery is still worth paying attention to for fans of the lower teams. Sure, Montreal is much more likely to win one of the two lotteries than the Islanders or Jets, however previous teams with poor odds have prevailed, most notably including the 2017 Flyers and 2020 Rangers.
Chicago Blackhawks Part Ways With Marc Crawford, Rob Cookson
The Chicago Blackhawks have informed associate coach Marc Crawford and assistant coach Rob Cookson that they won’t be returning to the team next season. The Blackhawks released the following statement announcing the news:
The Chicago Blackhawks can confirm that Associate Coach Marc Crawford and Assistant Coach Rob Cookson were informed that they will not be returning to the organization next season. They have each made significant contributions to our club and we appreciate their dedication. We wish them the best in their future endeavors.
Crawford, a long-time former head coach at the NHL level, joined Chicago prior to the 2019-20 campaign after briefly serving as the interim head coach of the Ottawa Senators. He was promoted from assistant to associate coach on November 17th, 2021, when the Blackhawks fired head coach Jeremy Colliton along with two assistants. Crawford has been active as a coach since 1988 and could look to join his seventh NHL team this offseason.
Cookson worked with Crawford in Ottawa, and he was hired mid-season to replace Crawford as an assistant when Crawford was promoted. He had spent the previous two seasons working as an assistant coach with HC Lugano in the Swiss National League. Cookson has extensive experience working as a video and assistant coach in the NHL, spending nine seasons with Calgary from 2001-2011.
Chicago did not announce replacements for either Crawford or Cookson.
Chicago Blackhawks Extend Sam Lafferty
The Chicago Blackhawks have obviously enjoyed what they’ve seen from Sam Lafferty down the stretch, as the team has signed him to a two-year contract extension. The deal will carry a $1.15MM cap hit and keeps Lafferty from becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Acquired in January from the Pittsburgh Penguins, Lafferty has found himself playing more in Chicago than he ever has before. Averaging nearly 15 minutes a night in 45 appearances, he has racked up five goals and 101 hits for the Blackhawks this season. That never-ending work ethic and willingness to forecheck has been a refreshing sight, especially given the player that Chicago traded for him.
There have been high hopes for Alexander Nylander since he was selected eighth overall in 2016, but he’s now on his third NHL organization without any real success. The Buffalo Sabres first selected him and saw an inconsistent effort through several seasons, before eventually flipping him to the Blackhawks for Henri Jokiharju (a trade that looks quite good for them now). In Chicago he was given a chance to play regularly, but a serious injury cost him any real career momentum and he’s now back in the minor leagues with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Of course, Lafferty isn’t being brought back to really change the look of the Blackhawks’ forward group. With general manager Kyle Davidson promising a rebuild, players like the 27-year-old can fill out the depth chart for a few years until some younger talent is ready to take over. Ultimately, his job is to stay competitive but kind of bridge the gap between the struggles and the success, all while potentially being a deadline chip down the road.
For the player, though, it’s easy to see why an extension would be appealing. Lafferty’s highest salary to this point in his career was the $800K he made this season, meaning a $1.15MM average annual value is a nice little upgrade. It also likely secures him some playing time at the NHL level, something that certainly wasn’t guaranteed elsewhere. In 139 career games, he has 32 points.
Mark Lazerus of The Athletic was first to report the deal.
Chicago Blackhawks Hire Jeff Greenberg
The Chicago Blackhawks interviewed several candidates for their general manager position before eventually handing the keys to the incumbent. Kyle Davidson, who had taken over on an interim basis when Stan Bowman left the organization, was named the full-time general manager at the beginning of March. One of the candidates they interviewed, however, is still joining the organization as Jeff Greenberg has been hired as associate general manager.
Greenberg, notably, isn’t part of the hockey world. He most recently worked as an assistant general manager with the Chicago Cubs, an organization he has been with since 2012. Davidson released a statement explaining the hire:
Our journey is just beginning as we build a next-generation foundation for this team, and that starts with a focus on modernizing and improving the Hockey Operations infrastructure in our front office. We will only get back to being best-in-class on the ice if we are working with best-in-class information and ideas behind the scenes. Together, this executive leadership team is looking forward to developing great talent throughout all levels of our organization and adding the tools we need across scouting, analytics, player development, coaching and more to return to competitive hockey.
The team had interviewed several prominent candidates during their general manager search, including Eric Tulsky, Scott Mellanby, and Peter Chiarelli. Soon after deciding on Davidson, whispers started to surface that some of the others that interviewed could be considered for other positions with the organization. That has now come true, as Greenberg joins Davidson and fellow associate general manager Norm Maciver at the top of the Blackhawks’ front office.
Since day one when he took over–something that only happened because of a massive scandal–Davidson has indicated that the Blackhawks needed a complete overhaul on and off the ice. He demonstrated that by moving Brandon Hagel, a young, core piece of the roster, at the trade deadline and has made clear that there will be more drastic moves coming. The team is entering a rebuilding phase, one that can be used to get Greenberg up to speed in the hockey world.
Of course, this isn’t the first time the Greenberg family has been linked to the NHL. Greenberg’s father, Chuck Greenberg, a good friend of Mario Lemieux, attempted to purchase the Carolina Hurricanes in 2017 before that franchise was eventually sold to Tom Dundon.
Emily Kaplan of ESPN broke news of the hire.
Seth Jones Will Play For Team USA At World Championship
Now that the NHL season is coming to an end, some players will be focused on joining new teams. The IIHF World Championship is right around the corner, scheduled to start on May 13, and players eliminated from the playoffs have already started discussing it with their respective country’s management groups. In Chicago, Seth Jones told reporters including Charlie Roumeliotis of NBCS Chicago that he will be on the U.S. squad at the tournament next month.
Jones, 27, was acquired by the Blackhawks last summer in a blockbuster deal that saw multiple first-round picks and top prospect Adam Boqvist change hands. He was supposed to elevate Chicago to a legitimate playoff contender for years to come, as signaled by the eight-year, $76MM contract extension they quickly signed him to. His $9.5MM cap hit next season will tie him for the fourth-highest among defensemen.
Unfortunately, playoff contention didn’t follow Jones to Chicago. The Blackhawks are currently 27-42-11 on the season and closer to the bottom of the league than the postseason, with a clear mandate from new general manager Kyle Davidson to rebuild this offseason.
For Jones, the Worlds will be a relatively unfamiliar experience. He hasn’t taken part in the tournament since 2015 when he was still a member of the Nashville Predators, as four out of the six years he was in Columbus the team qualified for the postseason. He does however have plenty of experience suiting up for Team USA, and won gold medals at the U18 and U20 events.
He might have another Team USA standout coming with him, as Cole Caufield told reporters including Eric Engels of Sportsnet that he also received a call from the management group. The Montreal Canadiens sniper would “love to play” according to Engels, though he won’t make a final decision until after the season is actually finished.
DeBrincat Open To Extension Talks Whenever Blackhawks Want To Start Discussions
Blackhawks winger Alex DeBrincat will be eligible to sign a contract extension in July and indicated to reporters, including Ben Pope of the Chicago-Sun Times, that he’s open to having those discussions whenever the team is. The 24-year-old has been one of the few bright spots for Chicago this season, notching 40 goals and 36 assists in 79 games. DeBrincat will be owed a $9MM qualifying offer in the 2023 offseason so it stands to reason that any discussion of an early extension will have that number as a starting point. Pope adds that DeBrincat isn’t expected to suit up at the World Championships next month with him and his wife expecting their first child.
Kirby Dach, Connor Murphy Not Expected To Play Again This Season
- Though they were on the ice today (in non-contact jerseys), Kirby Dach and Connor Murphy are not expected to play again for the Chicago Blackhawks this season, according to Charlie Roumeliotis of NBCS Chicago. It’s a predictable end to a terribly disappointing season for Dach especially, who registered just nine goals and 26 points in 70 games. The third-overall pick from 2019 has scored just 19 times in his 152 regular season games so far.
Chicago Blackhawks Sign Ethan Del Mastro
The Chicago Blackhawks have signed another prospect, inking OHL defenseman Ethan Del Mastro to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal will carry an NHL cap hit of $878,333. Del Mastro currently plays for the Mississauga Steelheads, where he will finish the season.
Selected 105th overall in 2021, the big, physical defenseman has taken his game to an entirely new level this season. Del Mastro is a prime example of how unclear the scouting community was on the upside of some mid-round players after he missed the entire 2020-21 season due to the COVID-canceled OHL campaign. That makes his stat page look a little odd, as Del Mastro had just seven points at the OHL level before exploding with 48 in 68 games this season.
Notably though, it’s not even really his offensive upside that is so intriguing. Not often do you find a defenseman that is both this big and this mobile, as Del Mastro is an excellent skater that can smother opponents quickly on the rush and punish them in the corners or in front of his own net. There’s a reason why the Steelheads made him captain, and at least some of that is because of his willingness to drop the gloves to protect his teammates.
While there is still obviously a lot of work to do before he is making an impact at the NHL level, this is exactly the kind of defenseman that has become so sought after in recent years, as teams put huge importance on length and mobility in the postseason. An entry-level contract is a nice first step, but the Blackhawks will now need to find a way to develop Del Mastro into the best version of himself.
Future For Dylan Strome, Derek King Remains Unclear
The Chicago Blackhawks have lots of decisions to make this summer as general manager Kyle Davidson continues his tear down and rebuild of the struggling organization. One of the biggest–outside of the obvious Jonathan Toews–Patrick Kane question–is what to do with Dylan Strome. The 25-year-old is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent and has taken off in the last half of the season, setting a new career-high in goals with 21 and playing more than 20 minutes in 17 of his last 21 games.
- Meanwhile, the coach that brought Strome back from the dead this season is also facing an uncertain future. As Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic writes today, it is “no slam dunk” that Derek King returns as head coach of the Blackhawks next season, despite some success since he took over on an interim basis. King was brought up from the Rockford IceHogs and is in his first stint as a coach in the NHL. Davidson told LeBrun that the team will address the coaching situation in the offseason, the same answer many managers gave him when he was looking at all of the expiring deals around the league. While names like Jay Woodcroft and Andrew Brunette seem like obvious extensions, things aren’t so clear in places like Winnipeg and Philadelphia, where success hasn’t followed the midseason changes.