Young Chicago Blackhawks will be better for playoff learning experience

The Chicago Blackhawks were given an opportunity to play spoiler this summer due to the NHL’s expanded 24-team playoff. Though they came up short against the Vegas Golden Knights, they still have a lot to be proud of.

Though the NHL regular season was cut short for all teams on March 12 due to concerns regarding the Coronavirus pandemic, the Chicago Blackhawks appeared to have written off their season much earlier. At the trade deadline, the Blackhawks moved on from a few prominent pieces from their roster including defenseman Erik Gustafsson and goalie Robin Lehner.

Though the Blackhawks had been playing better heading into the deadline, these trades signaled a “throwing in the towel” of sorts. Playoff chances tenuous at best, Blackhawks ownership looked to recoup value for some of their departing assets. After a decade of contention and three Stanley Cups, the Chicago Blackhawks were rebuilding.

However, with the NHL’s return to play including a wild 24-team playoff format, the Chicago — a team left for dead —  was given life.

Drawing the high-octane Edmonton Oilers in the opening qualifying round, few (if any) pundits gave them a chance.

Youth will be served on the Chicago Blackhawks

But captain Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane — once the NHL’s most dynamic duo — were itching to show they could still hang with the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

At times, the series wasn’t pretty. Chicago’s defense was often taken to the cleaners by McDavid and Draisaitl, and Corey Crawford looked cooked at times. However, the Blackhawks matched the Oilers at their own game and sent the Oilers packing in one of the biggest upsets in NHL history.

The encouraging part is that it wasn’t just Kane and Toews getting it done. The Blackhawks got big-time contributions from the youngsters in their lineup.

Calder Trophy nominee Dominik Kubalik continued his torrid scoring pace from the regular season and recorded a Blackhawks rookie record six points in his first four playoff games. Alex Debrincat, Kirby Dach and Matthew Highmore combined for a total of 10 points in the series — providing yet another glimpse into the future of this team.

If nothing else, the Blackhawks provided a major setback for an Edmonton franchise that thought it had figured out how to play “the right way.” Instead, they got prematurely bounced by a team trending in the other direction, but one with a core that had been to the big dance before.

Unfortunately, the Blackhawks next opponent, the Vegas Golden Knights, proved much more formidable and structured. Vegas simply overwhelmed Chicago with their forecheck while limiting their high-danger scoring chances. The Blackhawks managed to steal a game, and almost held on for one more in game five. However, the Golden Knights rebounded, cutting short an exciting, albeit frantic, playoff for the Blackhawks.

That being said, what Toews, Kane and the Hawks wrote was neither a Cinderella story nor a swan song. They made some noise with their opportunity but ultimately fell silent in the face of a team currently in the midst of its window of contention.

Instead, it was a prelude for the future of Blackhawks hockey. As Toews and Kane become the wily veterans in Chicago, the youth of Dach and Kubalik will take up their mantle. Corey Crawford, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook will soon retire and their roles will be filled as well.

This offseason, there will be many questions the Blackhawks must face. They sorely need to address their defensive unit, depth in net and should take a long look at whether Jeremy Colliton is a legit NHL coach.

But for now, the team that brought a modern dynasty to Chicago provided a shred of nostalgia and a glimmer of hope for the Blackhawks faithful. And for that, this team should hold their head high.