Today’s News Clips Jan. 17, 2019

ChicagoBlackhawks.com PREVIEW: Blackhawks at Rangers 1/17

By Chris Wescott January 16, 2019

The Blackhawks are hoping they've shaken off any bad vibes coming off Monday's 8-5 loss to the Devils in New Jersey, as they now set their sights on the on Thursday. Chicago (16-23-9) has points in four of their last six games but they look to string together some two-point performances ahead of the All-Star break later this month.

On Monday, Patrick Kane logged a regular season career-high 28:50 of ice time and recorded four points in the loss. It was also his career-high fifth-straight multi-point outing.

Kane paces the club in points this season with 64 (27G, 37A) in 47 games. Jonathan Toews is second on the roster with 42 points (18G, 24A) in 48 outings, and Alex DeBrincat is third in points (38), but second in goals with 23. DeBrincat is tied with Kane in power-play goals with seven this season.

Erik Gustafsson leads the Blackhawks defense in scoring with eight goals and 21 assists for 29 points in 45 games.

Between the pipes, goaltender Collin Delia leads the way production wise with a 3-1-3 record to go along with a 2.71 GAA and .932 save percentage.

For the Rangers, Mika Zibanejad leads the way with 41 points (14G, 27A) in 46 games. Chris Kreider is second on the team in scoring with 35 points, but first in goals with 21.

In , Henrik Lundqvist, who will reportedly get the start versus Chicago, leads the way with a 13-12-7 record, a 3.04 GAA and .908 save percentage.

The Rangers (19-20-7) are winners of three of their last four games.

SEASON SERIES:

In their first of two meetings this season, the Blackhawks downed New York 4-1. The game, back on Oct. 25, was tied after the first period, but Chicago scored three straight goals to close out the victory.

OPPONENT TO WATCH:

Mats Zuccarello is fifth on the team in scoring, but he is red hot as of late. The winger has seven goals and 14 assists in 33 games this season, but three goals and three assists over his last three games.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com PROSPECTS: Barratt & Mitchell nominated for the Hobey Baker

By Chris Wescott January 16, 2019

Blackhawks prospects Evan Barratt and Ian Mitchell are among the group of players nominated for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, given to the top collegiate hockey player in the nation. Voting has now opened for Phase I, which runs through Sunday, March 10.

Barratt, a sophomore forward at Penn State, and his teammate and fellow nominee Alex Limoges are tied for second in the nation with 30 points, trailing Michigan State's Taro Hirose.

Barratt paces Penn State with 13 goals, which is tied for the Big Ten conference lead and is good for fourth in the nation. He also has 17 assists, which is good for fifth in the Big Ten.

He opened the 2018-19 campaign with a program-record 11-game point streak from Oct. 12 through Nov. 23. In that stretch, he set a new school record for five-straight multi-point games.

Barratt and Limoges are two of 16 Big Ten players nominated out of a total 81 players.

Barratt was selected by the Blackhawks in the third round of the 2017 NHL Draft, 90th overall. He recently helped Team USA earn a silver medal at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Mitchell, a sophomore defenseman at the University of Denver, was a second-round pick of the Blackhawks in the 2017 NHL Draft, 57th overall.

The Calahoo, Alberta native just recently skated for Team Canada at the 2019 IIHF World Juniors, recording one goal and two assists in five games.

He was named an alternate captain this past summer, and earned NCHC Defenseman of the Week honors on Nov. 5.

Mitchell has three goals and 12 assists for 15 points in 18 games this season for Denver.

Following the Phase I voting period, the list of players will be narrowed to a final 10, to be announced on March 20. Phase II voting will take place from March 20-31. The fan vote counts for a full one percent of the total ballot during each phase.

The Hobey Hat Trick will be announced on April 4, and the Hobey Baker Award will be presented to the winner on April 12, during the NCAA Frozen Four Championships in Buffalo, NY.

Nominated players were submitted by the athletic departments of the Division I schools with a maximum of three candidates per school. The qualities of award nominees include strength and character, both on and off the ice, contributions to the integrity of the team, outstanding skills in all phases of the game, as well as scholastic achievement and sportsmanship.

The last Blackhawks draftee to win the award was Bill Watson in 1982.

NBCSportsChicago.com Blackhawks prospects Evan Barratt, Ian Mitchell nominated for Hobey Baker Award

By Charlie Roumeliotis January 16, 2019

A pair of 2017 Blackhawks draft picks are up for college hockey's most prestigious honor.

Penn State forward Evan Barratt and Denver defenseman Ian Mitchell are among the 81 players nominated for the Hobey Baker Award, which is annually given to the most outstanding player in Division-1 men's hockey.

Barratt, a third-round selection (No. 90 overall), is tied for second in the nation with 30 points and fourth with 13 goals through only 19 games. He appeared in seven games for Team USA during the 2019 World Juniors, where he scored a goal and ranked second on the team with 25 shots on goal.

Mitchell, a second-round selection (No. 57 overall), leads all Denver defensemen with 18 points and ranks fifth on the team with 0.83 points per game. Two of his three goals this season have been game-winners. Like Barratt, Mitchell also represented his country for the World Juniors. He had three points (one goal, three assists), a plus-6 rating and averaged 15:42 of ice time for Canada.

The Phase 1 fan voting period is officially open and will run through Sunday, March 10. The Top-10 finalists will be announced on March 20. From then until March 31, Phase II voting will be open to determine the Hobey Hat Trick, which will be announced on April 4.

The winner will be revealed on April 12 during the NCAA Frozen Four Championships in Buffalo, N.Y. Fans can cast their vote at https://www.hobeybaker.com/vote .

Dylan Sikura was named one of 10 finalists last season, and was the first Blackhawks prospect to do so since Tyler Motte in 2016.

NBCSportsChicago.com Former Blackhawks champion Brandon Bollig announces retirement

By Charlie Roumeliotis January 16, 2019

A former Blackhawks Stanley Cup champion has decided to hang up the skates.

Brandon Bollig officially announced his retirement in an Instagram post after five seasons in the NHL, three of which came in Chicago.

"Thank you to the game of for the wonderful experience, countless memories and valuable lessons," Bollig wrote. "You’ve made me the person I am today and I’ll be forever grateful. I have officially retired."

Bollig signed with the Blackhawks as an undrafted free agent in 2010, but didn't make his team debut until the 2011-12 campaign. In three seasons in Chicago, he accumulated 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 125 games and 201 minutes. He also appeared in 24 playoff contests, where he recorded a goal and an assist, and was a part of the 2013 championship-winning team.

Bollig was traded for a third-round pick in the summer of 2014 to the Flames, where he spent his final two seasons in the league. He signed a one-year, two-way contract with the for the 2017-18 season, but never received a call-up and was later traded to the organization.

Bollig was known for being an agitator and great teammate, sticking up for them on the ice whenever the chance presented itself. But he was also known for being a jokester.

Chicago Tribune 'It's time for me to get a win': Blackhawks' Dylan Strome ready to defeat brother Ryan for 1st time

By Jimmy Greenfield January 16, 2019

'It's time for me to get a win': Blackhawks' Dylan Strome ready to defeat brother Ryan for 1st time

The first NHL game between brothers Dylan and Ryan Strome was played two years ago, when Dylan was with the Coyotes and Ryan played for the Islanders.

Big brother Ryan and the Islanders won, 3-2.

They met again last season, when Ryan’s new team, the Oilers, faced the Coyotes.

Ryan won again, 3-2.

Now, for Round 3, Dylan is a center for the Blackhawks and Ryan plays the same position for the Rangers.

“He beat me twice, so it’s time for me to get a win,” Dylan Strome said.

The Strome brothers — at 25, Ryan is 3 1/2 years older than the 21-year-old Dylan — plan to enjoy a nice dinner with their mother Wednesday night in New York and get in the right frame of mind for Thursday’s game.

Ryan, listed at 6-foot-1, 194 pounds, and Dylan (6-3, 200) grew up in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga, Ontario.

“Both living our dream,” Dylan Strome said. “You obviously want your family members to succeed and do well, so it’s tough in that sense where I want him to do well. But my focus is here, and I want to do well. It’s weird playing against each other but you got to do it.”

A third Strome brother, Matthew, 20, is a prospect in the Flyers’ system.

Fun house

Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton took advantage of practicing at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday by having a workout that consisted almost entirely of scrimmages.

“It’s not often you get to practice in this barn,” Colliton said. “So (it was) fun to get out there and I think it was good. They had energy and hopefully we can carry that into tomorrow.”

The Devils bombarded the Hawks 8-5 on Monday, but that score didn’t reflect just how poorly and lethargic the Hawks played. Colliton hoped to reverse that with Wednesday’s practice.

“Happy hockey players are good hockey players,” Colliton said. “So let’s get them going. Let’s have energy. It wasn’t the game we wanted, but there’s no point dwelling on it. I think we know that isn’t us.”

Getting defensive

Colliton defended playing seven defensemen against the Devils, arguing that the Lightning have done it and they have the NHL’s best record.

“It’s not that it can’t work,” Colliton said. “I think one of the reasons you dress seven is so you have more options as far as getting five or six going on any given night. (Monday) night we didn't have that. We had fewer than six or five going. But I do think it’s an option to either get guys in the lineup or give them opportunity or create competition.

“Whether we go back to it or not (against the Rangers) we haven’t decided.”

Chicago Tribune 'Shows how old I am': Brent Seabrook's 100th NHL goal a bright spot in a dismal Blackhawks season

By Jimmy Greenfield January 16, 2019

Brent Seabrook either was being coy or was genuinely confused why anybody would ask him about scoring the 100th goal of his career.

“Is that a big milestone for defensemen?” Seabrook asked. “I don’t know.”

Put your money on being coy. But a reporter playing along informed Seabrook that, yes, it is a big milestone. His goal Monday against the Devils allowed him to join Bob Murray and Doug Wilson as the only defensemen to score at least 100 goals while wearing a Blackhawks uniform.

“Shows how old I am,” he quipped.

Yes, it does. But it also shows how good the 33-year-old Seabrook has been over the course of his 14-year career.

When Seabrook scored his first NHL goal against the Blues on Nov. 2, 2005 — an overtime winner — the Hawks were on their way to a 26-43-13 record.

They have had a wee bit of success since then — nine straight playoff appearances from 2009 to 2017 and three Stanley Cup championships — and Seabrook was a huge part of that.

Those days are in the past, however, and the Hawks are on pace to miss the playoffs for a second straight season. Seabrook is no longer able to drive possession — his 46.6 Corsi percentage is easily the lowest of his career — and he lost his spot on the first power-play unit.

Seabrook was a healthy scratch once last season, but coach Jeremy Colliton hasn’t gone that route yet.

“Recently he’s had a pretty good stretch of games,” Colliton said. “Being cleaner with the puck and sharp defensively. We all know what he brings as far as leadership and his pedigree, but we hope he continues to improve and I think he has recently.”

Seabrook’s contract is likely to keep him in a Hawks uniform for years to come. He’s signed through 2023-24 with a $6.875 million salary-cap hit and a no-movement clause. It’s hard to imagine the Hawks could find a trade partner anyway with so many years left on his deal.

General manager Stan Bowman has said he has not approached Seabrook or any other players about waiving their no- movement clauses. Seabrook wasn’t interested in saying if he would consider such a request.

“I don’t think we need to talk about that,” he said.

What Seabrook did want to talk about was the possibility of the Hawks making the playoffs. Yes, this season.

“I think playoffs are still there,” he said. “Bringing that winning culture back in here and getting on a good run and trying to feel good about our game, that’s a big part about it. By doing that, string together some wins here, who knows what happens.”

If that’s going to happen, the Hawks will have to start by beating the Rangers on Thursday at Madison Square Garden. They tried to wipe off the stink of Monday’s 8-5 loss to the Devils — their fourth straight defeat — by scrimmaging three-on-three and then having a lively two-on-two neutral-zone drill during practice Wednesday.

“It was a fun practice,” Seabrook said. “Trying to get back to having fun. And when you’re having fun, you’re playing better.”

Chicago Sun Times Blackhawks let loose at Madison Square Garden before facing New York Rangers

By Jason Lieser January 16, 2019

The Blackhawks had Madison Square Garden all to themselves Wednesday and made a fun afternoon out of it.

Jeremy Colliton didn’t see a purpose in hammering the players for their debacle two nights earlier against the Devils. He turned them loose and let them get back to what they love.

They worked for about 45 minutes in the empty arena — “It’s not often you get to practice in this barn,” joked Colliton, who was in a surprisingly light mood. Most of the session was spent on three-on-three overtime simulation and some scrappy two-on-two with the nets at the blue lines.

He picked drills the players love, and he might know what he’s doing, because the Hawks had the juice they have been missing. They were aggressive and boisterous — a well-timed spark before they come back to this building Thursday to play the Rangers.

“Happy hockey players are good hockey players,” Colliton said. “Let’s get them going. Let’s have energy.”

That would be much different than whatever the Hawks want to call their effort in the 8-5 loss to the Devils on Monday. They need to come alive immediately, because they’re not even at the All-Star break, and they’re already running out of time to make this season mean something.

Their miniscule odds at clawing into the playoffs took a hit as they stumbled through an 0-2-2 week. They’re eight points out of the final wild-card spot, and Money Puck calculated a far better chance of them winning the draft lottery (11.1 percent) than making the postseason (1.96 percent).

The Hawks seem undaunted — publicly, at least. They keep saying they have the talent to make a run, but it might be too late by the time they get around to it. Fellow stragglers, like the Devils and Rangers, are the teams they need to feast on, but they haven’t shown the appetite.

“It’s urgent all the time in the league now — everything’s so tight, everybody’s so good,” said Brent Seabrook, perhaps inadvertently illustrating the Hawks’ post-dynasty reality. The opponents didn’t always seem so fearsome.

“You just got to — we’ve got to be better,” Seabrook continued. “We’ve got to be better from the start of the game right away and try to string some wins together.”

His unit needs to lead the way. The offense is adequate, but the team is allowing the second-most shots on goal in the league at 34.9 per game, and many of those are prime looks. Every shooter loves seeing the Hawks, who have given up a league-high 178 goals, come to town.

“It’s frustrating,” Seabrook said. “You want to be up in the top 10 in the league in that kind of thing. . . . Just gotta be better at that.”

The trouble is, at least for the remainder of this season, they have to figure it out with who they have.

It’s hard to imagine the Hawks being a buyer as they approach next month’s trade deadline. Most likely, their defensemen must clean up their own mess. If that’s not possible, the season will stay on its current course.

Seabrook has had subpar stretches, but Colliton thinks he has been better lately. Erik Gustafsson can be an asset, but he seems preoccupied trying to score, so Colliton benched him in the third period for not playing defense. The issues go on and on.

“Everyone can be better,” Colliton said. “I don’t think anyone’s at their maximum level.”

If that’s true, then it might come down to enthusiasm for the job. Colliton seems to see that as a significant portion of the pie chart for the Hawks’ struggles, and a big part of his job is figuring out how to boost them to the requisite effort.

He let them have a good time at the Garden. They can return the favor with a lively performance Thursday night.

Chicago Sun Times Blackhawks D Erik Gustafsson looks for better defense after benching

By Jason Lieser January 17, 2019

Erik Gustafsson isn’t a bad defender or too lazy to bother with it. He can do the dirty work when it matters to him.

Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton would like it to matter a lot more often, starting tonight against the Rangers.

Gustafsson, a third-year defenseman, got himself benched for the third period of Monday’s 8-5 loss to the Devils because he appeared far more enthusiastic about offense than his primary role on the ice.

“We know he can defend better, so we expect it out of him,” Colliton said. “If he’s on the ice, he’s gonna produce offense. Part of being on the ice is defending better. So we want him out there, and if he is out there, he’s gonna help us win.

“He views his offensive contribution as a major part of his game, and rightly so. But if you keep it out of your net, it’s also equal to producing a goal, so that’s always something to remember.”

Gustafsson is the team’s most offensively gifted defenseman and leads his position with 29 points (eight goals, 21 assists).

He didn’t give the Hawks much at either end of the rink, though, against the Devils. In a season-low 14:17 of ice time, he blocked one shot, had no hits or takeaways and was a minus-2. The only one worse in plus/minus was Duncan Keith at minus-5 in 21:36.

Gustafsson said Wednesday afternoon he hadn’t spoken with Colliton about the benching, but he didn’t seem to need clarification.

“I just want to get better,” he said. “I’ve gotta be better without the puck. With the puck it’s good, but without the puck I’ve gotta be better and stronger. I’ve gotta be defensive a little bit more.

“I’ve gotta be better at it. I want to have the puck and I want to get going and shoot a little bit. Unfortunately, I [overemphasized] that a couple times last game.”

Daily Herald Young Blackhawks star DeBrincat flirts with 40-goal season

By John Dietz January 16, 2019

When it comes to impressive achievements in the sports world, many pundits would point to a 4,500-yard season by a quarterback, 200 hits or 50 home runs by a baseball player or 2,000 points by an NBA star.

In hockey, anytime someone approaches 40 goals or 100 points, you better believe players, coaches and analysts all start taking notice.

And while almost 20 players are on pace for 40 goals in 2018-19, that milestone has only been accomplished 45 times over the previous 10 seasons, with Washington's Alex Ovechkin doing the honors six times by himself.

There's a long way to go this season, but the Blackhawks' Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat both have a legitimate chance to pull off this feat. Kane's done it once before, when he cranked out 46 during his 2015-16 MVP campaign.

But not many expected so much so soon from DeBrincat.

After all, it was just 16 months ago when we wondered if the 5-foot-7 Michigan native might be better off starting his career in the minors with the Rockford IceHogs.

Instead, he led the Hawks with 28 goals, then stayed in Chicago last off-season to work with head trainer Paul Goodman.

The results are showing in a big way as DeBrincat has 23 goals and is on pace for 39.

"He's got a big heart. He's a good kid," Duncan Keith said in September. "He's a good guy and a good teammate. He cares and he works hard. There's a reason he scored so many goals in junior and he's had success early on in his career. That's not a coincidence."

Said Vegas defenseman Nate Schmidt: "You can't really compare anybody to Kane, but he's got a lot of similar tendencies. … You can see his maturity the last year and a half has grown immensely."

His game has grown as well.

Last season, DeBrincat was often content to find open areas on the ice so he could take advantage of a shot that is extremely accurate and deceptively quick.

Now, the diminutive forward is so much more confident with the puck on his stick. He'll weave through traffic. Push the pace through the neutral zone. Fight hard in the corners. Take a hit to advance the puck deeper into the zone. Or make a slick pass to a teammate, as he did Monday night in New Jersey when he threaded the needle to Dominik Kahun in the first period. Kahun didn't score, but that feed was a perfect example of how DeBrincat is turning into a much more complete player.

"He's doing a really good job just moving his feet out there and having his head up with the puck, so he's making a lot of plays," said Hawks captain Jonathan Toews. "That's the biggest improvement I've seen."

And his shot remains as lethal as ever.

It's a lot for defensemen to handle. Schmidt said he likes intimidating young players by getting in their faces until they prove themselves, but he doesn't use that tactic with DeBrincat anymore.

"I like to try and stay off him a little -- like at least a stick length and make sure he knows if he does turn, he's going to turn into my stick," Schmidt said. "(Guys like DeBrincat) can spin off you so well. "It's so hard to go in for hits nowadays because when you have players that are smaller, shifty and fast -- you go in sometimes and miss, and all of a sudden they're gone."

Much of DeBrincat's production of late has come on a supercharged power play that has scored in six straight games and is 14-for-40 over the last 13 contests. The chemistry between DeBrincat and Patrick Kane is a big factor in the top unit's success.

"Obviously that seam play's been working pretty well," said DeBrincat, who was stapled on the third line for much of the season but has earned a promotion to Toews' line the last three games. "We have a lot of different options that we can score on. Kaner's a threat by himself over there, too.

"It's tough for the other teams to defend if we're zipping it around. We're pretty confident right now and we look to keep going with it."

As confident as DeBrincat has become this season, he figures to keep scoring at fairly consistent rate. Can he hit 40 goals? We'll find out soon enough.

But no matter what happens, he's certainly opened plenty of eyes around the league and earned even more respect among his teammates.

"He keeps his life really simple," Toews said. "He's really committed to playing the game, to being a good player.

"With a lot of guys after (they) have a good first season, it's easy for them to expect the same the next year, and maybe their work ethic falls to the side. … I don't think you've seen any of that with Alex.

"He's definitely a mature kid and his priorities and his focus are all in the right place."

The Athletic Why the Blackhawks should trade Erik Gustafsson … and why they shouldn’t

By Scott Powers January 17, 2019

Stan Bowman is currently planning for the Blackhawks’ future. Who should stay? Who should go? Who is tradable? Who are top-six options? Bottom-six options? Which defensemen fit what Jeremy Colliton is trying to do? Who can they win with next season and beyond? As Bowman and his staff work through the organization’s depth chart and make decisions on each of the players, the one name they’ll undoubtedly pause on and have a lengthy discussion about is defenseman Erik Gustafsson. He’s quickly become a polarizing player among fans, and that’s likely true in the Blackhawks’ front office, too. One Eastern Conference scout said there would definitely be trade value for Gustafsson if the Blackhawks sought to move him. The question is whether the Blackhawks will seek to move him. Let’s lay out the pros and cons of trading him: Pro: The Blackhawks can’t go into next season with the same defensive group and expect different results. That’s basically what they did after last season, and nothing changed this season, as expected. Looking at the group, there aren’t many ways to alter their defense. Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Connor Murphy probably aren’t going anywhere with all three players having three or more years remaining on their contracts. Keith and Seabrook also have no-movement clauses. Henri Jokiharju is on the rise and a keeper. The Blackhawks have an assortment of 25-and-under defensemen, such as Gustav Forsling, Carl Dahlstrom, Slater Koekkoek and a few more in Rockford, who are probably capable of playing in the NHL but haven’t shown enough to be more than complementary pieces. Whether the Blackhawks want to bring on any of their up-and-coming defenseman prospects like Adam Boqvist, Ian Mitchell or Nicolas Beaudin, or sign or acquire a proven top-four defenseman this upcoming offseason, they’ll need to create roster space. One way of doing that is trading from the current roster, and Gustafsson probably makes the most sense. His value is likely at its highest right now with his recent offensive play and teams searching for ways to improve going into the playoffs. Con: Gustafsson has been one of the better offensive defensemen in the league this season. In all strengths per 60 minutes, he’s 13th among defensemen in goals, 23rd in total assists, tied for 16th in primary assists and 17th in total points. He’s especially been effective on the power play. Over the last 13 games, he’s had two goals and seven assists on the power play. The fact the Blackhawks are finally getting their power play going shouldn’t be downplayed. It’s struggled more often than it’s worked in recent years, and it’s now keeping them in games. Gustafsson has played a major role in that. Plus, no other Blackhawks defenseman has had as much success in that area. Gustafsson has a connection with Patrick Kane, too. He’s had two goals and seven assists while on the ice with Kane in 5- on-5 play, and another nine points with him on the power play. Another way to look at Gustafsson’s offensive ability is how often he creates offensive-zone entries. Here’s a look at that through the visual work of CJ Turtoro:

Pro: Gustafsson is the Blackhawks’ best offensive defenseman right now, but they have plenty of defensemen with his skill set coming. Jokiharju’s offensive game is expected to progress with time, and Boqvist, Mitchell and Beaudin all have offensive abilities in their games. Boqvist is expected to run the Blackhawks’ power play in the near future. Con: You know what you have in Gustafsson, and he can contribute now. Gustafsson might not be with the Blackhawks five years down the road, but he can help them offensively in the short term as they wait for Boqvist, Mitchell, Beaudin and others to develop. There’s a chance none of those players are ready for the NHL by October. In the meantime, you have someone like Gustafsson who can run the power play, chip in offensively and has NHL experience. If you really want to win next season, you’ll probably need some of those types of defensemen in your lineup. Here’s a look from Sean Tierney at how Gustafsson has been on three of the Blackhawks’ better parings this season:

Pro: Gustafsson’s abundance of offense doesn’t outweigh his lack of defense, at least on this Blackhawks team. It’s not by chance Gustafsson has the second worst on-ice rate of scoring chances against and high-danger chances against per 60 minutes among defensemen in the league (minimum 300 minutes). It’s often his decision-making in the defensive zone that puts the Blackhawks in those predicaments. Another team might be able to hide a player like Gustafsson. For the Blackhawks, they have too many defensive liabilities among their forwards and defensemen to cover up already. As a team, they’re among the three worst teams in goals against, shots against, scoring chances against and high-danger chances against per 60 minutes in 5-on-5 play. Gustafsson’s play factors into that, but there are other issues as well. Even Colliton often seems torn about Gustafsson. Of course, he loves Gustafsson’s offensive upside. Gustafsson has been one of the reasons for the power play’s success. On the other hand, Colliton questions Gustafsson’s defensive-zone play. Just last game, Colliton benched Gustafsson for that reason. Here’s a look at Gustafsson’s defense against entries:

Con: Gustafsson’s contract is one of the better ones the Blackhawks possess right now. He has a $1.2 million cap hit and has another year left on it. If he keeps producing, he’ll certainly be asking for more after the 2019-20 season, but that’s something the Blackhawks can deal with later. For now, he’s a bargain. For a team that’s often near the ceiling, it’s important to have some of those. Bowman has gotten a few contracts wrong lately, but this was a good one. Final thoughts If the Blackhawks are going to be successful a season from now, they can’t be too attached to their current defenseme. Trading Gustafsson could probably get them something like a third-round draft pick at the deadline because of his offensive upside. The added pick would be good, but more importantly, it would give the Blackhawks a little more roster flexibility next season. If it’s not Gustafsson going, the Blackhawks need to consider moving other defensemen.