Even though the Chicago Blackhawks playoff run is now over, certain young players shined in the postseason. However, there were some younger players that struggled to find their game. The Blackhawks have a lot of youth on their roster, and how these young players performed in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs might affect their future with the team.
Chicago Blackhawks’ Young Players
Kirby Dach
Kirby Dach was one of the best rookies in the league this season, and he showed why during the playoffs. He was extremely aggressive in the offensive zone, using his body and positioning to win corner battles, creating passing lanes to make scoring chances, and using his speed to put pressure on the opposing team with forechecking. In nine playoff games, he had a goal and five assists to combine for six points. He was on the ice for an average of just under 20 minutes per game, proving how impactful he was to the team. He was on the first power-play unit as well. When the Blackhawks’ power-play was able to maintain pressure, he was always creating traffic in front of the net and keeping possession in their favour.
However, Dach struggled in a crucial area: the shoot-first mentality. Multiple times Dach would be on an odd-man rush situation but would look to force a pass. Often this pass would be blocked or miss its target, thus nullifying the Blackhawks’ advantage. As a rookie, it seems likely he would defer to older teammates to shoot, but being the offensive threat he is, Dach needs to learn to shoot when the situation calls for it. Shooting for a rebound or shooting just to get an offensive zone faceoff is better than an errant pass. As he grows older and more seasoned, Dach will likely develop this mentality, but this is a fix that needs to be made quickly.
Alex DeBrincat
Alex DeBrincat was one of the most exciting young players to watch on the Blackhawks during the regular season. He scored 18 goals and had 27 assists to end with 45 points through 70 games. But he seemed to lose that offensive touch during the four-month break. In both series combined, he scored two goals, but one was on an empty net. DeBrincat was moved to the third line with Dylan Strome and Matthew Highmore in Game 2 against Vegas with no success. Later in the game, he was moved to the line that saw success in training camp: DeBrincat – Strome – Patrick Kane. But nothing worked. He was fifth on the team in goals, third in assists, and fourth in points during the regular season. In the playoffs, he was nowhere near those same rankings. This is his first year in the playoffs, but it doesn’t seem to be nerves that he’s dealing with. Jeremy Colliton will have to figure out what line combination works best for the young forward in order to get him to light the lamp more often.
Adam Boqvist
Adam Boqvist was one of the more exciting defensemen the Blackhawks have in their treasure chest of defensive prospects. But he has not had the postseason fans and the Blackhawks organization were hoping for. His defensive game against the Oilers looked shaky. He was out of position on multiple Oilers goals, was unable to make clean and consistent breakout passes, and struggled to defend zone entries. In front of the net, he often lost the physical battle and couldn’t maintain his net-front position. To make matters worse, he didn’t perform offensively during any postseason game – not registering a point during the playoffs. He was a healthy scratch in Game 2 against Vegas for Lucas Carlsson after the Blackhawks lost 4-1 in game 1. Mostly paired up with Duncan Keith, this first pairing was expected to be the best of their defence. But Boqvist’s lack of playoff experience was glaringly obvious.
Dylan Strome
Dylan Strome has been one of the most disappointing young players on the Blackhawks this season. He only had 38 points through 58 games, and even though he was injured, fans expected more from him. In the playoffs, he only had three points in nine games. Usually, on the third line between Drake Caggiula and Alex Nylander, it has been tough for that line to produce offence. Combined, they only had six points throughout the entire playoffs. Colliton tried mixing up the lines to spark goal-scoring, but none came. With an under-performing season and an even worse showing in the playoffs, Strome might be a trade candidate come offseason this fall.
Dominik Kubalik
Dominik Kubalik was hot and cold in the playoffs. The five-point game against Edmonton was incredible, but he hasn’t found that same offence since. His three points since Game 1 are not reminiscent of his 30-goal, 46-point regular season. Even when he’s on the first line with Jonathan Toews and Brandon Saad, Kubalik can’t seem to produce offence. He had zero shots on net in game 3 and was on the ice for both of Vegas’ goals. However, this lacklustre performance outside of Game 1 will likely not affect Kubalik’s trade potential. He will be a valuable asset to the team in the coming years, and his offensive capabilities are crucial to the Blackhawks.
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