Chicago Blackhawks 2014-15 Season Primer

The Chicago Blackhawks are out first Western Conference team that we are taking a closer look in our season primer series. The Blackhawks enter the season as strong Cup contenders.

Use the below Tabs to view Blackhawks info for this upcoming season, as well as some numbers from last year.

2013-14 record: 46-21-15, 107 points
Where they finished: 3rd in the Central; 5th in the Western Conference; 7th in the NHL

Player Salaries: $78,262,500
Cap Payroll: $71,216,795
Bonuses: $630,000
Bonus Overages: $60,000
Cap Space: $-2,216,795
Forwards: $39.91 million (14)
Defensemen: $24.5 million (7)
Goalies: $6.75 million (2)
Source: CapGeek.com

In: Brad Richards C, Cody Bass RW, Dennis Rasmussen C/LW, Kyle Cumiskey D,  Michael Leighton G, Pierre-Cedric Labrie LW, Scott Darling G

Out: Brandon Bollig LW, Brian Connelly D, Jason LaBarbera G, Pierre-Marc Bouchard W/C

2014-15 Team Outlook:

The Chicago Blackhawks have been one of the NHL’s elite teams for quite a while now, and there’s no reason to believe that will change next season.

Michal Handzus and Brandon Bollig are the only regulars who won’t be returning, and neither should cause the Blackhawks to miss a step.

Once Brad Richards was bought out by the New York Rangers, the Blackhawks pounced on the opportunity and promptly signed him to a one-year, $2 million deal.

Since Richards was bought out a lot of people view him as a mediocre player, but he’s still quite good. He scored 20 goals and recorded 51 points in 82 games before posting 12 points in 25 games during the Rangers’ Cup run, and still has some good hockey left.

In Richards the Blackhawks added another established top-6 player, and really they didn’t lose anyone of note this summer.

With Jonathan Toews and Richards down the middle, their top-2 centers can stack up against the best of them; especially when you factor in the wingers they’ll be playing with.

Chicago will be a Stanley Cup contender once again next season.

Written by Todd Cordell, who can be found on twitter @ToddCordell.

The depth chart listed below was taken from NHL.com’s 30-in-30. 

FORWARDS
Patrick Sharp – Jonathan Toews – Marian Hossa
Brandon Saad – Brad Richards – Patrick Kane
Bryan Bickell – Andrew Shaw – Jeremy Morin
Peter Regin – Marcus Kruger – Ben Smith
Joakim Nordstrom – Kris Versteeg

DEFENSEMEN
Duncan Keith – Brent Seabrook
Johnny Oduya – Niklas Hjalmarsson
Nick Leddy – Michal Rozsival
David Rundblad

GOALTENDERS
Corey Crawford
Antti Raanta

Forwards POS HT WT DOB BIRTH PLACE
Bryan Bickell L 6′ 4″ 233 9-Mar-86 BOWMANVILLE, ON, CAN
Marian Hossa R 6′ 1″ 210 12-Jan-79 STARÁ LUBOVNA, SVK
Patrick Kane R 5′ 11″ 181 19-Nov-88 BUFFALO, NY, USA
Marcus Kruger C 6′ 0″ 181 27-May-90 STOCKHOLM, SWE
Jeremy Morin R 6′ 1″ 192 16-Apr-91 AUBURN, NY, USA
Joakim Nordstrom C 6′ 1″ 160 25-Feb-92 STOCKHOLM, SWE
Peter Regin C 6′ 2″ 190 16-Apr-86 HERNING, DNK
Brad Richards C 6′ 0″ 196 2-May-80 MURRAY HARBOUR, PE, CAN
Brandon Saad L 6′ 1″ 202 27-Oct-92 PITTSBURGH, PA, USA
Patrick Sharp “A” L 6′ 1″ 199 27-Dec-81 WINNIPEG, MB, CAN
Andrew Shaw C 5′ 10″ 180 20-Jul-91 BELLEVILLE, ON, CAN
Ben Smith R 5′ 11″ 207 11-Jul-88 WINSTON-SALEM, NC, USA
Jonathan Toews “C” C 6′ 2″ 208 29-Apr-88 WINNIPEG, MB, CAN
Kris Versteeg L 5′ 11″ 183 13-May-86 LETHBRIDGE, AB, CAN

A look at the Chicago Blackhawks top prospects heading into this season. Each source may use different classifications as to if a player is deemed a prospect or has graduated on from a prospect.

RK NHL.com ESPN
Corey Pronman
Dobber Prospects Hockeys Future The Hockey News
1 Teuvo Teravainen Teuvo Teravainen Teuvo Teravainen Teuvo Teravainen Teuvo Teravainen
2 Adam Clendening Ryan Hartman Adam Clendening Nick Schmaltz Ryan Hartman
3 Mark McNeill Adam Clendening Antti Raanta Stephen Johns Nick Schmaltz
4 Stephen Johns Nick Schmaltz Jeremy Morin Adam Clendening Adam Clendening
5 Kevin Hayes Jeremy Morin Joakim Nordstrom Ryan Hartman Mark McNeill
6 Ryan Hartman Mark McNeill Mark McNeill Mark McNeill Kevin Hayes
7 Joakim Nordstrom Robin Norell Ryan Hartman Jeremy Morin Joakim Nordstrom
8 Phillip Danault Phillip Danault Klas Dahlbeck Klas Dahlbeck Phillip Danault
9 Nick Schmaltz Tyler Motte Phillip Danault John Hayden Jeremy Morin
10 Klas Dahlbeck Joakim Nordstrom Nick Schmaltz Phillip Danault Drew LeBlanc

* Dobber Prospects – Prospects based on relevance in a fantasy-hockey keeper league, not actual talent on the ice.

Chicago Blackhawks Draft History from the past five years

2014 Draft
Rd. Draft # Player Pos. Team Ht. Wt.
1 20 Nick Schmaltz C/RW Green Bay (USHL) 5′ 11″ 172
3 83 Matheson Iacopelli RW Muskegon (USHL) 6′ 1″ 192
3 88 Beau Starrett C/LW South Shore (USPHL) 6′ 4″ 197
4 98 Frederik Olofsson LW Chicago (USHL) 6′ 1″ 185
5 141 Luc Snuggerud D Eden Prairie HS (MN) 6′ 0″ 180
5 148 Andreas Soderberg D Skelleftea Jr. (SWE) 6′ 4″ 200
6 178 Dylan Sikura C Aurora (OJHL) 5′ 11″ 149
6 179 Ivan Nalimov G SKA St. Petersburg 2 (RUS) 6′ 5″ 211
7 208 Jack Ramsey RW Penticton (BCHL) 6′ 2″ 175
2013 Draft
1 30 Ryan Hartman RW Plymouth (OHL) 5’11” 185
2 51 Carl Dahlstrom D Linkoping Jr. (SWE-JR. ) 6′ 3″ 211
3 74 John Hayden RW US-NTDP 6′ 2″ 210
4 111 Robin Norell D Djurgarden Jr. (SWE-JR. ) 5′ 11″ 189
4 121 Tyler Motte LW US-NTDP 5’10” 165
5 134 Luke Johnson C Lincoln (USHL) 5’11” 165
5 151 Gage Ausmus D NTDP-18 6′ 1″ 205
6 181 Anthony Louis C USA U-18 5′ 6″ 145
7 211 Robin Press D Sodertalje (SWE-2 ) 6′ 2″ 190
2012 Draft
1 18 Teuvo Teravainen LW Jokerit (Fin) 5’10” 161
2 48 Dillon Fournier D Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL) 6′ 2″ 180
3 79 Chris Calnan RW Nobles HS (MA) 6′ 2″ 188
5 139 Garret Ross LW Saginaw (OHL) 5’11” 169
5 149 Travis Brown D Moose Jaw (WHL) 6′ 1″ 179
6 169 Vince Hinostroza C Waterloo (USHL) 5′ 9″ 158
7 191 Brandon Whitney G Victoriaville (QMJHL) 6′ 5″ 193
7 199 Matt Tomkins G Sherwood Park (AJHL) 6′ 2″ 176
2011 Draft
1 18 Mark McNeill C Prince Albert (WHL) 6′ 2″ 210
1 26 Phillip Danault LW Victoriaville (QMJHL) 5’11” 162
2 36 Adam Clendening D Boston Univ. (H-East) 5’11” 187
2 43 Brandon Saad LW Saginaw (OHL) 6′ 2″ 200
3 70 Michael Paliotta D USA U-18 (USHL) 6′ 2″ 185
3 79 Klas Dahlbeck D Linkoping (Swe) 6′ 2″ 194
4 109 Maxim Shalunov RW Chelyabinsk  (RUS) 6′ 3″ 185
5 139 Andrew Shaw C Owen Sound (OHL) 5’10” 180
6 169 Sam Jardine D Camrose (AJHL) 6′ 1″ 190
7 199 Alexander Broadhurst C Green Bay (USHL) 5’10” 150
7 211 Johan Mattsson G Sodertalje Jr (Swe) 6′ 3″ 200
2010 Draft
1 24 Kevin Hayes RW Nobles (Mass. HS) 6′ 2″ 175
2 35 Ludwig Rensfeltd LW Brynas Jr. 6′ 2″ 192
2 54 Justin Holl D Minnetonka 6′ 3″ 199
2 58 Kent Simpson G Everett 6′ 3″ 182
2 60 Stephen John D USA U-18 6′ 3″ 215
3 90 Joakim Nordstrom C Aik Jr. 6′ 1″ 160
4 120 Rob Flick C Mississauga St. Michael’s 6′ 2″ 205
6 151 Mirko Hoefflin RW Heilbronn 6′ 0″ 174
6 180 Nick Mattson D Indiana 6′ 1″ 189
7 191 Macmillian Carruth G Portland 6′ 2″ 169
Player GP G A P +/- PIM PP SH GW S S%
Patrick Sharp 82 34 44 78 13 40 10 0 3 313 10.9
Patrick Kane 69 29 40 69 7 22 10 0 6 227 12.8
Jonathan Toews 76 28 40 68 26 34 5 3 5 193 14.5
Duncan Keith 79 6 55 61 22 28 3 0 3 198 3
Marian Hossa 72 30 30 60 28 20 4 3 4 241 12.4
Brandon Saad 78 19 28 47 20 20 3 0 2 159 11.9
Brent Seabrook 82 7 34 41 23 22 3 1 0 149 4.7
Andrew Shaw 80 20 19 39 12 76 5 0 2 149 13.4
Nick Leddy 82 7 24 31 10 10 4 0 1 123 5.7
Kris Versteeg 63 10 19 29 9 27 1 0 1 110 9.1
Marcus Kruger 81 8 20 28 6 36 0 0 2 96 8.3
Niklas Hjalmarsson 81 4 22 26 11 34 0 1 1 98 4.1
Ben Smith 75 14 12 26 3 2 1 0 2 90 15.6
Michal Handzus 59 4 12 16 0 16 0 1 2 50 8
Johnny Oduya 77 3 13 16 11 38 0 0 1 83 3.6
Bryan Bickell 59 11 4 15 -6 28 0 0 2 93 11.8
Brandon Bollig 82 7 7 14 -1 92 0 0 1 109 6.4
Brandon Pirri 28 6 5 11 6 6 1 0 0 34 17.6
Jeremy Morin 24 5 6 11 5 32 0 0 0 46 10.9
Michal Rozsival 42 1 7 8 7 32 0 0 0 39 2.6
Sheldon Brookbank 48 2 5 7 2 52 0 0 1 43 4.7
Peter Regin 17 2 2 4 5 2 0 0 0 16 12.5
Michael Kostka 9 2 1 3 3 8 0 0 1 18 11.1
Joakim Nordstrom 16 1 2 3 -2 2 0 0 0 26 3.8
Matt Carey 2 1 0 1 -1 2 0 0 0 1 100
Brad Mills 3 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 2 0
Jimmy Hayes 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0
David Rundblad 5 0 0 0 -1 0 0 0 0 4 0
Teuvo Teravainen 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Goalie GPI GS MIN GAA W L OT SO SA GA SV%
Corey Crawford 59 56 3395 2.26 32 16 10 2 1533 128 0.917
Antti Raanta 25 22 1397 2.71 13 5 4 1 610 63 0.897
Nikolai Khabibulin 4 4 168 5.00 1 0 1 0 74 14 0.811
Kent Simpson 1 0 20 6.00 0 0 0 0 7 2 0.714

Performance and Usage Charts for the Chicago Blackhawks from last season, from Extra Skater.

Chicago Blackhawks 2013-2014 cumulative 5v5 close FF

Chicago Blackhawks 2013-2014 game-by-game 5v5 close FF

Chicago Blackhawks 2013-2014 rolling 10-game 5v5 close FF

Chicago Blackhawks 2013-2014 rolling 10-game 5v5 PDO

Chicago Blackhawks 2013-2014 player usage