Blackhawks Youth Movement Paying Dividends
In Friday night’s 3-1 win against Buffalo, Phillup Danault became the seventh Blackhawks player to score his first career NHL goal this year. On that list are new lineup regulars Artemi Panarin, Trevor van Riemsdyk and Dennis Rasmussen, along with Danault, Tanner Kero, Viktor Svedberg, and Brandon Mashinter.
This season has not only seen a big number of career first goals, but the number of players under the age of 25 continues to play a major role in the Blackhawks success. Right now there are six players who have yet to celebrate their 25th birthday playing on a nightly basis for the Hawks, and Richard Panik will add a seventh to that list as well.
After missing on a few first round picks after selecting Patrick Kane (read: Kyle Beach, Dylan Olsen and Kevin Hayes), the Hawks have received contributions this season from players selected in the first rounds of the 2011, 2012 and 2013 Drafts.
And the organization’s first round pick in 2014, Nick Schmaltz, just finished a strong World Junior Championships and is playing well at North Dakota. He likely isn’t far away from joining the professional ranks as well.
There is also an impressive list of free agent additions on the list, headlined by Panarin from Russia and van Riemsdyk from the college ranks. Adding players outside the draft process – and without giving up assets to do so – have been a hallmark of Stan Bowman’s tenure as general manager.
Here’s a reminder of how young some current Blackhawks players (and prospects) are, and the impact some of them have already made at the NHL level.
Teuvo Teravainen
Age: 21
Acquired: 2012 NHL Draft – 1st round (18th overall)
NHL Career: 76 games, 13 goals, 16 assists, 38 points
Postseason Career: 18 games, 4 goals, 6 assists, 10 points
Phillip Danault
Age: 22
Acquired: 2011 NHL Draft – 1st round (26th overall)
NHL Career: 12 games, 1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points
Erik Gustafsson
Age: 23
Acquired: signed as a free agent April 30, 2015
NHL Career: 12 games, 0 goals, 5 assists
Artemi Panarin
Age: 24
Acquired: signed a a free agent April 30, 2015
NHL Career: 43 games, 15 goals, 23 assists, 38 points
Trevor van Riemsdyk
Age: 24
Acquired: signed as a free agent March 25, 2014
NHL Career: 61 games, 2 goals, 3 assists, 5 points
Postseason Career: 4 games, 0 points
Andrew Shaw
Age: 24
Acquired: 2011 NHL Draft – 5th round (139th overall)
NHL Career: 287 games, 62 goals, 57 asssts, 119 points
Postseason Career: 61 games, 12 goals, 19 assists, 31 points
Also making an impact this year and still in the system:
Marko Dano
Age: 21
Acquired: via trade from Columbus June 30, 2015
NHL Career: 48 games, 9 goals, 14 assists, 23 points
Tanner Kero
Age: 23
Acquired: signed as a free agent April 2, 2015
NHL Career: 17 games, 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 points
Ryan Hartman
Age: 21
Acquired: 2013 NHL Draft – 1st round (30th overall)
NHL Career: 8 games, 1 assist, 1 point
Viktor Svedberg
Age: 24
Acquired: signed as a free agent October 19, 2013
NHL Career: 15 games, 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 points
The model the Hawks have been trying to use to sustain continued excellence is to supplement the core group by replacing peripheral players as they get too expensive with young players on ELCs and aging veterans willing to sign for cheap. In theory that sounds great but it’s proven to be a little harder to execute in practice. The key is to actually have the players in the pipeline to step up and perform at the NHL level to the extend they do actually replace the players lost for Cap reasons – or to find enough gems in free agency to fill the gaps.
Stan has had varied levels of success with this over the past 5-6 years but ultimately the success factor is determined by championships and since the Hawks have added 2 more Cups after 2010, Stan’s execution of the model must be seen as a success.
Tab’s article highlights one of the peak periods of this model working as designed. Panarin, Gustafsson, and Danault are exhibits A, B, and C of what this model needs if it is to work. Teravainen and TvR last season can be exhibits D and E. That’s 5 cogs plugged into the machine to keep this train a rolling. That’s the way it’s supposed to work and this year especially with three “young replacement” paying big time dividends.
Not bad for a bunch of “Just Guys”.
A very exciting bunch of new players as I’ve ever witnessed…goes way back to the Esposito/ Hodge/Stanfield days…we have had a great one or two rookie/young additions here and there but this is a new wave and a testament to the organization. Consider that they will only improve and we are in seriously great shape going forward and for some time to come. Gustafsson and TVR have the best mentors in the league to learn from. TT and Panarin will only get better and they will learn from Toews and Kane, again 2 of the best mentors possible. That means a lot. All under the guidance of Q and Stan. Holy-Molee!
Was at the local Chinese restaurant last night and they have a bubble gum machine that dispenses “collectable” tiny little hockey caps, made of plastic. Enclosed in an egg type container…2 bucks a shot. So on the way out I stick in my toonie and low and behold I get the Blackhawks…Black peak with a red top and the Indian Head. 30 to 1 shot! Made my day. Then I get home and my 8 year old Samsung goes “fhtttt” and that’s it, so I need a new TV. Yin and Yang…guess you can’t have everything.
MM, based on your summer I’d say you’re pretty lucky to still have the Samsung period
MM, as Ernie implied – perspective. :)
Thanks Ernie and ER…true that!
Good timing, now you can get a JVC projector and roll with a 120″ screen.
The beauty of the Bowmans, is now the calvary is here and will continue to come.
Morrison- priced them out taking your advice…JVC Home Theatre projectors cheapest is 3,000 all the way to 30,000…most are around 10,000 to 12,000…yeesh, imagine most of the Blackhawks and Q have them but us peons are a different story and that doesn’t include the screen yet! Oh what the hell, do you think they send the repo guy way up here in the wild of Northern Saskatchewan? The bears are on my side.
Good column Tab. I was in Buffalo over Christmas to visit my parents there. I had a drink with one of Dennis Gilbert’s old coaches. He was raving about Gilbert and told me, the Gilbert family is under the impression that Dennis will play 2 years at Notre Dame then turn pro.
Take it for what it is worth but Buffalo, hockeywise, is still a relatively small circle where everybody knows the really good players and knows exactly where they are at.
You need a 9ft wide wall and at least 14ft length (throw distance) for the 120″ screen (is 9 ft wide) to work. We got a brand new 5,100 JVC for 3,600 once the new ones have been out for a few mths prices come better. A 1,900 Da-lite Screen on sale for 1,200. So for 4,800 you can have a sweet system. Most good TVs are 3,500 anyways so its worth the difference. Picture quality is the same with these good JVCs.
You can get a less priced screen then that that would still be good but I wouldn’t budge on the Projector. Its really worth it and the only way to go over 50″. After getting this I was glad I took the chance and now will always have one. Important to get top quality projector like JVC.
Google jvc rs4810 avs forum and that site has every bit of info/pic you need. That’s the one we got in spring ’13. These JVC smoke anything sport/pubs have times 10. You can ask the pros on that site any question, their smart. If you want info on what we have I can get you email/or I can ask Tab maybe to get you it. Not sure about posting more info then this in respect.
Well thank you Morrison. Have only one wall that qualifies but it’s in the right place that’s for sure. I’m dreaming on it now.
I’d also add Hinostroza to that list. He didn’t play much, but his skills were visible.
The hawks have done an amazing job and Coach Q keeps on playing them only if they deserve. So, yeah, I’m a youth movement, but it doesn’t seem forced.