NEWSLETTER
The 2021 season for the Chicago Blackhawks ended pretty much where we expected them to, but the way they got there was a lot more entertaining than most of us expected it to be. The book has been closed on the 2021 season, so on a positive note, I wanted to look back and give out some team awards to commemorate this year.
Rookie of the Year
Winner: Kevin Lankinen
Runner-Up: Brandon Hagel
This was one of the hardest to decide. Each rookie had a real claim to being the most impactful in his first NHL season with the Blackhawks. But although Hagel might’ve made the best impression, Lankinen’s performance in the early and middle-portion of the season kept the team moving. After all, he was, at one point in the season, regarded as a top contender for the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year before trailing off. He finished the season with a 17-14-5 record, a .909 save-percentage, and a 3.01 GAA. He had the most starts of any rookie goaltender this season with 37 starts.
Most Improved Player
Winner: Alex DeBrincat
Runner-Up: Adam Boqvist
Last season was a snakebitten year for DeBrincat. Shooting a career-low 8.7% and notching 18 goals in 70 games, there was some cause for concern that his goal-scoring ability had possibly plateaued at the NHL level. Not the case. DeBrincat bounced back this season with 32 goals in 52 games, shooting a career-high 20.6%, which ranked fifth in the league among skaters with at least 50 shots on goal. His 82-game pace would have put him at a career-high 50 goals and 88 points, which would have been the ninth time a Blackhawks player had reached the 50-goal mark. On top of his scoring prowess coming back to form, DeBrincat evolved his game at the NHL defensively and was entrusted with penalty-killing duties later in the year. His all-around comeback has made him a real star in the NHL and deserves more attention league-wide.
Defenseman of the Year
Winner: Connor Murphy
Runner-Up: Adam Boqvist
It’s tough to say any defender this season was “great” for the Blackhawks, but things could have been much, much worse had Connor Murphy not had the season he did. Finishing with the second-most minutes per game among defenseman and third-most on the whole team, Murphy was one of the most deployed players Chicago used this season. His mixture of physical play and having to mark the opponents top players on a nightly basis put him on full display all season. Murphy finished third in Chances-For%, High-Danger Chances-For%, and Shots-For% at 5v5 this season. He led the team with the most defensive-zone starts and had the lowest offensive-zone start percentage on the team. He finished the season with three goals and 15 points in 50 games played, which would have given him 24 points over an 82-game pace, a theoretical career-high.
Story of the Year
Winner: Rookies Galore
Runner-Up: Kane’s 400th Goal
While the countdown to reaching 1,000 games and scoring 400 career goals was a lot of fun for Patrick Kane and the fans, they were unfortunately not able to be celebrated with fans in the stands. Also factoring in the drop-off in goal scoring from Kane following his 400th goal, it lost a bit of luster. Without the emergence and success of the 13 rookies that made their NHL debuts this season with the Blackhawks, they would not have been able to contend for a Stanley Cup Playoff spot as long as they did and would have had a season in the cellar with the Red Wings and Blue Jackets.
Best Roster Move
Winner: Vinnie Hinostroza for Brad Morrison
Runner-Up: Brett Connolly, Riley Stillman, Henrik Borgström for Lucas Carlsson, Lucas Wallmark
Hinostroza had zero points in nine games with the Florida Panthers before coming to the Blackhawks in a trade for Brad Morrison. Morrison was going between the AHL and ECHL with the Blackhawks organization and had no NHL future. After the trade in late-March, Hinostroza broke out in his second-stint with the Blackhawks, tallying four goals and 12 points in 17 games. He may have very well earned himself a contract extension with Chicago because of his performance to close the season.
Team MVP
Winner: Alex DeBrincat
Runner-Up: Patrick Kane
While Kane led the team in points and was on an MVP-caliber pace early on in the season, when the team needs his production the most, it fell-off. I may be being harsh here, but Kane’s scoring drought hit at the worst time. At the same time, Alex DeBrincat’s production and goal-scoring continued throughout the season and without his contributions at both ends of the ice, Chicago could have fallen out of the Central Division playoff race much sooner.
Player To Watch For 2021-22
Winner: Kirby Dach
Runner-Up: Brandon Hagel
This pertains only to players who already have contract with the Blackhawks, so Lukas Reichel can wait. After coming back from wrist surgery a month ahead of schedule to try to help the Blackhawks push further into the Central Division playoff race, Dach finished the season with two goals and ten points in 18 games. We learned during and following the season that Dach’s wrist was never fully healed and he played through pain and discomfort until the final few games of the season before shutting it down. Dach will come into the 2021-22 season as a third-year pro, but will likely have his first full training camp heading into the year. With a summer of recovery and strengthening ahead of him, it will be very interesting to see what next steps the 2019 third-overall pick can make for the Blackhawks. Chicago drafted Dach with the assumption he could handle the load of being the next top-line center in the organization when Jonathan Toews no longer holds the position, 2021-22 could be his first audition in that role.
