Predicting the Blackhawks 2015-16 Opening Night lineup

By Tim Stebbins | Aug 17, 2015

Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

Despite winning the Stanley Cup in June, Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman had little time to celebrate. His team had $64.48 million committed to fourteen players, with a salary cap limit of $71.4 million. Because of this, it became evident that the team was going to look different come next season.

“We’re going to do our best to keep the guys that we can.” I wouldn’t rule anything out yet. But obviously there will be some changes,” Bowman said on June 17^th

Like Bowman predicted, changes came quickly and in high number. The team unexpectedly traded 22 year old forward Brandon Saad, a restricted free agent, to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Centers Brad Richards and Antoine Vermette both left in free agency, as Richards signed with the Red Wings and Vermette returned to the Coyotes. And in the biggest move, winger and alternate captain Patrick Sharp was traded to the Dallas Stars to help provide more flexibility to the salary cap. (Johnny Oduya would sign with Dallas soon after the Sharp trade.)

After all of the moves made, now let us predict the ‘Hawks opening night lineup.

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Line 1
Marian Hossa, Jonathan Toews, Marko Dano

The top line will most likely be similar to last season. Hossa and Toews were a constant for the team on the top line all season long and are already future Hall of Famers.

The only difference here will be who plays the other wing position vacated by Saad.

My guess is that Coach Quenneville will have Marko Dano here. Dano, acquired in the Saad trade, proved last season that he has the ability to score as he had 21 points in 35 games with Columbus. His offense will fit in perfectly beside Toews and Hossa, who are some of the best two-way forwards in the game. Dano will provide the top line with a necessary scoring punch.

Line 2
Kris Versteeg, Artem Anisimov, Patrick Kane

The second line may prove to be just as strong as the top line if the team can stay healthy.

Versteeg experienced tremendous success last season when paired with Kane and Brad Richards, a true second line center.

By acquiring Artem Anisimov in the Saad trade and re-signing him for five more seasons, the Blackhawks have filled a huge hole on the team: center on the second line. Versteeg should not miss a beat.

And of course, that Patrick Kane is pretty good himself as well.

“We’re going to do our best to keep the guys that we can.” I wouldn’t rule anything out yet. But obviously there will be some changes.” -Stan Bowman

Line 3
Ryan Garbutt, Teuvo Teravainen, Bryan Bickell

The third line is where things start to get interesting. Starting with center, Teuvo Teravainen more than proved himself during last season’s playoff run as a capable force on the offensive end, scoring more points in 18 playoff games than he did in 34 regular season games. Who will play beside Teuvo is a question mark, however.

My guess is Quenneville will go with experience here, at least at first, which means Ryan Garbutt and Bryan Bickell at the wing positions. Garbutt plays the game similar to Andrew Shaw, bringing scrappiness to each game. While his numbers dropped off a bit in the 2014-15 season, in 13-14 Garbutt scored 17 goals and had 15 assists. If he can find that offense again, he has a good chance to fill the void left after the Patrick Sharp trade.

Furthermore, if Bryan Bickell can somehow replicate his postseason success off the 2013 playoff run to the slightest, this line may be one to reckon with offensively.

Line 4
Andrew Desjardins, Marcus Kruger, Andrew Shaw

The fourth line is the only group that has a chance to stay pat from last season after everything is said and done. They established great chemistry with one another during last season’s playoffs as the team’s checking line.

Marcus Kruger has become one of better penalty killers in the game and can hold his own on the faceoff dot. However, as of today he still is a free agent. The Blackhawks are attempting to free up a bit more salary to offer a more fair deal to Kruger. Expect him to be back with the team come training camp.

Andrew Desjardins took less money to re-sign with the ‘Hawks for the next two years.

Andrew Shaw is the definition of a player you hate to play but would love to have on your team. He is not afraid to go in front of the net, more than welcoming physicality. His scrappiness provides a huge boost for the team.

Defensive Pairs
Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook
Niklas Hjalmarsson and Trevor van Riemsdyk
Trevor Daley and David Rundblad

Next season’s defense is going to look a bit different from year’s past.

For opening night at least, we can assume Keith and Seabrook will be paired together. However, expect Coach Q to shake things up and split the two apart when change is needed.

Hjalmarsson has been paired with Oduya in years past, but Odyua’s departure changes things. I expect TVR to really step up this season and show Blackhawk fans how much promise he truly has. After surprisingly making the roster out of training camp last season, van Riemsdyk fractured his patella in November and injured his wrist in April shortly after returning. Only 24 years old, watch out for him if he stays healthy.

Trevor Daley was essentially acquired to replace Oduya. Both shoot left handed and have plenty of experience in the NHL. Daley’s offense broke out last season, scoring 16 goals and had 22 assists. He statistically was one of the worst defensemen in the league last year, but that can be more than attributed to playing on a team with an overall awful defense (26^th in the NHL for goals against.) He should be paired with David Rundblad, a player Quenneville and Bowman both like a lot.

Rundblad had a pretty bad postseason, but was thrown into the Western Conference Finals after not playing for two months. At only 24 years old, he has a lot of upside.

Goalies
Corey Crawford
Scott Darling

This one is a no doubter. Darling filled in for Crawford more than admirably during the beginning of the playoff run, but at the end of the day, Crow is still a two-time Stanley Cup champion netminder. He won the William M. Jennings Trophy last season, awarded to the goalie whose team allowed the fewest goals in a season. Unless he is surprisingly traded, Crawford without a doubt will be the starting goalie next season.

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