Chicago Blackhawks: Season of transition comes to a close

The Chicago Blackhawks move forward facing an uncertain future.

I don’t know what, exactly, I expected out of the 2018-2019 Chicago Blackhawks, but I didn’t expect this.

I mean, I expected that they might not make the playoffs. But I didn’t expect Coach Q would get let go so early in the season, or that he’d be replaced by a man that everyone had to Google, Jeremy Colliton. I didn’t foresee a late run over the final two months of the season that would still leave them short of postseason play. And I didn’t foresee the emergence of certain young newcomers like Dylan Strome and Colin Delia.

I did expect Jonathan Toews to bounce back, and I did expect Corey Crawford to carry the team when he was healthy. I also expected Patrick Kane to continue being Patrick Kane and playing at a high level. I also had a feeling Alex DeBrincat would continue to grow, but I don’t think I saw him scoring 40 markers.

Now it’s all over, and despite the reverse jinx I tried to put on the team a while back, the Hawks will again be playing golf in April instead of hockey. It’s been a tough few seasons for a team that won three Cups – a team that still has core players from those Cup runs on the roster.

So, what’s next? While some Hawks fans are pessimists who figure the championship window is closed, I am not. I think Colliton has done a nice job, and I think the players have adjusted to his system. I think Toews and Kane have gas left in the tank, and Crawford still looks like one of the league’s top goalies. Colin Delia looks like a solid backup and perhaps future number-one goaltender. Artem Anisimov remains a solid depth player, and Marcus Kruger has long been a key fourth-liner. DeBrincat should continue to play at a high level, and Brandon Saad is young enough to return to form. We saw flashes from him this year.

Drake Caggiula, Erik Gustafsson, and even Gustav Forsling could be key pieces of a future playoff contender, and I like Dylan Strome and Brandon Perlini’s play. Connor Murphy isn’t yet beyond redemption.

Still, the defense remains a question mark. Gustafsson, Forsling, and Murphy have all made me wince at times, and once-great Brent Seabrook continues to appear past his prime. Duncan Keith doesn’t seem quite as washed as Seabs, but he’s been inconsistent all season.

My take on the Hawks’ needs is the same as many other observers: Shore up the D, get more offensive consistency from players not named Toews, Kane, or DeBrincat, and keep Crawford healthy while finding a solid backup (hopefully Delia will answer that bell). With an entire offseason to finish learning Colliton’s system, and a few savvy moves by the front office, this team could have one more Cup run in it.

Either that, or the window is shut. I don’t discount that possibility, but I don’t think we’re there yet. It can be wedged open a little longer if the Hawks do everything right.

If they don’t, and/or if I am wrong – well, it was a fun decade.