Chicago Blackhawks: September begins period of intrigue

The Chicago Blackhawks are looking for a bounce-back season in 2019-20 and it all starts with a strong month of September.

The Chicago Blackhawks are a team that is looking to go back to the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 season. It is looking like they have the roster to do it after making some tweaks to it over the summer. The journey to that goal begins in September and now that we are there it is time to get to work.

It is going to start in training camp and bleeds it into the preseason. The Blackhawks have a few things that are certain, like their core group. Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, and Brent Seabrook have been there for a long time and you can count on them being there and in the lineup on day one.

Then there are younger guys who will be a part present and future of the core like Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome. These two are really good as linemates and should be where the secondary scoring starts. This duo should complement the top line and provide many goals at both even strength and the power play.

The penalty kill and overall defense were putrid in 2018-19. They were last on the kill and were one of the worst teams in the Western Conference at keeping the puck out of their own net. They were really good at scoring, but the inability to defend was what kept them out of the playoffs. It was clear that they believed they needed to address that problem and they did. They added in Olli Maatta and Calvin de Haan to try and help the cause and it could do the trick if they are used right.

Perhaps, the most intriguing storyline in September is which rookies are going to make the team out of camp. The two that turn heads are Kirby Dach and Adam Boqvist. They are both first-round picks in the draft. Dach went third overall in 2019 while Boqvist went eighth in 2018. Dach is a big center that can use his size, speed, and skill to be a force while Boqvist is a puck-moving defenseman. They are both guys the Blackhawks hope to have as a part of their core for a long time and we will be looking to see if that journey begins in 2019 for them.

There is also the goaltending to worry about. They have had Corey Crawford as their number one for a long time now and he has been an elite goalie at times. They have a guy that was apparently going to be the backup in Collin Delia, but they signed Robin Lehner to a one year deal in free agency. Lehner was one of the best goalies in the league last year as a member of the New York Islanders. The question of who gets more starts is something to keep an eye on as September rolls around as they will audition in the preseason.

The Blackhawks will play six preseason games in North America. Two against the Detroit Red Wings, two against the Washington Capitals, and two against the Boston Bruins. Then on September 29th, they will be in Berlin, Germany to take on Eisbaren Berlin in an international preseason game. September is going to be a fantastic month and fun to follow along. Hockey is back, let’s go.