Blackhawks: How Stan Bowman created a successful retool

The Blackhawks’ first major move with their “abundance” of cap space was to sign an elite goaltender to pair with Corey Crawford.

Robin Lehner finished in the top-three in Vezina voting last season, and in a shocking move decided to leave the Islanders for the Blackhawks. With the addition of Lehner, the Blackhawks would assemble one of the top goaltending duos in all of hockey. Chicago had suffered serious defensive issues since winning the 2015 Stanley Cup, and addressing this with another top-tier goaltender was a wise move by the front office.

So far this season, Lehner has been very impressive, recording a .929 save percentage and a 2.69 GAA. The goaltending position has been much more consistent this year than in years past, and the Blackhawks were able to get Lehner for a bargain. Signed to a one-year, $5 million contract, Bowman was able to acquire an elite goaltender for a price that does not break the bank.

The Blackhawks were strategic in signing Lehner to a one-year deal due to the fact that Corey Crawford is also in a contract year. The likely scenario here is that whoever plays better this year will end up as the net minder going forward. Age and play to this point are on Lehner’s side, but there is a lot of hockey to be played this season. In all, however, the Blackhawks move to sign Lehner was a phenomenal move for both now and the future.