5 reasons to continue watching the Chicago Blackhawks right now

2. Taylor Raddysh possibly being a core player

The Chicago Blackhawks found a really good player in Taylor Raddysh.

Raddysh was acquired when the Blackhawks sent Brandon Hagel to the Tampa Bay Lightning before the trade deadline.

Raddysh took some time to get into the NHL but it was partly because the Lightning were so deep that it was hard for Raddysh to breakthrough. He has been viewed as nothing more than a third or fourth-line player.

Raddysh has been playing well enough since coming to Chicago that he could potentially be a second-line forward. He has registered four goals and four assists so far. He has been great on the power play. He is definitely looking like a smart acquisition by Davidson.

These final games are crucial for Raddysh as he tries to develop into a potential core player the Chicago Blackhawks can use towards contending for a Stanley Cup down the road.

3. Dylan Strome’s last chance at being a core player (or improve his trade value in the offseason).

The Chicago Blackhawks still might have something in Dylan Strome.

Strome is set to be a restricted free agent after the season. He has been an enigma ever since coming to Chicago. He showed promise when he was acquired in a trade from the Arizona Coyotes in the 2018-2019 season.

He scored 17 goals and had 34 assists that season for the Chicago Blackhawks. Over the next two seasons, injuries and inconsistent play limited Strome to just 21 goals. He started the season in former head coach Jeremy Colliton’s dog house. He barely got any ice time.

After Colliton was fired, Strome has gotten in the lineup consistently. He has 21 goals so far which are a career-high. Not bad for a player who was a healthy scratch to start the season. Although, he has benefited being on the same line with Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane until recently.

Strome will never be a two-way player. He is a pure offensive player so as he heads into restricted free agency, Davidson still has to determine if it is a good idea to pay Strome. He is coming off making $3 million and a strong second half does mean he is in line for a bump in pay.

He is a skilled offensive player but he still has to prove that he can be a star player. These next couple of games can help him make that case, especially if he can play well when not paired with Kane and DeBrincat.

If Davidson determines that he does not want to commit precise cap space to him, he can still build up his trade value to be moved in the offseason.