5 reasons to continue watching the Chicago Blackhawks right now

4. DeBrincat has an outside shot at 50 goals

It would be nice to see Alex DeBrincat finish with 50 for the Chicago Blackhawks.

DeBrincat has been the lone bright spot this season. He was the Chicago Blackhawks All-Star Game representative.

He is at 39 goals with seven games remaining. He would need a couple of multi-goal games to reach 50 goals. He is averaging 1.8 goals per 60 minutes so he has a slim shot of getting to 50.

At the very least, DeBrincat should top his career-high of 41 he set in the 2018-2019 season. It will be interesting to see if Davidson extends or trades DeBrincat in the offseason. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2022-2023 season.

He will be 25 next year and has a ton of great hockey ahead of him. He already has 150 career goals and 299 points. DeBrincat is definitely in line for a bump from his $6.4 million cap hit. Davidson needs to determine if it is best to hand over a good portion of the Chicago Blackhawks’ cap space or if DeBrincat should be traded for a haul in return.

5. Could be the end of Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane in a Chicago Blackhawks sweater

The two most successful Chicago Blackhawks forwards could be almost done.

Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have been the cornerstones of the Chicago Blackhawks since they came into the NHL in 2008. They have won three Stanley Cups for the franchise. Kane scored perhaps the most historic goal in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals when he buried the winning goal in Game 6 to snap the Hawks’ 49-year championship drought.

Toews has been the steady captain for the Blackhawks for a decade-plus. When they hang up their skates, their numbers are destined to hang from the United Center rafters and statues constructed outside the stadium.

Both are set to be free agents after next season. Kane has continued to play at a high level and will command another big contract. On the other hand, all those years of doing dirty work and physical play have caught up with Toews. He is still a good leader in the locker room and great in the face-off dot. He is nowhere near the offensive threat he used to be.

It will be interesting to see what the Blackhawks do with the faces of their franchise in the offseason. Both have no-movement clauses and Davidson has maintained he will only trade one or both if they request a trade in the offseason.

Toews has not outright said it but his words have hinted he probably would not be opposed to being traded. Kane has taken a more measured approach to what the future holds. It would not be surprising that one or both are gone before the start of the 2022-2023 season.

The Hawks might have to retain some salary as both carry a $10.5 salary cap hit. Toews’ trade value is nowhere near as high as Kane’s. Both could still bring back some players or picks that can help in the rebuild.

These last few games could be the final chance to see the greatest duo in Chicago Blackhawks history play in a Blackhawks sweater. That alone is worth tuning in for a few minutes.