3 Blackhawks playing in their final 12 games with the team

The Chicago Blackhawks only have 12 games left in this nightmare season. Yes, it has been a nightmare because they have been one of the worst teams in the National Hockey League.

They also traded some of their truly great players including Patrick Kane as he plays for the New York Rangers now. This bad season was by design but that doesn’t make going through it any easier on the players.

There could be a sweet consolation prize for Chicago at the end of the season if there is a little bit of luck on their side with the draft lottery. We shall see.

Until then, the players on the team need to grind it out. Some are trying to become a part of the team long-term and some will look for new jobs next year. These three players are playing in their last 12 games with the team.

1. Andreas Athanasiou

Andreas Athanasiou has been a noticeable Chicago Blackhawks player this year.

Andreas Athanasiou was surprisingly not traded by the Chicago Blackhawks at the trade deadline. They do need players to help them close out the season but there are plenty of other options that they could have used if someone would have given up an asset for Athanasiou.

Well, at least he is able to play for a contract next year with a different team. It is highly unlikely that he will return to the Blackhawks so that is what these final 12 games are going to be about.

Next year will be his age-29 season so there is a lot of hockey left in the tank for the speedy forward. So far this year, he has 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points. If he were on a successful playoff contender, he might be a valuable player to consider this summer.