3 Chicago Blackhawks Storylines to Follow Heading Into Training Camp – The Hockey Writers – Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks training camp is right around the corner, and it’s beginning to feel like the NHL news cycle is picking up.

Connor Bedard has been seen on the ice and skating, we’re getting quotes from the Blackhawks rookies from the rookie showcase, and it feels like the hockey season is here.

With training camp around the corner and the news starting to pick up, I think it’s about time to preview the Blackhawks’ training camp and get everyone back in the hockey mindset.

How Does Jeff Blashill Handle the Lineup Card?

With Bedard most likely out for a month, I’m very interested to see how head coach Jeff Blashill is going to handle the lineup card, specifically with the younger players on the roster.

One of the things that popped off the page to me just before camp is Scott Powers of The Athletic saying he thinks rookie Roman Kantserov will start as the first-line center with Patrick Kane on the wing.

Kantserov played a little bit of center during his time in Russia with Metallurg Magnitogorsk before switching to the right wing. The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is a much different, lower-scoring game with bigger, Olympic-sized ice. That completely changes the way teams play defense, which is what matters most to me if he does play center.

He has proven he can score against grown men when he put up 36 goals in 63 games during last season in the KHL. What I’ll be looking for, if he does end up playing center, is how he handles all the defensive responsibilities that come with it.

Last season, the Blackhawks were the second-worst team in the league last season when it came to expected goals against per 60 minutes (xGA/60). That stat shows how badly they bled chances, and if I had to guess, they’ll be around the same spot this season. Part of that comes with being a younger team, but they need to start making improvements in the defensive game to become competitive.

While that was my main question with the lineup, there are other things I’ll be looking out for: How much is Blashill going to trust Anton Frondell? How much is Blashill going to play Nick Lardis? How much does he lean on the veterans rather than the youth?

The lineup card is very interesting to me when teams are going through a transitional phase, and that is exactly where the Blackhawks are right now.

The Backup Goaltending Battle

I know the backup goaltending battle isn’t the most riveting topic on the planet, but I think it is important, not just to this season but to the bigger picture.

Arvid Soderblom has definitely gotten better since he first got into the league, and the way this team has played is a backup goalie’s nightmare. That being said, I really want to see Drew Commesso make a big push for the backup spot after a strong year in the American Hockey League (AHL) last season.

In 37 games with the Rockford IceHogs, he posted a .901 save percentage (SV%); he also played three games with the Blackhawks last season, which included a 36-save shutout on the road against the Nashville Predators.

Obviously, he has to earn the spot. Commesso is 24 years old, and although goalies take longer to develop, I hope he can break through and win the backup job.

Soderblom is in the last year of his contract with $2.75 million average annual value. If he were to be sent down, $1.225 million of it would be able to be buried, which means $1.525 million would count against the salary cap.

I’m not sure if many teams would be interested in trading for Soderblom, but his deal is pretty cheap and he is also just 27 years old. On top of that, he has NHL experience, which could be valuable for a team’s goaltending depth.

Both Commesso and Soderblom are good options for a third goalie, but I think it’s time for Commesso to make a real push for the backup role.

How Does Artyom Levshunov Look?

Artyom Levshunov is heading into a massive season. The first two seasons since being drafted second overall have been rocky, which has included time in the AHL and in the press box as well.

I don’t think it’s the end of the world that Levshunov has struggled, and I’ve written that people need to be patient, but we definitely need to see some sort of progression this season, especially in the defensive zone. He posted an xGA/60 of a stunningly high 3.53 last season, up from his rookie season, where he posted a 3.26.

He has all the tools, but he needs to find a way to make his game less eventful if Blashill is going to be able to rely on him. I thought he found a way to do that after the Winter Olympic break, but there was still plenty of room for improvement.

Obviously, camp can only tell you so much and what really matters is the games. However, it would be alarming to me if he doesn’t look good in camp.