As each NHL team is eliminated from playoff contention -- either mathematically or by losing in the postseason -- we'll take a look at why its quest for the Stanley Cup fell short in 2017-18, along with three keys to its offseason and a way-too-early prediction on what 2018-19 will hold.
What went wrong
Corey Crawford's absence was the biggest dagger to the Blackhawks' season, as a Dec. 23 game is likely to be his final action of the season. The 33-year-old goaltender was having a Vezina Trophy-caliber campaign and masked a lot of Chicago's weaknesses for the first half of the season.
About those weaknesses: Though Patrick Kane proved he can produce with any linemates, the creative chemistry he developed with Artemi Panarin was sorely missed. Bringing Brandon Saad back wasn't a terrible idea by general manager Stan Bowman, but the 25-year-old had an off year, and the reunion with Jonathan Toews didn't automatically re-ignite the magic. The captain, too, had a season of subpar production.
While youngsters Alex DeBrincat, Vinnie Hinostroza and Nick Schmaltz were pleasant surprises, nobody replaced the presence of Marian Hossa (certainly not Patrick Sharp, whose one-year deal was forgettable, at best). The Blackhawks were a decent team at 5-on-5, especially in terms of possession, but special teams did them no favors. The power play was woeful all season (15.9 percent, fourth-worst in the league) and the penalty kill was pedestrian (80.0 percent, 18th in the league).
And then there's the group on defense. The Blackhawks were pleased with the emergence of young blueliners Erik Gustafsson and Jan Rutta -- rewarding each with an extension toward the end of the season -- but Cup stalwarts Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are no longer the defensive shutdown pair they once were (they are once again split up, and Seabrook, especially, endured some rough stretches).
Keys to the offseason
1. Sign a top-four defenseman.
Bowman re-upped the contracts for Gustafsson and Rutta, but in honesty, they're probably a No. 5 and a No. 6, respectively, on a good team. While the 27-year-old Rutta's seamless transition from the Czech league was impressive, the reported $2.25 million cap hit for a one-year extension feels like a lot. Gustafsson, 26, has a dynamite offensive game but still needs some refinement playing in his own end.
Last year's first-round pick, Henri Jokiharju, would be a welcome addition but might still need seasoning before becoming a regular. The Blackhawks will be straddling a tight cap situation, though not as snug as usual. Though they are seemingly set with Jordan Oesterle and Connor Murphy still under contract, it shouldn't stop Bowman from taking a run at top free agent John Carlson. This will alleviate some pressure from Keith and Seabrook while making the Blackhawks a far tougher team to play against.
2. Find a trade partner for Artem Anisimov.
The versatile forward has been nothing but a good soldier ever since joining the Blackhawks in 2015-16, posting at least 20 goals in each season since. But when the soon-to-be 30-year-old's no-movement protection transitions into a partial no-movement list on July 1, he'll become an attractive trade candidate.
Bowman should be able to recoup some value from Anisimov's contract and, in return, commit to his mission of making the Blackhawks younger and faster. Erasing Anisimov's $4.55 million cap hit from the books will give Bowman more flexibility, though there's a chance the Blackhawks will have to retain some salary to execute a deal.
3. Don't make panic moves.
Bowman has a flair for the dramatic when it comes to trades -- he certainly showed that last summer in the Panarin-for-Saad swap -- but we think the Blackhawks still have the core in place to make another Cup run soon, and need only a few tweaks to the roster.
Giving up on Saad after one poor season is possible, but if Bowman traded the winger this summer, he'd be selling very low. Doing something drastic such as trading captain Jonathan Toews is outlandish. The Blackhawks know more than anyone that his value surpasses what is seen on the score sheet.
Unless Chicago finds a willing trade partner for Seabrook and his $6.875 million cap hit through 2023-24 (a highly unlikely scenario) or find that Crawford is not fit to return as a No. 1 goaltender next year (we hope he is), there's no reason to overreact.
Realistic expectation for 2018-19
As long as the leadership core stays intact (consider us an advocate for keeping Bowman and coach Joel Quenneville, even after a disappointing season), we believe the Blackhawks can rebound in 2018-19. Chicago transitioned to become a much younger and faster team over the course of this past season -- for example, unloading the contract of Richard Panik in acquiring Anthony Duclair -- and should stick to that model as it adds complementary pieces around a talented core.
The confidence is contingent on Crawford returning and resuming his high-level play. If that's not the case, we'd change our outlook completely. The Blackhawks would need to obtain a starting goaltender in free agency; no players in the system have proved capable of handling that workload just yet.
Shore up the defense and add another dynamic forward in free agency and the Blackhawks should be in the mix for a playoff spot next season.