With the spread of COVID-19, and some significant room for movement on the roster, uncertainty is the name of the game for the Blackhawks in the coming season. One of the most significant unknowns at hand is the replacement of Brandon Saad.
One of the top contenders for the replacement slot is Blackhawks veteran Andrew Shaw. Both Shaw and Saad were members of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft class.
Shaw distinguishes himself from other contenders Pius Suter and Dylan Strome through both physicality and experience. However, he will have to keep the focus on his health if he truly wants to make an impact; Shaw has struggled with recent concussions.
Welcome Back To Chicago Andrew Shaw 🚨 pic.twitter.com/qjANHIQit1
— hawks are 16-12-5 since Jeremy Colliton was fired (@hawksfanpkane88) October 11, 2019
Both Strome and Suter seem like they could each get a good flow going with Toews, but fans should not necessarily expect either of the young players to emerge as the go-to replacement for Saad.
In a recent NBC Sports Chicago article, General Manager Stan Bowman underscored the critical roles of the team’s youngest talent in the upcoming season but said:
“We’re not going to have an entire team of young players. That’s unrealistic. I don’t know that’s a formula anyone’s using or that we’re saying here. What we’re trying to say is that, you do have to have an opportunity for young players to get into the league and play a role and to grow because that’s where you’re going to see progress. That’s how your team’s going to move to becoming an elite team, and that’s what we’re striving to be.”
I don’t know how much Shaw can replace Saad’s production scoring wise but potentially as a veteran with the experience playing with this core. How much will that matter however?
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