The Chicago Blackhawks have been playing a much better brand of hockey over the last couple of weeks. They have officially climbed their way out of last place in the league for the time being, just leading the Sharks by one point in the standings.
Most of the recent success from Chicago is thanks to strong goaltending and the young pieces on the roster coming through in big ways. Many fans have been frustrated with how long the team’s rebuild is taking, but general manager Kyle Davidson addressed the media on Monday and the current state of how he thinks things are going in this long process.
With most of the Blackhawks prospect pool currently playing amateur hockey, the focus for the young players currently in the NHL is more important than ever. While it is good to have the future of the franchise begin to take over the roster, having a veteran presence in the locker room should not go away. A former member of the Blackhawks dynasty will be available on the open market and it might make sense for the front office to pursue him.
Brandon Saad is coming off a solid season in St. Louis
Saad was in the middle of his fourth season with the Blues before being let go by the organization on Thursday. The 32-year-old had just seven goals and nine assists in 43 games for St. Louis this season, and their front office felt that his play wasn’t worth keeping him around anymore.
The Saadfather finished last year playing all 82 games for the Blues and produced well. He had 26 goals and 16 assists for a total of 42 points after finding the back of the net 19 times in the previous season. Saad is known for playing a strong two-way game with an ability to create chaos at the front of the cage. He isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty and that trait in his game has not gone away with age.
The Chicago Blackhawks could use a veteran like Brandon Saad
Saad won two Stanley Cups in Chicago during the team’s dynasty from 2010-2015. He was a member of the 2013 and 2015 squads and was a part of the NHL all-rookie team in 2013. Saad’s best season as a Blackhawk came the year after their last cup in 2016. He scored 31 goals to go along with 22 assists in the lone all-star season of his career.
Even though there are already a few veterans in the locker room, Saad brings familiarity with the franchise to the table. He could fill the leadership shoes that Taylor Hall held before he was traded away to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2025 third-round draft pick.
Saad could use a bigger role in Chicago to rebuild his value for a contending team next season, assuming that a deal for him would cover just the rest of this season. One thing that could hold Chicago back from making this move is that it could block younger guys in Rockford from coming up this season.
Landon Slaggert was called up from the AHL to take Hall’s roster spot and he scored a goal in his first game of the campaign against Tampa Bay. If the organization believes there are enough veterans in the locker room and they want the young players to get more NHL ice time, Saad might not make sense for them at this time.
Chicago Blackhawks goaltender’s career year offers optimism for the future
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