Complete Guide to the Chicago Blackhawks' 2015 Offseason

Jonathan WillisJun 16, 2015

On Monday night, the Chicago Blackhawks won their third Stanley Cup in six years. The victory established the Blackhawks as a legitimate dynasty and the first team since the 1997-2002 Detroit Red Wings to secure so many championships in such a short span of time.

As impressive as the team is, general manager Stan Bowman has no opportunity now to rest on his laurels.

Bowman's work begins right away. The Blackhawks have 11 significant restricted or unrestricted free agents. New deals for Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane kick in next year, and in concert with a lower-than-expected NHL salary cap, the pair leave Chicago with limited ability to retain key players or hire external options.

How will the team adapt this summer? Let's take a look.

Season Wrap-Up

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Top Performers

Duncan Keith was simply incredible in the playoffs, and the top-four on defence carried a massive load and did so well. Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane were once again the leading lights up front, though both Marian Hossa and Brandon Saad enjoyed impressive campaigns, too. Goaltending was solid all year, and Corey Crawford redeemed himself with solid play in the final three rounds after a difficult opening series against Nashville.

Biggest Disappointments

Kimmo Timonen has always been a heart-and-soul player, but age and injury meant he wasn't nearly as effective as the Blackhawks had hoped he would be when they acquired him from Philadelphia. Patrick Sharp and Johnny Oduya both had tough campaigns, but both redeemed themselves to at least some degree in the playoffs. Bryan Bickell didn't score a goal in the postseason.

Final Assessment

There are 29 other NHL teams that would love to have had the season Chicago just did.

Biggest Storylines to Follow

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Enjoying the Stanley Cup

Pieces like this have a tendency to focus on tomorrow rather than enjoying today. That's for good reason, since we all know what's happening today, but one of the recurring storylines this summer will be how the city, the players and the staff of the team make use of their time with the Stanley Cup. It's a terribly difficult trophy to win, and Chicago deserves to spend some time reveling in the victory.

Austerity Measures

There isn't a person in hockey who doubts that the Blackhawks are a truly great team, but there are plenty who will be watching for a repeat of 2009-10, when Stan Bowman was forced to gut much of his club's supporting cast in order to comply with the salary cap. The question of who gets sent away and how deep the knife goes will be central to the team's postseason.

The Brandon Saad Contract Negotiations

Chicago's most famous restricted free agent has already popped up at places like mynhltraderumors.com as a candidate to sign an offer sheet with a rival team. Given the Blackhawks' difficult cap situation, he's going to be a tempting target, and if he's looking for the highest possible payday, that's probably the route to go.

Notable Players Hitting Free Agency

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Johnny Oduya

The 33-year-old Oduya has been a key piece to Chicago's blue line over its last three deep playoff runs, generally joining Niklas Hjalmarsson on the team's shutdown pairing. He showed his age at times this season but rebounded in a big way in the playoffs, fighting through obvious injury in the Final and yet still providing effective minutes.

Brad Richards

Richards joined the Blackhawks last season on a bargain one-year, $2.0 million deal, with the obvious hope of winning the Stanley Cup. He managed that, though the 35-year-old also fell from 51 points to 37 and from 20 goals to 12 in the process.

Others

F Antoine Vermette, D Michal Rozsival, F Andrew Desjardins, D Kimmo Timonen, F Dan Carcillo

TOP NEWS

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Top Free-Agent Targets

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Chicago is looking to subtract money, not add it, so any free-agent additions this summer are likely to be of the bargain-basement variety.

1. Matt Irwin

Chicago does need to find some defensive depth, particularly if Oduya is allowed to walk. Irwin combines size with puck-moving ability and, at age 27, is still in the heart of his career. He is exactly the kind of cheap addition who might fly under the radar in free agency.

2. Jiri Tlusty

Judging by the low return Carolina got at the trade deadline for Tlusty (third- and sixth-round picks), a massive contract simply isn't going to happen. The 27-year-old is a solid secondary scorer, adds size to the roster and can play either wing. He'd be a cheap top-nine forward to replace whomever the Blackhawks end up sending away.

3. Zbynek Michalek

This is probably a ridiculous dream, but there's a chance a proven tough-minutes defender like Michalek slips through the cracks in free agency or is willing to sign on with Chicago on a deal similar to the one Richards signed last year.

Best Options in the NHL Draft

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Chicago's top pick at the moment is No. 54, though of course the team may well receive draft picks in exchange for some of the players it's looking at sending away. Here are some players who might be available at that point.

Callum Booth

Booth played for the same team as highly touted Canadiens goalie prospect Zach Fucale, and in the regular season, he outplayed his more famous netminding partner. The 6'3" Montreal-born Booth would address a lack of quality goalie prospects in the Chicago system.

Robin Kovacs

Slightly undersized, Kovacs is otherwise a superb prospect. He posted good numbers playing against men in Sweden's Allsvenskan league, and he is a north/south winger with the typical Swedish attention to defensive detail.

Matt Spencer

A hardworking two-way defenceman with decent size and a range of skills, Spencer would give the Blackhawks a significant defence prospect to restock a cupboard that has seen some major losses (Trevor van Riemsdyk graduated, Klas Dahlbeck was traded) in recent months. He put up decent point totals last year but isn't generally regarded as a long-term offensive option.

Players Who Should Be Put on the Trading Block

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Bryan Bickell

The Blackhawks simply don't have the luxury of spending $4.0 million in cap space on a fourth-line winger and occasional playoff healthy scratch. They overpaid Bickell, and it's going to be very difficult to convince another team to take on the remaining two years of his contract. Chicago may need to eat money or insert a sweetener into any trade.

Patrick Sharp

The 33-year-old Sharp has been a valued member of the Blackhawks, but he saw his role reduced this season and is probably replaceable for less than his $5.9 million cap hit. He has two seasons left on his current contract and should be of interest to an NHL team looking for an experienced top-six forward.

Top Trade Targets

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1. Draft Picks

Blackhawks are looking to shed salary, and loading up for a championship run cost the team dearly in terms of future assets. Moving players for picks could end up helping a lot.

2. Patrick Wiercioch

Young, cheap, NHL-ready players will certainly be a priority for the Blackhawks, and the Senators have made no secret of their interest in adding a top-six forward. The 24-year-old Wiercioch is a good bet to fill the No. 5 defenceman slot being vacated by Michal Rozsival and might even be able to step into the top four immediately.

3. Tom Gilbert

A more veteran option for the Blackhawks might be Gilbert, who is a plausible trade option for Montreal after he was pushed down to the third pairing following the acquisition of Jeff Petry. Gilbert would play much the same role as Johnny Oduya at a modest $2.8 million cap hit, and he would allow Niklas Hjalmarsson to move back to the left side.

Prospects Most Likely to Debut in 2015-16

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1. Mark McNeill

A big, strong, two-way pivot, McNeill was one of two Blackhawks 2011 first-round draft picks. He just completed his second AHL season and significantly improved his offensive numbers. He's a reasonably cheap option for a depth role in Chicago next year.

2. Stephen Johns

The 23-year-old Johns is a big, physical right-shooting defenceman and has had four years of college and a season in the minors to file down the rough edges to his game. He had seven points in eight postseason games with Rockford.

3. Ryan Hartman

A tough, physical winger, Hartman made his way into five NHL games in his rookie professional campaign. He posted 37 points in his first AHL season and is a legitimate cheap right-wing option on a depth line.

4. Ville Pokka

Acquired in the trade that sent Nick Leddy to New York, Pokka is a top puck-moving defensive prospect who enjoyed a successful rookie campaign with Rockford. His $1.775 million cap hit is discouraging, but a sizable chunk of that is performance bonuses, which he likely won't hit if he's a midseason call-up.