Double Shifted

Going into last year's draft, the Blackhawks were looking at the third overall pick after having a stroke of luck in the draft lottery, allowing them to select Kirby Dach, who at 19 has already made his presence felt at the NHL level. There's a lot still up in the air surrounding everything about this season, including draft positions, due to coronavirus concerns. The NHL could go to a 24-team playoff format, stick with a 16-team format, or cancel the playoffs entirely, but for the purpose of this exercise we're going to assume the standings and draft positions have the Blackhawks staying near the 7th-10th overall pick. It isn't likely that top prospects like Alexis Lafreniere and Quinton Byfield will still be available at that point, but 2020 is a stronger draft year and there will certainly be talent available. Here are a few players that the Blackhawks could look to snap up come the draft as they look to return to the playoffs. Kirby Dach was selected at the #3 ...

IMPORTANT DECISIONS LAY AHEAD FOR DOUG WILSON AND THE SAN JOSE SHARKS The Sharks made waves last offseason, first pursuing top free agent John Tavares, and following him signing with the Toronto Maple Leafs, they went out and traded for superstar defenseman Erik Karlsson. Now, Karlsson received a monster 8-year, 11.5 million extension, leaving the Sharks with just $14 million in cap space and free agents such as Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Kevin LaBanc, Gustav Nyquist, Timo Meier, and Joonas Donskoi all needing new deals. Extensions given out to players like Logan Couture, Evander Kane, and Brent Burns needed to be given out, but it leaves the Sharks in a rough position. If I’m Sharks GM Doug Wilson, I’m happy with what I’ve done. It’s all but official that captain Joe Pavelski won’t be a Shark anymore. It’s a sad story after all Pavelski has done for the franchise, and the fan favorite will be missed in San Jose, but it’s time to move on. The Sharks can not afford a long term, e...

RETURN OF THE BREAD MAN-WHY AN ARTEM ANISIMOV TRADE MAKES SENSE FOR THE BLACKHAWKS Artem Anisimov celebrates in a game against the Ottawa Senators Artem Anisimov seemed like a great fit, playing alongside Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin on the best line the Blackhawks have had in a while. He tallied a career-high 45 points in 64 games during the 2016-17 season. Then, the Blackhawks traded Panarin for Brandon Saad in an attempt to shake up the roster after being swept in the 2017 playoffs. Kane saw a decline in points the following year but bounced back this year, scoring a career-high 110 points. Unfortunately, Anisimov couldn't say the same. He was moved down to a bottom-six role with the emergence of Dylan Strome, who had instant chemistry with old juniors teammate Alex DeBrincat. After Strome, who had never reached double-digits in points with the Arizona Coyotes, was traded to Chicago, he had 51 points in 58 games. He looks like a formidable second-line center, and with...

BUNCH OF JERKS LEAD IN A NEW ERA FOR THE NHL, REDEFINING THE LEAGUE Projected onto the ice pregame is the Hurricanes' rallying cry.  The t-shirts can be found everywhere, regardless of where your allegiances lie in the NHL. They read "Bunch of Jerks" in big, loud lettering and serve not only as a marketing idea to sell Canes merchandise but also as a symbol for the NHL's shift into a newer, more fun era filled with speed, skill, vibrant personalities, and goal-scoring. The Carolina Hurricanes came into the season as a team that had some playoff aspirations that were taken seriously by some but not all. They named veteran Justin Williams as their captain and traded for Flames defenseman Dougie Hamilton, while also retaining promising forwards Teuvo Teravainen and Sebastian Aho, along with drafting Andrei Svechnikov with their first-round selection. After a win over the New York Islanders, the Hurricanes decided to have a little fun with their fans. The pla...

CONN SMYTHE WATCH Sergei Bobrovsky is on the Conn Smythe watch. The Conn Smythe trophy is awarded every year to the NHL's playoff MVP. Just eight teams remain, and there are many worthy candidates who could win the Conn Smythe when all is said and done. Let's look at the top five Conn Smythe candidates this playoffs. 5. BEN BISHOP The Stars are a wild-card team that eliminated the Nashville Predators in the first round, and they're currently tied 2-2 in their second-round series with the Blues. They wouldn't be here without Bishop, who's backstopped the team with a 2.24 GAA to pair with his .931 save percentage. His unreal saves have stolen games from the Stars. If they end up winning a Cup, all the thanks will be to him. 4. BRAD MARCHAND Let's start with the positive side of Marchand's case for the Conn Smythe. He and Tuukka Rask have been the two best players on the Bruins this playoffs. He's got ten points in a tie for seventh in ...