To win hockey games you need to score goals. It is not a complicated formula, but that does not mean it is easy. The Chicago Blackhawks proved how difficult it can be by finishing with a paltry 178 goals last season. That cemented them at the bottom of the NHL in scoring.
So, when associate general manager Norm Maciver said in the most recent episode of Every Shift, “Where are the goals going to come from? We had 179 goals last year, right? If we’re going to be competitive, we’ve gotta significantly increase our goal production,” he identified an issue crippling the Blackhawks.
How then will the Blackhawks increase their goal production? Additional personnel, creating chemistry, and deploying players in the proper roles will help drag the Blackhawks out of the goal-scoring basement.
Additional Firepower
Signing players who can score goals is the most direct way to increase production. The Blackhawks did that by bringing back Teuvo Teravainen and signing Tyler Bertuzzi. Teravainen scored 25 goals last season and has four campaigns with at least 20 goals. Bertuzzi notched 21 goals with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2023-24. He has three 20-goal seasons under his belt and one 30-goal outing. Those numbers will pad an offense that was desperate for production assistance.
We cannot overlook how much a healthy Taylor Hall will benefit the Blackhawks’ offensive output. He most likely will never replicate the 39 goals and 91 points he had in 2018 to secure the Hart Trophy. But the guy can score, and being paired with Connor Bedard should only help reignite the spark in his offense which has certainly dipped over the past few seasons.
Last season, the Blackhawks had two players score at least 20 goals—Bedard and Jason Dickinson. By adding at least three more scorers, the front end begins to become more balanced and goal scoring more spread out. That dispersion is what the Blackhawks need to succeed. Some interesting statistics highlight how important it is.
The top ten teams in the league last season (by total points) all had at least four 20-goal scorers. The Dallas Stars led with eight players, while four other teams had five players. Conversely, the five worst teams had much more concentrated scoring. Three teams (Anaheim Ducks, Blackhawks, and Columbus Blue Jackets) had two players with 20 goals, one team (San Jose Sharks) had only one player, and the Montreal Canadiens had three.
Hall, Bertuzzi, Teravainen, and Bedard should be counted on for at least 20 goals. That depth will position the Blackhawks to succeed. Throw in a surprise 20-goal scorer – Ilya Mikheyev perhaps? He has done it once before – and the team looks much more balanced than last season. Of course, this is no guarantee of reaching the postseason or anything like that. But fans should feel more confident in the team’s ability to compete.
Line Combinations
When Norm Maciver said the above quote, he and the rest of the Blackhawks front office were trying to formulate the right line combinations for the team heading into this season. Chemistry (not the Walter White kind) can be the difference between players and teams thriving or stumbling. That is why Maciver spoke ardently about putting together the pieces of the puzzle correctly. Proper chemistry means increased scoring.
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The new forward faces for the Blackhawks certainly give head coach Luke Richardson and the rest of management options. In Every Shift, a whiteboard shown with a projected roster features Hall, Bedard, and Teravainen on the first line. Meanwhile, Daily Faceoff predicts that the Blackhawks’ first line will boast Bertuzzi, Bedard, and Teravainen. Of course, both are guesses. There will invariably be a trial period to discover what players gel together. The narrator of the episode states it perfectly, “Chemistry between linemates is crucial and doesn’t happen overnight. These conversations will be a constant throughout the season.”
And there is a reason it is called chemistry. There are numerous ingredients interacting together to catalyze a reaction known as scoring goals. Talent, position, player familiarity, systems, and on-ice situations all will determine what forwards succeed and when. Fortunately, the Blackhawks have more ingredients to play with this season. It may take some time, but when the proper combinations are found we should expect an uptick in production.
Playing to Your Strengths
The new players added to the Blackhawks’ roster also allow all 12 forwards to slot into spots more suited for their talents and roles. In the last game of the 2023-24 season, Jason Dickinson centered the first line and Andreas Athanasiou the second. It is asking a lot of both players to go against other team’s first and second-line centers (and I am a fan of Dickinson). They simply are not first and second-line centers. Naturally, goal scoring will lag when players need to play up in the roster.
Now the Blackhawks have a top six rounded out with veterans more suited for that ice time. Hall, Bertuzzi, and Teravainen not only can produce more proficiently but also allow other players (like Dickinson) to play to their strengths on the third and fourth lines. Similarly, Craig Smith, whom the Blackhawks signed to a one-year deal, can slide into a bottom-six role much more effectively than someone like Tyler Johnson, who started that last game of the season on the fourth line.
Simply put, the balance in the Blackhawks’ forward group this season positions the team to score more. Players expected to score, the top-six, can and will. Players who are expected to contribute in other ways, the bottom-six, will be able to focus on their roles. Any additional offense they provide will be a bonus, but the team will not be relying on the bottom six forwards to produce beyond their capacity.
Reasons for Optimism
These three reasons—added firepower, strong line combinations, and proper roles—will allow the Blackhawks to progress offensively this season. That production, as Norm Maciver stated, is crucial for the acceleration of the rebuild.
