The Chicago Blackhawks broke hearts when they decided to clean house and get rid of some popular players on the team after winning the Stanley Cup in 2015. Fans were forced to say their goodbyes to #10 Patrick Sharp, #20 Brandon Saad, #27 Johnny Oduya, #23 Kris Versteeg, #91 Brad Richards, and #80 Antoine Vermette. Not an easy goodbye for most after watching these players game after game, win after win for several seasons. And after losing a handful of well-known players, the team is making moves to get new guys on the team that Chicago fans are unfamiliar with ... Let our hearts heal first, would ya?
With that being said, I have recently found myself questioning who these new guys on the ice playing for the Chicago Blackhawks are! Artemi Panarin? Dennis Rasmussen? Brandon Mashinter? Who are they? Are these the new faces of Chicago hockey? Should we get used to seeing them on the ice? You are probably sitting there thinking, "but I don't even know them? How can they be the faces of Chicago hockey?"
Well, they are and Blackhawk fans have to get used to seeing them on the ice. Let's get to know them a little better, together:
#15 Artem Anisimov
Position: Center
Age: 27
Birth Place: Russia
Played for: New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets
1st NHL goal scored in: 2009
#72 Artemi Panarin- "The Bread Man"
Position: Left
Age: 24
Birth place: Russia
Fun fact: Leading all NHL rookies in points with 39 and goals with 15
#28 Ryan Garbutt
Position: Left
Age: 30
Birth Place: Canada
Played for: Dallas Stars
1st NHL goal scored in: 2012
Fun fact: Played 4 years of college hockey at Brown University
#57 Trevor Van Riemsdyk
Position: Defenseman
Age: 21
Birth Place: New Jersey
NHL debut: October 9, 2014 against Dallas Stars
1st NHL goal scored in: 2015
Playoff debut: June 8, 2015 (3rd game)
Fun fact: Won his first Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks last year. His older brother, James, plays in the NHL for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
#70 Dennis Rasmussen
Position: Center
Age: 25
Birth Place: Sweden
1st NHL scored in: 2015 against Nashville Predators
#53 Brandon Mashinter
Position: Left
Age: 27
Birth Place: Canada
Played for: San Jose Sharks and Rangers who then traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks
#24 Phillip Danault
Position: Center
Age: 22
Birth Place: Canada
1st NHL goal scored: January 8, 2016
Fun fact: 1st NHL goal was a game winning goal
Keep an eye out for these players during the next Chicago Blackhawk game! They may surprise you and you may start to grow fond of these new guys. Our hearts may just heal after all.
