*NOTICE: STATISTICS MAY BE DIFFERENT DUE TO GAMES BEING PLAYED BEFORE THE ARTICLE IS POSTED.
Last week, I looked at three young players that have had a [bigger] impact on the Blackhawks season up to this point. Highlighted were Ryan Hartman, Nick Schmaltz and Tanner Kero. All three of them have had very good seasons and each have held different responsibilities but the reality is that the Blackhawks roster as a whole has been quite good. The 2016-2017 Chicago Blackhawks look quite a bit different than the teams of the past and there are numerous players that stand out as reasons for the current success.
For the majority of the year, the Blackhawks have had four lines rolling and you cannot do that unless you are getting some kind of contribution from each line. It is no secret that the Blackhawks have had weapons when it comes to putting the puck in the net and this season is no different.
Richard Panik
67 Games Played, 17 Goals, 19 Assists = 36 Points, +10, 14:34 TOI
This season has been the true break-out year that Panik has been after since being drafted in 2009. Panik can be inserted on to any line and there is a very good chance he will show up on the score sheet. Panik brings energy, speed and some grit to the lineup and possesses a great amount of skill that he has started to show off in bunches. He also has a goal of the year candidate with his goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this month.
Marian Hossa
61 Games Played, 21 Goals, 17 Assists = 38 Points, +7, 16:48 TOI
Much like Jaormir Jagr, Marian Hossa has shown that he also still has a good amount left in the tank. After a fairly disappointing season last year, Hossa has now eclipsed the 20 goal mark once again and continues to back-check unlike anyone else in the league. Hossa has found some success in more of a support role on the third line as opposed to playing 19-20 minutes a night in the first line.
Jonathan Toews
58 Games Played, 17 Goals, 31 Assists = 48 Points, +11, 20:14 TOI
Toews has really come on as of late and that just speaks volumes as to the player that he is. For a stretch of the season, it seemed as though the two players that Toews was centering changed with every game. There was no real way to develop any chemistry and that was reflected by Toews season statistics. Now, Panik and Schmaltz have made themselves at home of that top line with Toews and those three have really taken their games to the next level.
Artem Anisimov
62 Games Played, 22 Goals, 22 Assists = 44 Points, +7, 18:01 TOI
Anisimov is a guy who seems to get lost in the shuffle a bit. He is not necessarily a guy who comes to mind right away when you think of the Blackhawks’ big names but Anisimov should really be getting that type of respect more often. What Anisimov really brings to the table is not the overwhelming stats but offers a steady second line center, something that the Blackhawks had looked for, for a handful of years before Anisimov arrived. He has tied his career high in goals and points and has plenty of time to extend those career bests.
Patrick Kane
67 Games Played, 29 Goals, 42 Assists = 72 Points, +9, 21:28 TOI
There really is not much to say about Kane. This is just another season in which he leads the Blackhawks in goals, assists and points. He is one of the best hockey players on the planet and it is an absolute honor to watch him play for the Blackhawks.
Next week, I will look at all the defensemen and offer up what I have seen from each of them at this point in the season.
As always, stay tuned!
*all statistics presented are taken directly from nhl.com
