Not Re-Signing This Blackhawks Forward Would Be A Major Mistake

The Chicago Blackhawks have an issue with their forwards for next season.

The Chicago Blackhawks do not have a lot of centers for next season. Their main center is Jonathan Toews; outside of that, there is Tyler Johnson, Kirby Dach and Henrik Borgstrom. That gives the Hawks four centers for the season.

Of course, other guys can play center, and who knows, maybe the team trades for some more throughout the offseason, but one player that makes sense to re-sign would be center Dylan Strome.

Dylan Strome did not have the best season in 2021-22, but he finished the year well, putting up 22 goals and 26 assists in 69 games, giving him 48 points on the day. Strome has spent four years in Chicago and while he might not have been in the best graces with the different coaches the team has had, he has been in a good spot with the players.

Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat, the two players that will be making the team watchable during the upcoming rebuild, like playing with Strome. Keeping them happy has to matter while this rebuild is going on. Of Stromes’ 22 goals this past season, 18 of them were assisted by either DeBrincat or Kane.

The duo makes Strome better, and re-signing him to a two or three-year deal would definitely be something to keep fans coming to games during the coming seasons. But it is not just about keeping fans in the stands and the players happy.

The Blackhawks do not have a lot of centers to lead their team during this rebuild. Outside of Dach, Toews and Johnson, this team does not have a lot of centers to lean on. Dach is still young and while the team could throw him into a top-line role, it still might not be the best move for the franchise’s future.

Toews and Johnson have both had some injury issues and Toews is not signed past this next season so who knows what his future has in store. While the rebuilding Hawks might not want to spend money on a known player like Strome, bringing him back is the best move for the short and long term.

If things go well and his numbers improve maybe the team can trade him away next deadline or next offseason, otherwise, the worst-case scenario is that this team finds out they actually do have a top center ready to step up in their organization.