The Chicago Blackhawks used to be the model franchise for the Boston Bruins. Now, the roles are reversed.
When the Boston Bruins take on the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, we’ll see two franchises on different stages of the championship path. The Bruins are a Cup contender, while the Blackhawks are out of the playoff picture.
The Blackhawks were in Boston’s place not too long ago. In 2015, they won their third Cup in six years, and they still had their core intact. Chicago had enough talent and experience to beat anybody.
Now, the Blackhawks look like any other team. They currently sit seventh in the Central Division with 25 points in 27 games. At this rate, they’ll miss the playoffs for the third year in a row.
Is there any hope for the Blackhawks in the near future? Yes. They can look at Boston as a the model.
The Bruins were in the same place as the Blackhawks only a few years ago. After a nice run that included a Stanley Cup and another Final appearance, Boston’s window slammed shut. The Bruins missed the playoffs two straight years.
New GM Don Sweeney inherited a team with an old roster and cap issues. Even worse, there weren’t many high-end prospects in the system. At the very best, Boston’s future was unclear.
To jumpstart a rebuild, Sweeney focused on the draft. The Bruins went years without quality draft picks, and this needed to change. He acquired extra first round picks to infuse the Bruins with young talent. This was a long-term play, but it was absolute necessary.
What Sweeney did the NHL roster, however, made a bigger impact. Rather than trade away veteran plays for future assets, Sweeney kept the core of the roster intact. Zdeno Chara, Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, Tuukka Rask, and Brad Marchand all remained through the rebuild.
A few years later, we can now see how important it was for Sweeney to hang on to those guys.
Look at how David Pastrnak developed into a superstar. Because Bergeron, Krejci, and Marchand were there, he could grow at his own pace without crazy-high expectations. Plus, Pastrnak got the chance to grow alongside some elite linemates.
Same thing with Charlie McAvoy. Do you think he makes a quick rise to the top pair with Chara by his side? No way.
We often see young players thrust into leadership roles too early, and this almost always turns out bad. The Edmonton Oilers had a bunch of top picks, but without a strong veteran group, many of those young players failed. Boston avoided this problem.
The Blackhawks have the chance to do almost exactly what the Bruins did. They can keep guys like Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, and Jonathan Toews to bridge the gap to the next wave. These players, all of whom have championship pedrigrees, would be great models for any young player.
Sooner rather than later, especially if they draft well, their young guys will be ready to make an impact. The Hawks might not yet have a Pastrnak or a McAvoy in the system, but they’ll have something close.
Five years ago, the Blackhawks were the model for the Bruins. They were the team that consistently made great moves to go on runs every year. Chicago was exactly what Boston wanted to be. Now, the Bruins are the model for the Blackhawks.