For the last 14 years (12 with The Hockey News) Dobber has reviewed each team from a fantasy-hockey standpoint and graded them.

This year, due to Dobber’s battle with cancer, he recruited Cam Robinson (of Frozen Pool Forensics fame) to pinch hit. The 15th annual review will appear here on DobberHockey throughout the summer. This is not a review of the likely performance on the ice or in the standings, but in the realm of fantasy hockey.

Enjoy!

Gone – Artemi Panarin, Marian Hossa, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Scott Darling, Brian Campbell, Tyler Motte, Tevor van Riemsdyk, Michael Latta, Dennis Rasmussen, Lars Johansson, Peirre-Cedric Labrie, Dillon Fournier, Martin Lundberg

Incoming – Brandon Saad, Patrick Sharp, Tommy Wingles, Anton Forsberg, Jean-Francois Berube, Lance Bouma, Connor Murphy, Laurent Dauphin, Jan Rutta, David Kampf, Jodan Oesterle

Impact of changes – In the two seasons since Chicago traded Saad to Columbus, Patrick Kane thrived next to Panarin en route to a Hart- and Art Ross Trophy-winning 106-point 2015-16 campaign, and a tidy 89 points a season ago. During that same period, the Chicago Blackhawks as an organization didn’t win a single playoff round. With the loss of Hossa for at least a season if not his career, the brass decided it was time to bring another bird home and paid a large price to reacquire Saad who will reunite with Jonathan Toews this fall.

Kane is now without his running-mate and that will surely influence his point totals. He remains an elite option, but scaling back a handful of points in your projections seems prudent. Niklas Hjalmarsson is gone and so goes Corey Crawford’s best defensive defender. The backend lost Campbell and TvR to boot, and on paper, this team looks older and weaker defensively. Patrick Sharp is around to try and rekindle some former magic and Nick Schmaltz is a year older and capable of playing all over the lineup, so there are options here.

Ready for full-time – Top prospect, Alex DeBrincat finished his major junior career much the same way he spent its entirety: scoring a great deal of goals. Three consecutive 50-plus goal and 100-plus point campaigns with the final season registering in at 65 goals and 127 points in 63 contests. While he and his Erie Otter teammates came up a win short of the Memorial Cup victory, he accomplished a great deal in Junior and is ready to move on. The 5’7” winger is stepping into a situation where his exceptional offensive acumen and cheap entry-level contract should be very much welcomed in the cap strapped Blackhawks’ dressing room. Coach, Joel Quenneville isn’t always keen to throw rookie into the fire so without a strong camp, expect DeBrincat to begin his professional career in the AHL. Read more about DeBrincat here.

Powering forward, John Hayden left RPI after four successful NCAA seasons and turned pro last spring. In 12 NHL contests, he acquitted himself very well, displaying good speed and a willingness to engage physically. The 22-year-old racked up 44 hits in that short amount of time and will need to continue that combative nature in camp this fall to earn a full-time position on the team. He may never be a major scorer in the league, but his ability to hit, shoot and rack up penalty minutes makes him a very interesting multi-cat asset. Read more about Hayden here.

Newly acquired back-up goaltender, Anton Forsberg, has but 10 NHL games to his name and a not-so-impressive .879 save percentage. The 24-year-old does come with Calder Cup Championship, some stellar AHL figures, and will be given a full-time position behind Corey Crawford this fall. He’s one to watch if Crawford succumbs to any injuries as the Blackhawks remain a middle-tier contender and that means some fantasy worth for whomever is starting in net. Read more about Forsberg here.

After splitting his first professional season in North America between the NHL and AHL, Gustav Forsling looks prepared to spend the entirety of 20-17-18 with the Blackhawks. Acquired in a trade with Vancouver in early 2015, the fleet-footed defender has rocketed up the organizational depth chart with his offensive skillset and mature processing ability. He’s not the biggest player, but plays the type of hybrid, mobile game that is becoming the norm these days. He has untapped offensive potential down the line and shouldn’t be dismissed from fantasy radars for his minimal numbers last season. Read more about Forsling here. 

Fantasy Outlook – There’s no sugar coating it, these are not the Blackhawks of old. Patrick Kane remains a truly dynamic and top-tier fantasy asset, but the loss of Panarin will leave a lasting effect.  Duncan Keith appears to not subscribe to the ill wills of father time, and Crawford remains a nice option in net but the core is aging and depreciating. Jonathan Toews has long been an overrated fantasy commodity and his red-hot third quarter (1.39 points-per-game) will likely inflate his status on draft day once again. Marian Hossa is gone, Brent Seabrook is in clear decline, and the next wave of talent isn’t to the same level. DeBrincat has a bright future and someone will benefit from the opening on Kane’s line – Schmaltz, Hartman, Sharp…but there are far fewer slam dunks than in year’s past

Fantasy Grade: B (Last year: B+)

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