Duncan Keith
The negatives abound. The Blackhawks are going to be without last year's Conn Smythe winner, a defensive wizard that leads by example on the ice. The defense is already up in the air with only 3 reliable veterans on the active roster (Seabrook, Keith, Hjarlmarsson), and the loss of their key piece paints a bleak scene. The aforementioned playoffs are not a given, especially with the insanely competitive Central Division, of which the Hawks went 15-14 against last year with a healthy Keith. So now the D consists of a mutant rookie with limited speed (Svedberg), a decent 2nd year player (van Riemsdyk), an offensive minded veteran who is weak at shot suppression (Daley), and 2 outstanding and dependable veterans (Seabrook, Hjalmarsson).
Let's break down their current replacement options at D. The only left handed defenseman they have to replace Duncs is Kyle Cumiskey. Oof. Another option is Ville Pokka, a 21-year-old unproven Finn. You'll notice that I haven't mentioned David Rundblad as a temporary replacement option. That's because I hate David Rundblad. He has the decision making skills of a potato. His unforced errors seem to get him pinned in the zone at least twice a game, often leading to an opponent's scoring chance. He has a wicked slap shot, but that's about it. He's mostly just a warm body, which is great if you're trying to survive a plane crash in the Andes, less so if you're trying to win enough games to stay in the playoff race until Keith's return.
David Rundblad: NHL hockey player or teen heartthrob star of an angsty teen drama on CW?
So how fucked are the Blackhawks? Medium. Medium fucked. Stay tuned, friends.
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