It’s the doldrums of the offseason, and we’re all looking forward to more news surrounding the Chicago Blackhawks. The 2024 NHL Draft and free agency period are on the horizon, but these are both still a month or more away. It was a disappointing 2023-24 campaign for the Blackhawks, but that was by design. A plethora of injuries certainly didn’t help either.
Related – 2022-23 Blackhawks: Describing Each Player in One Word
Regardless, a group of human beings struggled through a tough campaign. Let’s honor them by assigning one meaningful word for each player, along with the thought process behind it. My colleague and partner in crime, Brooke LoFurno, was immediately on board to help out! Her entries are marked with an asterisk.
One Word for Each Blackhawks’ Forward
Joey Anderson: Hard-worker
Anderson was a fringe player at the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign, but he worked his way into an everyday player as the season progressed. This was a testament to his strong work ethic and determination. Anderson built special chemistry with Jason Dickinson, & the two were part of a very effective shutdown line.
*Andreas Athanasiou: Disrupted
Athanasiou had a tough season. He missed half of it with a groin injury that began in November, and when he returned in March, he wasn’t much of a factor. He had his moments being paired with Lukas Reichel and showed his speed. But overall, it was a season to forget, and the long injury absence probably inhibited him from getting in a groove.
Connor Bedard: Cornerstone
The 2023 No. 1 overall pick lived up to all expectations, and then some, in his first NHL season. He was by far the most talented player on the team and led in scoring, despite missing 14 games to jaw surgery.
Bedard is officially the new cornerstone for the franchise for them to build around.
*Colin Blackwell: Resilient
One thing about Blackwell, is he is very resilient. After missing 10 months with a sports hernia, he became a player that coach Luke Richardson had a hard time taking out of the lineup because of the impact he had on his teammates on and off the ice. He even got nominated for the Masterton Trophy, which was a great way to cap his season.
Jason Dickinson: Backbone
This guy is supposed to be a defensive-minded shutdown forward, which he was. But he also tied Bedard with 22 goals (a career-high) and was a leader and motivator both…
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