The Chicago Blackhawks are struggling to score and win games this season, so it is a good time to look at some of the players the team let slip away and how they could be helping the cause.
These forwards are having strong seasons as the Blackhawks have had a lot of talent come through. Some have left on their own accord, while others have been traded, waived, or not re-signed.
Brandon Hagel
Possibly the most impressive of the bunch this season is Brandon Hagel. This one will hurt Blackhawks fans for a while as the skilled forward was dealt at 23 years old after putting up back-to-back 20+ goal seasons. There was no need to trade him as he was still young, getting better quickly, and could help Chicago get to a better place faster.
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That is what he did for the Tampa Bay Lightning as he just tied a single game record for assists by a Lightning player with five and has nine goals and 26 points in 20 games this season. This comes after scoring 56 goals and 139 points in 163 games over the past two seasons too. Hagel might’ve been traded for two first-round picks, but he can consistently score goals and is providing a ton of offense this season.
Dylan Strome
The Washington Capitals made a great decision by signing Dylan Strome for fairly cheap after the Blackhawks just let him become a UFA by not qualifying him as a RFA. Originally signed to be a second line or middle-six option at center, Strome had to quickly slide into the top center spot with Nicklas Backstrom out and he hasn’t looked back.
The Blackhawks are struggling for help down the middle while Strome has assisted on a ton of Alex Ovechkin goals this season and has six goals and 29 points in 21 games this season. Strome is playing like the third overall pick the Blackhawks originally traded for and let go without getting anything back from him. Yet another poor decision the organization is regretting.
Artemi Panarin
It comes as no surprise that Artemi Panarin is once again playing at over a point-per-game pace as he is one of the best offensive players in the game. The Blackhawks will always remember trading him for very little after his second dominant season in the NHL. It was a surprise to nobody that he turned into a superstar soon after as he was already on that path.
The New York Rangers might be having trouble right now, but Panarin has 12 goals and 26 points in 20 games. That 12 goals easily clears any Blackhawks player this season.