The Chicago Blackhawks have had many positives one month into the 2023-24 regular season despite their 5-7-0 record. The kids have been all right, new faces have stepped up, and their goaltending has shined. They’ve also admirably handled a tough opening schedule, defeating the likes of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vegas Golden Knights, and Tampa Bay Lightning, all on the road. While it’s early, let’s discuss three Blackhawks who’ve exceeded expectations so far in the rebuild’s second season.
Philipp Kurashev
It wasn’t an ideal start to the 2023-24 season for Philipp Kurashev, as the 24-year-old forward missed Chicago’s first six games with a wrist injury. However, he has done everything asked of him and more since returning. After skating with Jason Dickinson and Corey Perry in his season debut, a 3-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Oct. 24, Kurashev’s had no problem keeping up with Connor Bedard and Nick Foligno on the top line. In fact, he’s had arguably his best stretch as an NHLer so far, scoring at a point-per-game pace with six points (two goals, four assists) through six games.
This may not be sustainable over a full season, but it’s an encouraging sign. Since making his NHL debut in Jan. 2021, Kurashev’s shown flashes but has struggled with consistency. In a season where the Blackhawks are looking to develop their young players but not necessarily make a playoff push, playing Kurashev with an elite talent in Bedard is looking like a smart call by head coach Luke Richardson. This has boosted his confidence, which he didn’t always seem to have last season.
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Recording 25 points through 70 games in 2022-23, the Blackhawks signed Kurashev to a two-year, $4.5 million “prove-it” deal last summer. Six games may be a very small sample size, but this has looked like a steal so far. Not only has the production been there, but Kurashev’s also a great skater and brings versatility. As Chicago’s lone remaining player from its 2018 draft (120th overall), I still feel like it’s too early to say whether he’ll be around once the team is competitive, but I feel far more confident in that now than last season.
Corey Perry
It felt strange when the Blackhawks acquired Perry in June, a longtime nemesis of some fans, but the move has paid off. Through Chicago’s first 12 games, the 38-year-old forward has shown he can still play at an elite level; he’s tied with Foligno for second on the team in points with eight (three goals, five assists), only trailing Bedard (11 points), and has been a driving force on the third line with Dickinson. Not only that, Perry has also been one of the team’s most vocal leaders and hasn’t shied away from taking accountability, such as holding a players-only meeting after Chicago’s 4-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils last Sunday, Nov. 5.
Should Perry sustain this production, it would put him on pace for 54 points over a full 82-game season. That would be his highest point total since his 2015-16 campaign, when he posted 62 points in 82 games for the Anaheim Ducks. This may create an interesting dilemma for Blackhawks general manager (GM) Kyle Davidson. On one hand, he could likely fetch a nice haul for Perry, set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) next summer, should the Blackhawks be out of contention by the March 8 deadline. On the other hand, Perry may be worth keeping around, thanks to his leadership, even if Chicago doesn’t re-sign him. No matter what happens, fans should be pleased with his success.
Petr Mrázek
With a not-so-talented group in front of him, the results weren’t great for Petr Mrázek last season, and he also sustained three groin injuries. However, the 31-year-old goaltender has held his own this season, and he may be the Blackhawks’ biggest individual surprise with respect to Kurashev, Perry, and others. Through eight games, Mrázek has looked calm and confident, going 4-3-0 with a 2.84 goals-against average (GAA) and a .921 save percentage (SV%).
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Mrázek arguably had his best game as a Blackhawk last Saturday, Nov. 4, a 5-2 win against the Florida Panthers, in which he stopped 40 of 42 shots. The Blackhawks took a 3-0 lead through the first 20 minutes before it was all Florida for the final two periods, but Mrázek was absolutely stellar. Simply put, the Blackhawks probably would’ve had a harder time keeping their lead without him. He followed that up with a great effort in Thursday’s (Nov. 9) 5-3 win against Tampa Bay, stopping 38 of 40 shots against another above-average offense.
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Like Perry, Mrázek will be worth keeping an eye on before the trade deadline. If struggling teams such as the Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers still look to buy, he could be a viable fit for both or any club seeking an upgrade in net, as he’s also set to hit free agency in 2024. On the contrary, he’s a nice locker-room presence, and the Blackhawks may not want to rush prospects Drew Commesso and Jaxson Stauber. Regression may hit, but it’s been awesome to see Mrázek thrive after his struggles last season.
There are many reasons for Chicago’s early success, of course. Bedard has lived up to the hype, and the team has built a smart, hardworking culture under Richardson. With that said, these three players deserve a ton of credit, even if they eventually cool off a bit. With rematches against the Panthers (Nov. 12) and Lightning (Nov. 16) approaching, along with other playoff-caliber teams on the schedule, it’ll be interesting to see just how much they can keep the momentum going and who else may unexpectedly step up.