theScore is previewing each team leading up to the 2016-17 season.
The Chicago Blackhawks have preserved the core that delivered three Stanley Cup wins in seven years. The challenge once again is fitting it under the salary cap by filling out the roster with cheap, young, and effective depth.
Here's what the Blackhawks' lineup looks like going into the 2016-17 season:
Forwards
| LW | C | RW |
|---|---|---|
| Artemi Panarin | Artem Anisimov | Patrick Kane |
| Richard Panik | Jonathan Toews | Marian Hossa |
| Andrew Desjardins | Marcus Kruger | Ryan Hartman |
| Brandon Mashinter | Dennis Rasmussen | Jordin Tootoo |
- There's no sense tinkering with last year's top line, and it remains intact here with the trio of Artemi Panarin, Artem Anisimov, and Patrick Kane. Though the left wing needs more depth, the right side has some interesting options, namely veteran Marian Hossa, who is due for a bounce-back year, and rookie winger Ryan Hartman.
Defense
| LD | RD |
|---|---|
| Duncan Keith | Brent Seabrook |
| Brian Campbell | Niklas Hjalmarsson |
| Michal Kempny | Trevor van Riemsdyk |
| Michal Rozsival |
- It starts with the top pairing of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, one of the league's best. Brian Campbell and Niklas Hjalmarsson, despite both being left-handed shots, round out the top four, as they're a cut above the rest. The bottom pairing could see rotations including Ville Pokka and Erik Gustafsson.
Goalies
| G |
|---|
| Corey Crawford |
| Scott Darling |
- There's no doubting Corey Crawford as the starter, though second-stringer Scott Darling has proven he can fill in well in a pinch, winning 12 games last season.
NHL Depth Charts
ANA | ARI | BOS | BUF | CGY
CAR | CHI | COL | CBS | DAL
DET | EDM | FLA | LA | MIN
MTL | NSH | NJD | NYI | NYR
PHI | PIT | OTT | STL | SJ
TB | TOR | VAN | WSH | WIN