By the Numbers: One Intriguing Stat For Every New Blackhawks Forward
An ESPN report has the Blackhawks as one of the most improved on paper when it comes to the work they did with their free agent acquisitions. From inking Tyler Bertuzzi to a four-year deal, bringing back Teuvo Teravainen, and adding five more beyond that, general manager Kyle Davidson added depth that will help push the Blackhawks out of a full rebuild.
Here’s a rundown of one interesting stat for every player–starting with the forward unit.
Blackhawks Forwards Should Be Gritty–With Some Pretty Goal Scoring
Of the four forwards the Blackhawks signed, Tervainen buried the the most goals with 25. But the good news goes beyond that. A run down of the forward group and a fast stat that stands out.
Teravainen: 10 PIMs – The Finnish forward placed in Lady Byng voting for a reason and while he leads the way in goals, he’ll also not be much of an issue when it comes to taking penalties. In 70 games or more during his career, it’s his best showing but it stays in line with the smart play that keeps him out of the sin bin in the first place.
Bertuzzi: 76% of his goals came at even strength – Of the 21 Bertuzzi buried this season, 16 of them came at even strength. The 29-year-old knows how to find his way to the net and cash in. He’ll be an asset 5v5 and if with Bedard on the top line, will benefit massively from the rebounds generated by Bedard’s wicked shot.
Craig Smith: 55.6 CF% – For a team that wants to hold onto the puck more, it’s a positive showing from a guy who will likely be a fourth line forward. Factor in that 60% of his shifts started in the defensive zone and he’s a guy that adds some value for the bottom six group. His 11 goals will also go a long way in that spot, too.
Pat Maroon: 12:46 Average time on ice – The wily veteran will serve as some of the muscle keeping opposing players from running the young core. Maroon had his highest total of average ice time since winning the Cup back in 2019 with St. Louis. He’ll chip in on the scoresheet too, but being able to log longer stretches of ice time helps a team growing.
