Blackhawks Depth Chart: New Faces Dot Chicago's Roster
By Chris Emma--
(CBS) At last, general manager Stan Bowman is approaching the finish line, that after passing a series of great hurdles in his quest to restructure the Blackhawks to be both cap-compliant and a championship contender in 2015-'16.
Gone are Brandon Saad, Patrick Sharp and up-and-comer Stephen Johns, among others, and now Johnny Oduya is out the door too, his agent confirmed Tuesday afternoon. Bowman's moves were forced by a salary cap crunch and, most believe, keep the Blackhawks as a Stanley Cup frontrunner -- his main goal for this offseason.
When the Blackhawks raise a banner to the United Center's rafters on Oct. 7, their third in six years, there will be plenty of new faces wearing that famed red sweater.
How will coach Joel Quenneville construct this roster into lines and pairings? Let's take a look at what's in front of him.
Note: The players listed below are currently signed to the Blackhawks for the 2015-'16 season. This is subject to change, pending further additions.
Centers
Jonathan Toews -- The Blackhawks' success starts and ends with their captain, who anchors the top line.
Artem Anisimov -- Sent to Chicago in the Brandon Saad deal, the former Blue Jacket played third-line center in Columbus but only because of a log jam on the top two lines. Anisimov will likely take the Blackhawks' second line.
Teuvo Teravainen -- Looking long term, Teravainen's the Blackhawks' second-line center, but the 20-year-old needs time to adjust to playing in the middle before moving to a prominent role. He'll likely take the third line next season.
Ryan Garbutt -- The former Dallas Star would be an ideal fit to center the Blackhawks' fourth line, complementing a Jeremy Morin or Andrew Desjardins.
Depth -- Marko Dano, Andrew Shaw, Andrew Desjardins, Mark McNeill and Phillip Danault
Left wings
Artemi Panarin -- The 23-year-old from Russia is a star in the making, so who better to pair him with than Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa?
Kris Versteeg -- Chicago's attempting to move Versteeg and his $2 million contract, but he could be an adequate fit on the second line, alongside Artem Anisimov and Patrick Kane.
Bryan Bickell -- Like Versteeg, Bickell remains a trade candidate for the Blackhawks, though his $4 million contract appears to be unmovable, as 670 The Score's Jay Zawaski has reported the case to be to date. Bickell can slide in the third or fourth line, that unless he returns to 2013 form.
Andrew Desjardins -- An ideal fit on the Blackhawks' checking lines, Desjardins brought a boost for the playoff push, and now he's back for two more years.
Depth -- Viktor Tikhonov, Ryan Garbutt, Jeremy Morin, Corey Tropp and Ryan Hartman
Right wings
Marian Hossa -- A fixture on the Blackhawks' top line, Hossa will be back to his spot next to Jonathan Toews.
Patrick Kane -- If ever a statement to the Blackhawks' talent, it's that Kane has spent much of his career on the second line. Not bad for one of the NHL's top players.
Marko Dano -- Plug the former Blue Jacket next to Teuvo Teravainen, and you have a thrilling third line. Dano will eventually be known as the Blackhawks' prize in their Saad deal.
Andrew Shaw -- Shaw's the kind of gritty fourth-line player who Quenneville values. He'll have a role next season, whether it's centering or on a wing.
Depth -- Viktor Tikhonov, Ryan Garbutt, Jeremy Morin, Corey Tropp and Ryan Hartman
Defensemen
Duncan Keith -- The Blackhawks defense is led by Keith, who remains at the top of his game at 31, despite major minutes throughout much of his career. This guy can handle the wear and tear of a long season.
Brent Seabrook -- Quenneville has often split Keith and Seabrook to spread defensive depth, so it's likely that Seabrook will anchor the second defensive pairing.
Niklas Hjalmarsson -- Put "Hammer" back in the top pairing with Keith, and you have one of the best defensive duos in hockey.
Trevor Daley -- To the credit of Bowman, the Blackhawks added important assets for next season while clearing cap space, and Daley is a prime example -- a top-four defenseman to replace the departing Johnny Oduya.
Trevor van Riemsdyk -- For a rookie of just 18 regular-season games, van Riemsdyk looked darn good in the Stanley Cup Final. Let the 23-year-old grow in a lesser role for now, because he has a bright future ahead.
David Rundblad -- The biggest problem Rundblad has is hesitant play -- just as bad as making a mistake -- but he's just 24 and can learn from a Hall of Fame coach and teammates.
Depth -- Kyle Cumiskey, Ville Pokka
Goaltenders
Corey Crawford -- Let's just get this out there once again: Crawford isn't leaving the Blackhawks. Got it?
Scott Darling -- It's always great to have a reliable backup in net, and Darling has proved more than worthy to complement Crawford.
Depth -- Michael Leighton
Follow Chris on Twitter @CEmma670.