Next up in our Chicago Blackhawks player grades series is forward Colin Blackwell. The veteran signed with the Hawks before the 2022-23 season for two years at a $1.2 million AAV. Blackwell only played 53 games in his first season with Chicago as a sports hernia injury ended his year early. As a result, Blackwell got off to a late start in 2023-24 after some unexpected setbacks from his surgery.
Story of the Season
Sports hernia surgery and the subsequent rehab kept Blackwell out until mid-December. However, he returned in a major way against the Colorado Avalanche on Dec. 19 when he registered six hits, including this all-timer against Nathan MacKinnon, which subsequently knocked the Avs off their game and halted a comeback attempt. The Blackhawks held on to win and Luke Richardson commended Blackwell's performance in his first game back.
Despite only playing 44 games, Blackwell had some incredible stretches of production during the season. A two-goal, one-assist performance against Calgary, goals in back-to-back games against Philadelphia and Winnipeg in late February, and a hat trick against Arizona on March 10 were all memorable moments. That said, Blackwell had 12 total points (eight goals, four assists) over the course of the season.
A lot of Blackwell's production came from playing up in the lineup when Nick Foligno, Connor Bedard, and others were injured. Blackwell missed a little bit of time in late March but returned for the home stretch of the season. Unfortunately, Blackwell went pointless over his last six games of the season.
Grades:
Jonnie Nonnie's Grade: B-
A complicated recovery from sports hernia surgery delayed Blackwell's start to the season, but he made an instant impact in his debut against the Colorado Avalanche. The veteran forward has never been known for piling up points, and I'm not grading him based on the stat sheet.
Instead, Blackwell's locker-room presence and work ethic comprise his value, and he played a big part in setting a good example for youngsters as Luke Richardson works to build the Blackhawks' culture. Fair or not, the "availability is the best ability" adage is the only factor that detracts from my grade for Blackwell.
Tony Marchese's Grade: B
Colin Blackwell spent a considerable amount of time on the shelf dealing with an injury this season, but when he was on the ice, the 31-year-old played with a ton of heart. While the score sheet didn't always include Blackwell's name, he always seemed to be involved in the play, especially in the dirty areas.
Handing out a B may be a bit of a stretch for a 12-point player over 44 games, but the way he presented himself on the ice earned him the above-average grade for me. Blackwell was one of the more fun players to watch in quite a dreadful season.
Ron Luce's Grade: C+
Like my co-hosts, I too value Colin Blackwell's edge and energy. Blackwell is a classic "balls to the walls" player and makes watching him on the ice fun. I see the value in his leadership and locker-room presence, but I tend to agree with Jonnie, availability is the best ability. Only seeing 44 games is tough to grade, and I think he could've easily had five-to-10 more points this season if he was able to finish more. That said, I give him a grade a tick lower than everyone else.
What's On Tap Next?
As of now, Colin Blackwell is an unrestricted free agent, and it doesn't appear that he will return to Chicago. However, the 31-year-old should garner interest from teams in need of bottom-six depth. Blackwell is a perfect candidate for more complete teams to bring depth scoring and energy to their fourth line.
Tell us if you agree with our grades! What would you give Colin Blackwell? Let us know at @FourFeathersPod on X and Instagram!
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