To be clear, there will never be another Marian Hossa. He was a phenomenal two-way player, who led the Blackhawks back to the Promised Land, and a surefire Hall of Famer. Hossa was recently forced to “unofficially retire” due to an aggressive skin disorder and then traded to Arizona. With the loss of The Hoss, the Blackhawks are now down a point producer and a leader. There are a few young players on the team that will attempt to be the “Next Man Up”, but the one who I believe is best suited for the job is none other than Nick Schmaltz.
It actually could not have lined up any better for him. This year is a contract year for Schmaltz, so he will need to prove himself worthy of a hefty pay raise. What better way to do this than to “take the mantle” from one of the league’s best two-way players, Marian Hossa.
“You get pissed off when someone does it to you, so it’s a lot of fun doing it to other guys.”
Nick Schmaltz has taken the mantle from Marian Hossa to become one of the league’s premier pick-pockets.
Story: https://t.co/maLFKuO2k4 pic.twitter.com/gCZKMswW3h
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) March 25, 2018
Nick Schmaltz Is In Control Of His Own Destiny
As you can see, Nick Schmaltz has already committed to working on the defensive aspect of his game. This is good news because it shows me that he is committed to working hard and wants to improve. Schmaltz has steadily improved during his first two years in the NHL with the Blackhawks. This is exactly what you want from any of your young players, especially a highly touted 1st Round pick.
Scor Scor Scor Shot Ice Season Age Tm Lg GP G A PTS +/- S% ATOI FO% TK GV 2016-17 20 CHI NHL 61 6 22 28 10 9.1 13:16 30.9 46 22 2017-18 21 CHI NHL 78 21 31 52 1 17.8 18:14 40.1 86 31 Career NHL 139 27 53 80 11 14.7 16:03 37.7 132 53
Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table
Schmaltz’s point production just about doubled in his 2nd full NHL season, which is very impressive. Besides the increase in points, Schmaltz also increased his faceoff win % and his puck possession numbers. He will need to continue these trends if the Blackhawks are to have any sort of chance at a bounce-back season this year. This plays right into Schmaltz’s hands. The better he performs, the more he gets paid.
Recently, Dylan Larkin of the Detroit Red Wings received a brand new 5 year, $30.5 mil contract.
This comes out to approximately $6.1 mil AAV, which is what Nick Schmaltz might end up asking for if he has a successful 2018-19 campaign, but that’s a big IF right now. Many people are expecting Nick Schmaltz to ask for a similar deal.
What could Nick Schmaltz’s second contract with #Blackhawks look like?
It may look similar to Dylan Larkin’s and here’s why: https://t.co/rnXOIALVkp pic.twitter.com/vBhvfsYreZ
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) August 11, 2018
Dylan Larkin plays a very similar game to Nick Schmaltz and the two of them are on the same trajectory right now. Larkin has been playing in the NHL for 3 years, whereas Schmaltz has only been playing for 2 years. Schmaltz needs to go out and prove that he’s worth that kind of money in his 3rd NHL season.
Where Does Schmaltz Fit This Season?
Nick Schmaltz plays a very consistent two-way game and would fit in perfectly on the 1st line with Jonathan Toews and Brandon Saad. Plus, the team has a huge void to fill with the loss of Marian Hossa. Schmaltz’s minutes would also continue to rise in his 3rd year. He would be getting 1st line minutes, power play minutes, and possibly penalty kill minutes as well. A player that is able to contribute in so many ways is well worth the money. Here is a highlight reel where his abilities are on full display.
If the 1st line experiment doesn’t pan out, Schmaltz has also shown fantastic chemistry with Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat. There is also a 3rd option that Coach Q mentioned to Scott Powers of The Athletic. Scott had this to say,
“That said, one of the more interesting things to ask Quenneville at the Blackhawks convention is what he’s thinking about the upcoming season’s lineup.
This year was no different, as Quenneville threw out the possibility of making Brandon Saad, Nick Schmaltz and Patrick a line.”
I’d be really interested in seeing what a Saad-Schmaltz-Kane line could do. That would be a really balanced line with a good amount of scoring power and enough speed to catch opponents off guard.
That’s a big reason why I love Nick Schmaltz. He’s a versatile player who would fit in well on just about any line you put him on. Also, keep in mind that Nick Schmaltz is still only 22 years old. With the current core at 30+ years old, it would be smart to start thinking about the future and Schmaltz is a key piece of the future. I would also consider him a future Alternate captain candidate.
Why not give the kid who’s trying to prove himself a shot? If it works out, it’s a win-win situation. The Blackhawks finally find a worthy replacement for Hossa that they desperately missed last season. Plus, Schmaltz gets to show the league what he’s got and earn a nice chunk of change in the process.
Nick Schmaltz will definitely be someone to keep your eye on this season. Let’s see if the blossoming star is up for the challenge.
For more Blackhawks news and updates, follow the author @Certified_TonyG on Twitter.
