After having a busy summer last year, the Chicago Blackhawks have been far less active this off-season. While this is the case, they have made a few new additions to their roster, and forward Andre Burakovsky is one of the most notable ones.
After having a busy summer last year, the Chicago Blackhawks have been far less active this off-season. While this is the case, they have made a few new additions to their roster, and forward Andre Burakovsky is one of the most notable ones.
The Blackhawks acquired Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken in exchange for forward Joe Veleno last month. Shortly after this, the Kraken bought out Veleno, and he currently remains an unrestricted free agent (UFA). Burakovsky, on the other hand, is entering next season expected to be a key part of the Blackhawks' roster.
The primary reason why the Kraken traded Burakovsky this off-season was because of his contract. The skilled winger does not have a cheap deal, as he carries a $5.5 million cap hit until the end of the 2026-27 season. Yet, with the Blackhawks having plenty of money to work, they were in a position to take a chance on an expensive player like Burakovsky.
Burakovsky appeared in 79 games this past season with the Kraken, where he had 10 goals and 37 points. Overall, it was a nice bounce-back year for the veteran forward, as he had just 16 points in 49 games with Seattle during the season before.
Yet, when looking Burakovsky's past seasons, the possibility of him getting his offense back up even further should not be ruled out. The two-time Stanley Cup winner has hit the 20-goal mark twice and recorded at least 44 points three times during his 11-year career. This includes during the 2021-22 season with the Colorado Avalanche, as he set career highs with 22 goals, 39 assists, and 61 points in 80 games.
While expecting Burakovsky to hit 60 points again may be a stretch, it would not be particularly surprising if he gave the Blackhawks 20 goals and 45 points next season if he stays healthy. This is especially so when noting that he looks destined to have a top-six role with Chicago.
19 Teams Have a More Recent 50-Goal Scorer Than the BlackhawksBefore the Chicago Blackhawks' dynasty in the early 2010s, there were many dark days for the franchise. But before that, there were some good teams and great players to play in Chicago. Every franchise has their ups and down, even if some are longer than others. When it comes to 50-goal scorers, they are pretty rare to come by and some franchises have never had one.
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Category: General Sports
