The Blackhawks are currently in a rebuilding phase. This past summer, their management opted to engage in the free agent market, bringing in veteran players to assist in the development of their first significant group of prospects under this administration, allowing them to mature properly in Rockford.
As previously mentioned, these veterans were chosen because they match the profiles of some of the prospects and could potentially serve as role models for the younger players. When the Blackhawks signed TJ Brodie, a left-handed defenseman who often plays on the right side, I recognized an opportunity for a young player like Nolan Allan, who sometimes plays on his off-side, to gain valuable experience while allowing Artyom Levshunov time to prepare for the NHL as a right-handed defenseman.
The Blackhawks are still adjusting to each other and their new roles. Following a recent loss, Alex Vlasic expressed his disappointment with his power play performance, noting that he is still learning how to improve his zone entries and puck movements during rushes. This is part of the growing pains typically experienced by young players assuming new roles at the NHL level.
Veterans like Brodie were expected to be reliable and adapt quickly to the new systems. Unfortunately, Brodie’s performance mirrors the difficulties he faced in Toronto last season, leading to reduced opportunities and ice time.
Here’s a look at Brodie’s ice time over the Blackhawks’ first eight games this season:
– at Utah — 16:45
– at Winnipeg — 18:18
– at Edmonton — 15:52
– at Calgary — 15:29
– vs. San Jose — 16:24
– vs. Buffalo — 16:15
– vs. Vancouver — 14:17
– vs. Nashville — 10:25
While the decline to 10:25 in ice time cannot be solely attributed to his performance, particularly since Brodie does not participate in special teams, it’s indicative of his struggles. Last night’s GameScore Impact Card also reflects a tough start for him in Chicago.
You may recall that I raised concerns about the Blackhawks’ situation with Brodie as early as October 9. Now, 17 days and seven games later, the problem persists. Brodie has registered four shots on goal and two assists, with both assists occurring during the team’s wins. He has tallied nine blocked shots and three hits, while teammate Wyatt Kaiser has 11 hits and 22 blocked shots (leading the team).
According to Natural Stat Trick, Brodie has been on the ice for a team-high seven goals against during even-strength play (117:25 TOI), tied with Vlasic, who has played nearly 20 more minutes against tougher competition. In contrast, Kaiser has logged 105:51 of 5-on-5 time, with only two goals scored against him. Notably, Brodie has been on the ice for two of the Blackhawks’ goals, while Kaiser has been on for three.
Further data reveals that only Seth Jones (74) and Vlasic (65) have faced more shots against at even strength than Brodie (62), with both having higher ice time and contributing on special teams—something Brodie has not done.
Brodie’s struggles and diminished ice time have forced coaching staff to heavily lean on Jones and Vlasic in the latter parts of games. Jones is averaging 25:37 minutes of ice time, his highest since joining the Blackhawks, while Vlasic averages 22:24, nearly a full minute more than last season. Kaiser’s development has been beneficial as a strong option in the top four, but he is still maturing in his first full NHL season.
Brodie began the season on the second defensive pair but has since been relegated to the third. With Alec Martinez poised to return to the lineup, there may be further adjustments in the defensive pairings.
