Chicago Blackhawks veteran frustrated with his play this season

Production has dipped for a handful of veterans on the Chicago Blackhawks this season after they found ways to score early and often a year ago. This is a major reason why the team sits with a with a 20-40-9 record through 69 games this year and is positioned in second-to-last place in the entire NHL. The Blackhawks have lost their last six games, so the locker room morale is not high whatsoever right now.

Injuries have gotten to the older group on the current roster this season. It has been a plus to see the younger players on the roster keep a clean bill of health after Connor Bedard missed 14 games in his rookie season last year with a jaw injury.

One of Chicago’s veteran forwards who had a breakthrough season last year has struggled to stay on the ice this season. His ankle injury doesn’t help his case, but he has still been frustrated with how things have been going as of late.

Chicago Blackhawks forward Jason Dickinson is frustrated

Jason Dickinson has seven goals and nine assists in 58 games this year. A former first-round pick who is known for his solid two-way play, he had a goal-scoring surge while playing in all 82 games a year ago. Dickinson found the back of the net 22 times last year and had 13 helpers got a Blackhawks squad that earned the second pick in the draft. The 29-year-old acknowledges his struggles this season and knows he needs to be better.

“[I’m] not contributing, and it’s driving me nuts, Dickinson said. “I expect a lot more of myself, and it’s increasingly frustrating.”

Dickinson has missed time this year with an ankle injury which required him to go on IR last month. Along with his personal shortcomings this season, the veteran made it known that this team needs to do whatever it takes to win games because how they are doing things right now is not working.

“Winning hockey games is a hell of a lot more fun than this,” Dickinson said. “I don’t care how we have to do it, I just want to win.”

A very frustrated Jason Dickinson tonight

“Winning hockey games is a hell of a lot more fun than this. I don’t care how we have to do it, I just want to win.” pic.twitter.com/PXs8lhYJck

— CHGO Blackhawks (@CHGO_Blackhawks) March 19, 2025

Dickinson likely speaks for the other veterans on the team who have been around for the rough times in Chicago the last handful of years. This will be the third straight season where the organization is praying for the lottery balls to bounce their way and the fourth consecutive year having more than one first-round draft choice.

The Chicago Blackhawks have a decision to make with Jason Dickinson

Dickinson agreed to a two-year contract extension last season that will pay him $4.25 million per year until the end of next season. Despite his poor play in 2025, it would be hard to see the Blackhawks front office move off Dickinson this summer. His value would be lower and who knows what the market would look like across the league.

An obvious reason why moving Dickinson as soon as possible would be for the youth movement that will only infiltrate Chicago’s roster more over the next year. However, there is something to be said about the presence he has as a leader in the locker room right now. Because the Blackhawks need to hit the cap floor and Dickinson is capable of much more, trading him away this summer should not be in the cards for Kyle Davidson.