Chicago Blackhawks’ top goaltender snaps team’s slumping efforts in the cage

The Chicago Blackhawks are just five games away from closing out another season to forget in the organization’s lengthy rebuild. They will likely finish in second-to-last place in the NHL just like they did a season ago, which will guarantee them a top-four selection in June’s draft.

A big question mark entering this season revolved around Chicago’s long term goaltending outlook. The two netminders atop of the depth chart entering the season were veterans Petr Mrazek and Laurant Brossoit. Mrazek was named the starter on opening night in Utah, but Brossoit was not his backup. Chicago’s offseason acquisition in goal has not dressed for a game yet this season, as he has been dealing with a knee injury that required multiple surgeries. Brossoit is expected to miss the rest of the season.

Arvid Soderblom was supposed to spend the season in Rockford after struggling mightily at the NHL level last year. The 25-year-old was thrown into the backup role behind Mrazek once again due to Brossoit’s injury and it was the best thing for him. Soderblom has had a career revival this season and has worked his way into the conversation of being with the team on opening night next season even when Brossoit is back to full health.

The newest member of Chicago’s goaltending unit has been put through tough situations since joining the team last month, and he has taken them all in stride in pursuit of being the franchise’s number one netminder for the long haul.

Spencer Knight snapped the Chicago Blackhawks goaltending skid

Knight was acquired in the Seth Jones deal with the Florida Panthers just ahead of the trade deadline. He has made 12 starts in net since joining the franchise, with a 4-7-1 record to show for it. Knight’s 3.01 goals against average and .899 save percentage don’t tell the entire story of his time in Chicago so far. The former first round draft pick hasn’t had much help in front of him and he has faced more shots per game than he was used to with the Panthers.

From March 12 through April 3, the Blackhawks had the second-worst goaltending in the NHL. Despite getting outshot 231-221 in that span, Knight and Soderblom were struggling to execute in the cage and it bit Chicago big time.

Knight snapped this skid for the unit in Sunday’s 3-1 home win against the Penguins. He made 28 saves on 29 shots faced for his first victory since the home win against the Flyers on March 23. Knight has saved over 25 shots in each of his four victories as a Blackhawk, but his first two stand out.

He debuted on March 3 against the Kings at home, where he stopped 41 of the 42 shots he faced in a 5-1 win. Knight then had to face 39 shots in which he made 36 saves in a 4-3 overtime win capped off by a Connor Bedard game-winner.

The Chicago Blackhawks have a top netminder in Spencer Knight

All four of Knight’s wins as a Blackhawk so far have come at home, which bodes well for the fans that make the trip to the United Center next season. If the 23-year-old can stand on his head with a developing defensive core in front of him, things could get scary for opposing teams when Chicago is settled in with their current personnel.

The potential is there for Knight and it will be important to see how he attacks the offseason knowing that he is the number one guy entering camp this fall. The battle to determine his counterpart will be interesting to see unfold, but there is no doubt that it is Knight’s cage for the foreseeable future.