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Josh Smith The Hockey Writers

Published on Thursday, June 18, 2015

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Which Blackhawks Will Be Left Off the Stanley Cup in 2015?

Whether or not you believe they’re truly a dynasty, the Chicago Blackhawks’ third Stanley Cup victory in six seasons is undoubtedly impressive. While the veteran leadership of players like Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, and Duncan Keith helped carry the club to the championship, the Hawks had contributions from all levels.

Most of those players will be fortunate enough to have their names emblazoned on Lord Stanley’s Cup.  Not all, though, will make the cut.  Only 52 names can be included, and that includes ownership and management. Which players will miss out?

Here’s a look at the names that silversmith Louise St. Jacques will be including in this summer’s silver embossing, along with a few that will likely be left off.

The league requires that a player have played in at least half his team’s regular season games or at least one game in the Stanley Cup Final. Exceptions have been granted for players who were limited due to injuries.

Making the Cup

The 25 players below will undoubtedly be included on the Cup, listed in the order in which they’ll appear.  (Players making their first Stanley Cup appearance are listed in bold.)

Jonathan Toews (Capt.), Bryan Bickell, Corey Crawford, Kyle Cumiskey, Scott Darling, Andrew Desjardins, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Marian Hossa, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Marcus Kruger, Johnny Oduya, Brad Richards, Michal Roszival, David Rundblad, Brandon Saad, Brent Seabrook, Patrick Sharp, Andrew Shaw, Ben Smith, Teuvo Teravainen,  Kimmo Timonen, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Antoine Vermette, and Kris Versteeg.

This is the third appearance for Toews, Hjalmarsson, Hossa, Kane, Keith, Seabrook and Sharp; all seven were on the Blackhawks’ Cup-winning teams in 2010 and 2013.  Hopefully new dad Kris Versteeg will have his name spelled correctly on the Cup this time around.

Close Calls

Kimmo Timonen, D

Games Goals Assists Points PIM ATOI
Regular Season: 16 0 0 0 2 11:58
Playoffs: 18 0 0 0 10 8:40

Timonen saw limited action in the regular season. The Hawks acquired the defenseman  – who’d missed the entire regular season up to that point due to blood clots – at the trade deadline.

(Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports)

(Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports)

After going -2 in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final, Kimmo Timonen found himself with a bird’s-eye-view of the action. The veteran blueliner was a healthy scratch for the remainder of that series as well as for the first three games of the Stanley Cup Final.

Timonen finally saw action in Game 4, though Coach Quenneville used him sparingly. The 40-year-old Finn averaged just 4:50 of ice time over the final three games of the playoffs.

If not for an appearance in the Stanley Cup Final, it’s quite possible that Timonen would have retired without getting his name on the Stanley Cup.

Michal Roszival, D

Games Goals Assists Points PIM ATOI
Regular Season: 65 1 12 13 22 17:01
Playoffs: 10 0 1 1 6 17:26

Roszival broke his ankle in Game 4 of the Hawks’ second-round series against the Minnesota Wild, ending his playoff run early. He clearly has enough regular season games to ensure his name makes it on the Cup.

David Rundblad, D

Games Goals Assists Points PIM ATOI
Regular Season: 49 3 11 14 12 12:48
Playoffs: 5 0 0 0 0 7:29

Rundblad slotted in alongside Duncan Keith for Game 1 of the Western Conference Final. He dressed for five playoff games, two of which were Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final. That, along with his regular season games played, is good enough to make it on.

Trevor van Riemsdyk, D

Games Goals Assists Points PIM ATOI
Regular Season: 18 0 1 1 2 13:32
Playoffs: 4 0 0 0 0 7:02

Van Riemsdyk was hit by the injury bug earlier this season, limiting him to just 18 regular season games. He fractured his kneecap in November, an injury that required surgery and saw him sidelined for two months. While rehabbing with the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate, he suffered a wrist injury – one that also required surgery. Van Riemsdyk was back on the ice in May. He made his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut in Game 2 of the Cup Final, which secured his spot on the Cup.

Kyle Cumiskey, D

Games Goals Assists Points PIM ATOI
Regular Season: 7 0 0 0 0 13:18
Playoffs: 9 0 0 0 0 9:28

Cumiskey didn’t play the first two rounds, but saw action after fellow defenseman Michael Roszival went down with an injury. The Abbotsford native hit the ice for the Western Conference Final and Games 1-3 of the Cup Final, ensuring his place in history. His nine playoff appearances topped the seven regular season games in which he made an appearance; he was held scoreless in all 16 games.

Will They Make It?

Dan Carcillo, LW

Games Goals Assists Points PIM ATOI
Regular Season: 39 4 4 8 54 8:11
Playoffs: 0 0 0 0 0 0:00

Carcillo fell two games shy of hitting the regular-season mark for automatic inclusion on the Stanley Cup. He was sidelined with concussion symptoms after the Blackhawks’ game against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 25.  Carcillo was cleared to return to the lineup in time for the second round matchup against the Minnesota Wild, though he never saw any action. Chicago coach Joel Quenneville was considering putting him in the lineup.

“I think down the stretch here we had some decisions to make with our lineup when we started in the playoffs,” said Quenneville. “We were 14 deep and we felt that everybody could have played or deserved to play when we began. Obviously disappointing for a couple guys that they didn’t start. But here we are Game 3, we got all our forwards in games. I think we’re going to need a lot of guys. [Daniel] Carcillo is back and healthy as well. I think the depth of our playoff series and our playoff rounds is a great asset to have organizationally.”

Due to his injury, Carcillo will likely be granted an exception to have his name on the Stanley Cup.  When Chicago won the Cup in 2013, the team petitioned for Carcillo’s inclusion since the gritty winger failed to meet the regular-season games-played criteria and did not dress for the Cup Final. The league approved the request; Carcillo made the Cup.

 

Antti Raanta, G

Games Starts Record GAA SV% SO
Regular Season: 14 12 7-4-1 1.89 .936 2
Playoffs: 0 0 0 0 0 0

Raanta was sent down to the Rockford IceHogs, Chicago’s AHL affiliate, in February. He posted an 8-1-0 record, including two shutouts, a .918 save percentage and 2.39 GAA in 11 games in Rockford. As the club was getting set for the AHL’s Calder Cup Playoffs, Raanta was recalled as emergency backup for the Blackhawks.

“When I heard I was coming [back to Chicago as the emergency backup],” said Raanta, “I was little frustrated with that, a little bit mad about that because I wanted to play there in Rockford. I almost knew maybe [I was] not getting a chance here. After the first 10 minutes, I came to the arena and saw the guys, they were so happy about it that I came here. After that, I made me feel like it’s a real good chance for me to work out in a gym, be with the team still even though I’m not dressing for the games. I can still hang out with the boys. It’s fun to be here.”

It remains to be seen whether the Blackhawks would petition the league to have Raanta included on the Stanley Cup, and, if they did, the likelihood that the request would be approved. Given his role and his time spent in Rockford, the chances don’t seem good for the Finnish netminder.

Joakim Nordstrom, C

Games Goals Assists Points PIM ATOI
Regular Season: 38 0 3 3 4 10:58
Playoffs: 3 0 0 0 0 13:14

Norstrom, a defensive forward, was held scoreless in his three postseason appearances. During the regular season, he chipped in with three assists in 38 games. There’s no guarantee he’ll get the exception to be included on the Stanley Cup.  Guys have played 38 or 39 games before and been left off. His status will likely depend on whether there’s enough room to fit one more name.

Missing The Cut

Phillip Danault, Ryan Hartman, Ville Pokka and Viktor Svedberg practiced with the team during the playoffs, but never dressed for any playoff games.  Unfortunately, that’s not enough to make the Stanley Cup.

The boys will all get to enjoy sharing the summer with Stanley. They’ll just have to set aside ten days – that’s all the league allows – for engraver Louise St. Jacques to do her magic and engrave their names in to the Cup where they’ll live on forever. That is, at least for the ones who make the cut to be on the Stanley Cup.


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