The Blackhawks spent much of the 2018-19 tirelessly trying to create a shutdown pairing out of a defensive group that contained not one shutdown-caliber player.
Carl Dahlstrom is excellent along the defensive blue line, but mediocre once forced deeper into his own zone. Connor Murphy protects the Hawks’ net decently well, but isn’t mobile enough to break up entries regularly. Duncan Keith gets the puck out of the D-zone effectively, but has seen his pure defensive skills decline with age.
Olli Maatta, although he’s a worthy NHL defenseman who can only help the group, doesn’t fit the most vitally needed mold either. With the Penguins, even in his relatively strong 2017-18 campaign, his offensive game was significantly better than his defensive.
But now finally, as of Monday, the Hawks have a reliable, conservative, Calvin de Haan-type defender.
Even better, they actually have de Haan himself.
Sure, the 28-year-old Canadian will be paid $4.55 million annually for the next three years to contribute essentially no scoring. He’s tallied exactly one goal each of the past two seasons, and recorded more than 16 points in a season only once in his career to date.
But the Hawks have plenty of defenseman who can pull their weight — and more — on the attacking blue line. Erik Gustafsson just ranked sixth league-wide at the position in points. Gustafsson, Keith and even Brent Seabrook were all top-50 league-wide in shots on goal.
What de Haan brings is exactly what none of those existing Hawks can offer, and that’s a well-rounded, good-in-all-areas defensive style.
“I just like to think my positioning’s good. I like to think I move well on the ice. I’ve always tried to play a simple game,” de Haan said Tuesday. “Nothing flashy, just kind of get the job done, and I hope Blackhawk fans will really appreciate my game.”
He’s a truly elite player in terms of breaking up opponent’s attempted zone entries, ranking as the best among the Hurricanes’ overall great defensive group in that realm, per Corey Sznajder.
Once in the zone, de Haan is equally effective. His excellent positioning keeps him glued to the right areas to break up plays, and his quick reflexes allow him to defend an even larger portion of said dangerous areas than most. He was fantastic at limiting chances from the middle of the ice, including the slot.
That dynamic defensive skill set reflects well statistically. Among 209 regular NHL defensemen last season, de Haan ranked 23rd in shot attempts allowed per minute, 13th in shots on goal allowed and 65th in scoring chances allowed. Carolina’s system isn’t predicated much on shot-blocking, but as an Islander he excelled in that realm too, ranking 33rd in the NHL from 2015 to 2017 in blocked shots.
De Haan should be able to improve the Hawks’ miserable penalty kill, as well. He averaged almost two full minutes per game of shorthanded ice time last season in Raleigh, and ranked 35th league-wide in shot attempts allowed, 39th in shots on goal allowed and a splendid 13th in scoring chances allowed in 4-on-5 play.
“Obviously special teams are massive, and something I’ve always taken pride in is killing penalties,” he said.
He does carry some health concerns in the form of recurring shoulder injuries, and the rehab from his latest surgery might keep him out until the opening weeks of the season, though he said he hopes to be ready for camp.
When healthy, however, de Haan will provide a responsible presence around which the Hawks can, at last, build a real shutdown pairing.
