Blackhawks Increase Kurashev's Ice Time Could Help Spark Offense – Hockey Writers – Chicago Blackhawks

Philipp Kurashev is talented. He wouldn't have scored 18 goals and 36 assists last season without skill—especially against a Chicago Blackhawks team that can't score even when the other team's goaltender leaves the net like Goldberg did for The Mighty Ducks. This season everyone expected him to pick up where he left off. The added depth going forward should bolster his — and the rest of the Blackhawks' — offensive production. But, like much of the team's season, that didn't go according to plan.

Kurashev's five points and minus-17 rating prompted head coach Luke Richardson to scratch him three times. This is less about punishment than motivation – the coaching staff's modus operandi this season. For players like Ryan Donato and Lukas Reichel, this approach has paid off. However, Kurashev did not respond well.

Igniting that spark in Kurashev requires a new angle, and one option worth considering is increasing his ice time. It could help him regain that confidence, which helped him have a career-best season in 2023-24.

Kurashev's decline in Ice Age This season

The more time a player spends on the ice, the easier it should be for them to find their position. On the other hand, the less time they play the harder it is to establish a rhythm. This time, unfortunately, the latter was true for Kurashev. Through 22 games, he has 16 minutes of ice time. Last season he averaged 19 minutes. That's a 16% drop, which is significant for the top six. Expecting him to produce at the same level while playing so little is not possible.

Of course, the natural question is whether Kurashev's reduced playing time is a result of his poor production or whether his poor production is a result of his reduced ice time. NHLers get the opportunities they get. However, a closer look at his statistics indicates that he started the season in a bad way.

Through the first 10 games, Kurashev saw a quick dip in ice time. He averaged 15:47 compared to 18:44 after the first 10 games last season. In addition, 14 times in 22 games this season, he has played less than 17 minutes. Last season he played less than 17 minutes nine times in 75 games. Something has changed.

Kurashev has three points in games he has played less than 17 minutes and two points in games he has played more. His overall split within 17 minutes isn't much different: 9 to 15. He scored two of his three goals past the 17-minute mark, and his game-high shot total (four) also came there. he played a lot.

Related: How Blackhawks Can Help Frustrated Connor Bedard

Overall, however, the difference in productivity is insignificant. Kurashev may be trying to tread water while battling the whiplash of being considered a key player one game and overlooked as a utility the next.

The 2023-24 NHL season offers insight

Last season, 51 of Kurashev's 54 points came in games where he played more than 17 minutes. He matched or exceeded his season-high (four) six times last season—never playing less than 17 minutes. Three of the eight games in which he registered did not score while playing less than 17 minutes. Most importantly, his shooting percentage dropped from 18% to 5% in less than 17 minutes played.

PHILIPP KURASHEV OT HERO pic.twitter.com/rOyPihtoJ6

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 11, 2024

Those are just offensive stats. His Corsi percentage—how the Blackhawks control the puck with Kurashev on the ice—dropped 6% between last season and this season. The number of shifts he starts in the attacking position has decreased by 13%, suggesting that he is being relegated to a defensive role. However, he is on pace to sink below his career-worst at minus-44, which shows that this deployment is not working.

I could go on and on about Kurashev's dipping numbers. Of course, he is ultimately responsible for what he produces in the ice time he is given. The question is, what exactly does Kurashev have to offer? A reduced, more defensively focused role seems to be the answer.

Kurashev Lost in the Shuffle

The Blackhawks have brought in a number of new players for this upcoming season to deal with the shortage that plagued the team. Sometimes, new blood can disrupt a player's established role. Kurashev, who played in the top six minutes last season, has been used to finding himself healthy, playing fewer minutes and seeing fewer offensive opportunities. Given how often the Blackhawks' lineup has changed and how the team continues to struggle offensively, it may be time to lean more heavily on Kurashev, who has proven to be productive in the past.