Caggiula Continues to Wreak Havoc for Blackhawks
Despite what the numbers say, Drake Caggiula has been noticeable in every game he’s played for the Chicago Blackhawks. With just one assist in eight games, even Caggiula himself may not have expected to be promoted to the top line so quickly. His constant physicality was too much for Blackhawks Head Coach Jeremy Colliton to ignore any longer.
That style of play landed the undrafted 24-year-old an opportunity of a lifetime. In the two games prior to the NHL All-Star break, Drake Caggiula was placed on the top line with future Hall of Famers Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. While Kane and Toews have notoriously struggled when paired together in the past, that did not seem to be the case with Caggiula on their left wing. Both Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews exploded offensively in their first game alongside Caggiula, as the two combined for 10 points against the Washington Capitals.
Surprisingly, Caggiula was held without a point in that game, but the stats don’t tell the whole story on the Pickering, Ontario native. His largest impact frequently lies off the stat sheet, where the unsung heroes of hockey make their living.
Patrick Kane spoke highly of Drake Caggiula after an 8-5 home win vs. the Capitals.
On December 30th, 2018, the Chicago Blackhawks acquired Drake Caggiula and Jason Garrison from the Edmonton Oilers for Brandon Manning and Robin Norell. At the time, most Blackhawk fans were simply happy enough to have Brandon Manning off the payroll, but GM Stan Bowman wasn’t satisfied and managed to steal a feisty and inexpensive forward in Caggiula.
While Caggiula’s 5’10”, 176 lb frame isn’t exactly ideal for his role, he has shown that his size won’t keep him from continuously playing a physical brand of hockey. Since his Blackhawks debut on January 6th, Caggiula has recorded at least 3 hits in 6 of the 8 games he’s played in. His 23 hits over that span are the most on the team.
Not only has he provided a much-needed improvement in the hit department, but he also has shown he’s willing to fight for his new teammates. In just his fourth game after the trade, Caggiula dropped the gloves with New Jersey’s Ben Lovejoy in an effort to defend Connor Murphy. Caggiula clearly won the scrap, pummeling the 6’1″, 205 lb defenseman with ease. That type of underdog hasn’t existed in Chicago since the departure of Andrew Shaw a few seasons ago. Stan Bowman may have found himself a jack of all trades in Drake Caggiula.
Caggiula landing a punch on Devils’ defenseman Ben Lovejoy.
Even though it has only been 8 games, there are a lot of reasons to be excited about the future of Drake Caggiula. While he isn’t known for his offensive talents, and likely never will be, he has scored 27 goals in 156 career NHL games. Back in his college hockey days, Caggiula played with Nick Schmaltz and Brock Boeser on the top line for the University of North Dakota (where they won the National Championship), so he does have experience playing with skill guys despite having little offensive upside of his own. He’s still young and can potentially grow into a more offensive role with experience.
Caggiula is a Swiss Army knife of a hockey player. He’s a forward that can be slotted up and down the lineup, providing energy to whatever line he’s playing for that night.
Luckily for Blackhawk fans, the 24-year-old also has a team-friendly contract. Caggiula is signed for a very cheap $1.5M until the end of next season. If Caggiula can maintain his current production, he will be a steal for that price, especially if he can continue to play top line minutes with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews.
Drake Caggiula’s Current NHL Contract.
In his short time with the Chicago Blackhawks, Drake Caggiula has made the most of his opportunities. He quickly went from receiving bottom six minutes to playing alongside two of the NHL’s all-time greats.
He has played the part of a top line left winger perfectly for Jeremy Colliton so far. Let’s hope Drake Caggiula continues to seize the moment in the second half of the NHL season.
Featured Images: Bruce Bennett/getty images, Andy Marlin/getty images
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