Yahoo Sports Ex-Blackhawks Forward Experiencing Major Career Drop-Off
It has been many years since Ryan Hartman was a Chicago Blackhawks player. Drafted with the last pick of the first round in 2013, he didn't come into the NHL in a full-time role until 2016-17 where he immediately had an impact.
Hartman showed that he could score right away, putting up 19 goals (31 points) in 76 games as a rookie. This didn't get him any Calder recognition at all in a strong year for rookies, but that didn't matter much because the Blackhawks thought they had a piece of the puzzle.
Unfortunately, this is when the Blackhawks' decline began after the three Stanley Cups in six years. Hartman took a step back the following season and Chicago quickly moved on from him, sending him to the Nashville Predators 57 games into the 2017-18 season. Hartman had dropped to eight goals and 25 points for the Blackhawks that season.
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He only had quick stops in Nashville and then Philadelphia following that before he finally found his footing a couple of seasons into playing for the Minnesota Wild. He remains with the team this season (sixth with the Wild), but has had a major fall-off from what we have come to expect from the veteran.
Hartman finally broke out at 27 years old for the Wild, scoring 34 goals and recording 65 points in 82 games in 2021-22. He played over 18 minutes per game that season, but in the three seasons since, he has logged under 17. Hartman is playing a sliver over 15 minutes per game this season, and for good reason.
He dropped to 15 goals and 37 points in 57 games and 21 goals and 45 points in 74 games each of the past two seasons, but Hartman has a concerning four goals and seven points in 32 games this season. It is also the first time since becoming an NHL regular with the Blackhawks where he has a negative +/-, and it isn't particularly close at a -9.
Hartman is currently lining up on the right wing on the second line as well as the second power-play unit, but those favourable spots in the lineup haven't helped him. His shooting percent is 5.0%, which is a career-low. He has taken 80 shots and has 144 shot attempts, so while it should regress to the mean, it hasn't yet.
The 30-year-old doesn't have a point in 18 games. He has averaged 15 minutes of ice time per game over that time and hasn't played fewer than 13 minutes in a game more than once in that lengthy stretch.
The Wild are a strong team, and Hartman, still being under contract for two more years after this one at $4 million AAV, is a big hindrance. He has a no-move clause this season, so he can't even be sent to the minors, but at least it turns into a 15-team no trade clause next season, so the Wild can make a decision on him.
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