Like many Chicago Blackhawks fans, I was very surprised when it was announced this offseason that the likes of David Rundblad and Michal Rozsival would be staying with the Hawks organization, the former having inked a multi-year contract.
This came as a bit of shock, because frankly, Rundblad and Rozsival have done very little to impress during their tenure with the ‘Hawks, and the fact that they’ve been able to retain roster spots on such a competitive franchise is unusual and a bit concerning.
While the true reasons may never be fully known, it’s a good bet that Rundblad and Rozsival are on the Chicago Blackhawks primarily as insurance policies for the blue line: they are reasonably reliable (and cheap) solutions to briefly patch any holes the ‘Hawks may experience in their defensive corp.