Why Blackhawks are confident Sharp can help them next season

Some might see bringing Patrick Sharp back to the Blackhawks as a risky move.

After all, the 35-year-old winger - who signed a one-year deal to return to Chicago on Saturday - might not be the same player he was in 2010, 2013 or even 2015 when he helped lead the Hawks to the NHL mountaintop.

Sharp had hip surgery in March. He suffered two concussions last season. And he scored just 8 goals in 48 games in 2016-17 for the Dallas Stars.

But when you can bring back a player like this - one who exudes charisma, leadership skills and can still play the game - and you can do it for $1 million, you don't hesitate.

Sharp loves Chicago. He loves the Blackhawks.

And he would love nothing more than to help Joel Quenneville, Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook erase the dreadful playoff memories of the past two seasons by leading the franchise to another world championship.

"I'm excited, my wife is excited, the family is thrilled to be coming back home," Sharp said in a conference call with reporters Saturday afternoon. "But I want to make it clear that I'm coming back home to contribute for the Blackhawks on the ice in whatever role that may be. I'm coming back to make some more great memories and try to help this team win another Stanley Cup. That's the reason I'm coming home."

In addition to Sharp, the Hawks added four other players on the first day of free agency: forwards Tommy Wingels and Lance Bouma, goalie Jean-Francois Berube and defenseman Jordan Oesterle.

Sharp, who signed for $800,000 in base salary and can earn a $200,000 bonus if he plays in 10 games, said he's been working out hard in the gym and has already been back on the ice in full equipment.

"He's always been one of the highest fitness-level guys on our team," said GM Stan Bowman. "He trains very hard. He's got a lot of experience in preparing for the season. The recovery from the injury's not an issue at all."

Bowman added that coach Joel Quenneville "was very excited" at the prospect of bringing Sharp back, which makes sense because the veteran coach can slot his former player into a number of roles. The most obvious spot might be on the third line, where Sharp can provide some much-needed depth scoring. A 15-20 goal campaign doesn't seem out of the question, especially if you consider this might be Sharp's last season and he will want to go out with a bang.

"I expect to contribute in whatever role Joel decides to put me in and I'm going to do the best I can," Sharp said. "I look back at my time in Chicago, being a part of three different teams that won the Stanley Cup, all three times I was playing a different position. Center, left wing and finished the third one playing right wing on three different lines.

"So things move around, there'll be changes, there'll be combinations, but I'm open and ready for anything."

In a worst-case scenario - one in which Sharp is slowed by Father Time or by injuries - the Hawks can turn to players like Alex DeBrincat, Alexandre Fortin and Vinnie Hinostroza and hope they are ready to take the next step.

Not that anyone was thinking that way on a day the franchise welcomed back a winger who has piled 277 goals in 869 games.

"I expect him to bring a lot of speed to the table," Bowman said. "I think that's one thing he still has. He's a great skater.

"He knows how to put the puck in the net (and) that's something that some players just have a knack for; being able to get open and (be able) to get their shot off."

As for Sharp, it sounds like he'd love to jump in a time machine and fast forward to Oct. 5 when the Hawks open the season against the defending-champion Pittsburgh Penguins at the United Center.

"The excitement level that I got with the idea of returning back to Chicago," Sharp said, "to play with some of the best friends I've made in the game … the coaching staff, the organization, the way I get treated by Rocky Wirtz and John McDonough - it was one that I just couldn't pass up. …

"I can't wait to get to the city and get ready to go."

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