CHICAGO — The assumption was that Ryan Greene would always be the successor to Jason Dickinson as the Chicago Blackhawks’ shutdown center.

Now that Dickinson is gone, why has Green continued to play wing on the top line?

“Whose assumption?” Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill jokingly retorted on Wednesday.

“I get it, I get it,” Blashill said of that assumption, which has followed Greene since he was drafted in 2022. “But we’ve drafted a lot of centers, to be honest with you, which is a good thing. Mooresy (Oliver Moore) is a natural center. Greener’s played center. (Roman) Kantserov’s playing center full-time. (Anton) Frondell’s played a lot of center. You obviously have Frankie (Nazar). So, some guys are going to play the wing, some guys are going to play center.

“I don’t know where Greener’s going to fall long term in terms of where he fits into the lineup. I know that he’s played very well with Bedsy (Connor Bedard). He’s done a really good job of creating chances, playing defensively. Will that carry forward? I don’t know. For the time being, right now, that’s the position he will be in right now.”

When Dickinson was traded to the Edmonton Oilers last week, Moore was given the initial shot at that center role, but when Moore went down with an injury on Sunday night, it was Ryan Donato, not Greene, who was given the next crack.

“I also thought Ryan Donato played excellent the other night, kind of in that third-line checking center role,” Blashill said. “I thought he played excellent. So, he could make a pitch to say, ‘I want to be in that spot.’ Somebody’s going to have to grab it, and other guys, we’ll find the best fit for them. ”

Here are 10 other thoughts about the Blackhawks, who have 18 games left in the regular season.

1. Blackhawks prospect Sacha Boisvert, a 2024 first-round pick, did not dress for what might have been Boston University’s final game of the season on Tuesday. BU coach Jay Pandolfo told reporters that Boisvert wasn’t available to play and wouldn’t get into details. Boston University advanced to the Hockey East quarterfinals with a win on Tuesday and will play on Saturday. It’s unknown if Boisvert will be available for that game. Whenever BU’s season ends, Boisvert is expected to turn pro and sign with the Blackhawks.

2. Blackhawks prospect John Mustard, a 2024 third-round pick, is another college player to keep an eye on after his season. I talked to him on Wednesday for an upcoming story and asked if he had thought about leaving Providence after this season or whether he’d return to school for another year. He has 15 goals and 11 assists in 34 games as a sophomore.

“Honestly, I just want to see how the rest of the season plays out because I think that’s going to factor into it a lot, like how we do in the playoffs,” Mustard said. “Kind of taking it one step at a time.”

Providence is one of the top teams in college hockey this season and could make a tournament run.

3. Since the Blackhawks primarily went back to a lineup with six defensemen, Alex Vlasic and Louis Crevier have been one of the league’s most consistent pairings. Since Dec. 9, the Vlasic-Crevier pairing has logged the 12th-most five-on-five minutes of any NHL pairing. In that 457:43 of ice time, the Blackkhawks have had a 49.77 Corsi percentage, 48.37 shots on goal percentage, 41.67 goals percentage (outscored, 21-15) and 45.95 expected goals percentage, according to Natural Stat Trick.

That’s even more impressive when you factor in that they’ve had a 37.63 offensive zone faceoff starting percentage — lowest of the 50 pairings that played at least 250 minutes during that span.

4. One statistical category that has stood out since the trade deadline is five-on-five scoring chances. In the three games, the Blackhawks have created 68 scoring chances and allowed 66 scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. They had more scoring chances than the Utah Mammoth and Vancouver Canucks and fewer than the Dallas Stars.

“Since the (Olympic) break, I think all but one game, we’ve won the total Grade A chances for-and-against battle,” Blashill said. “I think the other one, we were tied. So when you win that on a regular basis, you put yourself in a position to win hockey games. We’ve given up very few Grade A’s. I think that’s how you ultimately build (to) becoming a real winning hockey team. Scoring is always going to ebb and flow. Obviously, the more firepower you have, the more you’re going to score, but that’s always going to ebb and flow. Your foundation has to be defensively and we’ve done a good job of that.”

5. The pairing of Wyatt Kaiser and Sam Rinzel has flourished over the last three games. In 50:20 of five-on-five ice time together, the pairing had a 53.93 expected goals percentage and was on the ice for two goals for and one goal against.

Sam Rinzel has found himself a fitting defense partner. (Talia Sprague / Imagn Images)

6. Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi are both on the verge of 30 goals. Bertuzzi needs three, and Bedard needs four. The last time the Blackhawks had two 30-goal scorers was during the 2019-20 season when Patrick Kane scored 33 and Dominik Kubalik had 30.

7. Blackhawks prospect Anton Frondell has two regular-season games left in the SHL. Djurgårdens is in ninth place and will play in a best-of-three opening round series next week. If it’s eliminated in that round, Frondell could be with the Blackhawks later in the month. If Djurgårdens advances, the next round is best-of-seven. Frondell is 11th in the league with 18 goals.

8. Blashill understands Nick Lardis is in a tough spot on the Blackhawks’ fourth line. He played 5:58 of five-on-five hockey in a win over the Mammoth earlier in the week. Blashill acknowledged Lardis isn’t accustomed to playing that role.

“I think he would be very used to playing in the top couple lines, but that’s what makes the NHL hard,” Blashill said. “That’s why making the NHL’s hard. That’s why making a big impact in the NHL is hard. You got to find a way to beat people out in those top roles. Other guys are saying, ‘I’m not going to let you do that.’ It’s just kind of the competitiveness of the NHL.

“It’s not perfect for him, but I still think there’s things he can show that he can do well. When he gets the puck in his defensive end, he can skate the puck out when he has an opportunity to or make the wall play. When you get offensive chances, which honestly, there was a couple the last game, find ways to make a play with that. And then when you’re on the power play, kind of make your name there, too. Again, it’s not like huge judgments. It’s just he’s a young guy trying to make his way up, and sometimes these are the roles you’re put in. He’s got to find a way to be successful in that role. If we can find a way to give him an expanded role, if he earns it, then great.”

9. As the OHL season winds down, it looks like the Blackhawks will have the league’s top goal scorer for the second consecutive season. Lardis led the OHL with 71 goals last season. This season, two Blackahwks prospects are looking to follow Lardis. Marek Vanacker, Lardis’ former Brantford Bulldogs teammate, currently leads the OHL with 43 goals. Just behind Vanacker, a 2024 first-round pick, is fellow Blackhawks prospect Jack Pridham, a 2024 third-round pick, with 42 goals. Pridham has made up some ground with five goals in his last three games.

10. The Blackhawks are on pace to draw a higher average attendance than last season. They averaged 18,585 last season. This season, they’re averaging 18,793, which is fifth in the NHL. They have eight home games remaining.