When it comes to the Chicago Blackhawks, the first word that used to come to my mind is tradition.
This franchise had a tradition of winning. They had a habit of winning Stanley Cups, especially between 2010 and 2015 when they hoisted hockey’s Holy Grail in 2010, 2013, and 2015.
Fast forward to now, and it seems like those days are long gone. Are they forgotten? Certainly not, but their glory years occurred at a different time.
As of this writing (Thursday, January 5), the Blackhawks are not only the worst team in the Central Division, but the team is also the worst in the entire NHL with an 8-25-4 record.
Believe it or not, things were not always this way for the Blackhawks this season. In fact, at the beginning of the year, the team stayed afloat by winning some games here and there and playing competitive hockey.
This no longer seems to be the case, as the team is playing the way that most of the hockey world thought they would play this year, which is awful hockey. Basically put, they are who we thought they were.
For starters, the team is having trouble keeping the puck out of their net. The Blackhawks are 25th in the league in goals allowed, as they have given up 139 goals in 37 games (3.76 goals against per game).
It does not help that this team gives up a lot of shots. The Blackhawks are 27th in the league in shots allowed per game, as they give up 33.5 shots a game.
The team’s goaltending has been atrocious this season. Just look at these statistics:
– Petr Mrazek: 2-10-0-1 with a 4.19 goals-against average and a .878 save percentage.
– Arvid Soderblom: 2-10-0-2 with a 3.45 goals-against average and a .894save percentage
– Alex Stalock: 4-5-0-1 with a 2.77 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage
The team’s offense has also been terrible this season. The club is last in the league in goals scored, as they have scored just 80 goals (2.16 goals per game).
No one on this team, maybe with the exception of Patrick Kane (seven goals and 20 assists for 27 points), Max Domi (11 goals and 14 assists for 24 points), and Jonathan Toews (11 goals and nine assists for 20 points), have really been producing. When you play in the high-octane Western Conference, where there is a lot of offensive talent, not producing offensively will be a big problem.
Due to the team’s poor play and the apparent new direction the team will be going in after this season, there have been trade rumors swirling around this team all season. The two main players that are being mentioned are Kane and Toews.
The trading away of Kane and Toews would mark the end of an area while also kickstarting a rebuild. Fans hope the rebuild will begin with drafting the highly coveted prospect Connor Bedard at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Before we get to the draft, however, there is still a lot of hockey left to be played. Things are going to get much worse, for they get better in Chi-town.
Season 2 Episode 10: Is Patrick Kane The Greatest Blackhawks Player Of All Time – Cue The Dagger
- Season 2 Episode 10: Is Patrick Kane The Greatest Blackhawks Player Of All Time
- Season 2 Episode 9: Peter Laviolette III
- Season 2 Episode 8: Hossa Night, Early NHL awards, NHL talk and more
- Season 2 Episode 7: Is Toews back? Should Matthews have to fight? and much more!
- Season 2 Episode 6: Three Blackhawks trades, Chicago's hot start, around the NHL and more
