The Chicago Blackhawks are already staring at a tough climb after nine games, and the path through the rest of October does them no favors.
Chicago has six points through its first nine outings and sits last in the Central Division. The slow start was never going to shock anyone, especially with captain Connor Bedard opening the season on injured reserve.
His early return was supposed to give the Blackhawks a lift and keep them from falling too far behind after nine games. Instead, after winning the first two of Bedard’s three games, they’re still farther back than they want to be.
That makes the next stretch especially important. With the Western Conference shaping up as a competitive race, the Blackhawks need to stack wins in October if they want to get near the .500 mark. Head coach Jeff Blashill would probably love that kind of clean run, but the schedule is about to get nasty.
The month begins to tighten on October 23 against the Canadiens. Montreal hasn’t fully found its rhythm yet, but the talent level is still there, and that’s a problem for a Chicago team that hasn’t been particularly sharp defensively. The Blackhawks do get a five-day break before facing the Habs on Friday, though whether that gives Blashill enough time to sort out the fourth-worst goals-against average in the league is another matter.
Two days later, the matchup gets even more difficult when the Panthers arrive on October 25. After a short dip out of contender status last season, the former back-to-back Stanley Cup champions are back in the thick of it in the Atlantic Division.
Brady Tkachuk, who got off to a slow start in his new uniform, has now ripped off two natural hat tricks in the team’s first nine games, and the group is starting to click. For Chicago, it’s a rough physical test.
October 27 might be the one spot where the Blackhawks can circle a real chance. The Kings break up the Atlantic Division run and offer Chicago its best opportunity to bank a win in this stretch.
Los Angeles is the last team to win a game this season, and Kings fans can only hope they’ve at least picked up one victory by the time this matchup arrives. If the Blackhawks want to claw back toward contention, this is the kind of game they have to handle.
The date that follows is tougher to read. On October 29, the Blackhawks face the Red Wings, but that one is too far out to call with much confidence.
Nobody knows where Detroit will be by then. Will Dylan Larkin finally get his wish to be traded?
Will Detroit have Simon Edvinsson signed? Will both players be out the door, leaving Detroit potentially better or worse depending on what they get for each?
The Red Wings haven’t been great, but this still doesn’t look like a free pass.
Then comes Halloween, and with it another tough one. On October 31, Chicago gets the Bruins, who have once again outperformed early expectations and are sitting first in the Atlantic Division. That position could change by then, given how tight the division is, but Boston still brings a heavy, physical style that won’t make life easier for the Blackhawks.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Fans May Finally Get A Beloved Jersey Back
Chicago hockey fans may be getting a familiar sight back on the calendar after years away from it. The Blackhawks green Shamrock look has long carried a special place in the teams history, even if it only ever appeared in warmups and never in actual games. When the NHL banned specialty warm-up uniforms in 2023, that effectively shut the door on the look, at least for a while.
Now there is fresh reason to think the jersey could return in a new form, with a teaser and leaked list pointing to an early November unveiling tied to the leagues Hometown Remix jerseys. The buzz has only added to the intrigue around a design that already feels woven into the citys St. Patricks Day identity, and Blackhawks fans will not have to wait long to find out whether the hint turns into a real release. [Read more 🡒]