The Chicago Blackhawks are buried in a season that’s gone off the rails, but even in the middle of a mess there are a few things worth hanging onto.
That much became harder to ignore after a brutal 9-2 loss to the Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes, a result that only deepened the gloom around a team that already owns the NHL’s fewest goals per game at 2.16. The standings are ugly, the mood is worse, and if not for the Vancouver Canucks, the Blackhawks would be sitting in the league basement by a comfortable margin.
Still, there are a few bright spots hiding in the wreckage.
Roman Kantserov has been one of them. The rookie leads all NHL first-year players with nine goals through 18 games, and he’s also one of only two Blackhawks to reach double-digit points, joining Connor Bedard with 11.
Chicago has only four players with at least three goals, which tells you plenty about the state of the offense, but Kantserov has kept finding ways to score. He isn’t a defensive standout, though that’s hardly unusual for a rookie, and if the Blackhawks eventually dig out of this hole, he figures to be one of the players at the center of it.
Right now, he’s in the Calder Trophy race while carrying what might be the weakest supporting cast of any of the serious contenders.
Anton Frondell has given Chicago another reason to look past the present. At 19, he has already become the team’s top matchup center, taking on the best opponents night after night and holding up reasonably well.
There are rough patches, but that comes with the territory when a teenager is asked to do so much and isn’t a generational talent. Through 18 games, Frondell has eight points, which is solid production on a team that can’t score outside of its top two threats.
His best showing came in a 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins, when he controlled possession and scored two goals. For Chicago, the hope is obvious: Bedard and Frondell look like the top two centers the franchise can build around.
Then there’s the uncomfortable question surrounding Jeff Blashill. The Blackhawks have said they’ll stick with him and general manager Kyle Davidson, but that kind of public patience doesn’t mean much if the losses keep piling up.
This is Blashill’s second season behind the bench in Chicago, and through his first 100 games the team has won only 33. That’s not progress.
It’s stagnation. The organization can talk about staying calm, but if this season keeps going the way it has, a vote of confidence won’t be enough to save him.
There’s even a case to be made for another top pick, because this is a rebuild and Chicago could use all the help it can get. Artyom Levshunov has shown real signs of progress, but landing someone like Landon DuPont would still make sense.
Of course, the Blackhawks would then have to develop him, and that has been a major issue. But at this point, there’s no shortage of problems to sort through already.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Search For A Spark As Losing Streak Keeps Dragging On
With the losses piling up, the Blackhawks turned to a familiar organizational move for a little jolt in net. Backup goaltender Arvid Sderblom was placed on waivers and then assigned to the Rockford IceHogs after clearing, while Drew Commesso was brought up from Rockford on Nov. 8 as Chicago looked for a way to steady things and reset the tone around the room.
The timing says plenty about where the team is right now, with captain Connor Bedard and others stressing the need for more competitiveness and momentum as the skid drags on. Commessos potential to give the group a different look has become part of the conversation, and for a team searching for any spark, even a change in the crease can feel like it carries more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Are Suddenly Getting Help Where They Need It Most
The Blackhawks are getting a little healthier at a time when they can use it most. Head coach Jeff Blashill said Patrick Kane and Bowen Byram are expected back within the next few days after both skated with the team in non-contact jerseys, a sign the group is inching closer to having two important pieces available again. For a team trying to steady itself, simply getting those bodies back into the mix can change the feel around the bench.
Chicago is also making a move behind the scenes to help shore up its structure. The club announced the addition of former Stanley Cup champion Mark Eaton to the coaching staff as a defensive coach, a hire that fits the need for more guidance on that side of the puck. With reinforcements coming on the ice and a new voice joining the staff, the Blackhawks suddenly have a few more reasons to believe the next stretch could look different. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Slump Has Put Kyle Davidson Under Real Pressure
Kyle Davidson is set to face the media in the wake of a 4-13-1 start that has left the Blackhawks searching for answers and, more importantly, direction. The early-season slide has intensified the spotlight on the front office, where every move now carries extra weight for a team still trying to balance patience with the urgency to improve.
The bigger question around the organization is what comes next in terms of roster construction, because the Blackhawks are being linked to trade discussions as they look for ways to shake up the group. There has also been chatter around possible veteran movement and future draft assets, which only adds to the sense that Chicago could be entering a more active phase of its rebuild, even if the exact shape of that approach is still unclear. [Read more 🡒]