The Chicago Blackhawks struggles through the midway point of the season are easy to identify no matter how anyone looks at it. With 44 games in the books this year, the team sits dead last in the league with 30 points thanks to their 14-28-2 record. In a column from ESPN grading all 32 teams up to this point in the NHL season, they weren’t too kind on their assessment of the Blackhawks.
ESPN gives the Chicago Blackhawks a D for their “quarter grade”
The ESPN column gave the Blackhawks a nearly failing grade for their efforts so far this season. The reasoning behind the grade matches everything that fans have seen through 44 games this year.
“Grade: D (first-quarter grade: D). The issues that were there before the Blackhawks hired Anders Sorensen are still a problem. Through Sorensen’s first 14 games, the Blackhawks were giving up the most goals per game while being in the bottom 10 in scoring. Although they were not expected to be in the playoff push, there was an expectation they could be better than they were last season after adding several veterans in free agency. Instead? They’re on pace to finish five points ahead of what they had last season.”
The firing of Luke Richardson is something that made things much more difficult for this team. However, it was a move that probably needed to happen to benefit the club moving forward. As mentioned in the column, the Blackhawks weren’t seeing many on-ice improvements despite some major changes to the roster in the offseason.
Even with a new face leading the bench in Anders Sorensen, Chicago hasn’t seen much change in the month or so. They are still struggling to find the back of the net and their five-on-five defensive efforts have been disappointing. One positive group effort this season has been the penalty kill. Chicago currently ranks fourth in the league with a 83.3 penalty kill percentage. While things haven’t gone their way at full strength, a strong penalty kill unit is promising for the future.
Things likely won’t get much better for the Chicago Blackhawks
Based on the fact that the Blackhawks should be selling what they can at the trade deadline, things will not be easier moving forward. Taylor Hall and Ryan Donato should be on the move before the March 7 deadline, as they are both playing well for Chicago on expiring contracts.
The article listed Philipp Kurashev as “in danger of failing.” The 25-year-old forward hasn’t seen much success this season after scoring nearly 20 goals a year ago. Kurashev has been a healthy scratch more often than not since Sorensen took over behind the bench, and he could find himself on waivers at some point this month if things don’t turn around.
An obvious positive for fans to continually keep an eye one when watching this team is the individual that this column listed as the “class president.” Connor Bedard has turned it up a couple of notches over the last month and a half following his dozen game goal scoring drought. The 19-year-old phenom had a nine-game point streak that was snapped last week and has clicked very well with veteran Tyler Bertuzzi since being put on his line.
The ups and downs for this Blackhawks team to close out the season will be inevitable. This will once again be an important offseason, where the front office will hope to see the lottery balls bounce their way with a talented forward class on deck for the 2025 draft.
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