“Keep it simple” and “Get pucks in deep.” Those are two of the most common hockey cliches you hear from players when discussing game-winning strategies in the media. Those statements get overused to the point where fans joke about it because you know they’re going to say it, and it can be frustrating when you want to hear different answers. However, players don’t always say those things to say it; they say it because it’s true.
With April being the final month of the Chicago Blackhawks’ season, it’s time for reflection. I’ve noticed that the “annoying” cliches the team has used over the last couple of weeks are actually the strategies they have been missing all season long.
The Blackhawks’ Successful Moments Share a Common Theme
The first notable player is defenseman Seth Jones, who recorded 11 points in the last 14 games. Previously, his season high was four points in a single month. It’s the production he and the team have been looking for all season, so what gives? Head coach Luke Richardson said about his stretch, “He’s simplified his game instead of running up and down the ice every shift.” When it came to Jones’ perspective, he chimed in, in part, “I think I’ve just changed the mentality of how I’m playing. To see the puck go in and just giving myself a chance to score at the end of the day,” He also talked about taking a page out of Connor Bedard’s book with his shoot-first mentality. He has been a difference-maker recently, and the changes in his game have been commendable.
Then, there’s Jason Dickinson. The center hit the first 20-goal season of his career, and his defense has been even better. Again, what gives for the 28-year-old’s breakout? Look no further than how he described his game in 2021, “Consistency, reliability. Not flashy, but I’m effective.” That is exactly how I would describe what has made Dickinson great this season. It’s the competitiveness, the penalty killing, the fact that he is second best on the team in takeaways (48), leading the team in faceoff wins (566 wins, 50.4% success rate), and is second-best in plus-minus (plus-5). His solid, basic game brings results, and now Dickinson has the hot scoring hand to go with it.
Ironically, Dickinson’s main linemate, Joey Anderson, described his game similarly last year, saying, “Honestly, it’s just straightforward hockey. It’s not fancy. You’re probably not going to see anything I do on a highlight reel. I just keep pucks moving, try to be in the right spots, play hard, be stingy defensively, chip that offense when it’s there. But I like to think I play a good 200 foot game. I’ll describe it as like lull event or boring hockey, but I think it’s efficient and it’s just simple.” Anderson is also having a career season with 16 points in 47 games (4 points in his last 3 games), and he and Dickinson have made one of the most dangerous duos on the team because of their game styles.
When talking about Ryan Donato, he has nine points in his last 14 games, making it the best month of his season. Six points in November was his previous best, and he even got promoted from the fourth line to the first line to play with Connor Bedard, which he hadn’t done since January. Coach Richardson said, before his outburst, “He was more determined. He was just free. At some point [during a slump], you get to the point where you just forget about it and just play, and I think that’s what he did.” Donato has been infusing energy and providing a great net-front presence, leading to much-needed production for his team.
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For some honorable mentions, rookie defenseman Wyatt Kaiser has been a plus-2, with two points in six games after spending three months with the Rockford IceHogs, in which he stated, “When you’re playing, you’re just playing. I don’t think you’re really working on things. But in practice and away from the rink, I’ve been focusing on trying to sustain good habits.”
Finally, Lukas Reichel. He scored his first goal against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 30 after being recalled from Rockford on March 15. He also recorded his first two-point game of the season, in which Reichel said afterward, “We played the right way.” He has been so much more noticeable and doing the little things, such as driving the puck to the net and anticipating plays better.
Overall, what do all these bounce-back players have in common? They’re playing a simple game, which is the right way.
Less Is More for the Blackhawks
One thing about the Blackhawks is that although they lack talent, miss players due to injuries, and are the second-worst NHL team, there have been times when they have been their own worst enemies on the ice, too. There have been some games where they put themselves in a position to win but then imploded. Their game against the Ottawa Senators on March 28 was the perfect example. Ottawa took a tripping penalty to start the game, and then Senators’ forward Claude Giroux scored a short-handed goal to put the Sens up 1-0, and this all happened in 36 seconds. The Hawks ended up losing the game 2-0. It’s instances like that where they dig themselves holes they can’t overcome.
Many players have made mistakes that look like they were just a case of overthinking or, as some have mentioned, forcing plays. When teams are trying to keep their head above water, they tend to make the game harder on themselves than they need to. But these players showed that a missing link for them is keeping things simple. With the Hawks wins this season, like their 7-2 win against the Anaheim Ducks on March 12, they didn’t play a perfect game. In fact, it was a beautiful mess but an effective one. With rebuilding teams, less is more; sometimes, that’s the fine line between wins and losses.
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So, the story’s moral is that the players who have found recent success have learned a valuable lesson about playing fundamental hockey, which has helped. I’m brought back to a Bobby Hull quote: “Keep it simple. Hockey is a game of two-on-one. Take your teammate and isolate one man on the other team—make it a game of two-on-one.”
That strategy made the Blackhawks cohesive in March. There are only 17 days left of their season, but whether they win or lose their remaining eight games, hopefully, their mindset will stay the same: “Keep it simple.”
