The Chicago Blackhawks snapped their five-game losing streak against the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 30. Now, they are starting their December schedule with a four-game road trip, beginning with the Vegas Golden Knights on Dec. 2.
Before puck drop, here is the latest News & Rumors.
Blackhawks Significant Road Trip
It’s a big trip for the Blackhawks. In the standings, they sit one point behind the Seattle Kraken for the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. Getting points against Vegas, the Los Angeles Kings, and Anaheim, who all sit in playoff spots in the Western Conference, would be telling.
Head coach Jeff Blashill said on Nov. 28 that they need to play “great hockey” going into this stretch, and their 5-3 comeback win against Anaheim seems to be giving them the encouragement they need.
I spoke with defenseman Louis Crevier at optional practice before they left, and asked about their entertaining win the night before, “It was fun. I think it was an important win for us, especially after that start. [They trailed 3-0 to start]. You know, just winning at the UC (United Center), you never get tired of it. It’s fun. A day like today, everybody has a smile, so it’s good.”
When I asked Crevier about the mindset heading into the road trip, “Personally, I always say [the] road trip as a whole, you know, we have four games. It’s against all good teams, as well. So, I think consistency is something that we have to bring. There’s no day off against good teams like that. So… it’s going to be a challenge, for sure. But it’s always a good test for us, and we’re looking forward [to it].”
The Blackhawks’ previous extended road trip came in early November, where they went 3-2-1. Therefore, they want more.
Slaggert’s Ice Time
With the Blackhawks’ 11/7 lineup that they have been using for most of the season so far, it means someone at forward is going to be left out. Right now, those two are Landon Slaggert and Sam Lafferty, as they have been rotated in and out of the lineup as needed.
Slaggert started on a frustrating note because he missed some of training camp and started the season on injured reserve. He was sent to the Rockford IceHogs on Nov. 3. He was recalled on Nov. 12 when Andre Burakovsky was ill, and was a solid depth option for them when Tyler Bertuzzi, Jason Dickinson, Burakovsky, and Nick Foligno were out with injuries.
But now, with only Folgino remaining out, it seems like 23-year-old Slaggert has been on the outside again. He has been a healthy scratch in three of the last four games and has played 10 games this season.
Related: Blackhawks Snap 5-Game Losing Streak With 5-3 Win Over Ducks
Blashill was asked about Slaggert’s ice time and balancing whether he is better off on the Blackhawks or Rockford. He responded, “That’s a discussion that we’ll continue to have. We’ll see where we go day to day in terms of lineup decisions. But, ultimately, he’s at an age where he still needs to be playing. So, I think if it gets to a point where he’s not playing, we’ll have to look at it and decide what’s best for him and his development.”
Depending on what they choose to do with their lineup, we’ll see what comes of his status.
Brossoit Activated
The Blackhawks announced that goaltender Laurent Brossoit was activated from the injured non-roster list on Dec. 2. He signed to a 2-year, $6.60M deal in free agency in 2024. But he has dealt with lower-body injuries and a couple of surgeries, including offseason hip surgery. Therefore, he hasn’t played in the NHL since April 2024.
But he has been seen at Blackhawks practices and morning skates recently, and Chicago has assigned him to the IceHogs on a conditioning assignment.
Blashill had mentioned yesterday (Dec. 1) that Brossoit would not be on the road trip with the team.
It’s known that Spencer Knight and Arvid Söderblom are solidified in net; it’s hard to see a true path to playing time with the Blackhawks for Brossoit. Furthermore, Insider Elliotte Friedman noted on Saturday Headlines on SportsNet on Nov. 29 that Chicago has given teams permission to talk to him.
Overall, it is great to see Brossoit’s progress after enduring a lot.
Bedard’s November Accolades
Connor Bedard was named the NHL’s Third Star of the Month for November, with 23 points in 14 games. He was joined by Nathan MacKinnon (Colorado Avalanche) and Jason Robertson (Dallas Stars). An eye-opening stat about Bedard from the press release was:
“Only one other Chicago skater has recorded as many points in a single calendar month this century: Patrick Kane (6x, most recently March 2022: 5-21—26 in 14 GP)”
That’s pretty impressive company and for Blackhawks history, as well.
Bedard has been on a roll, sitting third in the NHL in points (37). He most recently had a four-point game against the Ducks and continues to take his game to another level.
As the Hawks look for a successful start to their December, be sure to stay tuned for more News & Rumors throughout the season.
