As the Chicago Blackhawks look to forge ahead and start another winning streak, after going unbeaten in the four that followed losing their first two of 2022-23, they appear determined to overachieve. How this lineup bounces back from the last-minute defeat that earned them their first loss within a five-game span, though, could offer a better indication of what to expect from this team the rest of the way.
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This edition of Blackhawks News & Rumors highlights an annual homecoming, an anticipated debut, and a justified promotion.
Kane Never Disappoints When Playing Buffalo
Hailing from Buffalo, New York, there’s no doubt that Patrick Kane enjoys every opportunity to play in front of his hometown crowd. Being that the Buffalo Sabres are in the Easter Conference, those opportunities are a little more scarce with each franchise hosting the other only once per season.
Good thing for the Blackhawks, Kane has made it a habit to take advantage of every shift when facing off against the Sabres.
To date, Kane has lined up across from the Sabres 20 times. Within that span, he’s already accumulated 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points — including three game-winners. His shooting percentage (S%) of 13.4 against Buffalo is also among the higher marks of those against any opponent.
Simply stated, as has become the norm throughout his career regardless of the rink he’s playing in, fans should always expect to see the best version of Kane when he hits the ice in his hometown.
Söderblom Gets His First Start of 2022-23
The only familiar face that remained among Chicago’s goaltending group heading into 2022-23 was Arvid Söderblom. Clearly, the franchise saw something they wanted to hold on to in the 23-year-old, given that the other three that suited up for them in 2021-22 have since moved on.
Söderblom’s NHL numbers are less than impressive at the moment, having accumulated a .863 save percentage (SV%) and 5.01 goals-against average (GAA) en route to his 0-2-0 record in 2022-21. However, such a small sample size does little to tell his whole story.
As evidenced by what he was able to accomplish in Europe before being acquired by the North American game, let alone how strong he’s been for the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League (AHL) since joining the organization.
As the Blackhawks prepare to grant Söderblom his first start of the 2022-23 campaign, the Swedish netminder is surely excited for an opportunity to break out in the same way that caught Chicago’s attention in the first place.
The Goteborg, Sweden native went 16-14-0 with a .924 SV%, 2.38 GAA and two shutouts in 32 appearances with Tingsryds AIF of the HockeyAllsvenskan, Sweden’s second division during the 2019-20 season.
On the youngest end of Chicago’s goaltending depth chart, with far more upside to offer, it would seem fair to assume that Söderblom is part of their future plans to a degree greater than Petr Mrázek or Alex Stalock. Allowing him to get into the action as the team searches to establish their new identity will only further their ability to get there quicker as a collective.
Kurashev Promoted to Chicago’s Top-Six
Following what felt like a rather underwhelming sophomore campaign, based on the highlight-reel performances he’s proven capable of at times, Philipp Kurashev entered 2022-23 with an opportunity to become a much more important member of the Blackhawks. Safe to say, he’s on his way to accomplishing that feat.
Kurashev has already earned four points through his first seven games of 2022-23, playing in a mostly bottom-six role. Impressive to the point that he’s now set to align with Jonathan Toews and Taylor Raddysh on Chicago’s second line.
Whether or not Kurashev can find the fit that Luke Richardson is hoping for by moving him up into that spot is yet to be seen. There’s no reason to doubt that it’s thanks to Richardson’s leadership — at least, in part — that Kurashev is poised to reach a new tier. He’s certainly earned the promotion, one way or the other.
That said, if he continues to progress in such a direction, Kurashev can easily be called upon to help Chicago’s top unit at some point this season. Having played alongside one another during Kurashev’s impressive rookie campaign, just imagine what the two skilled and creative forwards could accomplish if paired up once he’s reached a higher peak.
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Like with Kursahev, Chicago will have to hope for the best out of every Blackhawk if they expect to maintain any early momentum gained. Ultimately, it will be their ability to attain cohesion that determines what this particular version of the franchise is capable of. With so much of their 2022-23 schedule left to play, we’ll see which direction the club ends up navigating and those who perform best along the way.