Welcome to the recurring Blackhawks’ 3 Up, 3 Down column. Although much can go wrong during the course of a hockey season, there is just as much good news from these reads along the way. Not to worry if you can’t seem to find any such stories yourself, as we’ll do the digging for you!
The Chicago Blackhawks have already been eliminated from playoff contention. But with only seven games remaining, it’s all about evaluation. What can the team improve on and what can they build off of? With many moves happening in the past month and new faces joining the squad, here are some ups and downs.
Plus One: Shots Against Are Declining
If there is one thing the Blackhawks have been notoriously good at, it’s letting up a ton of shots on goal per game. And it’s not a celebratory achievement. It has been an issue plaguing them for quite a while, and the coaching staff has tried to remedy it. For reference, the team is third-worst in the NHL in shots against per game (31.1). It doesn’t help their chances to win games when their goalies are consistently under siege.
However, from March 10 to April 3, according to NHL.com, their shots against per game is ranked 22nd in the league, or 11th-best (25.7). For the Blackhawks, that is a pretty big jump and something they can continue to build on. In four of their last six games, they have allowed less than 30 shots on goal. It also gives a lot of hope for the future defense of the team.
Minus One: The Power Play
Even though it seems like nothing has gone right for the Blackhawks this season, the one thing that has is their special teams, which are both ranked top-10 in the league. However, lately, the power play, in particular, has been an eyesore.
In that same timespan of March 10 to April 3, their power play has been functioning at 18.5% (10th-worst). Their power play is still ranked ninth-best in the NHL at 24.6%, but lately, it seems it has let them down when they most need it.
Take the 3-2 shootout loss against the Colorado Avalanche on April 2. The Blackhawks went 0-for-3 on the power play, and one of them came with less than four minutes left in the game. If the Blackhawks had converted on one of the power plays, even at the end, it could have been the difference between a win and a loss. Those insurance goals matter. The power play has undergone changes recently, with the addition of Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, and Oliver Moore to the units, so adjusting might take some time. But for now, their power play has seen better days, for sure.
I didn’t add this as a “plus” for this piece. But conversely, their penalty kill has been lights out, killing all four of Colorado’s opportunities.
Plus Two: The Kids Have Come to Play
There is something very fun about the Blackhawks recently. They only have four wins in their last 16 games, but the energy does feel different. The players mentioned it, too, with the youth movement being infused in their roster, as they have 17 players on their roster aged 25 or younger.
In stretches, the Hawks have been dreadful to watch this season. However, as of late, it has been entertaining, as they have been putting up respectable performances against playoff teams, like the Vegas Golden Knights and New Jersey Devils.
As Oliver Moore stated ahead of his NHL debut on March 29, “There’s a lot of college guys in here, a lot of guys around my age, and it’s really comforting to be around. Obviously, we have a lot in common. Everyone’s kind of in similar situations. Obviously, knowing where the Blackhawks are at and the opportunities we’re getting, I think we want to build this together. It’s a unique and special opportunity. You can feel the excitement here, for sure.”
You can see the eagerness on the ice, too. 2024 second-overall pick defenseman Artyom Levshunov is establishing himself every night and has three points in his last four games. Sam Rinzel was inserted on the top defense pair with Alex Vlasic and didn’t look out of his place in his first two games. Moore was tried at center, and his skill and speed already look like great complements to the bottom six. Frank Nazar is getting a breakaway or multiple high-danger scoring chances a night. The list goes on. That, combined with Connor Bedard, makes for ending the season on a high note while also anticipating what this team could be when these players hit their potential.
Minus Two: Closing Games Still Troublesome
While the youth is exciting to watch, the youth also comes with growing pains. One thing the Blackhawks have been disasterously good at is not being able to close out games. The Blackhawks have a minus-34 goal differential in the third period, which is the league’s worst.
The Avalanche game was a good example. They went into the third period leading 2-0 and coughed up the lead, with the Avs scoring the tying goal with less than 10 seconds in regulation. Or against Vegas on March 28. They went into the third period leading 3-2 and lost 5-3. It’s what they have been saying all year that it’s a 60-minute game, so playing well for 58 minutes prior doesn’t mean much if the final mistakes in two minutes decide the game. It’s little things that have been hurting them. Not being able to clear the zone, having struggles in the faceoff dot, or not scoring on their chances.
Over time, that should improve. They have to learn how to win in those situations, and they haven’t quite mastered it yet. But it doesn’t make the sting of the losses hurt any less.
Plus Three: Team Speed is Noticeable
It’s no secret that the Blackhawks have been emphasizing speed in recent drafts. It’s the reason why they drafted players like Nazar and Moore. As they say, you can’t teach speed. And as NHL players repeatedly say, the game is getting faster, so speed is actually a necessity.
Connor Murphy was asked after the Avalanche game how the speed of the young guys helps influence the short-handed breaks they get (in reference to Ilya Mikheyev’s short-handed goal in the game).
Related: Blackhawks Notebook: Moore & Rinzel Make NHL Debuts, Coaching & Defensive Depth
“It does, yeah. I think him and Frankie [Nazar], I think teams get on their heels a bit when they have extended power play time, and when they’re looking on the flanks and umbrellas, they seem to give up that half second, and that’s enough for the speed of Mikhey and Frankie to take off in a lot of those situations you’ve seen, a lot of chances last game because of that. And I think maybe guys being unfamiliar with some of their speed helps us, and it’s nice to see the competitiveness we have on the [penalty] kill to push it the other way.”
It’s not just the penalty kill, either. Based on the eye test, the Hawks’ team speed and pace are so much better with the young players in the lineup. That will help them tremendously as they move forward.
Minus Three: Goaltending Needs to Be Better
Again, in the timespan from March 10 to now, the Blackhawks are second-worst in the NHL in goals-against per game (4.27). With the addition of Spencer Knight from the Florida Panthers, and with Arvid Söderblom being the tandem, they actually haven’t played terribly. Many of the goals surrendered were not their fault due to the team in front of them. However, the Blackhawks have also seen a lot better from them, too.
However, Spencer Knight had a phenomenal game against the Avalanche, with a .935 Save percentage and a 1.85 Goals-against Average. It’s a great sign to close the season. Overall, Chicago’s goaltending doesn’t concern me. Like anything else, they go through ebbs and flows, but they are usually always able to recover with the help of goaltending coach Jimmy Waite. They just went through a tough stretch there.
With only a few games left, it will be interesting to see if new trends emerge and what else the Hawks have in store as they prepare their best to build into next season.
