Are the Blackhawks "For Real?"
Just some thoughts on a THG's recent power rankings.
Note: This is not a dig at anything THG said. Merely an observation on a comment he made that caught my interest. Dude knows more about hockey than I ever will.
The Hockey Guy is part of my daily hockey news ritual. His daily NHL news of the day videos and weekly power rankings are my bread and butter. It’s simple. A man, his whiteboard, and a love for hockey.
Last week, he dropped the Blackhawks two spots to 19 (time-stamped here). Totally fair. The Hawks have had an impressive start to the season. But I wanted to explore something The Hockey Guy (THG) said regarding the Hawks. THG believes that the Blackhawks could be for real this season and that if he were Kyle Davidson, he would be looking to make a move.
THG’s take isn’t outlandish. However, for Hawks fans who follow closely, they understand that the Blackhawks are realistically a bit further away from where outside observers think they are. So, let’s explore that thought: Are the Hawks for real? And are they ready for a move that could position them for a playoff spot come the deadline?
The answer is no. The Blackhawks are still figuring things out on the ice, have had a lot of luck go their way, and don’t have a serious forward core. Not yet. Hockey is a weird sport, and strange things happen all the time (the Pittsburgh Penguins are second in the Metro, btw). So, the Hawks theoretically could make the playoffs by the end of the year.
A lot of teams in the West that were supposed to be good aren’t. The L.A. Kings have concerns (they just cracked a wild card spot). The Vancouver Canucks are ignoring a rebuild that they don’t want to start. The Calgary Flames are a wet fart. The St. Louis Blues are looking like what we thought they would be last year. So, there’s certainly room for a team to make a surprise. But that’s room for the Utah Mammoth (3rd in the Central) and the Anaheim Ducks (first in the Pacific with a +11 goals differential).
The Hawks’ defensive zone coverage still needs work. As the young defense adjusts to a man-on-man, a lot of learning is going to occur. These mistakes are padded behind the stone wall that is Spencer Knight. The Hawks have the 10th-highest expected goals against rate (2.83/60) but the 12th-lowest actual goals against rate (2.28/60). While the Hawks’ defense figures things out, they’ll give up scoring chances but have a solid goaltender to wipe away mistakes.
Offense is a different story. This is going to be a rush team. Kyle Davidison has drafted fast skaters and has a couple of puckmovers on the blue line. But they are still figuring things out. Namely, a partner for Connor Bedard.
Andre Burakovsky and Connor Bedard have begun to somewhat click together. But I wouldn’t call Burakovsky an ideal linemate for Bedard. While the Blackhawks have scored 10 goals at 5-on-5 with both players on the ice, Bedard is still forced to be the playmaker. He needs a playmaking wing who can unlock Bedard’s nuclear wrist shot.
I guess all of that to say, a Wild Card spot (dude, it’s only November) isn’t impossible. But that’s quite a reach. IF—and big if—they do make it in, it’s not going to be a deep run. But if there is any possibility of this happening, then yes, Kyle Davidson could and should make use of his cap space. But will anything be on the market worth getting?