On Friday, the Chicago Blackhawks played an equally as weak Arizona Coyotes team and they barely escaped them with a win in overtime. It also just wasn’t that good of a night for them in terms of the tank either.
They knew that things would be very hard for them on Saturday night when they traveled up north to play the Winnipeg Jets. The Central Division’s only Canadian team is excellent and hard to beat this year.
Chicago lost to them by a final score of 4-1. Blake Wheeler had two for the Jets while Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele each had one. The Blackhawks’ only goal was scored by Tyler Johnson.
Again, the Hawks had no business beating a Cup contender like Winnipeg and they didn’t. Also, this was a good Saturday night for the tank as most of the other teams in the Connor Bedard sweepstakes collected at least a point.
The Chicago Blackhawks are going to continue losing games in big ways.
Getting through these games is incredibly hard for Chicago Blackhawks fans. However, it is painfully evident that it will all be worth it when you look at the draft board for this upcoming year. Guys like Connor Bedard, Adam Fantilli, and Leo Carlsson amongst there’s could be stars.
The trade deadline is going to play a big role in all of this. The Hawks lost big to the Winnipeg Jets at almost full strength, just wait until some of their big assets are moved away for picks and prospects.
Jonathan Toews missed another game which is starting to become curious. He hasn’t played in a while because of a non-COVID-related illness. Following his return to the ice, he is one of the big chips that could fall before the trade deadline.
Patrick Kane obviously leads the list of players in that mix as well but guys like Max Domi, Andreas Athanasiou, and Jake McCabe are getting some interest as well. This team could look wildly different soon enough.
The Blackhawks now get to enjoy Super Bowl Sunday but the Canadian trip will continue on Tuesday when they take on the Montreal Canadiens. Of course, that will always be a fun Original Six matchup.