Chicago Sports

The culture disparity in the aftermath of the Jets’ loss to the Patriots in the Meadowlands and the Bears’ loss to the Falcons in Atlanta couldn’t have appeared to be more stark last Sunday.

About the same time Jets quarterback Zach Wilson was irking teammates, fans, former NFL players, Hall of Famers and national NFL analysts by dismissing his own responsibility for the 10-3 loss — saying he did not feel he let the defense down — seemingly every Bears player was blaming himself for a 27-24 loss to the Falcons.

Quarterback Justin Fields made a point to apologize to the entire team for his role. Before he could finish, safety Eddie Jackson stopped him and told him it was unnecessary.

Wilson’s attitude probably doesn’t represent the Jets locker room, but Fields’ and Jackson’s attitude definitely represents the Bears’ locker room.

A similar scenario, in fact, played out when reporters entered the room for post-game interviews at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Safety DeAndre Houston-Carson was among multiple special-teams players to take responsibility for Cordarrelle Patterson’s 103-yard kickoff return that made the difference in the game.

“That one’s on me,” Houston-Carson said. “I want to make every play. That one’s on me.”

As soon as those words were spoken, teammate Elijah Hicks, overhearing Houston-Carson’s comment in the next locker, interjected: “It wasn’t on him.”

The Bears have what arguably is a rebuilding team’s dream scenario heading into Sunday’s game against the Jets at MetLife Stadium: a 3-8 record, a competitive team, a developing quarterback, the No. 3 pick in the draft — and great team culture.

Ah, culture. The Bears have lost four consecutive games and seven of their last eight. In the four consecutive losses the offense has scored 28.8 points a game (fifth in the NFL in that span), while the defense has allowed 28.8 points a game (31st). Special teams has allowed two touchdowns. The offense has allowed two touchdowns. There’s blame to go around for everyone. But — for whatever it’s worth — the Bears are Team Kumbaya.

Having seen good culture and leadership turn to dust too many times at Halas Hall, I dared to scoff this week at the notion of culture, which seems overrated. But defensive coordinator Alan Williams was having none of it.

“Can I stop you right there and say never,” Williams said. “It’s never overrated.”

It’s an NFL truth — coaches value culture as much as fans value the No. 3 pick in the draft.

“My first year in the league when I was in Tampa, Rich McKay [the Buccaneers’ general manager] said, ‘Never underestimate good leadership and good people in the locker room — that always stuck with me in terms of culture being one of the things that helps you win,'” Williams said.

“I’ve been in the NFL long enough to go through some tough stretches. The things that get you through those tough stretches are good people — good players that have some moral fiber about them. I think we have that.”

Williams said it starts from the top — with general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus — “The messages they give, the type of people they bring,” Williams said. Poles got off to a rough start when three players were arrested in the offseason — Byron Pringle (reckless driving, suspended license), Matt Adams (possession of a loaded firearm without a state license) and David Moore (drug and weapons charges). But the Bears have since stayed off the police blotter and have passed every character test so far.

“Most teams fall apart from within. It’s not external forces,” Williams said. “When you have guys that like each other, that have some moral fiber, that when things aren’t going well they don’t … splinter. They work harder. They sacrifice more for themselves. That can’t help but build your team in a positive way.”

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KEY MATCHUP

Three years after he was the third overall pick in the draft, Jets defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is having a breakout season, with eight sacks and 18 quarterback hits this season.

Williams has a half-sack or more in eight of the Jets’ last nine games. He heads a Jets pass rush that is fourth in the NFL in sacks (32) and second in quarterback hits (81) — including 17 sacks and 24 quarterback hits in the last three games.

As productive as the Bears’ offense has been in the running game, their pass protection has been shaky, including last week when the Grady Jarrett-led Falcons sacked Justin Fields four times.

The Bears figure to get a boost with right guard Teven Jenkins’ likely return from a hip injury, but the interior line — left guard Cody Whitehair, center Sam Mustipher and presumably Jenkins — will have to be better than they’ve been regardless of wither Fields or Trevor Siemian starts at quarterback.

TRENDING

The last four quarterbacks to face the Bears have had 100-plus passer ratings, with a combined seven touchdowns and one interception — Dak Prescott (114.5), Tua Tagovailoa (135.7), Jared Goff (113.6) and Marcus Mariota (100.2).

Now the Bears’ withering defense — without cornerback Kyler Gordon and safety Jaquan Brisker, who are in concussion protocol — faces Jets back-up Mike White, who will start after former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson was benched this week.

White had a 75.1 passer rating (five touchdowns, eight interceptions) in four games in place of Wilson last season. But that’s deceiving. He had a spectacular debut as a starter, throwing for 405 yards and three touchdowns (with two interceptions) in a 34-34 upset of the Bengals. And he was on his way to a similar performance the following week — against Matt Eberflus’ Colts defense (7-of-11, 95 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions 121.4 rating) — before leaving with a forearm injury in the first quarter of a 7-7 game.

PLAYER TO WATCH

The Bears will either be starting a banged-up Justin Fields or a rusty Trevor Siemian at quarterback.

Fields separated his shoulder on the final drive against the Falcons last week. Except for a token appearance against the Cowboys in Week 8, Siemian hasn’t played since a relief appearance with the Saints last season in Week 17 — he threw two touchdown passes in a 30-20 victory over the Falcons. He hasn’t started since last Thanksgiving, a 31-6 loss to the Bills.

X-FACTOR

The Jets have improved significantly in Robert Saleh’s second season as head coach — from 4-13 to 6-4; from 32nd in scoring defense to ninth through 11 games. But they had some internal strife following a 10-3 loss to the Patriots last week, with Wilson irking some teammates by dismissing accountability for the loss.

Wilson has since apologized to his teammates, but it’s possible that turning to White — a locker room favorite — could energize an up-and-coming team.

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The countdown has begun. There are 29 days until Christmas. During the baseball season, I spend my time counting down magic numbers, the time until a team clinches a postseason berth, and tragic numbers, the number of wins or losses it takes until a team is eliminated. But as a baseball stats guy, historian and the Quizmaster, I spend most of my time thinking about numbers.

When I was a student, I never was great at math. Then again, I had no math teachers who taught me while using baseball as a tool. So I ask you: Was it my fault or my teacher’s fault for my poor grades in math?

Today’s quiz uses the code one uses when scoring a game. If you know it, you honestly can state that you are bilingual because anyone who watches a game anywhere in the world will understand your scorecard. So have fun and learn a lot.

Let’s get to the quiz:

1. Pitcher: There has been one perfect game in World Series history, thrown by the Yankees’ Don Larsen in 1956. In the World Series this past season, the Astros threw a combined shutout in which they permitted no hits. Their starting pitcher, Cristian Javier, was lifted after six innings and 97 pitches. Did he throw more, less or the same number of pitches as Larsen in the one game of perfection?

2. Catcher: Sherm Lollar starred for the White Sox behind the plate for 12 seasons and was an All-Star eight times. He started his career with the Yankees before moving on to the St. Louis Browns. In 1947, Lollar played in 11 regular-season games and two World Series games for the Yankees. In one of those Series games, the first postseason pinch-hit homer was hit. Who hit it?

a. Sherm Lollar b. Roy Campanella

c. Yogi Berra d. Joe DiMaggio

3. First baseman: Since 2017, first-base power in Chicago primarily has come from two players: Jose Abreu and Anthony Rizzo. In 2017, they each hit their high point in homers while playing first base.

a. Did Abreu have more homers?

b. Did Rizzo have more homers?

c. Did they hit the same number of homers?

4. Second baseman: Cubs second baseman Ryne Sandberg was a Gold Glover for nine consecutive seasons (1983 to 1991). Now, more than ever, we judge Gold Glove candidates by many factors. But in those days, the number of errors weighed heavily. What was the lowest number of errors that “Ryno” committed in a season in which he played at least 150 games?

a. 4 b. 5

c. 6 d. 7

5. Third baseman: There have been 19 third basemen who have won an MVP Award. Mike Schmidt won it three times, the most ever. Two have won the award twice. Who are they?

a. Ron Santo b. Alex Rodriguez

c. Miguel Cabrera d. Brooks Robinson

Be a part of the quiz. Send me a date, or just a year, and I will try to craft a quiz question around it. I will credit you in the quiz with your first name and last initial. Type “YEAR” in the subject line of your email. This has become very popular, so it might be a week or two before you are included.

6. Shortstop: Ken K. offered the date of Sept. 18, 1972, for the quiz. That’s when the No. 1 song in America was Three Dog Night’s “Black and White.” This prompted me to ask about two great players, Hall of Famers Cal Ripken Jr. and Ernie Banks, who were known for their amazing play at shortstop. Ripken played 2,297 games at shortstop and 670 at third base. Banks played 1,068 games at shortstop and 1,241 games at first base. Ripken hit .269 as a third baseman with 86 homers, and Banks hit .260 with 210 dingers as a first sacker. Who had the higher batting average as a shortstop?

7. Left fielder: In the last seven seasons (since 2016), which Chicago player had the most RBI while playing left field?

a. Melky Cabrera b. Eloy Jimenez

c. Kyle Schwarber d. Ian Happ

8. Center fielder: Here’s a fun question (at least I really like it): Mickey Mantle played 322 games against the White Sox. Willie Mays played 358 games against the Cubs. Who hit more homers against Chicago?

a. The Mick b. Willie c. The same

9. Right fielder: Reader Bill M. suggested I write a question about 1952, so here goes: Below are the outfielders who played in the 1952 All-Star Game. Who were the two starting right fielders?

a. Stan Musial b. Hank Bauer

c. Hank Sauer d. Jackie Jensen

e. Dale Mitchell f. Enos Slaughter

g. Minnie Minoso h. Dom DiMaggio

i. Larry Doby

Don’t forget, “In Scoring Position,” published by Triumph Books, is a great holiday gift for the baseball fan in your life.

ANSWERS

1. Cristian Javier was lifted after 97 pitches. Don Larsen threw 97 pitches in his perfect game in the 1956 World Series.

2. In Game 2 of the 1947 World Series, the Brooklyn Dodgers defeated the Yankees 9-8, despite Yogi Berra’s pinch-hit home run for the Yanks.

3. In 2017, Jose Abreu hit 33 homers and Anthony Rizzo hit 32. But the Quizmaster was very specific in his instructions. In 2017, Abreu hit one homer as a DH. That means they each hit 32 homers that season as a first baseman. Rizzo also hit 32 HR at first in 2016 and 2014. Those were the most homers by a Chicago first sacker since Paul Konerko hit 34 in 2010.

4. In 1991, Ryne Sandberg had 786 chances in 157 games and made only four errors. He had a .995 fielding percentage.

5. A-Rod won in 2005 and 2007, and Miggy won in 2012 and 2013.

6. At short, Junior hit .278 with 345 homers; Mr. Cub hit .292 with 269 homers.

7. The winner, with 218 ribbies, is Kyle Schwarber. Whatever happened to that guy?

8. Mickey hit 72 homers against the Sox (30 in Comiskey), and Willie hit 92 against the Cubs (54 in Wrigley).

9. The Yankees’ Hank Bauer started for the AL (Bauer later managed the 1966 world champion Orioles). The NL starter was ”Country” Enos Slaughter of the Cardinals. Slaughter is famous for his mad dash in Game 7 of the 1946 Series that enabled the Cardinals to top the Red Sox.

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Bulls center Nikola Vucevic knows Twitter exists. Heck, he had sent out 2,080 tweets on his own account, as of Friday.

Vucevic just refuses to put value in any type of social media. For him, it isn’t the real world. It’s the angry guy who lost a bet on the Bulls or the disgruntled fan who doesn’t understand the sacrifice Vucevic makes game in and game out.

So while many NBA players get worked up about comments and even get into back-and-forths with those who make them, Vucevic rarely reads negativity. And when he does, it’s for a laugh.

”Fans get caught up in the moment a lot,” Vucevic said in a discussion with the Sun-Times. ”Honestly, since I’ve been [with the Bulls], even when things weren’t going well for me personally, I’ve mainly felt support from Bulls fans in person.

”Now social media is something else. People on social media write whatever they want. This team wouldn’t work if I tried to play the same way I did in Orlando. I can’t help it if people don’t see that. We have two big-time scorers [in DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine], so it’s about me adjusting my game to them.

”One of my best qualities is I’ve adjusted my game while still being effective in different ways. Some of the stuff I’m the best at, I’m not able to do in this offense. But it’s for the good of the team. That’s what matters.”

But when the Bulls have bad nights — and they have had more than a few this season — it’s Vucevic who often has the blame pointed in his direction.

In the Bulls’ 123-119 overtime loss Friday in Oklahoma City — a game in which DeRozan scored 30 points and LaVine 27 — Vucevic barely got a sniff of the ball in the paint during the extra session, despite having some success in the post against the Thunder’s smaller frontcourt. He did take two three-pointers that missed and finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Still, his 1-for-7 showing from three-point range undoubtedly didn’t sit well with his critics — and he seems to have many.

That was obvious last week, when the Bulls lost a stunner to Vucevic’s former Magic team, even though he put up 14 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks.

The critics flocked to point out that not only was Vucevic outscored by Wendell Carter Jr., the big piece the Bulls sent to the Magic in the deal to acquire Vucevic, but that Franz Wagner scored 20 points. The Magic drafted Wagner eighth overall in 2021, courtesy of a draft pick they also obtained from the Bulls in the deal.

”I know some people want to bring back the trade, the picks that were given [also a first-rounder in 2023], but it happened,” Vucevic said. ”If it didn’t, it’s not for sure the Bulls would have picked Wagner or hit on the pick. Who knows what would have happened?”

And that’s what many like to forget.

When the Bulls acquired Vucevic at the trade deadline in 2021, they were still a laughingstock, even with the previous front office and coaching staff purged. Acquiring a player such as Vucevic not only added talent, but it also changed perception. If the Bulls didn’t have Vucevic, they wouldn’t have been able to lure DeRozan and Lonzo Ball in sign-and-trade deals.

In the bigger picture, it showed executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas wasn’t afraid to take big swings. The Bulls might not be holding the championship trophy anytime soon, but who knows where things will go? Vucevic was the first domino.

Now the question is whether his time with the Bulls is close to done. He will be eligible for free agency after the season and was hoping to have at least a conversation with the front office during camp. That didn’t happen.

That’s not a surprise because Karnisovas operates with the idea that everyone in and around the organization works on a need-to-know basis, and there’s not much he thinks anyone needs to know.

So Vucevic will wait.

”If it was something that they wanted to at least discuss, we would have been happy to do it,” Vucevic said of an extension. ”But it sounds like they want to take their time, see how things go. I understand that. I know how business works. I only control what I can control. So whether it’s later in the season or in the summer, we’ll see.”

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CHAMPAIGN, ILL.-Win or lose, the Class 4A state championship game on Friday at Memorial Stadium was going to be the final game for Sacred Heart-Griffin coach Ken Leonard. He’s retiring after 43 years.

Leonard, the winningest coach in state history, has won more than 400 games and after the Cyclones’ 44-20 win against Providence, he will retire with six state championships.

“It’s so hard to get here,” Leonard said. “Even when you have great teams. Some of my best teams never made it. Sometimes you just get on a roll. There are so many little things you have to get past.

“It went by in a blink. When I started I never dreamed I would coach 500 games.”

Sacred Heart-Griffin (14-0), a Springfield school, led for most of the game and took control in the third quarter, scoring on an 18-yard pass from Ty Lott to Madixx Morris and a one-yard run by Bill Sanders. That turned a seven-point lead into a 35-14 advantage.

The Cyclones won the Class 6A title in 2008 and 2006 and the Class 5A championship in 2014, 2013 and 2005.

On the opposite sideline, Providence coach Tyler Plantz was wrapping up his first season as a high school head coach. The 2010 Providence graduate and former University of Notre Dame player and coach made an instant impact in New Lenox.

The Celtics were just 3-6 last season and advanced to the state championship game after upsetting Joliet Catholic, Richmond-Burton and St. Francis. The Hilltoppers beat Providence during the regular season.

“When you walk into something you have to have one goal, to compete for a state title,” Plantz said. “That has to be the conversation from day one.”

Providence (9-5) tied the game at 7 on a four-yard pass from Lucas Proudfoot to Anthony Picciolini. Then the Celtics pulled within 21-14 just before halftime on a three-yard touchdown run by Kaden Nickel. But that was as close as it would get.

It’s been a return to prominence season for the Celtics, who have won eight state titles. Providence won the Class 7A title in 2014, the Class 6A title in 2004 and 2001, the Class 5A title in 2002 and 1994 and the 4A championship in 1997, 1991 and 1987.

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CHAMPAIGN — Williamsville’s star players had tears in their eyes as they nodded in agreement with coach Aaron Kunz’s assessment of IC Catholic senior Denzell Gibson.

”Denzell was amazing,” Kunz said. ”He’s at a different level. When he started chugging and had space, he was a locomotive.”

The Bullets hung with IC Catholic for about a quarter and a half. But when Gibson moved from receiver to running back, the Knights (13-1) took control and coasted to a 48-17 victory in the Class 3A state championship game.

Gibson had 51- and 34-yard touchdown runs and finished with 10 carries for 138 yards. He acknowledged he kicked things into another gear in the title game and said it was what he saw in the huddle that motivated him.

”Seeing in their eyes and seeing they wanted it as much as I did, I didn’t want to let those guys down,” Gibson said. ”I had a job to do.”

Gibson scored 22 touchdowns this season and junior KJ Parker 19. The two were willing to play multiple positions on offense and defense, succeeding everywhere and setting an unselfish tone for the team.

”Whether it was running or blocking or catching the ball, I just wanted to make sure I could build off my brothers and do anything I could possibly do,” Gibson said.

”It’s scary seeing him lower his shoulder,” Parker said of Gibson. ”His determination to get in the end zone every time he touches the ball is amazing.”

Williamsville (12-2) led 10-0 early in the second quarter. IC Catholic’s first strike was a 65-yard touchdown pass from Dennis Mandala to Parker.

”We haven’t called that play in, like, 12 weeks, but that kind of sparked it all, and the energy just never went back the other way,” Knights coach Bill Krefft said. ”We started rolling after that.”

Mandala was 10-for-17 passing for 200 yards with four touchdowns and an interception. He also ran for 73 yards and a touchdown.

Parker had four catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns. Junior JP Schmidt contributed two receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown, grabbed two interceptions and made a game-high 16 tackles.

”I was really determined,” Parker said. ”I wanted the ball in my hands, and I knew I had the ability to make the play when the team needs me most. I want to be there for my guys.”

It’s the sixth state championship for IC Catholic. The Knights won the Class 4A title in 2018, Class 3A titles in 2017, 2016 and 2002 and the Class 2A title in 2008.

Williamsville quarterback Jake Seman threw touchdown passes to Jackson Workman and Harley Sharp. The Bullets won the Class 3A title in 2019 and lost in the title game in 2014.

”[The state playoffs] are better than the NFL playoffs, the college playoffs,” Kunz said. ”How it brings communities and kids together, there is nothing better.

”Our guys were playing just above-average football until around Week 8, and they turned it on and improved each week. It’s been a special run. These seniors have been unbelievable.”

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This hasn’t been nearly the season Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney was shooting for when he said he was on a mission to make the NFL respect him as one of the best at his position.

Coming off a breakout 1,000-yard performance last season, Mooney has just 40 catches for 493 yards and two touchdowns. He has been targeted just 61 times, which is the most on the team but ranks 44th in the NFL. With six games left, including Sunday at the Jets, he’s on pace to finish short of his 2021 numbers across the board.

In typical Mooney fashion, though, he doesn’t seem concerned with that. He likes the offense’s trajectory overall, his chemistry with quarterback Justin Fields is improving and he understands the Bears are going to lean on their NFL-best ground game.

“With what we’re trying to build, it’s not about me,” he said. “You have some guys that are that diva receiver that always say, ‘Yo, give me the ball, give me the ball,’ but that’s not me.”

So as the Bears head into the homestretch of the season, Mooney isn’t preoccupied by trying to salvage his numbers. Hitting 1,000 yards again is highly unlikely given that he’d need to average 84.5 per game the rest of the way, and there’s no telling what the offense will look like if Fields misses time with his separated non-throwing shoulder.

There was no mention of any statistics or individual aspirations when asked what he hoped to get out of the last six games. Mooney will be a candidate for a contract extension in the coming offseason because he’ll be heading into the final season of his rookie deal, but what he wants most is to win at least a couple games.

“I’m tired of losing,” he sighed, knowing that’s pretty much all the Bears have done during his three seasons with them. “It’s annoying. This year it’s the same old song every week: Get the ball at the end of the game and can’t really put it away. We’ve gotta get over that hump.”

But Mooney’s performance is intertwined with the offense’s. More production from him will help Fields and the Bears get where they want to go.

That’s true in the long run, too. General manager Ryan Poles has spoken highly of Mooney from the jump, and being able to count on him as a key part of the Bears’ future will put him one step closer to completing the rebuild. If the Bears add a top wide receiver in the draft or free agency to go along with Mooney and newcomer Chase Claypool, that position group would be strong.

In a season like this for the Bears, progress often is subtle, but every bit of it is important, so it’s worth noting that Mooney and Fields are developing a better connection. After a slow start between the two, they had a breakthrough in which they realized they both needed to loosen up a little.

“Everybody was just trying to learn the offense and be perfect for the new offensive coordinator, but you also have to go back to just playing football,” Mooney said. “Stop worrying and thinking too much. That makes you miss opportunities.”

Now, instead of a fixation on landmarks during passing routes, Fields and Mooney are playing more naturally. It’s more about Fields knowing Mooney’s speed than either player aiming for a particular spot.

After a total of four catches for 27 yards over the first three games, Mooney has averaged 4.5 catches for 58.3 yards since — modest, but close to what he produced last season.

If he can take another step forward, it’ll move him closer to what he really wants: success. The Bears are almost certainly going to be an underdog in every game the rest of this season, but any growth by Mooney the rest of the way will help make victories more attainable next season.

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Kirby Dach circled at center ice Friday as a chorus of boos echoed through the United Center.

He skated toward Arvid Soderblom, with the game on his stick as the Canadiens’ third shootout taker, through the boos. He scored on Soderblom — lifting the Canadiens to a 3-2 win over the Blackhawks — through the boos. And he cupped his hand around his ear, staring daggers into the crowd, through the boos.

It was an ending that felt written in the stars.

In just a few months with Montreal, Dach has suddenly grown into the up-and-coming star the Hawks abruptly decided last summer that he’d probably never become. And he proved Friday how much he has changed. After three years of not fully capitalizing on most of his opportunities in Chicago, Dach confidently and thoroughly capitalized on this opportunity.

“I was excited,” Dach said. “Anytime you get to come back to a place you used to play and put on a show like that, it’s pretty good.

“I don’t think that’s ever changed, the confidence I’ve had in my game or anything like that. [I have the] same work ethic and same mentality. But at the same time, it does put a chip on your shoulder. You want to go out there and put your best foot forward and prove to people that you are who you are.”

Dach didn’t officially record a point Friday but still touts 17 in 21 games — a 66-point full-season pace — with the Canadiens this season. He tallied just 59 points in 152 total games for the Hawks — a 32-pace pace.

His analytics are also impressive. His expected-goals ratio at five-on-five sits at 51.6%; with the Hawks, it was 47.3%, 38.8% and 45.6% in his three seasons, respectively.

One tangible change is he’s now playing wing rather than center — on the Canadiens’ first line, no less, alongside fellow young stars Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. He said it hasn’t required any major adjustments, but it has decreased the impact of his faceoff woes while seemingly unlocking far more offensive upside.

“He has all the tools,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “He thinks the game pretty well, he’s got size, he sees the ice, he wins battles, he’s got a strong stick and [he uses] his stick defensively. He’s putting it all together here through the first quarter of the season.”

“I’m not surprised to see the success he’s having. He has fit in quite well with not just the players he’s playing with, but [also] the brand that we’re trying to play here. He has been a great addition.”

The funny thing is almost all those attributes were evident during Dach’s Hawks tenure, too. He just never put it all together. But perhaps that due to inexperience, youth, pressure or misuse rather than inability.

“There’s no way, with that much talent at [age] 21, that you’re ready to give up on anybody,” St. Louis added postgame.

The lingering question now, and for the foreseeable future, will be as such: Would Dach have experienced such a fourth-year breakout if the Hawks had kept him?

The answer will never be conclusively determined — and the future career path of prospect forward Frank Nazar, whom the Hawks chose with the 13th overall pick they received in the trade, will affect how hotly the topic is debated. But there are believable arguments both ways.

On one hand, Dach’s self-confidence and attitude were evidently wavering last year, to the point he might’ve truly needed a change of scenery to refresh himself. On the other hand, maybe this was always coming and the Hawks were simply too impatient.

The Canadiens and Dach himself don’t — and won’t — need to dedicate a single brain to that hypothetical, though.

Initially projected to be a bottom-of-the-standings lottery contender alongside the Hawks and Coyotes, they improved to a 11-9-1 with their win Friday. Their surprising success has been fueled by breakout or revival seasons from a number of integral players: Suzuki, Flames castoff Sean Monahan, undrafted defenseman Arber Xhekaj, backup goalie Sam Montembeault and — arguably headlining the list — Dach.

“Montreal, they wanted me to be there,” Dach said. “That’s a blessing as a player, when you’re wanted. [I’m] just focused on Montreal and haven’t really thought…too much about not being wanted here [in Chicago].”

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Kirby Dach circled at center ice Friday as a chorus of boos echoed through the United Center.

He skated toward Arvid Soderblom, with the game on his stick as the Canadiens’ third shootout taker, through the boos. He scored on Soderblom — lifting the Canadiens to a 3-2 win over the Blackhawks — through the boos. And he cupped his hand around his ear, staring daggers into the crowd, through the boos.

It was an ending that felt written in the stars.

In just a few months with Montreal, Dach has suddenly grown into the up-and-coming star the Hawks abruptly decided last summer that he’d probably never become. And he proved Friday how much he has changed. After three years of not fully capitalizing on most of his opportunities in Chicago, Dach confidently and thoroughly capitalized on this opportunity.

“I was excited,” Dach said. “Anytime you get to come back to a place you used to play and put on a show like that, it’s pretty good.

“I don’t think that’s ever changed, the confidence I’ve had in my game or anything like that. [I have the] same work ethic and same mentality. But at the same time, it does put a chip on your shoulder. You want to go out there and put your best foot forward and prove to people that you are who you are.”

Dach didn’t officially record a point Friday but still touts 17 in 21 games — a 66-point full-season pace — with the Canadiens this season. He tallied just 59 points in 152 total games for the Hawks — a 32-pace pace.

His analytics are also impressive. His expected-goals ratio at five-on-five sits at 51.6%; with the Hawks, it was 47.3%, 38.8% and 45.6% in his three seasons, respectively.

One tangible change is he’s now playing wing rather than center — on the Canadiens’ first line, no less, alongside fellow young stars Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. He said it hasn’t required any major adjustments, but it has decreased the impact of his faceoff woes while seemingly unlocking far more offensive upside.

“He has all the tools,” Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis said. “He thinks the game pretty well, he’s got size, he sees the ice, he wins battles, he’s got a strong stick and [he uses] his stick defensively. He’s putting it all together here through the first quarter of the season.”

“I’m not surprised to see the success he’s having. He has fit in quite well with not just the players he’s playing with, but [also] the brand that we’re trying to play here. He has been a great addition.”

The funny thing is almost all those attributes were evident during Dach’s Hawks tenure, too. He just never put it all together. But perhaps that due to inexperience, youth, pressure or misuse rather than inability.

“There’s no way, with that much talent at [age] 21, that you’re ready to give up on anybody,” St. Louis added postgame.

The lingering question now, and for the foreseeable future, will be as such: Would Dach have experienced such a fourth-year breakout if the Hawks had kept him?

The answer will never be conclusively determined — and the future career path of prospect forward Frank Nazar, whom the Hawks chose with the 13th overall pick they received in the trade, will affect how hotly the topic is debated. But there are believable arguments both ways.

On one hand, Dach’s self-confidence and attitude were evidently wavering last year, to the point he might’ve truly needed a change of scenery to refresh himself. On the other hand, maybe this was always coming and the Hawks were simply too impatient.

The Canadiens and Dach himself don’t — and won’t — need to dedicate a single brain to that hypothetical, though.

Initially projected to be a bottom-of-the-standings lottery contender alongside the Hawks and Coyotes, they improved to a 11-9-1 with their win Friday. Their surprising success has been fueled by breakout or revival seasons from a number of integral players: Suzuki, Flames castoff Sean Monahan, undrafted defenseman Arber Xhekaj, backup goalie Sam Montembeault and — arguably headlining the list — Dach.

“Montreal, they wanted me to be there,” Dach said. “That’s a blessing as a player, when you’re wanted. [I’m] just focused on Montreal and haven’t really thought…too much about not being wanted here [in Chicago].”

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Luke Richardson’s success as a Canadiens assistant the last four years directly helped him earn this job as Blackhawks head coach.

On the other hand, he was passed over last spring for the Canadiens’ own head coaching job, with Martin St. Louis instead assuming the duties after Dominique Ducharme was fired. He was passed over in 2021, too, when Ducharme replaced Claude Julien.

So naturally, Friday’s matchup carried some extra meaning for Richardson. But he tried his best all week to downplay its significance.

“I enjoyed my time [in Montreal],” he said Monday. “It’s a great passionate city, much like [Chicago], with great sports fans. There’s a lot of history there. I was fortunate enough to be there when we got to the Stanley Cup Final, and it was an honor to do that. But it’s now in the past. It’s a good memory, but they’re just another team we want to beat.”

As much as Richardson might’ve wanted it, that wish didn’t come true. Kirby Dach’s third-round shootout winner lifted the Canadiens to a 3-2 win and dealt the Hawks their sixth straight loss (and 12th in their last 14 games).

The Hawks outshot the Canadiens 32-23, the largest margin by which they’ve outshot any opponent this season, but conceded quite a few breakaways and odd-man rushes in between. Goalie Arvid Soderblom was stellar, particularly with his quick glove hand, while limiting the damage from those breakdowns.

Taylor Raddysh scored a power-play goal to tie the game with just under four minutes remaining, and the Hawks later killed off a Canadiens’ overtime power play, but their efforts were ultimately unrewarded.

“We had a little trouble with our energy level,” Richardson said. “I liked the ‘try,’ but it just didn’t look like we had the legs there. Maybe [it was] a little bit of the games catching up to us.”

Richardson and St. Louis have remained friends despite their career divergence and surely will beyond Friday, too.

St. Louis said they brainstormed together, during the summer, how to build their new teams’ training-camp schedules. Richardson praised St. Louis’ willingness to give his players freedom to be “active and creative.”

Lafferty sidelined

Sam Lafferty didn’t play Friday due to an upper-body injury he suffered Wednesday against the Stars. He could miss a “couple games,” Richardson said, but the Hawks don’t believe it’ll be a long-term issue.

The break could actually be helpful for Lafferty, who has been somewhat invisible in recent weeks. He was mired in a 10-game pointless streak during which he’d dropped into the fourth-line center role and tallied only nine total shots on goal.

Other than two excellent performances in the Hawks’ third and fourth games of the season (against the Sharks and Red Wings), Lafferty has been generally much quieter this year after thoroughly impressing the Hawks during the second half of last year. That spring surge, when he seemed to generate at least one semi-breakaway per game, earned him a two-year contract extension that kicked in this season.

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