The Chicago Blackhawks come out of the Christmas break as the worst team in the NHL based on their record, standings points, and points percentage. It is largely by design as they have their sights set on a rebuild that lives and dies with the 2023 NHL Draft.

They are seeing some of their already drafted studs play well in the World Junior Championships right now but the NHL team still has games to play in the post-Christmas portion of the season.

It all starts on Tuesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. This will be another example of the worst team in the NHL playing against one of the best teams in the NHL as Carolina has its sights set on the Stanley Cup later in the spring. They certainly have the roster to do it.

Chicago is going into every game just hoping to play well enough to have a chance. That is good for the coaching staff to instill in the team so that when they get better players, the baseline will already be there for them.

In fact, they are coming off a win as they won the final game before Christmas over the Columbus Blue Jackets (also a bad team) by a final score of 5-2. It was one of the better games that Chicago has played this season.

The Chicago Blackhawks don’t have an easy path ahead of them this year.

Obviously, in the grand scheme of things every loss is technically good as the Hawks really want to win the draft lottery. Connor Bedard is a generational talent that can change the fortunes of a franchise with his play. Having the worst record in the league will increase the chances of getting him.

This Hurricanes team is going to present the Blackhawks with lots of speed and skill. They have forwards like Martin Necas, Andrei Svechnikov, and Sebastian Aho who are incredible with the puck and can make plays with the best of them.

There are also some other forwards that can burn you on certain days if you don’t play well like Jordan Staal, Seth Jarvis, and Teuvo Teravainen. Some of these guys are good veterans and some of them are youngsters who are just getting better with each day.

Brent Burns leads the group offensively on the back end as he is starting to settle in with the Hurricanes after years with the San Jose Sharks. Brady Skjei, Jaccob Slavin, and Brett Pesce are outstanding on the back end as well.

This is an incredibly difficult game for the Blackhawks to have after the break but these are the cards they are dealt. Expect a painful second half of the season but it will all be worth it in the end if GM Kyle Davidson sticks to his plan.

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There may not be a worse season, in the history of the Chicago Bears, where at the same time, the fan base also holds extreme hope for the future.

At 3-12, the Bears are losers of eight games in a row and, by some accounts, you’d consider them to be “reeling.” Sure, you’d be right to make that assumption. They are reeling. Eight losses in a row is absolutely brutal.

Yet, there is still so much optimism in Chicago around this Bears team, because most fans are understanding the process by now.

Six months ago, that wasn’t the case. Some fans were upset that Ryan Poles “did nothing” this offseason to help quarterback Justin Fields, and also failed to address key spots in the defense.

But, now that we’re just a couple of months away from the beginning of the NFL offseason, that mindset has shifted — and things could get way more interesting for the Bears in the coming days.

With two games remaining, the Chicago Bears now have a real chance at landing the number one overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Go ahead and re-read the above statement. I’ll give you a second. Go on, let it sink in.

The Chicago Bears, who have franchise quarterback and NFL-record breaker Justin Fields at quarterback, could end up with the first overall pick in next year’s draft.

That pick will undoubtedly be used on Alabama’s Bryce Young, although there will be plenty of smoke leading up to the draft making some believe it could be another name.

The Texans currently sit in that number one spot, but are coming off a win over the Tennessee Titans which puts them at 2-12-1. Should they win one of their remaining games and end the year with a record of 3-13-1, and the Bears lose their remaining two games, then Chicago would rise to that position.

Houston’s Final Two Games

Week 17: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

Week 18: @ Indianapolis Colts

The Jaguars have been playing great football lately and are eyeing a playoff birth, shockingly enough. Jacksonville should end up winning this one, but it’s the Week 18 matchup that should worry Texans fans.

The Colts were just embarrassed on Monday Night Football after starting yet another quarterback this year in Nick Foles, and things don’t look to be trending anywhere positively over their final two weeks.

Houston, meanwhile, has been playing fairly competitive football for a few weeks now. Two weeks ago, they took the Chiefs to overtime. The week prior, they lost to Dallas by four after holding a lead over the Cowboys in that one.

The Bears, though, play two divisional games against Detroit and Minnesota — two teams that are clearly better than Chicago at the moment.

The one game that might put a damper on the Bears’ chances of that top pick, though, is Week 18 against Minnesota. If the Vikings are locked into that number 2 seed, they could choose to rest some players and, if that happens, Chicago very well could come away with a win.

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Something is afoot at Apparatus Projects, namely the beguiling “The door you open is determined by how you twist the knob. The room you enter is determined by how you open the door,” including artworks by Yani aviles, Mira Dayal, and Micah Schippa steeped in the delirious so-muchness of things and not-enoughness of words. 

Enter (no knob-twisting required) to Schippa’s standout, a hammered copper bell nesting in a gash in the gallery wall, romantically contracted to remain in place as long as the building stands. Linger for aviles’s looping sound piece, bells bathed in atmospheric noise, emanating from a closed door (this knob doesn’t twist either, I tried). An army of clues accompanies this vaguely spiritual chorus—a box of leaves “shipped west” (aviles), facsimiles of artwork glimpsed in apartment listings (Dayal), clock guts dissolved in fake tears (Schippa). The result: a show about the lives and languages of things—everything from talisman to coincidence, all phenomena speaking in a perhaps divine register. “Signs have always been the language of the Gods,” reads an apt Hölderlin quote in the exhibition text.

Installation view, “The door you open . . .” Apparatus Projects, 2022Credit: Julian Van Der Moere

I’m reminded of Nabokov’s 1948 story “Symbols and Signs,” whose protagonist is afflicted with “referential mania,” delusions that the external world reflects his inner life, causing the devotion of “every minute and module of life to the decoding of the undulation of things.” Nabokov’s objects control, the exhibition’s objects supplicate. The room, after all, is determined by how you open the door. 

 “The door you open . . .”Through 1/15/23: Sat-Sun noon-4 PM, Apparatus Projects, 1524 S. Western, Ste. 406, apparatusprojects.com

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Something is afoot at Apparatus Projects, namely the beguiling “The door you open is determined by how you twist the knob. The room you enter is determined by how you open the door,” including artworks by Yani aviles, Mira Dayal, and Micah Schippa steeped in the delirious so-muchness of things and not-enoughness of words. 

Enter (no knob-twisting required) to Schippa’s standout, a hammered copper bell nesting in a gash in the gallery wall, romantically contracted to remain in place as long as the building stands. Linger for aviles’s looping sound piece, bells bathed in atmospheric noise, emanating from a closed door (this knob doesn’t twist either, I tried). An army of clues accompanies this vaguely spiritual chorus—a box of leaves “shipped west” (aviles), facsimiles of artwork glimpsed in apartment listings (Dayal), clock guts dissolved in fake tears (Schippa). The result: a show about the lives and languages of things—everything from talisman to coincidence, all phenomena speaking in a perhaps divine register. “Signs have always been the language of the Gods,” reads an apt Hölderlin quote in the exhibition text.

Installation view, “The door you open . . .” Apparatus Projects, 2022Credit: Julian Van Der Moere

I’m reminded of Nabokov’s 1948 story “Symbols and Signs,” whose protagonist is afflicted with “referential mania,” delusions that the external world reflects his inner life, causing the devotion of “every minute and module of life to the decoding of the undulation of things.” Nabokov’s objects control, the exhibition’s objects supplicate. The room, after all, is determined by how you open the door. 

 “The door you open . . .”Through 1/15/23: Sat-Sun noon-4 PM, Apparatus Projects, 1524 S. Western, Ste. 406, apparatusprojects.com

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The Chicago Blackhawks are in an interesting spot. They have some very good prospects at the World Junior Championships. One of them is Kevin Korchinski who they took in the first round of the 2022 NHL Draft. Honestly, that was one of the best draft selections made by anyone.

There is a chance that three years down the line, we look back at Korchinski going seventh overall (the pick the Chicago Blackhawks received in the Alex DeBrincat trade) and say that he fell way too far. His development has been amazing so far.

During the game that ended up being a major disappointment for Canada, the Korchinski helped make one of the big highlight plays of the night. They ended up losing 5-2 but he can leave this game knowing that he played well enough to at least set up one of these amazing goals.

Korchinski forced Team Czech to turn the puck over at the defensive blue line. Shane Wright then chipped the puck to Connor Bedard who used his speed and skating ability to get in all alone. He did not miss on his snipe of a shot.

The Chicago Blackhawks saw Kevin Korchinski make a great play for Canada.

At the time, the goal made the game 3-2 so Canada got back in it. It is just unfortunate that the rest of the game didn’t go their way.

It is the type of sequence that the Chicago Blackhawks are hoping to see at the United Center in the not-so-distant future.

We already expect Kevin Korchinski to be there doing these things one day but it would be nice to have Connor Bedard as the guy who picks up the puck in the neutral zone just to go score on a beautiful play.

It isn’t hard to have chemistry with him but Korchinski is clearly capable of playing on the blue line behind some highly skilled forwards.

The Blackhawks sit at the bottom of the NHL right now with a record of 8-20-4. They only have 20 standings points which trail the Anaheim Ducks by two. They have the worst points percentage in the league as well. To say they are bad would be an understatement.

However, winning the 2023 Draft Lottery would really help them turn things around. With guys like Korchinski and others already on the way, adding a stud like Connor Bedard would go a long way. The only way to do that is to win the lottery.

Even if they win the second overall pick, Adam Fantilli would be amazing for them. He also played in this game but wasn’t as strong. He isn’t as good as Bedard but development and a good situation could turn him into a star as well.

Again, Canada lost but expect a big-time bounce-back effort on Wednesday against Germany. For now, we can just enjoy the highlight of a Kevin Korchinski-forced turnover turning into a goal for Connor Bedard. We can dream big.

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In Week 16, the Chicago Bears sustained insult to injury in their 35-13 loss to the AFC-leading Buffalo Bills.

On top of a blowout loss, quarterback Justin Fields came away banged up — again.

It’s been a season full of nicks and bruises for Fields, who is hit often due to the offensive line in front of him and, of course, his playing style which sees him use those legs regularly.

After the loss to Buffalo, Fields came away with pain in his shoulder as well as a foot injury. The shoulder is something he’s dealt with for a few weeks now, though, so it’s nothing new. But, his foot was stepped on in the game against Buffalo and that was a newly sustained bump.

Still, despite being a bit bruised, Fields is going to suit up for the final two games of the season, according to head coach Matt Eberflus — and that’s a good thing.

Justin Fields and the Chicago Bears may not have much to play for, but showing up and showing out is still important.

Sure, the Bears are in line for the number two overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft at the moment. There is even a chance they could end up with the number one overall pick — what a wild scenario that would be.

But, Fields is going to play these remaining two games.

“He’s good to go,” Eberflus said, per ESPN. “He’s healthy, he’s ready to go for this week.”

Eberflus went on to say that the reason behind Fields playing, despite a couple of minor injuries, is simple:

“Because we’ve got to get better. We want to improve. We want to see where we are. These last two games matter. They’re division opponents to us, very important to our football team to see the competition, to see guys compete against our division. I think it’s important for each man, it’s important for each unit and it’s important for our whole football team.”

…spoken like a competitive man, of course.

Eberflus understands that it’s about the future, at this point. In order to see where the Bears are truly at, heading into an important offseason, these last two games are very important. Now, obviously it would be beneficial for Chicago to lose these games — as weird as that sounds to say.

But, the Bears need to see a few more things out of Fields and other guys, too.

Not to mention, trying to sit Fields would be darn near impossible. That guy is as competitive as they come. You won’t have much luck attempting to “rest” him for the final two games in order not to risk further injury.

Fields wants to play, and knowing the mind of most professional athletes, he also wants to win. That matters. That means something. Despite fans looking at a future with the possibility of a number one overall pick, Fields likely doesn’t care one bit. He wants to win football games. He wants to go out there and compete — and you’ve got to love that.

The Bears have the right coach and the right quarterback in place. That’s what these few quotes tell me. So, let’s sit back and enjoy these final two games with a bright future in mind.

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Louisville melodic black-metal quintet Volcandra announced their arrival in style in the winter of 2020 with a striking debut, Into the Azure. Brimming with versatility and creative energy, the record blended some of the best elements of Scandinavian and American black metal with a progressive lightness of being that gave a certain radiance to their tales of epic fantasy battles. Their timing wasn’t the best, of course, but they kept their hand in the game, and later that year they gave us a holiday present in the form of a December single—a brooding cover of Opeth’s “Demon of the Fall.”

In May, Volcandra announced that they’d signed to Prosthetic Records, and in June they released a four-song EP, Border World. A lockdown baby, the EP celebrates an art form that saved many people’s sanity in those long, isolated days: video games. Opener “Tallon IV” is an homage to Metroid, and the EP’s title is inspired by Half-Life, as is its cornerstone track and first single, “Resonance Cascade.” In an interview with Echoes and Dust, front man Dave Palenske says that Volcandra want to provide an escape for fans—and here they show that the key to escapism is less about understanding what your audience is escaping from and more about what they want to escape to.

“Resonance Cascade” is a gripping quest that plunges you into the protagonist’s point of view. It features a guest solo by guitarist Mike Low of Nashville metal outfit Inferi, and its winsome guitar heroics and martial surges cascade into thrash and speed metal. “Colossi” is more harsh and raw, with respites when a fighter can catch their breath few and far between—the breakdown around the three-minute mark would be sweet if it didn’t offer false relief. “Guardian” closes out the EP on a heroic note with a beautiful guitar solo and a hopeful, aspirational vibe.

You don’t have to be a gamer (I’m not) to relate to Volcandra’s strong sense of narrative, but those who are might find this music even harder to resist—especially given the obvious joy the band took in making the video for “Resonance Cascade,” which also includes Mike Low. Volcandra did a short, scattershot U.S. tour this fall, but this will be their first Chicago show.

Volcandra Amiensus, Toxic Ruin, Pulchra Morte, and Flesher open. Fri 1/6, 8 PM, Reggies Music Joint, 2105 S. State, $15, 21+

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Louisville melodic black-metal quintet Volcandra announced their arrival in style in the winter of 2020 with a striking debut, Into the Azure. Brimming with versatility and creative energy, the record blended some of the best elements of Scandinavian and American black metal with a progressive lightness of being that gave a certain radiance to their tales of epic fantasy battles. Their timing wasn’t the best, of course, but they kept their hand in the game, and later that year they gave us a holiday present in the form of a December single—a brooding cover of Opeth’s “Demon of the Fall.”

In May, Volcandra announced that they’d signed to Prosthetic Records, and in June they released a four-song EP, Border World. A lockdown baby, the EP celebrates an art form that saved many people’s sanity in those long, isolated days: video games. Opener “Tallon IV” is an homage to Metroid, and the EP’s title is inspired by Half-Life, as is its cornerstone track and first single, “Resonance Cascade.” In an interview with Echoes and Dust, front man Dave Palenske says that Volcandra want to provide an escape for fans—and here they show that the key to escapism is less about understanding what your audience is escaping from and more about what they want to escape to.

“Resonance Cascade” is a gripping quest that plunges you into the protagonist’s point of view. It features a guest solo by guitarist Mike Low of Nashville metal outfit Inferi, and its winsome guitar heroics and martial surges cascade into thrash and speed metal. “Colossi” is more harsh and raw, with respites when a fighter can catch their breath few and far between—the breakdown around the three-minute mark would be sweet if it didn’t offer false relief. “Guardian” closes out the EP on a heroic note with a beautiful guitar solo and a hopeful, aspirational vibe.

You don’t have to be a gamer (I’m not) to relate to Volcandra’s strong sense of narrative, but those who are might find this music even harder to resist—especially given the obvious joy the band took in making the video for “Resonance Cascade,” which also includes Mike Low. Volcandra did a short, scattershot U.S. tour this fall, but this will be their first Chicago show.

Volcandra Amiensus, Toxic Ruin, Pulchra Morte, and Flesher open. Fri 1/6, 8 PM, Reggies Music Joint, 2105 S. State, $15, 21+

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