The NHL playoffs without the Blackhawks is like the year without a Santa Clause. This is the second Christmas, referring to the NHL playoffs, that Santa has not shown up to. The Blackhawks still have a core from those three Stanley Cup teams still playing today. They have some young talent peaking. The core takes up the majority of the salary cap each season. Plus most of the core still around most likely have no trade clauses. This past season we’ve seen Joel Quenneville get the ax. He resurfaced at the end of regular season landing with the Panthers. It was very streaky team that went on runs and racked up victories. These were the same Blackhawks who looked like they had been hit and spun out of control most of season and crashed and burned. The offense is one of the best in the league.The defense is just a former shell of themselves like the guy in Slap Shot that warned the others if he gets hit in the boards he’ll piss himself.
When the Blackhawks were racking up Stanley Cups, they became the hardest ticket in town to get. I was never able to see the main core play live and skate on the ice. It was not like I had no money and had to purchase tube socks off the guys that sell them on the turn pike. Blackhawks tickets were mission impossible to get in their hey day. Not to see future hall of famers like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews in your own home town, just shameful. Thursday, April 4th, I was finally able to get into the United Center and see them play. This was not my first Blackhawks game as I’ve been there in dark times when the crickets owned the ice. It seemed the only time to get to see the Blackhawks was during those bad days of hockey on the ice. Ownership was very bad. Home games were never played on TV. Things finally changed and the owner’s son turned it all around and changed the franchise forever.
I would have loved to have seen the Blackhawks this April gearing up for the playoffs instead of playing spoiler. In which they did as they beat St. Louis in overtime and they were trying to get a better seed. I did get to hear the fans get crazy during the National Anthem. Just brings goosebumps up and down the spine. Then to see all the banners hung up in the United Center. Seeing them from a Bulls game or a concert is not the same as at a hockey game. The energy of the team and fans when the lights go off and they flash the lights as they announce the line up.
Sat in the club level seats because a friend got free tickets from someone he knew. The craft beers were going down nice. The pulled pork sandwhich was incredible as my stomach felt full but my wallet was not. Great seats to see Jonathan Toews score his career high 35th goal of the year. Patrick Kane had an assist. Then seeing later on Patrick Kane score, I hit the double bonus. He also set a new career high for himself with 107 points. Then you see Alex DeBrincat skate another big weapon for the Blackhawks who has over 40 goals. Then you still have Brandon Sadd who had 23 goals for you this regular season. You know he will get better and is young to regain his old form when he was delivering key goals in those playoffs. Then Artem Anisimov who dealt with some injuries but put up 15 goals for the team. The Blackhawks are a top ten scoring team in the NHL in regular season. Call me crazy and you could say getting the band back together, the one guy I would want back is Atemi Panarin. He plays for Columbus right now and will be a free agent. If I was the Blackhawks I would bring him back with his 28 goals in regular season the Blackhawks would be an offensive juggernaut.
That is easier said than done. What about the defense? The Blackhawks have to shed some core members who have lost many steps and are being paid a lot of money. Love Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks had the lead during the game I was at. They gave up late goals to the Blues because the defense was not their old form. When Duncan Keith was spitting out teeth like a baseball player spitting out sunflower seeds, that was when he was one of the best defenders in the league. Seabrook had the half ice lazer shot that was always good for a dozen goals a year. Both of these guys need to be put down. Not sure anybody would trade you for them. The money is not equal with the production. If they want to get back to the playoffs I would not take these guys in the back of the shed and shoot them. But the team needs cap space. The weakest link is defense.
Then another concern is what is going on at the goalie position. Corey Crawford has been one of the best goalies the Blackhawks ever had. They have a history with many great back stops in net. The concussions keep piling up for Corey. The results are him MIA in many games without him. He is another big salary guy that you’d love to see him regain his mojo and hope we are back in the playoffs. I think we have given him many opportunities to get better and waited for him to get healthy. He has come back and played well but then goes back on the shelf and misses more games than plays. I hate to say we need another goalie… it’s time.
The game ended up being a Blackhawk win but it was decided in a shoot out. My first ever shoot out I have ever seen live. Which was pretty cool. Definitely more exciting live than watching it on TV. Hate to see them get rid of more core pieces that helped the city of Chicago and I have great times watching them win these Stanley Cups. We seen Joel Quenneville go. Some others will have to if this team wants to get back in the playoffs. I think Kane and Toews with all that younger talent can create a second wave of great hockey and get back to the promised land. You need to clear house on defense and goalie and rid yourself of the old legends. If you don’t, your season will end up looking like this.
It’s hard to save everyone when the team crashes. Kane and Toews can’t save the day on the ice each night. If you keep these guys dragging your team down, the one bright side is I will get to see the Blackhawks play more often. Perhaps get myself some tube socks on the way to the game to free me up more beer money.
THE FOUR HORSEMEN
The Wild shamrock 