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The Blackhawks are returning from their two-game Central Division road swing with 0 points and likely more questions about a lineup that either can't score, or when it can, can't stop the opponent from scoring.
The net effect are lost hockey games and crucual points in what is going to be the toughest division race in hockey.
Last night, the Hawks opened it up versus the Wild, engaging in fast. end to end hockey—and they were caught flat-footed more than once, playing catch up much of the night.
Are the End Times nigh? Nahhhh. At 6-5, with all the curve balls that have come the Hawks way since thier parade over the summer, they could be a lot worse off.
There are some pearls amid the swine: the play of Artemi Panarin, who is a better NHL hockey player today than either of the one he ostensibly replaced (Patrick Sharp or the freshly minted Brandon Saad), Trevor van Riemsdyk (though he was -2 in last night's 5-4 loss to Minnesota) showing he can be a competent minute chewer for Joel Quenneville's blueline, some promising early returns from rookie Swedish defensemen Viktor Svedberg and now Erik Gustafsson, who had a gorgeous assist last night on an Artem Anisimov goal.
But with all these new players, there's a learning curve. And the forward lines still feel unsettled. With or without Duncan Keith, you feel like there's enough firepower on this team to achieve some balanced scoring, yet it it really hasn't happened, until last night anyway. And then the Hawks had the defensive breakdowns that everyone was waiting for since Keith has been out.
No one said hockey was easy.
All Hawk fans can hope for is that the coaching staff finds the right combinations and right buttons to push before the Hawks next hit the ice against the Kings at the UC on Monday.
It won't get any easier versus a Kings team that looks reloaded and back in the hunt this year.
I'll have more between now and then.
BOO!
(Happy Halloween Everybody!)
JJ