Todd Cordell
The Blackhawks have slumped down the stretch in the past but found a way to right the ship for the playoffs, and that could happen again, but I think there is more cause for concern here than in year's past.
This season the Blackhawks haven't been their dominant selves, and this isn't new over the last 10 games or so. On the year the Blackhawks have a negative 5 v 5 goal differential and they've been a sub 50% possession team since January 1st.
The reason they've won so many games has been because of a strong power play and excellent goaltending from Corey Crawford. While goaltending is the great equalizer, being a mediocre 5 v 5 team isn't recipe for success on a long playoff run.
The Blackhawks absolutely have the personnel on their roster to fix this issue but, at this point, they haven't found a way to do so.
Maybe they'll flip the switch come playoff time like we've seen them do so many times, but in those years they were a better 5 v 5 team than they've been this season.
We'll find out soon if that matters.
Jason Lewis There is too much talent on that team to not sort it out sooner or later. It may have just simply been a case of adding too many unfamiliar pieces into an already established team. It upset the balance. I do not doubt they will correct it at some point, especially before the playoffs.
James Tanner I think the Blackhawks are the NHL's most overrated team.
They won last year and that gets them a lot of respect, because it was their 3rd win. But their team is not as good this year as it was last year and nowhere close to when they won the first two.
Kane is on pace to be the least deserving Hart winner in history and I think the Hawks will go out in the first round. So should you be worried? Yeah I guess if you want them to keep winning.
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