As October comes to an end, I think it is safe to say this was a shocking month for Blackhawks hockey. To be honest with you all, I think I am more confused about this team and their identity now than I was when I was mentally preparing for absolutely terrible hockey. October will go down as a pleasant surprise, but the real question now is, will it hold up?
October by the Numbers
10 Standing Points
This team finished the month 4-3-2, which will put them in solo possession of the 3rd divisional playoff spot. They have gotten at least one point in 6 of their last 7 games and they were mere seconds away from making it 7 straight games with a point. Just to compare to last season, they went 0-7-2 in the same span.
31 Goals For
After the DeBrincat and Dach trades and letting forwards Kubalik and Strome walk there was a lot of “who’s going to score for this team?” Well, so far the answer to that question is everyone, through the first 9 games of the season, the Hawks have gotten goals from 13 different players, and of the 21 players who have dressed so far this season, 20 of them have registered at least one point. This team is also averaging 26.1 shots per game played with 34.3 shot attempts per game played. For what seemed to be a glaring weakness going into the season it seems to be the strong point to this team
27.6% Power play 74.4% Penalty Kill
It’s amazing what a new coach with new systems can do for a team. This team has been bad on special teams for so long that it goes even back to the Coach Q days. The power play unit currently sits 6th in the league, which is an amazing improvement on years prior. Now while the PK Unit sits at 26th in the league, their aggressive style has been a nice change of pace as they have 4 short handed goals to their credit and every time they are on the kill it seems like they get at least a few opportunities to add to that total.
Three Stars of The Month
1st Star Jonathan Toews (5-2-7)
There have been a lot of questions surrounding our captain whether or not he still has what it takes to play. In 9 games so far I think he is giving us the answer we have hoped to see, a big yes. Not only is he putting pucks in the net, he’s also winning key face-offs, and finishes the month with a 64.9% win rate.
2nd Star Max Domi (4-3-7)
Domi was one of those low-risk, high reward signings this off season and so far it is paying off. He is finding his offensive game once again tied for the team lead in points, he his killing it in the face-off dot with a 67.15% win rate, and he’s giving this team much needed grit. While its a short sample so far, if he somehow finds himself on this team long term I wouldn’t be too upset.
3rd Star Alex Stalock (3-2 2.95 GAA .914 SV%)
When it was revealed that this team was going to go with a Mrazek/Stalock goalie tandem, the tank plan was crystal clear. Due to medical reasons, Stalock hasn’t had more than 1 start at the NHL reason in two years, so the bar was set very low. Well, 6 games and 5 starts later, he has been a big part of the reason this team is where it currently sits. He has been asked to set up with Mrazek out and so far he is up to the challenge.
As we flip the calendar over to November, it will be interesting to see what this team does. There is zero chance that they will keep up the same pace as they have shown through 9 games, right? The way this season is going across the entire league, I guess anything really is possible. The first key date of the season is Thanksgiving. 77% of teams sitting in a playoff position on Thanksgiving Night end up making the playoffs. Always a fun stat to keep an eye on.
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