Not to beat a dead horse, but the Chicago Blackhawks are a team that find themselves in a precarious situation in the early days of the campaign. General manager Kyle Davidson held a press conference on Wednesday, having to justify his decision to retain the same coaching staff moving forward. Davidson maintains confidence that this young group can turn this season around, despite the results to this point suggesting otherwise. Chicago needs to start winning soon or this will go down as another lost season for the rebuilding squad.
Patrick Kane Returning to Blackhawks Lineup
The Blackhawks enter tonight’s game versus the Buffalo Sabres on a six game losing streak. The team desperately needs a win, having lost nine of their last 10 matchups heading into today’s game. They will receive a needed boast with forward Patrick Kane set to return to the lineup.
Kane was asked about his feelings towards where the organization is at by Kalen Lumpkins of the Chicago Tribune. In particular, he was questioned whether he maintains belief in a coaching staff that has received plenty of scrutiny from a frustrated fanbase. Kane had this to say on head coach Jeff Blashill and the team’s struggles. “He’s (Blashill) a guy that can get the most out of his players. Right now it’s not working, so I think it’s easy just to look at the coach and blame (the) coach or whatever throughout the organization, but that’s not the way we’re looking at it. I always say some of the best parts of hockey is when, at least personally, when you’re struggling… and then all of a sudden, you start catching some momentum and start flowing after that. Sometimes, you have to go through some hard times to get through it and get on the other side, and hopefully we can find a way to win tonight.”
Kane Embracing the Struggles
The big picture takeaway from Kane’s comments is that he is embracing the dire situation that the Blackhawks find themselves in. Unlike many of the young players on this team, Kane has the experience to back up having such a mindset. He has been in these situations before, so it is easier for him to face this challenge with an open mind.
The team will need Kane to provide a spark as he draws back into the mix. He missed the last three games with an upper-body injury. The team had a hard time on their recent road trip without him, having been outscored 18-6 in those three games. The Blackhawks have had a long list of problems, a lack of offense has been one of the biggest issues. Outside of Connor Bedard, this is a group that has not been able to produce in the o-zone. They have scored the fewest goals in the league and also currently ice the worst power play unit. This is an area where Kane’s impact will need to be felt if the team has any chance of breaking out of this hole.
Patrick Kane Shares his Mindset Amid Blackhawks Struggles