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January Blackhawks Update
- Updated: January 4, 2017
State of the Blackhawks Heading into the New Year
The NHL has recently ended its extended holiday break before the end of the year, so it is the perfect time to analyze the performance of the Chicago Blackhawks so far this season. Due to the rising cost of star players Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, the Blackhawks were forced to cut salary and trade Andrew Shaw, Teuvo Teravainen and Bryan Bickell for future draft picks. These controversial trades had some fans believing Chicago would take a major step backwards this season, but those doubters have been proven wrong through the first 37 games of the 2016-17 NHL season.
The Chicago Blackhawks are currently sitting at the top of the Western Conference standings with 49 points in the first 37 games this season. The surprising Columbus Blue Jackets and reigning Stanley Cup Champions Pittsburgh Penguins are the only two teams with more points than the Blackhawks at the moment. While the Blackhawks are not getting the type of production they expect from Kane and Toews, the team is still finding a way to win a lot of games because of their great depth. Since there are so many solid players on the team, Chicago has not gone on an extended losing streak so far this season. Getting points on a consistent basis is the only way to succeed in the NHL, and that is exactly why the Chicago Blackhawks are sitting at the top of conference standings and came into the season as the favorite to win the 2017 Stanley Cup.
The depth of the Chicago Blackhawks is really noticeable when you look at the goaltender position. The goalie is the most important player on the ice during a hockey game, and the Blackhawks have two great players at the position that can deliver in key moments. While most teams have to rely on one goalie almost every game, the Blackhawks have the luxury of splitting playing time between Corey Crawford and Scott Darling. Crawford and Darling have both won at least 10 games this season, and they are both currently ranked in the top 15 in save percentage. The Buffalo Sabres are the only other team with two of top 15 goalies in the NHL.
It remains to be seen if the Chicago Blackhawks can continue the great play into 2017, but it certainly looks like the team is planning on having a special season. For a team that entered the year with diminished expectations, the Blackhawks and their fans have to be intrigued by the team’s performance. While they have more than 40 games left to play, it may be time to start focusing on the playoffs.
The Blackhawks have had a near ideal start to the season, but it will all be for nothing unless they continue the great play into 2017. The Chicago hockey fans are not going to be happy if this team gets knocked out of the playoffs in the first round again this season. The Blackhawks will get some tough competition from the Minnesota Wild, San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues, but nothing we have seen this season suggests that they will not go on a deep run in the playoffs.
