NEWSLETTER
Getting up on gameday between the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings has always been exciting.
For me, as a fan, the hey-day of the rivalry was between 2008-2013, culminating in the 2013 Western Conference Semi-final matchup in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Blackhawks looked unbeatable in a seven-game series after ripping through the Minnesota Wild and coming off a historically great, albeit abbreviated, 2013 regular season.
Then they fell 3-1 in the series to Detroit and had to claw their way back into it. I missed Game Five because of my Sister-in-law’s wedding and it has never been harder NOT to check my phone every two minutes for game updates. Michael Frolík’s shootout goal in Game Six will always be an underrated moment in that 2013 Stanley Cup run. Then, of course … Game Seven, at the United Center, in overtime (which it should not have come to that, but whatever), we get Brent Seabrook heroics:
I’ve never heard the United Center roar louder. Chills. Every. Time.
• This time around, it feels different. Both teams expected to be at the bottom of the league, fighting for the best odds in the 2021 NHL Draft Lottery. Detroit is off to decent start compared to where Chicago currently sits. Two wins in four games for the Red Wings, Blackhawks still searching for their first win of the season. But at least we are back in the United Center.
Morning skate at the United Center. It’s been awhile! pic.twitter.com/tDhvQp3B2G
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) January 22, 2021
• It’s been 317 days since the Blackhawks played at home. It will be good to see them back, even if no one is there to watch.
• It’s also going to be the first time we hear what the in-game operations team has come up with for game presentations with no fans in the stands. So far, in games against the Lightning and Panthers, it’s been a bit awkward – at least, for Patrick Kane:
Patrick Kane on fake crowd noise: "I heard it a lot in Florida, especially. A lot of us were asking if we could turn that noise off and just play, especially when there’s some fans in the building in the first place."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) January 21, 2021
• Kane has been up to his usual highlight-creating ways so far this season. The wonder is how long he can maintain his interest in competing with this Blackhawks team if the results don’t improve. Guys like him and Duncan Keith are fierce competitors and have been to the top of the NHL mountain three times, they want to get back there. I don’t see them doing it with Chicago. Kane thinks otherwise:
Patrick Kane said the goal within the room is still to make the playoffs, not just to develop guys. And he thinks that's a realistic goal.
"It’s early in the season, we wanted to get off to a good start and that didn’t really happen. But we can still turn it around here."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) January 21, 2021
• The playoff picture for the Blackhawks is FAR away. To quote Jim Mora: “Playoffs? Don’t talk about – playoffs? You kidding me? Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game!”
Patrick Kane: "I like the way we’re trending, I think we’re playing better. The attitude around the rink has been pretty good, we’re pretty excited about it."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) January 21, 2021
• Jeremy Colliton has mentioned it before over the last few days, but getting one in the win column would do wonders mentally for the Blackhawks. Getting rewarded for improvements in their play from Game one to Game four so far. Just hope they will not have to score at least six goals to do so.
Kevin Lankinen is working in the starter’s net this morning.#Blackhawks home opener tonight vs. Detroit on @NBCSChicago. pic.twitter.com/7GFttVVm6k
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 22, 2021
• Kevin Lankinen looks to get the first start at home for the Blackhawks this season. Who had that on their bingo card? It appears Malcolm Subban will back up Lankinen with Collin Delia scratched. The goaltending competition is still very open, but Lankinen seems to have earned an early push.
• IF the Blackhawks are going to need to score four, five, or six-plus goals to have a chance to win games, at least their powerplay seems to be an asset this season. Through four games, Chicago is 5-for-12 on the man-advantage, good for second-best in the league behind the Colorado Avalanche. Who had THAT on their bingo card after four games?
Adam Boqvist scores on power play. Notice where he is. New setup. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/wiET4mdFb8
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 21, 2021
• The Blackhawks worked a new-look powerplay formation on Thursday, albeit in a 5-on-3 setting.
Dominik Kubalik quickly scores power-play goal on a one-timer. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/Tg2xa760Qx
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 21, 2021
• It’s not a surprise to see Dominik Kubalík finally working with the top powerplay unit after his start to the season. He needs to stay there if the Blackhawks want to continue taking advantage of their hot-start on the man-advantage this season.
• Carl Söderberg finally was able to join the Blackhawks yesterday after missing all of training camp and the first four games due to travel issues and having to fulfill the seven-day quarantine. It will be interesting to see when and where he fits into the Blackhawks lineup, not that he is available.
"I've been skating for awhile now with the guys that stayed home, but it was definitely nice to be a part of the team."
After immigration delays and an NHL-mandated quarantine, forward Carl Soderberg finally joined the team for practice today. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/zQzqlKglKV
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 21, 2021
• One Blackhawks still unavailable to Chicago is defenseman Brent Seabrook. It seems he’s still a bit away from being ready to challenge for a lineup spot.
Jeremy Colliton said Brent Seabrook has been "skating off and on, but he's not near a return." #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 21, 2021
• Brandon Pirri cleared waivers on Friday afternoon, he’ll be sent to the Taxi Squad.
Brandon Pirri has cleared waivers. #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 22, 2021
• Speaking of the IceHogs, the AHL season begins on February 5 and the league released their schedule on Friday afternoon. Behold!
The Rockford #IceHogs Schedule is here!
The #AHL season begins February 5! pic.twitter.com/NZLYuzFRuI— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 22, 2021
• A Happy 37th Birthday to former Stanley Cup winner with the Chicago Blackhawks, Ben Eager!
Happy 37th Birthday to #Blackhawks 2010 Stanley Cup Champion Ben Eager! pic.twitter.com/CnF2SR3v4W
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 22, 2021
• In non-Blackhawks news, the hockey world was buzzing last night with a benching in Columbus. Pierre-Luc Dubois, fresh off begrudgingly signing a two-year, $5M AAV contract extension with the Blue Jackets, played just 3:55 minutes in the first period of Thursday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, sitting on the bench for the entire second and third period, and overtime.
Here's an iso of Pierre-Luc Dubois' final shift for the Blue Jackets tonight. The center saw 3:55 of ice time for the night and did not take a shift after the first period.#CBJ
More: https://t.co/dkWp3poyVI pic.twitter.com/BcGQgJwheP
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) January 22, 2021
• Dubois has been in the doghouse of head coach John Tortorella (big surprise) from the start of the season. After requesting a trade from Columbus prior to signing his contract, things got messy. After being asked if he had benched Dubois after the January 18 game, Tortorella claimed in the postgame availability, “You’ll know when I bench someone.” After Thursday night’s contest, having sat Dubois for the entire game after the first period, Tortorella said of the lack of minutes, “Told ya.”
• Good luck with all that, Columbus.
