Finally it’s gameday again for the Chicago Blackhawks. The three-day layoff has felt like an eternity, but that’ll happen when you are used to games every other day. Chicago is in Columbus to face the Blue Jackets for the third mini-series this season tonight. But before that, a couple notes to get you caught up to speed in the Blackhawks world (two-game series preview coming later).
• If you haven’t been paying attention, Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat are having the best years of their careers this season. While neither player will be able to finish the season with the highest point totals in their career because of the condensed schedule, they are producing at the best rates in their professional careers. And that’s very awesome. More here:
This duo is carrying a lot of weight. https://t.co/gCycsbe4Rr
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) February 23, 2021
• Kane and DeBrincat have been paired together for the majority of the season now, having built upon an already fruitful chemistry. It has been special to see DeBrincat bounce back from a down year last year and play to complimentary piece to Kane in the Blackhawks’ lineup puzzle.
Alex DeBrincat said Patrick Kane has taught him a lot, and as far as playing together they discuss "what he wants to see from me and what I want to see from. It goes both ways. It’s been a good relationship."
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) February 21, 2021
• DeBrincat is starting to play the role that Artemi Panarin played when he was with the Blackhawks and helping Kane earn his only league MVP award back in 2015-16. Those days are long behind us though. For Panarin, he finds himself taking a leave of absence from the New York Rangers after a Russian media outlet published a story that included an incident involving Panarin physically assaulting a woman in 2011. The wide-spread understanding is that the story is a political hit-piece on Panarin as retaliation for his outspoken support of Vladimir Putin’s political opposition leader Alexi Navalny. It’s wild.
• The Chicago Blackhawks had a number of injury updates on Monday morning. In case you missed it, defenseman Connor Murphy is back healthy and could return to the lineup as soon as tonight after dealing with a hip injury. But with the return of Murphy, the Blackhawks lose defenseman Lucas Carlsson to a groin injury and centreman Dylan Strome is in concussion protocol.
Colliton on Strome's concussion: "He got hit a few games ago. He didn't feel anything, symptoms-wise. We were checking on him and he felt good. But these symptoms are sometimes late-arriving and he hasn't felt as good the last little while."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) February 22, 2021
• Without Strome, the Blackhawks are now without their top three centers from last season with Kirby Dach and Jonathan Toews both still out. Strome hasn’t been having a stellar season overall, going without a point over a stretch of his last six games. With the Blackhawks having played 11 forwards and 7 defensemen in the lineup more frequently this season, it will be interesting to see how head coach Jeremy Colliton configures the roster with the latest round of injury returns and losses.
• A double Blackhawks birthday today for Nick Schmalt and Jordan Hendry!
A double #Blackhawks Birthday today as former 1st round pick Nick Schmaltz turns 25 years old and former 2010 Stanley Cup winner Jordan Hendry turns 37 years old! pic.twitter.com/wv00FWQWJX
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) February 23, 2021
• The Rockford IceHogs are still looking for their first win of the season. They fell 7-3 to the Cleveland Monsters last night to fall to 0-5-1 the begin the 2021 AHL season. They’ll have another go with Cleveland tonight at 6 p.m. CT.
• On a lighthearted note, the Avalanche and Golden Knights squared off last night, a continuation of their mini-series that saw them play at Lake Tahoe on Saturday in the great delayed game of 2021. So they naturally need to have some fun with the debacle that was Saturday’s outdoor game.
https://twitter.com/StormBuonantony/status/1364043712788013059?s=20
• That’s a pretty solid bet on the under, if I do say so myself.
• Before we get to our preview, here’s some gambling info before the series, if you’re so inclined:
Blackhawks vs Blue Jackets Betting Pick (February 23, 2021)https://t.co/0tKpeHjX35
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) February 23, 2021