NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Blackhawks are on the road during the week of St. Patrick’s Day, which means we won’t be subjected to green jerseys (or anything like that (we’ll leave that to the Panthers and Lightning)).
After dropping each of their last two games to the Florida Panthers, the Blackhawks are back on the ice tomorrow, staying in the sunshine state to take on the t-first place Tampa Bay Lightning. The Blackhawks are 1-3-1 against the Lighting this season, so they’re going to need some “luck.” Maybe they should wear green jerseys. I don’t know how it works.
• The good news for the Blackhawks is that these next two games will be the last time they will have to play against the Lightning for over a month (they’ll finish their season series with a game at home on April 27th). If the Blackhawks hold onto the fourth playoff spot in the Central Division, there’s a good chance they’ll face the Lightning in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Joy.
• If that wasn’t already a mountain to climb, the Lightning are on pace to have a major deadline acquisition just in time for the postseason.
#tblightning Julien BriseBois said “realistically” it’s unlikely they will add a player before the trade deadline. Said no bigger addition than getting Nikita Kucherov back and he’s on schedule. “We literally have zero cap space”
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) March 12, 2021
• That’s right. In case you forgot, the Lightning are playing some of the best hockey in the NHL and are league-leaders WITHOUT five-time 30-goal scorer and 2019 MVP Nikita Kucherov. He has been out this entire season after having hip surgery, but recently has gotten back on the ice and his timetable for a return to action is set up right in line with the end of the season and the beginning of the playoffs.
Nikita Kucherov on the ice before #tblightning morning skate. Julien BriseBois said he’s “exactly on track” to return in playoffs from December hip surgery. Kucherov just stickhandling here with group. Can tell he’s “itching” to get back pic.twitter.com/koWy0Au4EP
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithTB) March 13, 2021
• That is a terrifying reality the Blackhawks and the rest of the league is going to have to worry about come late-April/early-May.
• And as if that wasn’t enough to worry about, the Dallas Stars look like they’ll be making some internal deadline acquisitions of their own:
Update on two critical #GoStars injuries: Tyler Seguin (hip) and Ben Bishop (knee) resumed skating over the last week in Dallas. Both are looking at 3-to-5 week timetable from now to return to lineup, classic "own" deadline acquisitions for a team scratching and clawing.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) March 17, 2021
• The Dallas Stars are playing catch-up to the Blackhawks in the Central Division, and the door to fourth place hasn’t been open wider since the beginning of the year.
• These two teams will face each other four more times this season, all at the United Center to finish the regular season (April 8th, April 10th, May 9th, and May 10th). It looks likely that the Stars will have both Tyler Seguin and Ben Bishop back in their lineup by those dates, only strengthening an already formidable Stars roster.
• Speaking of rosters, I highly recommend checking out the latest from Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers at The Athletic, who discuss projected Blackhawks lineups heading into next season. Everything from a healthy Jonathan Toews and Kirby Dach to a lineup that includes Dougie Hamilton is in there. So check it out.
• In other news around the NHL today, the Buffalo Sabres have fired head coach Ralph Krueger.
Head coach Ralph Krueger has been relieved of his duties. pic.twitter.com/IymNcxg7B3
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 17, 2021
• The Sabres have been a tire-fire this season, sitting at the bottom of the East Division and bottom of the NHL with 16 points and a .286 points percentage. Yeah, WORSE than the Red Wings. As mentioned in my previous bullet about Dom’s trade deadline piece, there’s plenty in there about Jack Eichel, Taylor Hall, and Eric Staal, too.
• In the interim, Krueger will be replaced by former Blackhawks assistant coach Don Granato, with Matt Ellis and Dan Girardi being elevated to assistant coaches. Good luck, Don.
GM Kevyn Adams has announced the following changes to our coaching staff. pic.twitter.com/ncQSYyA6pg
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) March 17, 2021
• Speaking of “luck” again, Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! #StPatricksDay #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/7Sa3k70Ddu
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) March 17, 2021
• Finally, before we head off for corned beef and Guinness, I wanted to mention the Rockford IceHogs, who took down the Grand Rapids Griffins 2-1 in overtime for the second game in-a-row. Dylan McLaughlin scored BOTH overtime winners over the Griffins.
DYLAN DOES IT AGAIN!
McLaughlin buries the OT winner for the second game in a row! 2-1 Piggies! pic.twitter.com/UyVhxtEebI
— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) March 17, 2021
• I said it last night, and I’ll say it again: Don’t look now, but the IceHogs have won four of their last five games after starting the season 1-7-1. They are now 5-8-1 and have moved out of the basement of the AHL Central Division. With 11 points and a .393 points percentage, Rockford is now fifth in the Division, ahead of the Iowa Wild who have eight points and a .333 points percentage.
• One of, if not the biggest reason behind Rockford’s recent success if goaltender Matt Tomkins. In his last three starts for the IceHogs, Tomkins has gone 2-1-0, with a .954 save percentage. In back-to-back games, Tomkins set and broke his career-high in saves, making 42 saves in the 2-1 overtime win over the Griffins on March 13th, and then making 46 saves in last night’s 2-1 overtime win over the Griffins.
• Have yourselves a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day!
