Colliton Has Locker Room Support, Hardman Recalled, 5-on-5 Troubles, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The Blackhawks were just about as bad as it gets during their three-game road trip, and so naturally, people have begun to question how much longer Jeremy Colliton will be behind the Chicago bench. It’s a fair question. The Blackhawks have underperformed throughout Colliton’s tenure with the team. The disastrous start to this weekend comes in the wake of pretty high expectations after Stan Bowman made an apparent win-now effort this summer. However, Mark Lazerus of The Athletic writes that while Colliton has lost the fanbase, he has not yet lost the locker room.

•   He might have the public respect of veterans like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews for now, but this week will be crucial for Colliton and the Blackhawks. Still searching for their first win of the season, they’ll welcome the Islanders to the United Center on Tuesday night, another formidable opponent for the Hawks. So I’m sure that Colliton’s introduction on Tuesday will be rough.

•   The Blackhawks made a roster move this morning. Mike Hardman was recalled from Rockford, and Ian Mitchell is heading to the IceHogs. Hardman had a two-assist game on Saturday against the Chicago Wolves and has recorded three points (1G, 2A) in eight games with the Blackhawks.

•   The Blackhawks have been brutal in 5-on-5 play, which is, you know, the majority of the game. As you can see in the expected goals for vs. expected goals against chart below, the Blackhawks are “down bad.”

•   If you’re looking for some optimism surrounding the Blackhawks, Lukas Reichel scored his first career AHL goal for the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday night. Reichel also had an assist in Saturday’s game against the Wolves, and Alexander Nylander tallied a pair of goals.

•   Patrick Kane’s goal on Saturday night was his 405th, which moves him just one goal shy of Steve Larmer for third all-time in franchise history.

•   Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe on the family of former Blackhawk Jimmy Hayes as they try to turn their experience into a cautionary tale for others.

•   Shifting gears here; That’s my QB1!

•   The NLCS has been WILD so far!

•   A big congrats to Candace Parker and the Chicago Sky! On Sunday, the Sky took home their first WNBA Championship, and the feel-good Candace Parker homecoming story is complete.

•   Pain.

That’s it for today!

written by

Patrick grew up in Chicago's Bridgeport and Garfield Ridge neighborhoods before moving to the Western Suburbs of Chicago before eventually relocating to the Las Vegas area with his family in 2023. He started with Bleacher Nation in 2021 and has spent time as a Staff Writer and on the Chicago Blackhawks beat. He is currently a writer and editor at Bleacher Nation covering the Chicago Bears and the NFL at large and the author of the Bleacher Nation Newsletter. Patrick is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA).

more blackhawks news

Connor Bedard Scored Again for Canada

Oh hey! Blackhawks' star Connor Bedard scored his fifth goal of the World Championships for Canada on Tuesday afternoon. https://twitter.com/BN_Blackhawks/status/1790468565675483262 Bedard helped Canada sprint to a 6-1 lead... which evaporated as Austria scored five unanswered goals in the third period...

Bruins Get Bad Brad Marchand Update Ahead Of Game 5

Bad news for the Boston Bruins this morning. Trailing 3-1 in their second-round series with the Florida Panthers, it was revealed that captain Brad Marchand will again not be available for tonight's win-or-go-home matchup in South Florida. https://twitter.com/FlutoShinzawa/status/1790401949998706932 Brad Marchand...

Oilers Reportedly Making A Big Change Prior To Game 4

Heading into the Oilers and Canucks second-round series, Vancouver was thought to be the team with the bigger concern in between the pipes. Vezina Trophy finalist Thatcher Demko was ruled out for at least the first four games of the...

Nichushkin Banned, Boring Bedard? Coaches, NHL Awards Back in Vegas, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

Some incredibly sad and undoubtedly frustrating news broke just before the Colorado Avalanche took the ice for an important playoff game on Monday evening. Forward Valeri Nichushkin, who is tied with Edmonton's Zach Hyman for the NHL's postseason lead with...

The Importance of Coaching on the Blackhawks’ Rebuild

There are so many reasons that having the right coach in place is important in any sport at any level. But I've been thinking more about that in recent days with the NHL's coaching carousel in heavy rotation this offseason...

Late Hits on Connor McDavid Lead To Punishment For Multiple Canucks

How many times over the years have you yelled "Hey! You can't do that!" at the television or, in person, at the ice when you watch someone take liberties with a star player? Well, Sunday night's game in Edmonton was...

The Russia Problem: Could IIHF Sanctions Impact the Blackhawks’ Plans?

Over the weekend, news broke that the IIHF was taking some steps regarding Russia, players and the whole are-they-allowed-to-leave issue that may have an impact on the Blackhawks consideration of top prospect Ivan Demidov, should he be deemed the best...

Connor Bedard is Dominating the World Championship, Reichel Arrives, Bruins Lose, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

Another day, another load of Connor Bedard highlights from the World Championships in Czechia. Remember when the Blackhawks' star rookie scored twice in his first appearance of the tournament and we were all like "whoa that's cool!" Well, he did...

World Championships Updates, Great Stars, Canes Survive, Still No Q, and Other Blackhawks Mother’s Day Bullets

Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful moms out there. My sons are incredibly fortunate to have a great mom and two wonderful grandmas still in their lives. We hear Blackhawks players talk about hot much they appreciate their...

Points Galore at World Championship, Toews Stories, Toronto Drama, OT Oilers, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The World Championships got started with a bang on Friday morning. Germany, without Lukas Reichel (who still wasn't on their roster), beat Slovakia 6-4. Philipp Kurashev and Switzerland rolled to a 5-2 win over Norway. Kurashev picked up an assist...

Latest News

Pablo Aliendo Goes Way Deep, Alexander Canario Goes Way Grand

Pablo Aliendo gave the Tennessee Smokies an early lead on Tuesday night. Matching up with the Rocket City Trash Pandas, Aliendo sent a ball deep into left field during the 2nd inning. The homer gave the Smokies an early 1-0...

Nico Hoerner Was Scratched Just Before Tonight’s Game Started

You know that expression, when it rains, it pours? This is like that, except instead of raining, it is pouring deluxe turds. Just an absolute monsoon of shit. Another Cubs injury issue to another key Cubs player: https://twitter.com/maddie_m_lee/status/1790522697002455532 So, Nico...

WATCH: Caleb Williams is Already Making Connections with DJ Moore and Keenan Allen at Halas Hall

Caleb Williams clips, however brief, will always grab my attention. Because while I can tell myself over and over again that I will not get googly eyes over spring practice videos, the reality is that I can't wait to see...

How to Watch Phillies Games: Full 2024 Schedule, Live Stream and More

If you are a Philadelphia Phillies fan and looking to catch their games, you can watch most of them on TV with a cable subscription or via streaming with one of the many different apps. Let’s break down the cable...

Connor Bedard Scored Again for Canada

Oh hey! Blackhawks' star Connor Bedard scored his fifth goal of the World Championships for Canada on Tuesday afternoon. https://twitter.com/BN_Blackhawks/status/1790468565675483262 Bedard helped Canada sprint to a 6-1 lead... which evaporated as Austria scored five unanswered goals in the third period...

How to Watch Yankees Games: Full 2024 Schedule, Live Stream and More

The Bronx is booming! Yankee Stadium crackles with energy as the New York Yankees chase another World Series title. Whether you're a die-hard Yankees fan bleeding pinstripes or a baseball enthusiast captivated by the American League East race, their remaining...

Adbert Alzolay Update: Imaging Results, Timeline, and a Sprinkle of (Unexpected) Optimism

I had the weirdest reaction to what is objectively bad injury news on Adbert Alzolay just now. According to Meghan Montemurro, medical imaging confirmed that Adbert Alzolay has a right flexor strain. While I should have been upset to learn...

Kiran Amegadjie Reportedly Signed His Rookie Deal (UPDATE: It’s Officially Official)

Chicago Bears offensive tackle Kiran Amegadjie is reportedly signing his rookie deal. NFL reporter Aaron Wilson has details on the contract, which includes: A $1.121 million signing bonus Annual workout bonus of $50,000 per year from 2025-27 Total deal worth...

2024 PGA Championship Prize Purse and Payout Breakdown: How Much Money Does the Winner Make?

The countdown has begun for the highly anticipated PGA Championship. As the second major of the 2024 calendar, this prestigious event will grace the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, from May 16-19. This year marks the 106th edition of the championship,...

Lonzo Ball Shares a Very Optimistic (Nearly Unbelievable) Update on His Rehab

Lonzo Ball's new podcast "What an Experience" didn't avoid the elephant in the room. Within the first few seconds of the inaugural episode, Ball addressed his current health status and provided an update on his return to play. To be...

more blackhawks news