NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Blackhawks have hit, what has to be considered at this point, rock bottom.
A 6-3 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday night has the Blackhawks sitting at 0-5-1 to start the season and the first team in NHL history not to have a lead at any point in their first six games of the season.
• The Chicago Blackhawks are not just dead last in the standings; they’re also the laughingstock of the NHL and greater hockey world. I mean, how couldn’t they be. Did you see this: Down 6-3 and in a timeout with under eight minutes to play, Jeremy Colliton is handing his clipboard over to his players, allowing them to draw up something to try to start chipping away at a three-goal deficit.
I asked Colliton about this: “I don’t have all the best ideas, I'm open to coming up with something different. They had a pretty good play they drew up. If not mistaken, it just got deflected, Brinksy’s one-timer there. Nothing strange about that.” https://t.co/EUFB9HQKkp
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 25, 2021
• “I don’t have all the best ideas, I’m open to coming up with something different. They had a pretty good play they drew up. If not mistaken, it just got deflected, Brinksy’s one-timer there. Nothing strange about that,” Colliton told Ben Pope of the Sun-Times after the game. So, Jeremy Colliton has Alex DeBrincat drawing up plays. Alright. Got it.
• Speaking of DeBrincat, this was a highway robbery by Alex Nedeljkovic.
The Blackhawks start to the season in one play pic.twitter.com/9fldlKOp7F
— Liam McHugh (@liam_mchugh) October 25, 2021
• You gotta be kidding me. A perfect summation of the Blackhawks season right now. It doesn’t matter what they try, absolutely nothing is working. In a few ways, the United Center fans let the Blackhawks know about their performance last night. There were loud “Let’s go Red Wings!” chants. There were loud “fire Colliton!” chants. And, of course, there was plenty of boos for the home team.
Blackhawks lose 6-3.
Fall to 0-5-1.
Set a record for season-opening futility, at 360:57 without holding a lead.
Booed off the ice for the third time in as many home games. pic.twitter.com/Z8lk0XcuIg— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 25, 2021
• Those are pretty loud boos for a nearly empty stadium. Oh, and the icing on the cake; the Blackhawks sellout streak came to an end last night. Apparently the fans are tired of spending big money to drive to the arena and watch the on-ice product the the Hawks are currently offering. The sellout streak of 535 games sellout streak, dating to 2008-09, is over. Here’s what Danny Wirtz had to say about the sellout streak coming to an end on Sunday evening:
Here's a statement from Danny Wirtz, which is certainly one way to look at this news: pic.twitter.com/Ve3f772ryw
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 25, 2021
• From Jay Zawaski:
From a scout friend (correcting earlier typo): “You know me, I work in this game. I’m pretty reserved & level-headed…Colliton needs to be relieved. And you must relieve the man who hired him. This thing is beyond repair & it needs to be cleaned really all the way to top down.”
— Jay Zawaski (@JayZawaski670) October 25, 2021
• But, will Colliton be relieved? We all know that he should, but as recently as last week we were told by a well-respected and plugged in Emily Kaplan that this idea wasn’t even a consideration inside of the Blackhawks front office. Has two more losses since we heard that really moved the needle that much for the front office?
• Aside from the clunker last night, the Blackhawks continue to deal with COVID-19 issues that sidelined three players — including Patrick Kane — and two coaches last night.
Blackhawks Recall Ian Mitchell; Kane, Khaira, and Stillman in COVID-19 Protocol https://t.co/p2IJxzrmor
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) October 24, 2021
• The Bears weren’t any better than the Blackhawks on Sunday. They were clobbered by Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Who gets fired first; Jeremy Colliton or Matt Nagy? All I know it, there are some hot seats in Chicago right now.
Older Gentleman Exacts His Revenge: BUCCANEERS 38, BEARS 3https://t.co/2dY4qMnk4H
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) October 25, 2021
• Bilal, WYD man!?
Tensions were high. Frustrations were higher. But there’s no excuse for Bilal Nichols to be the third Bears player in a span of 357 days to be ejected for punching an opposing player wearing a helmet. https://t.co/jXfYpzITyk
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) October 25, 2021
• At least we have the Bulls.
I know it might be silly, but this little moment in the context of the first three games felt like it meant a lot.
After so much talk about potentially awkward fit and chemistry, this team couldn’t look happier to be playing together.
pic.twitter.com/lFdKRaJW1j— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) October 25, 2021
• That’s the, 3-0, first place Bulls to you.
Top of the Standings, Tough Road Trip Coming, Gotta Love the Defense, and Other Bulls Bulletshttps://t.co/viCJw75JL8
— Bleacher Nation Bulls (@BN_Bulls) October 24, 2021
That’s it for today.
