Beating Boston, Raddysh and Katchouk’s Big Nights, David’s a Daddy, and Other Blackhawks Bullets
Last night’s game wasn’t what many fans wanted — a win — but I’ve gotta be honest: beating Boston is always nice. And when there’s a very noticeable pro-Bruins crowd in the stands (I tweeted last night that it took about 90 seconds for the first “Let’s go Bruins” chant to be heard) it’s especially nice. The “OVER RATED” chant that popped up late in the third period was magnificent, too. The Blackhawks team and its fans enjoyed that win last night.
- Selfishly, you know what I love? Absolutely love? When I write about how Taylor Raddysh has become such a valuable part of the Blackhawks’ offense, double down with an image of Raddysh on our pre-gamin’ post, and then the kid goes out and puts up his first career hat trick against the best team in the league. Yes, I will be taking requests from the rest of the roster.
- After the game, both Raddysh and Boris Katchouk joked with the media about Raddysh stealing Katchouk’s thunder. As I noted in the postgame, Katchouk had eight points in his first 63 games with the Blackhawks before last night. He had a goal and two assists last night for an improbably three-point night.
- The Blackhawks, of course, acquired Raddysh and Katchouk together in the deal that sent Brandon Hagel to the Lightning last year. At the time of the deal, the players were an afterthought. Raddysh has become a strong part of the Blackhawks’ top six, while Katchouk hasn’t found the same success (yet). But Katchouk pointed out that the two have been friends and played together since they were kids so he was thrilled for Raddysh after his big night.
- To his credit, Katchouk has found a good role on the Blackhawks’ new-look penalty kill. And, like Raddysh, he has one more affordable year left on his contract.
- Before the game last night I tweeted that Ian Mitchell was my pick to click, largely because the Blackhawks had signed another young, puck-moving defenseman earlier in the day (see the next bullet). Mitchell played a good game last night and picked up two assists. I wouldn’t mind the Blackhawks finding a way to get both Mitchell and Kaiser in the lineup so the team has more guys on the blue line who can get the puck up the ice effectively. If that means Nikita Zaitsev sits… fine. I’ve seen enough. Summer buyout season can’t come soon enough.
- Wyatt Kaiser signed his entry-level contract! Yippee! He’s reportedly flying to Chicago today and will join the team eeeee-mmediately (which burns the first year of his three-year contract, but that’s cool). Not sure if we’ll see him tomorrow night in Nashville or if he’ll make his NHL debut this weekend, but he’s in and coming straight to the big leagues.
- It was a big night for Minnesota-Duluth fans in Chicago last night. Not only did Kaiser sign his ELC, but Joey Anderson scored a goal and added an assist for a two-point night. I really like what I’ve seen early from Anderson.
- The Blackhawks unlikely whooping of the Bruins didn’t help their chances in the NHL Draft Lottery, but it didn’t hurt them as much as it could have. Thanks to the Blue Jackets (last) needing overtime to beat the Sharks (second-to-last) in San Jose last night — an ideal three-point game — the Hawks didn’t lose much ground in the Bad for Bedard Sweepstakes.
- David Gust is a daddy, y’all!
- This is crazy. Absolutely crazy. What the two stars are doing in Edmonton is so next-level I hope fans around the rest of the league can appreciate it.
- On a non-Blackhawks note, I’m fully here for this kind of content. Dust got all kicked up in the room at some point about half-way through this one.
- Finally, since we’re going to live in prospect land for a while on the Blackhawks’ side of the house, with the Cubs season getting started in Arizona let’s pump the tires on the prospects who could make an impact soon on the North Side.
