The Chicago Blackhawks season of fading out of contention has been a slow process. The team briefly challenged for a Western Conference Wild Card spot by playing better in December and January. Unfortunately, this season is eerily familiar to last season. In the 2018-19 season, the Chicago Blackhawks Season hit rock bottom and then went on to play well and get into the Wild Card discussion.
That discussion was short-lived as Stan Bowman chose to stand pat at the trade deadline last season. The team was playing better and was hoping Bowman would add a piece to put them over the top. Bowman’s failure to add a piece or two did not sit well with the team’s leaders as the Blackhawks fading caused them to fall out of contention. So here we are as the late great Yogi Berra used to say “It’s like deja vu all over again” in the 2019-20 season.
The Chicago Blackhawks Season Fading Begins
The Chicago Blackhawks season started fading out of contention recently. It began to get serious with their recent five-game road trip. This must-win trip included games against Western Conference teams that they were trying to catch or pass in the standings. The importance of the ten available points could not have been overlooked as they were trying to qualify for the playoffs after two years off.
The late January early February road trip used to be called the annual “Ice Show Trip“ back in the day. The Ice Capades Show would take over the old Chicago Stadium and evict the Blackhawks every January/February. The trip presented the team with usually almost two weeks of road games as they would head west then back east across the country. More recently the team’s western road trips are not as lengthy, but they are still an important part of the schedule for them.
As they began this year’s road trip, their best shot to make the playoffs appeared to be the final wild-card spot. Capturing seven to eight out of the 10 possible points would have been considered a great trip. It might have even brought them near the wild card spot as they returned home. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks would lose four of the five games and earn only two points. This surprisingly painful road trip ended and they limped home further out of contention with the Blackhawks fading fast.
So, There’s Still A Chance?
After Wednesday night’s devastating 6-3 loss to the New York Rangers at home, the Blackhawks find themselves with a record of 26-26-8. They currently trail the two Western Conference Wild Card teams by eight points with 22 games remaining. Mathematically they are not eliminated, but the situation is getting worse. Time to cue up the infamous Dumb & Dumber moment “So, you’re telling me there’s a chance?” Yes, there is indeed a chance for the Blackhawks. It is a small fraction of a chance despite the team not performing as well as expected throughout the entire season. After all of general manager Stan Bowman’s off-season efforts to improve his team, they have settled into a bubble team and will more than likely miss the playoffs for the third season in a row.
Long Odds
Despite the long odds, they are not completely out of it yet. They will, however, need around 93-96 points in order to even get close to securing a wild card spot. Sadly, if anyone believes that this team will win 16-18 of the remaining 22 games, they need to seriously rethink things. It is unlikely that the same team that just went 2-6-2 in their last 10 games will suddenly “turn it on” and roll off multiple wins in a row.
The same team that has the worst power play in the NHL at 13.8%, yes you read that right 13.8%. The same team that gives up the most shots per game in the NHL at 35.3 shots on average. The struggling team that has two goaltenders who have played their butts off for their team night in and night out has to go on a miracle roll over the next 22 games.
Blackhawks Remaining Schedule
With that in mind, we bring you the Blackhawks’ upcoming schedule. We will list each game home and away, the current record of each opponent, and we will have those teams currently “in the playoffs” listed in all CAPITAL LETTERS.
February
- 2/21 Home – Nashville Predators – 29-23-7
- 2/23 Away – DALLAS STARS – 34-19-6
- 2/25 Away – ST. LOUIS BLUES – 33-17-10
- 2/27 Away – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – 40-15-5
- 2/29 Away – FLORIDA PANTHERS – 31-22-6
February’s remaining schedule features another four road games against teams currently in the playoffs and a home game against another team also in the Wild Card hunt. The five teams they face have a combined record of 167-96-34. Impressive, what could go wrong? It certainly appears that this next stretch of five games is the make or break point of the season. The Blackhawks cannot lose more than one of the five games to even have shot the rest of the way. Multiple losses will pretty much put an early exclamation point on another disappointing Chicago Blackhawks season.
March
- 3/3 Home – Anaheim Ducks – 24-28-7
- 3/5 Home – EDMONTON OILERS 32-21-6
- 3/6 Away – Detroit Red Wings – 15-43-4
- 3/8 Home – ST. LOUIS BLUES – 33-17-10
- 3/11 Home – San Jose Sharks – 26-29-4
- 3/13 Home – Ottawa Senators – 21-28-11
- 3/14 Away – WASHINGTON CAPITALS – 37-17-5
- 3/17 Away – Minnesota Wild– 27-24-7
- 3/19 Home – Minnesota Wild – 27-24-7
- 3/21 Away – Buffalo Sabres – 27-25-8
- 3/22 Home – Nashville Predators – 29-23-7
- 3/25 Home – PITTSBURGH PENGUINS – 37-15-6
- 3/27 Home – DALLAS STARS – 34-19-6
- 3/29 Home – Los Angeles Kings – 21-34-5
- 3/31 Home – Montreal Canadiens – 27-27-8
March has 15 games on the schedule against 14 teams with a combined record of 417-374-101. The bright spots are that only five of the 14 teams are currently in the playoffs and the Blackhawks play 11 of the 15 games at home. They even finish March’s schedule with a five-game homestand! Unfortunately, the Blackhawks home record is 12-13-4 this season which doesn’t inspire even Dumb & Dumber type confidence. March home games will be the key if the Blackhawks win four of the remaining games in February. If not, March will be a painful crawl until the final home game of the season.
April
- 4/2 Away – NEW YORK ISLANDERS – 33-19-6
- 4/4 Away – New York Rangers – 30-24-4
The Blackhawks season mercifully ends with a two-game road trip out east. Barring that mythical miracle streak to the playoffs happening, the Blackhawks faithful will not have to witness live the final minutes ticking off the clock as their favourite team skates into another summer of uncertainty. However, if they do make things interesting by suddenly getting red-hot the rafters will be rocking at the United Center until the end.
Can the Blackhawks core inspire their teammates to achieve a miracle finish? If not, will coach Jeremy Colliton and Stan Bowman survive past April? The question may not be can they, but should they?
Main Photo:
