Chicago Blackhawks Christmas Wish List

Sep 23, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; A general view of the team logos on the field during a press conference for the 2015 Winter Classic hockey game at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

With the holiday season in full effect the Christmas spirit is in the air. Christmas morning has come and those who celebrate have probably opened their gifts and have already tried them out. With the new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement the NHL will be shut down for three days without any traveling, practice, or games. During this time players will get the chance to spend time with their friends and families which is something they would not have been able to do in previous years under the old Collective Bargaining Agreement. As a fan it saddens me I will not be able to watch my favorite team or any NHL action on for 3 days straight but in the end it is more important that these players get the holiday off. Looking ahead to hockey action resuming and with the New Year around the corner I would like to present my Chicago Blackhawks Christmas wish list.

Winter Classic Victory

The first and last time the Chicago Blackhawks participated in a Winter Classic was in 2009 when they were defeated by the Detroit Red Wings 6-4 at Wrigley Field. Last year they did not participate in the Winter Classic but they were selected to play in the Stadium Series at Soldier Field versus the Pittsburg Penguins. The second outdoor game the Blackhawks played in went their way though and they were able to dominate winning 5-1.

Now January 1, 2015 the Chicago Blackhawks will be visiting Nationals Park in Washington D.C. to take on the Washington Capitals in the 7^th annual Winter Classic. This year one of the Blackhawks Christmas wishes is to even up their Winter Classic record and take home the victory against the Capitals. The two teams both have a star filled lineup with several of the top players in the league so it should be a tough battle.

Continued Surge During January

So far during the month of December the Chicago Blackhawks have been hot and recorded an 8-2-1 record after getting off to a semi-sluggish start this season. They found their groove though and have recorded a point in 12 out of 14 games. They will continue to try and improve on their recent success as they move on into the month of January. Coach Quenneville and the rest of the team have high hopes and wish for a continued surge through the month of January.

Injury Bug

During the month of November and December there were several Blackhawks in and out of the lineup for various reasons. Some were minor illnesses such as Duncan Keith’s absence but some were on the more severe side. Trevor van Reimsdyk was one of the players who suffered one of the longer setbacks with a fractured kneecap that required surgery and will keep him out until at least the end of February or March, depending on the quickness of his recovery. Currently the Blackhawks defensive core has been solid so they can afford to let him take his time to recover so he is ready to go during the peak of the season. Hopefully the injury bug has come and gone and the Blackhawks can continue to gel as a team.

Time will only tell if the Chicago Blackhawks Christmas wish list will come true. The first test will be on Saturday when the league resumes and the Blackhawks head to Colorado to take on the Avalanche for a division battle. The Hawks are coming off a loss that everyone hopes they have put behind them especially since they are a much better team than the way they played last game. Sometimes you just have an off night and can only fix that by putting it behind you with a solid win. Hope that everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays! Go HAWKS!

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