Chicago Blackhawks: Every game is important to make the playoffs

The Chicago Blackhawks have done the impossible, they have worked their way back into the playoff hunt. However, staying in the hunt might be the biggest issue for the team moving forward.

The Chicago Blackhawks put together a great batch of games during January. It looked almost easy for the team to win those games, well just as easy as it was to win it is to lose. All the hard work of this team can be put away in just a few games if this team fails to win from here on out. The Blackhawks are currently executing on every win matters because it does.

The Blackhawks look like they have peaked at the right time, they are finding a way to get things done no matter where it is in the game. Yes, they had a minor hiccup against the Florida Panthers before the break but that was all it is, a hiccup. I know the Blackhawks are always going to be looking for ways to improve, but for right now they are getting it done.

Think about the different players who have made the difference. Jonathan Toews has been one of the hottest players in the league since 2020 finally kicked into full gear, Patrick Kane looks like he is drinking from the fountain of youth as his hockey skills are only getting better, and Dominik Kubalik has finally blossomed out of his cocoon into the hockey player he was born to be.

Tonight, the Blackhawks kick off their post-all-star break campaign. Even though they have succeeded as of late, that does not mean they will now. This team needs to hunker down and play their best hockey of the year in the coming two months. It does not matter that they had a good January unless they have a better February, March, April, and May. Basically what I am trying to say is we can not rest on where we are now.

Now I know some might start calling for Stan Bowman to make a trade to make this team better, and while I see that as semi-valid, I still think we need to just rest with what we have now and keep moving forward.

A trade would involve giving up a piece of our future, and I don’t think Stan Bowman should jeopardize that. Instead, we need Toews and Kane to be that much better, and from what I have seen those two are hungry for a chance to play in the playoffs again.