Four teams the Chicago Blackhawks could end up playing in the playoffs

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If the Chicago Blackhawks do find a way to sneak into the playoffs it is going to be as a wild card team. While they do have a chance at catching the third position in the division, chances are the Blackhawks would be a wild card team.

If the Chicago Blackhawks just made the playoffs that would be a win in my book. Being able to say they made the hunt for the Stanley Cup just a year following the firing of their head coach would be a win.

It should be understood that Rocky Wirtz wants to have those two playoff home games guaranteed this spring, and I think the city does as well. Playoff hockey has been absent from Chicago since 2017, and while getting our butts kicked in the first round doesn’t sound very fun it is better than missing completely.

We saw what happened last season in the Stanley Cup playoffs. All four wildcard teams found a way to get things done against their prospective opponents and make the playoffs. I would like to see something similar for the Blackhawks next season, in order to do that let’s look at a few potential opponents the Blackhawks might face if they were to make the playoffs.

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Potential Opponent One: The St. Louis Blues

The St. Louis Blues are the top team in the western conference. When I look at the Blues I have to tip my hat to them. They have managed to stay relevant across most of this decade, minus a year where they missed the playoffs in 2017-18, they followed that up with the Stanley Cup in 2019.

The Blackhawks know what it is like to compete following winning it all. Every team is trying to catch the Blues this season, and if there is one team I want to knock out the Blues it is the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks and Blues are longtime rivals, and that type of rivalry does not change after one Stanley Cup. After Chicago won the cup in 2010 a lot of Detroit Red Wings fans said something like this, “yes you won but you did not have to beat us to get it” now it’s our turn to end the Blues playoffs hope.

The St. Louis Blues ended the Blackhawks season in 2016 following their third Stanley Cup in six seasons, maybe this is our time to return the favor and end theirs. I know we are going off a lot of hypotheticals on this one, the Blackhawks might not even play the Blues if they do make the playoffs there are a few other teams to keep on our radar.

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Potential Opponent Two: The Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks have been turning heads as of late. While I would not want to see the Blackhawks play the Canucks it is another potential opponent. Vancouver has been one of the hottest teams over the second half of the season.

The Canucks are led by players like Elias Pettersson, J.T. Miller, and Quinn Hughes, this team is a very young fast group. Chicago is a unit that is not great in their end, in my opinion, the Blackhawks are going to need their defense if they are to stand any chance against the Vancouver Canucks.

Obviously we want to see the Blackhawks win their series if they are to make the playoffs. The Pacific Division seems like the weaker division so playing a team like Vancouver might be a little easier than a team like St. Louis, it would also mean the Blackhawks are holding the top wildcard spot.

There are not many traces of the old Blackhawks/Canucks rivalry that lit up the NHL in the early 2010s, facing off in the first round might be able to reignite that fire, and it would put two great young defensemen against each other in Quinn Hughes and Adam Boqvist.

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Potential Opponent Three: The Edmonton Oilers

The Blackhawks and Oilers have not had a rivalry in a long time. Maybe meeting in the first round of the playoffs can start to reignite that flame. Back during the Oilers Wayne Gretzky days, the Blackhawks were always stopped by the Oilers in the playoffs, maybe we can return the favor and end a great Oilers season.

Edmonton has been led by two players this season, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. Draisaitl has more points this season than the great McDavid, 83 to 79. While McDavid and Draisaitl have been great I do think the Blackhawks might have a little more depth than the Oilers.

Chicago has three good offensive lines when they are playing their best, having something like that will only help them make the playoffs and last a few games in a playoff series. Chicago and Edmonton would be a great series between two very historic franchises, whether or not it happens falls on whether the Oilers can take the Pacific and whether the Blackhawks can hold a wildcard spot!

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Potential Opponent Four: The Colorado Avalanche

The Colorado Avalanche might be the next dynasty the NHL sees. However, for now, they are just another team trying to make the playoffs. The St. Louis Blues do have a few points on the talented Avalanche, but if the Avalanche plays great in the coming weeks we might end up seeing them top the western conference.

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Colorado is one of the best teams in the league with some great players. Nathan MacKinnon has a team-leading 72 points, he is the best by far as the best next player on their roster is Cale Maker with 37 points.

Colorado is not going anywhere anytime soon, getting a win against the Avs in the playoffs now is only going to make the Blackhawks that much better in the coming years.

If Chicago does make the playoffs experience is the trophy we need to get. I don’t think the Blackhawks are a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, but I do think they can all learn something from a series in the NHL. Think about the coaching experience Jeremy Colliton could get in a playoff round. Only time will tell if any of these potential series becomes a reality.

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