Chicago Blackhawks: Five reasons for optimism after three bad games

The first three games of the season have been anything but great for the Chicago Blackhawks, but when it comes to finding hope during a bad season, there are some reasons to be optimistic about the future.

I think a lot of people expected to watch the Chicago Blackhawks struggle this season, but how bad they have been might have come as a shock. The team has been outscored 15 to 5 through the first three games, and things do not seem to be getting any better.

This is in part what Stan Bowman and company meant when they said the Blackhawks would be spending this season rebuilding, but even still that didn’t mean competitive hockey would be missing completely from the city a year after the ‘Hawks were in a qualifying round against the Edmonton Oilers.

The reasons for optimism we highlight today might have been able to help get the Blackhawks a win in one of the first three games if it was not for the poor goaltending Chicago has had. The bad goaltending and how much it holds back the team might become a theme for the season.

So, let’s go over some reasons for optimism.

1. Alex DeBrincat has found the back of the net for the Chicago Blackhawks.

DeBrincat did not have the best season in 2019-20, so the Blackhawks needed to have him bounce back big in 2020-21. DeBrincat currently has two goals and an assist for the Blackhawks, and that number should hopefully continue to grow during the shortened season.

DeBrincat leading the team with two goals might not seem that meaningful, but they also happen to be power-play goals. Chicago’s power play has to be lethal this season, as the ‘Hawks are going to struggle in finding goals at five on five.

DeBrincat starting the year off with two power-play goals does not hurt my feelings, plus his 19:22 minutes of ice time on average through the first three games is not too bad considering last season saw Colliton put DeBrincat on the fourth line.