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.

2. Calvin de Haan has been a force on the blue line

Calvin de Haan has the best Corsi percentage and Fenwick percentage through the first three games of the season. Obviously, the stats are not everything when it comes to determining who the best players are on a team, but when you pair those numbers with how well de Haan has been with young players like Mitchell or Boqvist on his line, de Haan’s play has been a positive.

de Haan is averaging 20:16 minutes of ice time through the first three games of the season. Those numbers give him the third most ice time against all defensemen, and his four hits are a force for this team.

The Blackhawks need to see more out of Calvin de Haan if they are going to find their way back into the standings even a little bit. As of now, one area the Blackhawks can improve is with blocking shots.

Calvin de Haan currently has one blocked shot with the ‘Hawks this season, but that number can be higher. We have seen de Haan help lead teams in the past, particularly during the Hurricanes playoff run just a few seasons ago.

Hopefully, Chicago will have Calvin de Haan around for a lot of the season to lean on in situations. Especially considering so many of the team’s blue liners are under 25 years old.

4. Pius Suter seems to be the real deal

Pius Suter has just one assist through the first three games of the season, but his play has earned him 15:03 minutes of ice time on average, not bad for a rookie. Suter is starting to gain some experience with players like Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat. That chemistry almost paid off in a great goal for the Blackhawks if it was not for an offsides call.

Suter needs to be a force on the Blackhawks this season. Even though he is a rookie forward, the Blackhawks are giving him a great opportunity to earn a hefty contract this season if he can find the back of the net. Through the first three games, Suter has eight shots on goal, maybe one will find the back of the net within the next few games.

The great thing about Suter is he is willing to play any style of play for the team to win. He will go down in the slot and try his best to wreak some havoc, while also being able to snipe a pretty goal for the team if presented an opportunity.

If Suter can start to win more faceoffs then I think we could see more of him in the top six as a center this season.

5. Duncan Keith remains ageless and looks like himself

Keith might be 37 years old now, but that is not slowing him down from leading the team on the ice. As of now, Duncan Keith leads all skaters with 22:15 minutes of ice time on average through the first three games.

The long-time Blackhawks assistant captain has two assists so far this season, one at even strength and one on the power play. Being paired up with Connor Murphy seems to be working out to Duncan Keith’s advantage.

Keith and his partner Connor Murphy combine for three points, nine blocked shots, and four hits. Keith has seven of the blocked shots, a team-best. Willing to sacrifice his body for the win, Keith is doing his best to keep the puck out of the net.

This season Keith might be a minus-three in the plus-minus department, but actually, no player is a plus on this team due to how many goals the roster has given up. All that matters for the long time Blackhawks defenseman is keeping pucks out of his own net, and doing his best to help generate some offense, and he is doing his part.

Keith has registered five shots so far this season, and hopefully, he will be able to score a handful of goals on the power play assuming he takes the top spot away from Adam Boqvist who has struggled so far.

The only thing Keith needs to work on is staying out of the box as he currently leads the team with six penalty minutes. Considering Keith is the team’s top defenseman, they need him out of the box and on the ice when the team finds themselves shorthanded.

This season might not seem to show any reasons for hope, but seeing players like Keith, de Haan, and Suter shine gives hope for the future of this team. Maybe not this season, but within the next few years, Chicago will be back to being competitive, and it starts with the little things now.