Blackhawks: Five thoughts now that the playoff hope is officially over

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Alex DeBrincat #12, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

The Chicago Blackhawks’ very slim playoff hope is gone.

The Chicago Blackhawks did not have their best night of the regular season when they lost five to two against the Carolina Hurricanes. The team obviously had their backs against the wall following the puck drop considering Carolina is the top team in the Central, and that did not change tonight.

Going into the game no one was really expecting the Hawks to win five straight games and make the playoffs. Even if that occurred Nashville and Dallas would have to lose a lot of their games – basically all of them. Following tonight’s loss, the slim idea of Chicago making the postseason is over.

Even though the Hawks are done with their season in a week, there are some thoughts I want to talk about today ahead of the next four games. Let’s jump right in.

1. They lasted a lot longer than we thought

Remember the time when the Blackhawks were expected to be at the bottom of the Central? While the team did come down to earth during April, they played some pretty good hockey early on and looked like a team that was poised to take a big jump forward next season.

The Hawks have not won three games in a row since February 17, they have lost three or four games in a row a lot though. This team might not be what they used to be, but they are building to something now. Even if Chicago is rebuilding, their pieces are showing improvement earlier than expected.

Lankinen, Suter, Kurashev, Mitchell, and Kalynuk are ahead of schedule. So many different young pieces on this team stepped up at times this year. Sure the Hawks are not going to make the playoffs, but at least that was decided now and not a few weeks or a month ago.

I am not going to miss the thought in the back of my mind thinking this team was going to surprise everyone and do the impossible and make the playoffs. As a fan, you want to root for your team to be the best, even if logic says otherwise. That false hope died in a few keys games this year.

Malcolm Subban #30, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /

2. Failure to compete in must-win games really hurt them

Jeremy Colliton and company had some must-win games at times this season. Chicago failed to beat Nashville all but once this year. Those matchups for the Predators were all that mattered in the playoff race, and Chicago failed pretty badly.

The Hawks snuck away with victories against Florida and Tampa a few times this season, but it was the must-win games on any given night where they fell short. It seemed like some nights the Hawks were on and others they gave up before puck drop.

The coaching staff needs to do a better job getting these players ready to go. I think at this point the Hawks are just used to start the game down by a goal or two. Not only that but they have no control over the game itself. The pace of the game has been set by opponents most nights, with teams scoring two or three quick goals within a matter of a couple of minutes on the Hawks.

3. Goaltending is not the main issue

The goaltending is not the main issue with this team either. Sure Malcolm Subban gave up an incredibly weak goal last night, but overall it is the turnovers in the Hawks’ own end that are costing them games.

I do not think we are going to see a complete teardown of the team this off-season, so I think it is really going to come down to changing how they play the game. Maybe stop trying to make some bad passes in your own end in favor of cycling the puck back around and or just carrying it up ice.

Other teams are reading the Blackhawks very easily, and there seems to be nothing that can stop that for the Hawks. Maybe a coaching change could fix some of the team’s problems.

Patrick Kane #88, Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

4. The NHL Draft is right around the corner

With the Blackhawks being out of the playoff picture, now we get to look forward to the NHL draft. Personally, I cannot wait to dive into some analysis on all the different prospects available for the Hawks.

Sure, Chicago is not going to find an impact player to fix their roster right now, but the NHL draft is an opportunity to revamp the farm system of an organization. Plus considering the team has a first-rounder and a couple of seconds, there is a lot to look forward to.

5. I cannot wait to watch the Blackhawks be competitive again.

Watching Carolina compete for the Presidents Trophy ahead of the playoffs reminded me of how exciting it is to watch playoff hockey with some expectations. Sure last postseason was fun to watch, but the Hawks were not supposed to be there, plus there were no fans in the stands.

Right now Blackhawks hockey might be pretty tough to watch at times, but it is all going to pay off when the team is competitive again in a few years. I know a lot of fans are not sold on next season being a better year. Truthfully neither am I with how many holes are on the roster and how different the league could look with traveling more and maybe bringing back old divisions.

At the end of the day though I think the Hawks are poised to be competitive again in the next two or three seasons. Maybe they do not win the Stanley Cup, but there is a fair chance they will make the playoffs again soon and start rebuilding that legacy.

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The playoffs are going to be fun to watch as a fan of hockey, but there is nothing like watching the Blackhawks compete for the Stanley Cup for a few months!

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