When will the Blackhawks start playing like a decent hockey team?

The burning question for Blackhawks fans should mirror the headline of this article: When will they start playing decent hockey? Now, I will give them a reprieve from their loss to the Utah Hockey Club a couple of days back. 

For one, Utah is a better squad than many give them credit for, and for another, they were playing their first game in a new city, which, somehow, never had an NHL team until 2024. I can name several markets that Salt Lake City would fare as a better home, but that’s not the point of this piece. 

Instead, let’s speculate on the burning question. The Hawks will start looking like a better hockey team when the new pieces to the puzzle build chemistry, if you want the short answer. This lineup is a night and day difference from last season, and star player, or future star, Connor Bedard, already looks like he’s grown as a player.

Looking at the Hawks upcoming schedule, I’d be surprised if this team didn’t fall to an 0-3-0 start to kick off the 2024-25 season. They got the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers coming up next, and on paper, neither team should have a tough time getting the best of Bedard and Company. 

Blackhawks may start playing some inspiring hockey sooner than you think

Maybe I’m sounding like a pessimist, but I’m also being very real here. That said, you also shouldn’t be disappointed and throw in the towel after three measly games against some of the league’s better teams and yes, I’m putting Utah in that category. 

Fast-forward to October 15th, and the Hawks will play the Calgary Flames, while the games on the 17th and 19th, vs. the San Jose Sharks and Buffalo Sabres, will also be opportunities for this team to start changing its narrative. The rest of the month doesn’t look so friendly, but against those three teams I just mentioned, Chicago should be okay. 

But what could be a rough month of October doesn’t mean it’s doom and gloom here, as the tougher Chicago’s opponents are early, the more opportunity they have to adapt as the season wears on, assuming they keep injuries to a minimum. 

To recap, the Hawks will have a few measuring stick games within the next week, and don’t be surprised if and when they show flashes of the team they can and inevitably will become. But in October and likely November, expect more than a few lean stretches, but those will all be growth opportunities. 

As a young team with just enough seasoned veterans leading the way, general manager Kyle Davidson set this team up for success; it’s just about playing the long game this year. Once they take advantage of those growth opportunities, they will look like a decent hockey team, and that will happen during the back half of the year if you want me to put a time frame on it.