Where do the Blackhawks go from here after a 4-9-0 start?

The Chicago Blackhawks should not be playing this bad.

13 games into the season, and they sit with a 4-9-0 record after a bad 4-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. Their record is second-worst in the NHL.

There is a popular sentiment that it takes 20-plus games into a season to fairly assess a team.

But it seems like seven more games won't change much for the Blackhawks.

So, what gives?

The Blackhawks have the talent to be better than their record

So far this season, the Blackhawks are at the bottom of the league in many categories. Their goals per game (2.08) and shots per game (21.6) are second-worst. Their goals against per game (3.69) is fourth-worst. Their shots-against per game (30.3) is fifth-worst. Their penalty kill (78 percent) is more middle-of-the-pack at 17th, and finally, their faceoffs (42.8 percent), and power play (10 percent) sits last.

All of those factors contribute to where they are currently sitting in the standings.

But it shouldn't be that way.

A team with players like Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Anton Frondell, Patrick Kane, Roman Kantserov, etc, are more than capable of scoring more than two goals a night. But they have only scored more than two goals in a game four times, and the last time they did was on Oct. 15, when they beat the Winnipeg Jets in overtime.

Right now, there is a disconnect on the Blackhawks. Over the summer, general manager Kyle Davidson talked about how as the players grow and get more comfortable in the league, that would naturally lead to more production.

There are some players like Frondell and Kantserov, who are playing their first full seasons in the NHL, but overall, a majority of the players on the roster gained experience last season. However, even with the experience in hand, it seems like many of them are still trying to find their stride this season.

If it was just one player that was going through a slump, it might not be one to overly analyze because that happens. But when you see it happening through the lineup, it causes concern.

The Blackhawks' leading scorer is Kane with eight points in 13 games. Kantserov currently leads the team in goals with five in 13 games. So, that shows where the production through the lineup has been lacking.

When the Blackhawks lost four of their first five games, it was tough to see, but more understandable because the season was just starting, and they were also playing without their captain Connor Bedard.

But the team is still looking for things to click. The problem is, it looked like things clicked together more last season than they do now.

Right now, Blackhawks games usually play out the same way. They go through good spurts a lot of times being able to take a lead, but then being unable to hold it. Which happened to them last season.

They struggle to score on their chances, whether it be the power play or five-on-five, and it feels like they go through a lot of the game trying to survive.

They have the fifth-most giveaways in the league this season (234), so when a team struggles to maintain puck possession and then struggles on breakouts (which they have identified as a working point), that usually is a recipe for getting hemmed in their own zone.

The frustrating woes needs addressing

We can talk about the other frustrating things at hand, such as the handling of ice time for young players like Frondell and Kevin Korchinski, who have had their ice time reduced when they have played certain games, or power-play issues.

They recently switched Kane and Bedard sides on the flanks, but that probably should have been switched back sooner, and Teuvo Teräväinen playing the point with Bowen Byram out- I thought that finally showed promise against the LA Kings, but it has only converted once.

Granted, they only got one power-play opportunity against the Red Wings, but the sentiment stands.

Then, the line changes that haven't clicked (although some have, like against the LA Kings with the Kane, Nazar, and Moore line. The Teräväinen, Frondell, and Tyler Bertuzzi line worked for a bit, too). But the fourth line of Jordan Greenway, Ryan Greene, and Cole Smith has been their most successful since training camp. No one else has found that same level of chemistry.

Whether the system is failing the players or something else, the point is that something is failing: the outcome is the same at 4-9-0, and it doesn't seem likely to change organically.

Overall, the Blackhawks have the talent to win games, which is the most frustrating part.

Head coach Jeff Blashill brought up, too, postgame after he was asked about the team missing Byram (who has been out since Oct. 13 with an upper-body injury). "When he left, he was our best defenseman. So, you know, him and Vlas (Alex Vlasic) probably, and Colesy (Ian Cole) would make an argument up there, too. But for sure. Bowen's a real good player for us. He's an important piece for us. But you know, we had 20 guys dressed tonight that were good enough to win the hockey game, and we didn't win the hockey game."

And that is the whole point.

Maybe the Blackhawks will put together a good stretch of games, starting with the Boston Bruins on Saturday (Oct. 31).

But these results can't keep happening with a roster that is capable of more. Decisions need to be made.

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