Blackhawks Edged by Avs; Third Straight Loss

[CoachFrenchy]

The Chicago Blackhawks dropped their third straight game Sunday night, falling 1–0 to the Colorado Avalanche at the United Center.

[See the full post at: Blackhawks Edged by Avs; Third Straight Loss]

[BJPHAWKFAN]

I am so tired of this 11/7 split. Rotate the defensemen if you want them to get playing time, but you are killing the forwards. No wonder you were fired in Detroit!

[Metalhead]

Thanks Frenchy.
I like the “Notes” section.
Good info / trivia in there.

[Metalhead]

BJPHAWKFAN wrote:

No wonder you were fired in Detroit!

Do you think it’s his call?
Other than Q, I’m not sure any Hawks head coach in recent memory has had any real power.

I’ve said all season that Arty would benefit from a bit of time in RFD.
I’ve started wondering the same about Rinzel.

[CoachFrenchy]

Welcome my friend

[CoachFrenchy]

Because my time is limited, I can’t reply to every comment individually, but I want everyone to know that I read every message—whether it’s in the forums or under my articles. Many of you raised concerns about the 7D/11F setup, the development of Levshunov or Rinzel, and the overall direction of the Blackhawks. So here’s my take based on watching multiple games every night and digging into league-wide stats.

1. About playing 7D/11F

This setup looks unusual, but here’s the reality:
Most NHL teams today rely on 9 forwards and 4 defensemen for 75–80% of the game.

— Around 3 forwards on every team play only 7–8 minutes
— The third pairing on defense often plays 12–13 minutes
— The workload is carried by the top players

Teams with strong depth (like Carolina) can still roll four lines, but they’re the exception.

Because of more power plays and more overtime games this season, TOI for top players naturally goes up. So whether a team dresses 11 or 12 forwards doesn’t dramatically change how coaches deploy their best players.

2. About the Blackhawks specifically

Chicago is using 11F/7D because of injuries and a lack of forward depth, not because it’s a long-term plan. Their blue line is also unbalanced:
• Vlasic plays at a legit top-pair level
• A couple of others are closer to 2nd-pair calibre
• The rest are still finding their way and are more 3rd-pair style

Despite that, their goals against numbers (ignoring the Buffalo game) have been impressive.
Let’s be honest: Knight is making the defense look better than it actually is. He’s been outstanding and is covering a lot of structural weaknesses.

This is normal for a rebuilding team. Chicago is still in the middle stage of their rebuild, and the roster isn’t fully constructed yet. The schedule gets tougher soon, and at some point we might see them return to a traditional 12F/6D lineup.

3. Development of Levshunov and Rinzel

For now, I prefer both of them to stay in the trenches and continue developing. Levshunov is progressing well, and Rinzel’s healthy scratch seems to have helped reset and refocus him. They are learning the pro game at the right pace.

It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

4. AHL perspective (Rockford)
• Lardis is playing well
• Allan and Edmonds aren’t bad — but not NHL-ready yet
• Korchinski (KK) has had a strong month of November
• Development is trending in the right direction

5. Trade Deadline Outlook

Chicago will likely be sellers, which means roster spots will open later in the season.
We could see NCAA or European prospects join the team once their seasons end.

Final Thought

It’s a long season, injuries will change things, and young players will get opportunities. Enjoy the ride — this is part of the rebuild journey.

[Author]

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