Blackhawks: November Report Card

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    • #52604
      CoachFrenchy
      Participant

      Two Months Down: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Two months are in the books, and November gave us a little bit of everything: a winning streak, a los
      [See the full post at: Blackhawks: November Report Card]

    • #52611
      BetweenTheDots
      Participant

      All good info coach. I think one of the things a lot of the young dmen are learning is how quickly the puck can end up going the other way when you make a mistake with it.

      Kids got to learn the methodical method of NHL hockey, and situational awareness many times especially in the 2nd period the right play is just get it to center ice and shoot it in so your dmen can change.

      I think Knight has had to stop at least one uncontested breakaway a game in the month of November, and he’s been absolutely fantastic at it.

      They play the Yankees of the hockey world tonight, they are beginning to look a lot like the Maple Leafs before Marner left, lots of good looking forward but meh defenseman.

    • #52621
      CoachFrenchy
      Participant

      Great point from you. The second period is all about game management and puck management — from the goalie and the skaters. You need to slow things down, shorten your shifts, dump the puck more often, and take simple shots just to force a whistle and reset. Less risk, more structure, more conservative hockey.

    • #52641
      Mr Ricochet
      Participant

      Great breakdown, Frenchy. ….. Hawks have been better than anyone could have hoped for. They’re playing meaningful games, in the playoff hunt while WHILE they’re developing young players at the NHL level.

      And indeed, possession needs to improve to take another step. Reasonable to think that will improve as the young players get 40-50-60 games of NHL reps.

      KD and Blashill are hitting on most every decision with KD showing crazy patience. Rebuild is on a solid foundation.

      • #52918
        CoachFrenchy
        Participant

        You’re absolutely right. The Hawks are ahead of schedule, and the foundation is clearly there. My only real concern right now is the 11F/7D setup. In today’s NHL, no team can run a full season like that without feeling the grind. At some point—around the 50–55 game mark—the forwards are going to feel the mileage. Yes, they’re in great shape, but the body still needs recovery time.

        The Olympic break will help them reset, but injuries could be the real challenge. They simply don’t have the depth yet to absorb multiple losses up front. The good news? Even with the imperfections, they’re developing their young players the right way. This experience is invaluable, and long-term it’s going to pay off in a big way for this franchise.

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