NEWSLETTER
We have finally reached the most-critical part of the Chicago Blackhawks 2021 season with a three-game series beginning tonight against the Nashville Predators. A two-point gap separates the two teams battling for the fourth and final Stanley Cup Playoff spot in the Central Division. Also not far behind are the Dallas Stars, just one point behind Chicago. This upcoming series could put the Blackhawks back in playoff position, or it could be the final nail in the coffin on their chances for making the 2021 postseason.
• Chicago comes into the series against Nashville having built a small amount of momentum with wins in three of their last four games and four of their last six games since they last faced the Predators on April 3rd. The Predators have won six of their last ten games, but come into the series having lost back-to-back games against the Carolina Hurricanes.
• The Blackhawks will need every bit of momentum they can get heading into this series against Nashville, a team they have yet to beat this season in five meetings (0-3-2). The two points they have earned against the Predators this season are the fewest of any opponent for the Blackhawks this season and the six goals they have scored are the fewest against any opponent this season, as well.
• This is the time of year when teams like the Blackhawks, teams fighting to get into the playoffs, have to already be in “playoff mode.” Following the win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night, head coach Jeremy Colliton called the upcoming series against Nashville “like a playoff series,” and on Sunday, Patrick Kane had the same outlook.
Patrick Kane on this week's 3 games vs. Predators: "Usually you don't get something like this in the regular season. It's exciting we have a 3-game 'playoff' series here and hopefully we can gain some ground."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) April 18, 2021
• A player like Kane, who has been around the NHL block a few times, has to be a player who can lead a young Blackhawks squad through a regular season series of this magnitude both on and off the ice.
• Kane had been in a “slump” heading into the final series against the Red Wings, with just two goals in his last 13 games heading into Thursday night’s game. Although, I say “slump” because he had produced 12 points over those 13 games and he is still third in the NHL in scoring this season. He “broke” his “slump” on Saturday with a goal and an assist in the 4-0 win for Chicago.
Patrick Kane said it was nice to break through with a goal last night. Said he's been getting his chances, but the finish wasn't there, which is obviously unusual for him. Hoping it propels him to a big final stretch.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) April 18, 2021
• That would be nice. Kane has been one of the best set-up men in the NHL this season with 41 assists, which is tied for second in the league. The goal scoring has tapered-off for Kane in recent weeks. After scoring 11 goals in the first month and a half of the season, Kane has scored just four goals in 22 games since the beginning of March.
• Goals have been hard to come by for the Blackhawks when facing the Predators this season, having just six in five games and suffering a shutout in their last meeting. In fact, goals have been hard to come by for a few YEARS against Nashville. Since Game 1 of the 2017 first-round series, the Blackhawks are 5-12-4 against the Predators and have scored more than two goals only twice in those 21 meetings. Yikes.
Patrick Kane said this 3-game set with Nashville isn't just important experience for the young guys, but for the vets, too. "The success hasn't been here as a team, as an organization, where we want it to be. These are huge games for all of us."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) April 18, 2021
• Special teams has been a strong point for both teams in their five meetings this season, mainly on the penalty-kill. Chicago has killed nine of Nashville’s ten powerplay opportunities against them this season, while the Predators have killed 14 of the Blackhawks’ 15 powerplay chances.
• One of the biggest reasons behind the Predators’ success against the Blackhawks this season has come in between the pipes.
#Predators goalie Juuse Saros has turned in four 40-save performances in the last month, going 10-4-0 with a .952 save percentage and 1.56 goals-against average. He's beaten the #Blackhawks twice during that span, stopping 70 of 71 attempts.
— John Dietz (@johndietzdh) April 18, 2021
• Juuse Saros and Pekka Rinne have been monsters against the Blackhawks this season, teaming up for a .960 save-percentage and a .892 high-danger save-percentage in five games against Chicago this season. Of all Central Division opponents, Nashville has had the best team-goaltending against the Blackhawks this season. On the flip-side of that, the Blackhawks have their lowest shooting-percentage against an opponent this season when facing the Predators, shooting just 4.0%.
• Having the most success scoring against the Predators this season is Alex DeBrincat. His TWO goals in five games against Nashville are the most by a Blackhawks player this season, with Pius Suter, Dylan Strome, Ryan Carpenter, and Mattias Janmark scoring the other four goals. DeBrincat leads the Blackhawks in goals this season with 22 in 41 games and ranks tied for fifth in the NHL this season. His 109 goals since entering the league in the 2017-18 season are second on the Blackhawks behind only Patrick Kane and rank 18th in the NHL in that same timeframe. It’s kinda what he does best.
• But even after having back-to-back 50+ goal seasons in the OHL leading up the the 2016 NHL draft, DeBrincat had to wait until the Blackhawks came around with pick No. 39 to hear his name called. The Athletic’s Scott Powers, along with Scott Burnside and Corey Pronman collaborated to bring the story of DeBrincat’s draft experience and ultimately landing with Chicago. Check it out:
“He was like shaking his leg the whole entire time. I’m like, honey, relax, relax.”
The story behind how Alex DeBrincat fell to the Blackhawks in the 2016 NHL draft. Reporting done with @OvertimeScottB & @coreypronman. https://t.co/yb6EpHJ2o1
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) April 19, 2021
• DeBrincat has two goals and five points during a four-game point streak that he brings into the series against the Predators.
• Some good news for the Chicago Blackhawks is that Alex Nylander is back on the ice following knee surgery in December.
https://twitter.com/Mario_Tirabassi/status/1383837030371627019?s=20
• Nylander was originally given a four-to-six month window for recovery from the surgery and his four-month window is coming up later this week. It might be possible that he returns to game action before the regular season is over, or could be available for a potential postseason run. We shall see.
• In minor-league news today, the AHL deadline for trades and loans is this afternoon at 2:00 p.m. CT. It is nothing close to the action seen on NHL Trade Deadline day and without Calder Cup Playoffs this year, it will likely be very, very quiet.
Today at 3 p.m. ET is the #AHL's trade/loan deadline.
I wouldn't expect much movement, if any, this season with no Calder Cup Playoffs on the horizon.
Players on NHL contracts playing in AHL can be moved to another AHL team today, but unlikely given this pandemic season.
— Tony Androckitis (@TonyAndrock) April 19, 2021
• Speaking of the AHL, the Rockford IceHogs are coming off a dramatic comeback win over the Chicago Wolves in their last outing. They are 8-13-1 this season, but have gone 5-5-0 in their last ten games. They head out on a four-game road trip to end the month of April beginning Wednesday night against the Chicago Wolves. Rockford has ten games remaining this AHL season.
• A Happy 40th Birthday to former Blackhawks winger Martin Havlát!
Happy 40th Birthday to Martin Havlát!#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/QJX5FEnLFk
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) April 19, 2021
• Last night in Philadelphia was an emotional night for the Flyers. On Hockey Fights Cancer Night, Flyers forward and cancer survivor Oskar Lindblom was honored for his fight against Ewing’s sarcoma by his teammates.
Courage. Determination. Perspective.
Tonight, we celebrate @oskarlindblom's fight. #HockeyFightsCancer | #OskarStrong pic.twitter.com/lZOBhuiCBY
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) April 18, 2021
• Lindblom has skated in 39 games with the Flyers this season, tallying six goals and 11 points after being diagnosed as cancer-free back in December.
Oskar Lindblom fought back tears as both benches and the Wells Fargo Center crowd honored him before the game on Hockey Fights Cancer night. Our hero. #Flyers pic.twitter.com/dzWWJInN9z
— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) April 18, 2021
• Another emotional night in the hockey world last night played out in Vancouver as the Canucks returned to the ice for the first time in nearly a month after dealing with a COVID outbreak that nearly infected the entire team. The players and the league went back and forth on when or if the team should return to the ice, ultimately modifying the schedule enough to allow them to return and finish the season. It started last night with a dramatic overtime win over the Toronto Maple Leafs and had heart-stopping action like Braden Holtby making a windmill save…
https://twitter.com/HeresYourReplay/status/1383953008019480580?s=20
• As well as Canucks Captain Bo Horvat scoring the game-winning goal…
https://twitter.com/HeresYourReplay/status/1383958594744291333?s=20
• A wild story this Canucks saga has been.
• That’s all for today. Have yourselves a good Monday and we’ll see you tonight for Blackhawks and Predators at 7:00 p.m. CT!
