Blackhawks Daily: Taking Stock and Former Hawks Flourishing

After a couple days of Blackhawks hockey, it’s a couple days of low key until Saturday’s tilt with the Montreal Canadiens.

But a lot of ex-Hawks were active on Thursday. Alex DeBrincat buried his first goal with the Detroit Red Wings but it wasn’t enough to knock off the New Jersey Devils. Marc-Andre Fleury shut out the defending Eastern Conference champion Florida Panthers. Artemi Panarin had a goal and an assist in the Rangers 5-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

The Blackhawks sit 1-1 before going through Montreal and Toronto and then finishing off the five-game road trip with the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. A little bit of analysis ahead of time. Montreal should be a win; Toronto a fun one with an Auston Matthews-Connor Bedard matchup that they can likely take the Leafs to overtime–Colorado likely a tougher matchup in the first divisional dustup of the season.

The Hawks have fought in both games they’ve played so far, and continuing to get consistent goaltending through the next week will only keep them in games. Imagine if Bedard gets going….

Blackhawks In Case You Missed It

• Blackhawks Stock Index: Mrazek and Soderblom both rising
• Editor’s Choice advocates for a top line featuring Lukas Reichel and Connor Bedard
• Blackhawks rookies are using speed and space to make their plays

Western Conference Wrap

Colorado Hockey Now: The penalty kill looks much improved thanks to some of the new personnel with the Colorado Avalanche (+)

Nashville Hockey Now: From the locker room gets the reaction following the Nashville Predators 3-0 win over the Seattle Kraken

San Jose Hockey Now: The San Jose Sharks were no match for the defending champs, falling 4-1

Vegas Hockey Now: Braden Pachal buries his first NHL goal in the Vegas Golden Knights victory over the San Jose Sharks