Blackhawks Postgame Chatter: ‘He Always Brings A Great Attitude’

CHICAGO – Blackhawks fans waited to roar as Colin Blackwell sent the puck past a sprawling defenseman. Waiting on the other side? Connor Bedard, who was just one shot away from securing his first career hat trick. But the guy who made the pass was also one goal away. But instead of shooting, he sent it over. And wouldn’t you know it, the guy who everyone thought would bury it ended up whistling a shot wide.

Minutes later, the Hockey Gods rewarded Blackwell’s selflessness and the puck ended up on his stick with an empty net waiting.

He wasn’t missing.

Hockey, like life, is sometimes cruel. It takes just as much as it can give. But in that moment for a guy who is loved by his teammates for what he brings to the ice every night, hockey was was unbelievably rewarding.

“Blackie has been awesome all year,” said Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones, who had four assists in Chicago’s 7-4 win.  “He always brings a great attitude, he’s determined, his work ethic is off the charts and I’m happy for him that a workhorse like him can get a hat trick for us.”

Blackwell Has Been a ‘Workhorse’ All Year for the Blackhawks

Ah yes, the workhorse who along with Tyler Johnson seemed one of the bets to be traded at the trade deadline. Other teams see the value he brings. A high motor, give-’em-hell forward who inspires his own while leaving everything out on the ice.

But that workhorse ended up staying in Chicago with Johnson and both factored in big during the Blackhawks win Sunday night. Johnson had a goal and Blackwell added three. But it’s how and what be brings every single night that inspires. Head coach Luke Richardson told a story about how Blackwell stuck up for Alex Vlasic and made his case to the ref rather excitedly.

He didn’t get called for a penalty. But he fired his team up.

“They get revved up,” Richardson said.  “Sometimes someone, either [assistant coach Derek King]er or one of the players will be like, ‘Hey settle down.’ He gets kicking the boards and snapping and getting red in the face. It gives us a bit of a chuckle and a charge. And you know what, he’s able to use that. Some players can’t do that– it gets them off their game. He takes that and that elevates his spark on the ice and he’s able to do that.”

Indeed he is. Blackwell has eight goals on the season, his most since he was with Seattle back in 2021-22. But he wasn’t brought in to score goals at a high clip. Blackwell was signed to provide that spark and energy that can often give a team some juice when things are down.

Sometimes, too, it can power a personal performance. But Blackwell, true to his pass-first decision when he had his first real chance at a hat trick, deflected the praise postgame.

“I’m grateful playing with Dicky and Andy, they just play the game the right way and they put me in really good situations to succeed,” Blackwell said.  “I think they did a lot of the hard work on the majority of those goals. We were out there with Vlas and Seth at the end, blocked shots, getting the puck into the neutral zone. Just little things like that is kind of how we won the game.”

For sure it is. But Blackwell shouldn’t miss what he brings to the team, too. It’s why he should get another go around with the Blackhawks next year because that contagious energy can help propel a team on the rise.

“He’s a good mentor for the younger guys, how he looks after himself and he’s not afraid to tell the other guys to get in there too with him,” Richardson said.  “He’s got that personality, so it’s great. It’s good to see him have some success, and you know what, it’s all determination from him. We can’t do anything but we provided him the opportunity and he made the most of it.”

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