Venting Frustrations and Joys: Blackhawks Fan Discussions

Welcome to the Chicago Blackhawks venting series. This is a bi-weekly series in which we will reach out to fans on X (formerly Twitter) to share their thoughts on all the happenings surrounding the team. As they continue to rebuild, there is a lot of frustration, but there is also a lot of encouragement, and there’s no better way to gauge where the team is at than hearing from the fans themselves. Without further ado, here is the first installment of the series.

1. What Encourages You About the Blackhawks Right Now?

Considering the Blackhawks had eight first-round picks in the last three drafts, including Connor Bedard, fans have reason to be optimistic, which seemed to be a common response.

From @jgasper25_

“The sense of and stressing point of accountability, as well as the mindset of knowing we have future stars still in AHL, etc. (Nazar!)”

From @TannerCrow7

“Vlasic could be an All-Star this year, and the D-core for the future looks solid.”

From @dave3086L

“Bedsy [Connor Bedard] and Vlasic. That’s it.”

I think these responses summed it up. There was an emphasis from training camp that there would be more accountability this season. Although sometimes questionable, head coach Luke Richardson has been enforcing it. Philipp Kurashev was healthy scratched, as was Lukas Reichel and, most recently, T.J. Brodie. There was even a point where Seth Jones was moved off of the first power-play unit.

The Blackhawks have promising prospects in Rockford, including Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro, Frank Nazar, Colton Dach, Landon Slaggert, and Artyom Levshunov.

Defenseman Alex Vlasic is having a year so far, leading the team in blocked shots (27) and takeaways (11), and is fourth on the team in assists (5). He seems to be improving every game, and their future defense does have options. Wyatt Kaiser and Nolan Allan have been holding their own this season, and with top prospects Levshunov and Korchinski in Rockford, it makes for optimism.

2. What Concerns/Frustrates You the Most About the Blackhawks?

Considering the Blackhawks are in a seven-year playoff drought (minus the Edmonton Playoff bubble) and the fact that through 11 games, Chicago holds last place in the NHL with a 3-7-1 record, having frustrations and concerns about the team are valid, as the expectations for the team going into the season for them was to take a step forward.

From @Stew_Smith1

“Jekyll and Hyde performances. Beat Edmonton, then lose to Buffalo. Beat Colorado, then lose to San Jose. Infuriating.”

From @jeff92809796

“The lack of support for Bedard. Lack of scoring from your leaders.”

From @Michael_Rooney4

“They don’t have any other great players and have shown no means (free agency) or a gm [general manager] (trade) to get them (aside from the draft).”

These concerns are valid. Jekyll and Hyde performances are something they dealt with a lot last season and changed from period to period. They have shown they can beat top teams, like the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche, but struggle to beat teams more similar to them, like San Jose. The Blackhawks’ performances can be erratic.

The lack of scoring was a concern going into the season, and right now, the depth has been carrying the load. Ryan Donato leads the team in goals (6). Connor Bedard, Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, Craig Smith, and Nick Foligno are all tied for second-best in goals (3). So, there is a discrepancy in goals from the top six.

There is also the point about the roster since a lot of the roster includes veterans on one-year deals, and the roster isn’t filled with “top” talent. I do think this offseason will be telling with how they choose to fill out the roster in free agency and trades since right now they are just filling the gaps to allow the players with the Rockford IceHogs to get more playing time, but it is something to watch.

3. What Are Your Thoughts on Luke Richardson’s Position Thus Far?

Head coach Luke Richardson continues to be a hot topic amongst fans. Whether it’s the choice of healthy scratches, the line combinations, or the team’s record, fans seem to be split on the head coach.

From @hockeyyprincess

“Not a fan of his kneejerk reactions to move or bench guys after one game.”

From @TexanDad13

“In a tough spot but also too inconsistent. I appreciate his motivation of taking PT (playing time), but it’s coming at the cost of chemistry & making it harder for the guys doing it right. 72 & 98. Not a pro-level strategy, especially with no track record of success. He is about to lose the locker room.”

From @KylePil0t

“He’s fine. What else can you do? If what he is saying is falling on deaf ears, it’s not him. Got to hold the players accountable.”

It seems like fans have a give-and-take with Richardson. Understandably, he hasn’t been given deep rosters to work with, but when it comes to lineup decisions, that falls on the coach. It will be interesting to see how this plays out going into 2025, and it will be a recurring topic to address.

We also had bonus thoughts on fans sharing their aggravations with CHSN.  The Chicago Sports Network has been problematic so far. There have been issues with the efficiency of digital antennas (mine included), and any other streaming options are tricky, as well. The latest update is that there should be a CHSN app by Thanskgiving, but the fact that many fans have had to miss watching games this season has been frustrating in more ways than one.

Thank you to all the fans for submitting responses, and make sure to check back in for the next one!

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