While it hasn’t been a fun ride for the Chicago Blackhawks so far, they’re still off to a better start than they were last season. That said, they’ll likely keep everything as is, and yes, that means keeping their current coach employed.
It might be frustrating, but in a long-term rebuild, this is what we all should have expected anyway. But how bad does it look against the rest of the league, despite some recent success from the Hawks? Overall, they’re still one of the worst in the league in the NHL Standings, and their current points percentage also sheds light on how rough of an outing it’s been.
The Elite
- Winnipeg Jets: 0.923
- Carolina Hurricanes: 0.818
- NY Rangers: 0.773
- Washington Capitals: 0.750
- Minnesota Wild: 0.750
- Vegas Golden Knights: 0.731
- Florida Panthers: 0.731
There have been a few surprises here, with the Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild off to hot starts. Say what you will about the Washington Capitals, but the way they supplemented the team over this past offseason, I’m not at all shocked at where they stand.
More Contenders
- Vancouver Canucks: 0.682
- LA Kings: 0.679
- Dallas Stars: 0.636
- New Jersey Devils: 0.600
- Calgary Flames: 0.577
- Toronto Maple Leafs: 0.571
- Detroit Red Wings: 0.542
- Tampa Bay Lightning: 0.538
- St. Louis Blues: 0.538
As far as Central Division teams go, the Stars keep on rocking, but maybe we were too early to judge the Blues. In what looked like a throwaway season that has turned into a battle against adversity, the Blackhawks top rival is, so far, doing quite well for itself.
Still Some Hope
- Utah Hockey Club: 0.500
- Ottawa Senators: 0.500
- Columbus Blue Jackets: 0.500
- Boston Bruins: 0.464
- Edmonton Oilers: 0.464
- NY Islanders: 0.462
- Colorado Avalanche: 0.462
- Pittsburgh Penguins: 0.429
- Buffalo Sabres: 0.423
- Anaheim Ducks: 0.417
The Utah Hockey Club may be the most up-and-down team in the league right now and it’s hard to pinpoint where they’ll be come midseason. Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, and the Colorado Avalanche still have yet to find consistency. Perhaps the panic button is starting to glow for all three of those teams.
Not Looking Good
- Seattle Kraken: 0.393
- Chicago Blackhawks: 0.393
- Montreal Canadiens: 0.385
- San Jose Sharks: 0.357
- Nashville Predators: 0.346
- Philadelphia Flyers: 0.346
As noted earlier, it’s looking pretty bad for the Blackhawks. But if there’s anything positive to take away from this, at least they’re not the worst team in the Central Division, as that dishonor belongs to the Nashville Predators.
