The Chicago Blackhawks cannot build any positive momentum this season.
After playing great against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday to end a five-game losing skid, the Hawks laid another egg against the New York Rangers on Sunday.
Arvid Soderblom got a second-straight start and did not make a great case for being the No. 1 goaltender for the rest of the season. He allowed six goals on 34 shots. It was disappointing to see after he was brilliant against the Canadiens.
Despite the rough night, giving Soderblom a long look to see if he can still be the long-term No. 1 netminder is one of three things the Hawks must figure out over the rest of the season.
Soderblom still has earned the right to see if he can reclaim that title that he let slip away last season. One of the reasons the Hawks have been allowing so many goals lately is the blue line has struggled to move screeners. They have also struggled away to take away scoring spots on the ice.
Taking away those prime scoring spots is one thing interim head coach Anders Sorensen wants the defensemen to do and so far, the defensive unit has not been up to the task.
Since Soderblom’s contract runs out after the season, the franchise still owes itself to see if Arvid can be the top goalie on the team. Petr Mrazek and Laurent Brossoit do not have large cap hits to where it would make it impossible to deal them in case Soderblom does turn out to be the guy.
Plus, Drew Commesso likely needs some time in Rockford to prove he is ready to even be a backup goalie.
The Blackhawks have to find a winger who can skate opposite of Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi.
Bertuzzi has proven he is capable of being on the same line with Bedard. The problem now is finding the third guy.
One of the problems that led to Luke Richardson getting fired was the constant juggling of who was skating alongside Bedard on the top line. Seeing Bertuzzi bury goals from Bedard’s passes has been a welcome sight.
Connor Bedard is on a seven-game point streak, the longest of his young career.
All six assists in that span are on Tyler Bertuzzi goals.
That's part 2 of this Blackhawks notebook: https://t.co/L6yqdoQDLc
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) January 6, 2025
It will be great if they can find a third guy now. Taylor Hall got a run but eventually was moved down to the second line. Ilya Mikheyev has gotten the most recent opportunity.
Even Colton Dach got a shot in the second period. Dach would be the ideal long-term guy to skate alongside Bedard based on his size and physical game. You would love for him to be the energy guy as the third forward who screens goalies and wins puck battles to throw the biscuit to Bedard on his way to the net.
You would then add prospect Oliver Moore who might have the skill and speed to be worthy of being on the same line with Bedard, and there is the team’s long-term top line. The problem is Moore is still in college.
At least Bertuzzi is forming nice chemistry with Bedard in the short term. The hope is it continues through the season and a third guy can join them.
Find an energy guy on the ice.
It would be great for Dach or someone else in Rockford to come up and fill a Matt Shaw-like role and just be a pain in the you-know-what player.
It would be nice to have some players skate like they want to be there. Energy has been a problem for this team all season.
It is nice that the front office prioritizes skill and speed. You do need to mix in some guys that can just provide some energy and this team does not really have that guy lot alone guys.
Dach can make sure he stays in the NHL and never have to go back to Rockford if he can embrace that role.
