Mid-January feels like ages ago.
The Chicago Blackhawks have not seen the Tampa Bay Lightning since the first two games of the season back on January 13th (5-1 loss) and 15th (5-2 loss). The Lightning have been exactly as expected this season, playing some of the best hockey in the league while leading a modified Central Division. The Blackhawks, however, have grown by leaps and bounds since the opening series of the season. Sitting fourth in the Central Division on points (28) and points percentage (.609), the Blackhawks are a different team than the Lightning faced at the beginning of the year.
Hello. The Chicago Blackhawks are tied for the Central Division lead based on points today. It is February 18, 2021. This is all a reality.
It feels so weird to say that the Blackhawks are actually, yes, good. No one expected this Chicago squad to be competitive like this in 2021. The writing was on the wall for this season that it would be a no good, miserable year. Yet here we are, talking about playoff positioning, Calder Trophy candidates, and dare I say Hart Trophy candidates? What year
IS this?
• Last night, the Blackhawks were able to dispatch of the Detroit Red Wings with a 2-0 win. Leading the way were two of the three Calder Trophy candidates on this Blackhawks squad as Kevin Lankinen notched his first career shutout and Philipp Kurashev scored one of the slickest goals of the year.