Biz Absolutely Killed The Blackhawks Last Night On TNT
Uhhh
Giphy Images.Biz nailed it. This is why it's frustrating when everyone can see the basic effort plays not being made, but nobody ever gets punished for it. The only currency a head coach really has is ice time. There didn't seem to be any repercussions for Bertuzzi not doing his job. There was another play in the first period last night where Bedard took a shot from the high slot. Bertuzzi looped wide to make himself available or a pass in theory. He should be driving the center lane, occupying a D, getting to the net and creating space for Bedard and traffic at the net. These aren't difficult concepts. These are things these guys have known since they were 10 years-old, but it's the simple things that are killing them more than anything else. Not getting back quickly. Not winning board battles. Not breaking up plays. The whole team was called out in Detroit and rightfully so, but this is an ongoing problem in my opinion.
Blash responded with this after the game when asked about Biz's comments on TNT
The criticism isn't necessarily about the record. It's about the habits and the way they are losing. Mental errors, while frustrating, are the nature of a young team. It's the effort plays that are tough to take at this point in the rebuild. The Blackhawk don't have a lot of options on the roster at this point in terms of guys they can call up to make a difference, so I don't know what the fix is right now
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The Blackhawks are super young, but at some point you have to be honest about what you are and what you have. And it's not just the young guys. I don't know how many games it takes guys to make the right plays, but a lot of the "core" aren't exactly rookies any more either.
Frank Nazar (who I really like) 136 NHL games played, 21 in Rockford
Oliver Moore 75 NHL games played, 9 in Rockford
Sam Rinzel 75 NHL games played, 9 in Rockford
Kevin Korchinski 109 NHL games (which is shocking), 109 in Rockford
Ryan Greene has played 99
Levshunov 102
Wyatt Kaiser 191 NHL games, 54 in Rockford
At some point you need to decide what these guys are. There have been injuries, the Blackhawks have played a very tough schedule on paper, but to be this low in the standings. The veteran group of Bertuzzi, Smith, Teravainen, Donato, Greenway, Mangiapane, etc has left a lot to be desired. Those are the guys who are supposed to be doing everything right and showing the young guys how to be pros.
I said it back when it was happening, but if you're trading Hagel, Debrincat, Strome, and Dach the rebuild better fucking work. I think the design was to be bad enough to have a chance at getting Bedard. That part worked. Hard to say any other part of the plan is going swimmingly. You look at some of the old Hawks contemporaries like Boston and they managed to lose Chara, Bergeron, Rask, Krejci, and Marchand and they've been able to rebuild and be a good team with this next generation built around Pasta and McAvoy and then Geekie, Minten, etc.
It's been too long to still be THIS bad. Bedard is great. Levshunov, Kantserov, and Frank will be good players. I don't think anyone else has been convincing.
Last note…there's more than one way to be competitive. I don't need people to be fighting all the time and running around putting people in the hospital like they're Scott Stevens, but for a team that doesn't have possession of the puck that much they should be registering more hits just simply by playing the right way. They should be harder to play against. Some of that is personality. Some of that is coaching. Some of that is culture. I've been watching that Saban documentary and there was a time when he was at Michigan State getting ready to play against #1 ranked Ohio State. He knew the talent didn't match up so he told his guys to win one play, one battle at a time. Those plays last for 6 seconds on average. Can you win for 6 seconds? That's the mentality this group needs. Can you make the right play and win your shift. Can you be successful for 40 seconds doing your job?
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I think it's taken too long for the Blackhawks to establish who they are and what it takes to win. There's a lot of focus on what they can't and don't do, but there also needs to be a plan to put guys in a position to do what they are able to. There's a lot fingers to point, and corrections to be made, but most of all I think it's culture. This is why I asked above in the interview if they worry about losing inherently makes you a loser. Like you get comfortable with it. It doesn't bother you as much because your money, your career, your life are all pretty fucking good playing in the NHL. I am not saying that is what is going on here, but it's a concern. That Detroit game it certainly didn't look like they felt like they were playing for their lives or their future. There were obvious moments highlighted by Biz last night which was more of the same.
I don't think you can rule out the possibility that things will click. Montreal started terribly two years ago. Buffalo went through it last year at the start of the season.
I am not even asking for winning at this point. I just want the team to play the right way. Have good habits. Play like winners even if you end up losing against better, more veteran teams. Turn on the Calgary Flames and tell me if that looks the same as the 2026-27 Blackhawks. They aren't good. I don't think they have more talent than the Blackhawks. They certainly are harder to play against though. That's a team that their fans can be proud of even though they have no expectations. That's all people want here in Chicago. Most fans don't understand systems, or traps, or a lot of the finer details, but people know what an honest effort looks like. They know what it looks like when a guy or a team are hard to play against. I don't think our eyes are lying to us. I don't think they're lying to Biz. I don't think it's a necessarily a talent issue, I think it's more culture. You have to make your opponent uncomfortable. Nobody ever looks uncomfortable playing against the Blackhawks.
I am hoping that Biz might've lit a fire under them. They can't like being publicly destroyed like that. It has to be embarassing to hear that on national tv and then pull up nhl.com/standings. Saying it and doing it are not the same thing. They need to focus on winning 30 seconds at a time. Focusing hard for 30 seconds. Being a cocksucker out there. Then get back to the bench and get ready to do it again. And if they can't do that consistently then they don't need to be here.