NEWSLETTER
With a three-day mini-break between games for the Blackhawks, it’s starting to feel like the rest of the league is pulling away from Chicago more than before. Granted, yes, the rest of the league was already pretty far away from the Blackhawks in the standings, but after getting six wins in nine games, it felt like Chicago had gained some momentum. They’ll get back at it tomorrow against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals, who just blew a third period lead last night in dramatic fashion.
• When Chicago takes the ice tomorrow, they’ll likely have a rookie making his NHL debut in the lineup as Josiah Slavin played a fourth-line role at yesterday’s practice.
Just 30 games into his professional career, Josiah Slavin’s stock is quickly rising within the #Blackhawks organization.
It’s a continuation of the two-way forward’s rapid ascent since being a 7th-round selection in 2018. https://t.co/FitINy4edu
— Carter Baum (@CarterBaum) November 30, 2021
• Slavin was a seventh-round pick by the Blackhawks in the 2018 NHL Draft but quickly ascended the ladder in the prospect system. After two years in the NCAA playing at Colorado College, Slavin signed his entry-level deal with Chicago and joined the IceHogs late last season. Slavin earned his first NHL call-up with eight points in 15 games this season in the AHL.
Josiah Slavin called himself as a two-way forward with a defensive focus. Worked on his skating the most to work his way up as a 7th-round pick.
"I’m not the prettiest skater, and it’s not always the most effective way when you’re not pretty."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) November 30, 2021
• If you think the last name is familiar, you’re right. Josiah is the younger brother of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jaccob Slavin. Both played for the Chicago Steel in the USHL and played at Colorado College before making their professional debuts.
Josiah Slavin on brother Jaccob Slavin: "He was just super-excited for me. It was a good time to give him that call and tell him that I got called up. I think he was a little bit more excited for me than I was. He just shouted woohoo and just said I’m really happy for you, bro."
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) November 30, 2021
• Slavin will get an opportunity to make a lasting impression tomorrow night.
• Slavin won’t be getting powerplay minutes with the Blackhawks, but at this point, any combination of players could try to make things work for an aspect of Chicago’s game that is faltering. NBC Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis took a look at how the Blackhawks went from one of the top units in the league to one of the worst.
#Blackhawks power play in first 10 games: 26.3% (6th).
Last 12 games: 3.3% (32nd).
What happened? Pinpointing where exactly the struggles are coming from: https://t.co/Q0ABA47BKE
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) November 30, 2021
• One change that is likely coming before tomorrow is where Jonathan Toews plays on the powerplay. Yesterday at practice, he and interim head coach Derek King had a lengthy talk on the ice. Following practice, King said it was a discussion about line combinations and his role on the powerplay unit. Toews no longer wants to play in the “bumper” position, so a reconfiguration of the groups on the man-advantage will likely be coming today.
King and Toews were talking about lines & the power play: "He doesn't want to be in the bumper spot. So, I have to move him somewhere else. He probably wants to run the top (smirk). But we'll figure it out. We're going to have a little pow-wow tomorrow with the power play guys." https://t.co/GJzvD9k44N
— Joe Brand (@Joe_Brand1) November 30, 2021
• I mean, anything to try to get Toews going offensively at this point, right? He has just two powerplay assists this season and nine points in 21 games.
• Speaking of getting going, Dylan Strome was skating with Alex DeBrincat and Kirby Dach in yesterday’s practice. Strome has three points in 12 games this season and hasn’t found a regular home in the lineup. We’ve pondered about a trade involving Strome and Jake DeBrusk recently. If Strome’s game can’t flourish with Dach and DeBrincat, I’m not sure what more can be done for him.
Derek King on Dylan Strome going from healthy scratch to top-six role: "There's no point to us putting him back in the lineup in a fourth-line checking role. That's not him. He's a skilled guy."
Said like Kurashev, he needs to improve away from the puck.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) November 30, 2021
• There’s going to be a bad taste in the mouth of the Capitals when the Blackhawks come to town tomorrow after blowing a 4-1 lead in the third period to the Panthers last night in historic fashion.
Capitals just squandered a 4-1 lead to Panthers, who outshot them 26-2 in the third period. Wow.#Blackhawks visit Washington tomorrow.
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 1, 2021
• It was one of the biggest single-period comebacks, dominantly, by the Panthers in a long time.
In the 3rd period tonight:
Shots on goal: Panthers 27, Capitals 2
Goals: Panthers 4, Capitals 0The @FlaPanthers are the only NHL team in the last 30 years to outshoot their opponent by 25 or more and outscore them by 4 or more in any single period.
— Stats By STATS (@StatsBySTATS) December 1, 2021
• Yesterday, Team USA announced their preliminary roster for the World Junior Championships. Four Blackhawks prospects have the preliminary roster as the U.S. looks to defend their 2021 Gold Medal been named to.
Four Blackhawks Prospects Named to Team USA Preliminary World Junior Championships Rosterhttps://t.co/3YucFL7xjH
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) November 30, 2021
• Hockey Canada will be announcing their roster today, but yesterday we found out that the eighth-overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft would not be joining Team Canada.
According to two people close to #LAKings prospect Brandt Clarke, his non-invite to Team Canada’s camp is not related to protocols or COVID. They just didn’t pick him. Those around him are shocked.
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) November 30, 2021
• Clarke is the leading defenseman in points in the OHL this season but was just left off the roster entirely, according to reports. With the tournament sent to begin the day after Christmas, Clarke will have plenty of time to spend with family, I guess.
• Speaking of Christmas, the NHL has canceled it.
The NHL Cancels Christmas (Parties)https://t.co/AyVqFWWXYu
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) November 30, 2021
• Well, in a sense. Due to COVID concerns around the league, the NHL has informed all 32 teams that holiday parties and other public team events are canceled until further notice. This also makes it seem like participating in the 2022 Winter Olympics is headed out the door for the NHL, too.
• Steven Stamkos was out last night for the Tampa Bay Lighting. He had good reason as he was with his wife for the birth of their second child. But it was how hockey lineup site Left Wing Lock described Stamkos’ reason for missing the game that had the hockey social media world losing their minds.
Steven Stamkos: A child is being born. He will not play hockey tonight due to this event. https://t.co/rcXcFkcTlp #nhl #GoBolts
— Left Wing Lock (@Left_Wing_Lock) December 1, 2021
• There are so many better ways that they could have said this. Like, “Birth of his child” or something simple.
this is the most insane phrasing I’ve ever seen lmao https://t.co/1PDwChN3ZV
— Marisa Ingemi (@Marisa_Ingemi) December 1, 2021
• Maybe Left Wing Lock was just in the holiday spirit?
A child, a child, shivers in the cold
We must bring him silver and goals. https://t.co/loYwe1S5QK— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) December 1, 2021
• Anyways, congratulations to Stamkos and his family.
• Need a laugh? Here’s Jordan Binnington…
truly the most beautiful of games pic.twitter.com/HnqnEeQtTn
— Dimitri Filipovic (@DimFilipovic) December 1, 2021
• It would have only been made better if the Blues lost too.
• After biting Brady Tkachuk, Brendan Lemieux was handed a five-game suspension. One game for each finger, I guess.
Los Angeles’ Brendan Lemieux has been suspended for five games for Biting Ottawa’s Brady Tkachuk. https://t.co/mGPTYVfR4r
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) December 1, 2021
• I still cannot believe he bit him.
• Yesterday, the New Jersey Devils extended Jack Hughes, the top overall draft pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, to an eight-year max extension.
Jack Hughes extension breakdown:
22-23: $9 (includes $2M SB)
23-24: $8.5M
24-25: $8.5M
25-26: $8.5M
26-27: $8M
27-28: $7.5M
28-29: $7M
29-30: $7M
(10-team no-trade clause kicks in 26-27, so for last 4 years of deal)— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) November 30, 2021
• Kaapo Kakko and Kirby Dach, the second and third picks in that draft class, are due their next contracts. For Dach, his next deal will not be in the same ballpark as Hughes, but it’s something the Blackhawks will have to figure out soon.
Feels safe to say the pay decrease from the 2019 1st overall pick to the 2019 3rd overall pick will be steep https://t.co/O1VhgvK801
— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) November 30, 2021
• He figures to be a fixture for the organization for many years to come, but with eight points in 21 games this season and just 41 in 103 career games so far, plus a career 34.8% faceoff-percentage, his value to the Blackhawks monetarily on his second contract will be much lower than recent third-overall picks.
• Last night, I was introduced to a new term, “Forsberger” or rather “FOURSberger”…
🎩🎩🎩➕☝️
A four-goal game for Filip Forsberg against the Blue Jackets. @PredsNHL
🎥 @NHL pic.twitter.com/qsWoww23uT
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) December 1, 2021
• Filip Forsberg matched the Predators’ franchise record for goals in a game, joining Rocco Grimaldi last season and Eric Nystrom in 2014.
• Now I want a burger…or four of them.
• That will do it for today. I hope you all enjoy your Wednesday!
