Patrick Kane Has Willed the Blackhawks Back Into Playoff Contention

The Blackhawks have clawed their way back into the playoff picture thanks to the heroics of one man, Patrick Kane. Last night, Kane took matters into his own hands and defeated the Blackhawks’ longtime rival, Detroit Red Wings, in OT.

Patrick Kane with the celly

Nobody wants any part of this man in the playoffs right now. Kane is gunning for that Hart Memorial Trophy. This team is dangerous 👀 #Blackhawks #CHIvsDET #HockeyTwitter #NHL pic.twitter.com/HdRwahFnj8

— ✶ ✶Tony G✶ ✶ (@Certified_TonyG) February 21, 2019

After last night’s win, the Blackhawks have won 10 of their last 12 games and are tied with the Colorado Avalanche for the 2nd Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. With that said, the Blackhawks will take on the Avalanche at home this Friday, so they are still very much in control of their destiny with 21 games left to play. This Wild Card race will likely come down to the wire, so Kane & Co. will need to be at their best, night in and night out, for the remainder of the season.

The Heroics of Patrick Kane

When I say Patrick Kane is playing out of his mind this season, I mean it to the fullest degree. Right now, Kane is putting up numbers that you couldn’t even pull off in a video game and it has been an absolute pleasure to watch.

Patrick Kane now holds the two longest point streaks ever by a U.S.-born player:
26 – @88PKane in 2015-16 (16-24—40)
19 – @88PKane in 2018-19 (15-26—41)*
18 – Phil Kessel in 2008-09 (14-14—28)
18 – Eddie Olczyk in 1989-90 (11-17—28)

*Active#NHLStats #WNH pic.twitter.com/H18FyL4yHn

— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) February 21, 2019

With 92 total points (38G, 54A) through 61 games, Patrick Kane is currently at the top of just about every NHL offensive category. Here is the breakdown of where he stands in each of those categories.

NHL Points Leaders (as of 2/20/19)

NHL Goals Scored Leaders (as of 2/20/19)

NHL Assists Leaders (as of 2/20/19)

Patrick Kane is currently on pace to score 124 points (51G, 73A) this season which are new career highs across the board. These numbers are also better than the numbers he put up during the 2015-16 season in which he put up 106 points (46G, 60A) and won the Hart Memorial Trophy (MVP), the Art Ross Trophy (most points), and Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player).

However, even with these insane numbers, Kane is not a favorite or a lock for any of these awards at the moment. That is crazy to think about in its own right.

Patrick Kane Gets By With a Little Help From His Friends

Although Patrick Kane has taken his game to another level this season, he is not the only one who has stepped up in the Blackhawks time of need. Jonathan Toews has had himself quite a nice bounce-back season and it has surprisingly gone under the radar. Toews currently has 61 points (28G, 33A) through 61 games.

                     Scor Scor        Scor Goal Goal Goal Goal Assi Assi Assi Shot Shot Shot   Ice                                  Ice
Season        Tm  GP    G    A PTS +/- PIM   EV   PP   SH   GW   EV   PP   SH    S   S%  TSA   TOI  ATOI  FOW  FOL  FO% BLK HIT  TK  GV
2007-08      CHI  64   24   30  54  11  44   17    7    0    4   13   15    2  144 16.7  217  1195 18:40  509  447 53.2  13  27  29   8
2008-09      CHI  82   34   35  69  12  51   22   12    0    7   25   10    0  195 17.4  284  1527 18:38  704  583 54.7  26  43  54  18
2009-10      CHI  76   25   43  68  22  47   15    9    1    3   27   13    3  202 12.4  297  1520 20:00  801  596 57.3  33  56  69  24
2010-11      CHI  80   32   44  76  25  26   21   10    1    8   28   15    1  233 13.7  344  1661 20:46  937  716 56.7  28  74  93  30
2011-12      CHI  59   29   28  57  17  28   23    5    1    4   19    7    2  185 15.7  257  1230 20:51  675  462 59.4  14  32  82  25
2012-13      CHI  47   23   25  48  28  27   19    2    2    5   20    4    1  143 16.1  224   909 19:21  559  374 59.9  16  24  56  16
2013-14      CHI  76   28   40  68  26  34   20    5    3    5   28   10    2  193 14.5  284  1555 20:28  884  660 57.3  20  29  51  30
2014-15      CHI  81   28   38  66  30  36   20    6    2    7   26   11    1  192 14.6  304  1585 19:34  947  728 56.5  16  56  45  34
2015-16      CHI  80   28   30  58  16  62   18    6    4    8   24    3    3  179 15.6  278  1540 19:15  921  652 58.6  38  81  57  28
2016-17      CHI  72   21   37  58   7  35   15    6    0    5   26   11    0  199 10.6  311  1451 20:09  852  700 54.9  32  43  37  37
2017-18      CHI  74   20   32  52  -1  47   18    2    0    2   22   10    0  211  9.5  341  1457 19:41  900  653 58.0  24  32  53  42
2018-19      CHI  60   28   32  60   5  28   21    6    1    5   20   12    0  163 17.2  252  1249 20:49  761  573 57.0  28  23  58  40
Career    12 yrs 851  320  414 734 198 465  229   76   15   63  278  121   15 2239 14.3 3393 16880 19:50 9450 7144 56.9 288 520 684 332

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table

Alex DeBrincat has also taken a big step this season, as he has already surpassed his point total from his rookie season (52). Like Toews, DeBrincat currently has 61 points (33G, 28A) through 61 games and is seemingly scoring at will nowadays.

                    Scor Scor        Scor Goal Goal Goal Goal Assi Assi Assi Shot Shot Shot  Ice                              Ice
Season       Tm  GP    G    A PTS +/- PIM   EV   PP   SH   GW   EV   PP   SH    S   S%  TSA  TOI  ATOI FOW FOL  FO% BLK HIT TK GV
2017-18     CHI  82   28   24  52   6   6   22    6    0    1   18    6    0  181 15.5  358 1214 14:48  25  34 42.4  25  40 33 25
2018-19     CHI  60   32   28  60   3  15   22   10    0    1   17   11    0  170 18.8  287 1047 17:27  15  17 46.9  19  25 36 29
Career    2 yrs 142   60   52 112   9  21   44   16    0    2   35   17    0  351 17.1  645 2261 15:55  40  51 44.0  44  65 69 54

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table

Alex DeBrincat’s partner in crime, Dylan Strome, has been such a force at the 2nd line center position since being acquired from the Arizona Coyotes earlier this season. Since joining the Blackhawks, Strome has transformed into the player everyone thought he could be when he was drafted 3rd overall by the Coyotes in 2015. In 57 games this season, Strome has 41 points (15G, 26A). In 36 games with the Blackhawks, Strome has 36 points (12G, 24A).

                   Scor Scor        Scor Goal Goal Goal Goal Assi Assi Assi Shot Shot Shot  Ice                              Ice
Season       Tm GP    G    A PTS +/- PIM   EV   PP   SH   GW   EV   PP   SH    S   S%  TSA  TOI  ATOI FOW FOL  FO% BLK HIT TK GV
2016-17     ARI  7    0    1   1  -5   0    0    0    0    0    1    0    0    6  0.0   16   96 13:41  31  46 40.3   2   3  3  0
2017-18     ARI 21    4    5   9   4   8    3    1    0    0    5    0    0   30 13.3   64  272 12:57  92 122 43.0  12   7 12  2
2018-19     TOT 56   15   26  41  -5  16   10    5    0    3   18    8    0  103 14.6  169  895 15:59 342 350 49.4  33  11 33 21
2018-19     ARI 20    3    3   6 -10   6    0    3    0    1    2    1    0   40  7.5   68  271 13:32 138 100 58.0   9   2  8  4
2018-19     CHI 36   12   23  35   5  10   10    2    0    2   16    7    0   63 19.0  101  624 17:20 204 250 44.9  24   9 25 17
3 yrs       ARI 48    7    9  16 -11  14    3    4    0    1    8    1    0   76  9.2  148  638 13:18 261 268 49.3  23  12 23  6
1 yr        CHI 36   12   23  35   5  10   10    2    0    2   16    7    0   63 19.0  101  624 17:20 204 250 44.9  24   9 25 17
Career    3 yrs 84   19   32  51  -6  24   13    6    0    3   24    8    0  139 13.7  249 1262 15:02 465 518 47.3  47  21 48 23

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table

Erik Gustafsson has taken his game to the next level this season and finally realized his potential. Gustafsson has already set career highs in every offensive category this season and is still adding onto those numbers.

Although his offensive numbers have been impressive, Gustafsson has been somewhat of a liability on defense. He is currently sitting at a -13± rating. Some improvements need to be made in that aspect of his game, but besides that, you can’t really complain about the results this season.

                    Scor Scor        Scor Goal Goal Goal Goal Assi Assi Assi Shot Shot Shot  Ice                             Ice
Season       Tm  GP    G    A PTS +/- PIM   EV   PP   SH   GW   EV   PP   SH    S   S%  TSA  TOI  ATOI FOW FOL FO% BLK HIT TK GV
2015-16     CHI  41    0   14  14  11   4    0    0    0    0   13    1    0   58  0.0  130  633 15:27   0       0  37  29  9 12
2017-18     CHI  35    5   11  16   1   6    5    0    0    0    7    4    0   71  7.0  131  649 18:33   0   1 0.0  45  30 12 23
2018-19     CHI  57   12   26  38 -13  20    8    4    0    3   17    9    0  104 11.5  238 1247 21:53   0       0  80  58 18 53
Career    3 yrs 133   17   51  68  -1  30   13    4    0    3   37   14    0  233  7.3  499 2530 19:01   0   1 0.0 162 117 39 88

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table

Last, but not least, is Brandon Saad. After a down season and a slow start to this season, Saad seems to have found his footing, and once again, looks like the Saad everyone grew fond of. Through 59 games, Saad is sitting at 37 points (21G, 16A). As the Blackhawks make a push for the playoffs, Brandon Saad’s contributions will be crucial down the stretch.

                    Scor Scor        Scor Goal Goal Goal Goal Assi Assi Assi Shot Shot Shot  Ice                                Ice
Season       Tm  GP    G    A PTS +/- PIM   EV   PP   SH   GW   EV   PP   SH    S   S%  TSA  TOI  ATOI FOW FOL  FO% BLK HIT  TK  GV
2011-12     CHI   2    0    0   0   0   0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0    3  0.0    4   28 14:01   0        0   1   0   2   0
2012-13     CHI  46   10   17  27  17  12    9    0    1    2   14    3    0   98 10.2  163  757 16:28  17  29 37.0  12  41  26  15
2013-14     CHI  78   19   28  47  20  20   16    3    0    2   20    6    2  159 11.9  271 1271 16:17  50  72 41.0  20  48  50  24
2014-15     CHI  82   23   29  52   7  12   21    2    0    6   21    8    0  203 11.3  323 1415 17:15  38  50 43.2  29  53  46  29
2015-16     CBJ  78   31   22  53   1  14   25    6    0    7   19    2    1  233 13.3  396 1343 17:13  19  15 55.9  25  43  33  31
2016-17     CBJ  82   24   29  53  23   8   23    1    0    4   27    2    0  210 11.4  370 1396 17:02   4   5 44.4  26  24  43  29
2017-18     CHI  82   18   17  35 -10  14   17    1    0    8   17    0    0  237  7.6  397 1435 17:30  56  65 46.3  32  29  45  16
2018-19     CHI  58   20   16  36  -6   8   12    5    3    2   15    1    0  142 14.1  234 1007 17:21  17  33 34.0  21  35  25  20
6 yrs       CHI 348   90  107 197  28  66   75   11    4   20   87   18    2  842 10.7 1392 5913 16:59 178 249 41.7 115 206 194 104
2 yrs       CBJ 160   55   51 106  24  22   48    7    0   11   46    4    1  443 12.4  766 2739 17:07  23  20 53.5  51  67  76  60
Career    8 yrs 508  145  158 303  52  88  123   18    4   31  133   22    3 1285 11.3 2158 8652 17:02 201 269 42.8 166 273 270 164

Provided by Hockey-Reference.com: View Original Table

Playoffs?

At this moment, the Blackhawks control their own destiny and have a real shot at making the playoffs. Before last night’s win in OT, the Blackhawks were projected to have a 25% chance of getting into the playoffs and the win last night only helped their odds.

#NHL playoff chances as of 2/20/19, per @domluszczyszyn #Blackhawks playoff chances are now up to 25%. They are in control of their own destiny right now 👀 #HockeyTwitter pic.twitter.com/BwsCCz86WZ

— ✶ ✶Tony G✶ ✶ (@Certified_TonyG) February 20, 2019

The Western Conference Wild Card race is still wide open. The fact that the Blackhawks are being mentioned in the same sentence as playoffs is a testament to their hard work and determination, but being mentioned in context is not enough. I need to see it happen. I need more and I’m sure every Blackhawks fan would agree with me there.

The next big challenge will be the Colorado Avalanche, who are currently in possession of that 2nd Wild Card spot in the Western Conference. The Blackhawks faceoff against the Avalanche at home on Friday, so as the legendary Tallahassee of Zombieland once said,

With the way things have played out, the Blackhawks are looking extremely dangerous and I’m willing to go on the record as saying nobody wants a piece of Patrick Kane right now. Kane is a man on a mission and that mission is Playoffs or Bust.