Hockey is back! Though the regular season doesn’t start for another two weeks, this week certainly feels like autumn, with somewhat meaningful hockey being played at Fifth Third Arena in Chicago. The Blackhawks have competed among themselves in a pair of scrimmages these past two days, which gave us a first glimpse of the bundle of new acquisitions at “game speed”, as well as a gauge of the offseason improvement of returning players.
Lukas Reichel is a superstar in the making.
After being brought up to the Blackhawks during last season, Reichel quickly showed why he belonged, contributing in the scoring column on a nightly basis. This summer, it was easy for the Reichel hype to spin out of control, as he’s one of the brightest young stars in the system. But the 21-year-old used his time in the first scrimmage to prove that the hype is real. He’s a stud.
It seemed throughout the day that Reichel and Connor Bedard were going head-to-head – they each seemed like the leaders of their respective teams and took plenty of faceoffs against each other. If that healthy competition can continue, the two could be an absolutely deadly one-two punch at center.
Connor Bedard is just what the Blackhawks needed.
Bedard has been a true highlight of training camp so far (as expected), and he continued to impress on Monday. He put in two nice goals and made them both look easy:
Today, though, Bedard began to show that he’s not just an amazing scorer, and boasts a tremendous all-around game. He showcased his elite passing ability, like in the clip below, and earned the praise of his teammates.
When he was asked about the passing ability of Bedard Monday, Ryan Donato mentioned he and his linemates often don’t even expect him to fit the puck in certain spots:
“Obviously Connor’s shot is incredible, but he keeps on finding guys and giving them opportunities when they’re not really ready for it yet. He’s catching guys off-guard. He’s a playmaker, too.”
– Ryan Donato
Brooke LoFurno of The Hockey Writers mentioned Tuesday she saw Bedard get triple-teamed at one point, which we’ll likely see plenty of this year:
If that’s the case, it’s safe to say Taylor Hall and Donato are primed for massive years. Hall in particular is still an elite scorer, and if he’s being left open because of all the attention on Bedard, the Blackhawks are sitting pretty.
Final thought on Bedard for today, I promise – it feels like his addition has done more than just increase fans’ excitement; he’s changing the vibe of the team itself. He plays a big part in that, but it’s also thanks to the new veteran leadership on the team, as well as a confident new class of prospects. It’s clear the Blackhawks are having some fun.
The defensive unit could use some work.
Maybe it’s just a side effect of the massive influx of talent on the offensive end, but the defensive lines have struggled at times so far. Kevin Korchinski spent some time after Monday’s scrimmage discussing his mistakes with the coaching staff, then struggled a bit on Tuesday. On the other hand, Wyatt Kaiser has looked like a true pro so far. Spending time on the same line as Seth Jones has clearly helped, as it sounds like he’s played much better positionally and vocally. He even displayed an improved offensive game Tuesday with a huge wrist shot that found the net.
The preseason is a time of year when every fan is excited about their respective franchise, but it truly feels like the Blackhawks may have something here. Though the team still has a few holes and is far from complete, the scrimmages of the past two days proved Blackhawks fans finally have reason for excitement.
