The Chicago Blackhawks dropped their third consecutive game in the NHL, allowing four goals in each of the losses. After an ugly 4-2 defeat to their rivals, the Minnesota Wild, General Manager Kyle Davidson sent a strong statement to the locker room, addressing the team’s recent performances. Not even franchise cornerstone Connor Bedard was exempt from the message.
Over the last ten games, Chicago drags a 2-5-3 record, the only team with a worse stretch over that period are the San Jose Sharks who are 1-9-0. Regardless, the Hawks find little to no relief in being the second-worst side in the NHL.
Davidson has seen enough of this recipe for disaster brewing in Windy City, and as the latest blockbuster trade in the league showed, the Hawks’ GM is not afraid to make moves. After trading Taylor Hall away to the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago fell in both outings without the 2010 NHL Draft first overall selection.
After the loss to the visiting Wild, Davidson held a press conference where he delivered a stern message to Connor Bedard and the entire locker room, addressing the disastrous season fans in Chi-town have endured.
“We expected to be further ahead in the standings but there are a lot of things we’ve improved upon across the board,” Davidson stated, via CHGO_Blackhawks on X. “Having said that, we’re in 2nd-to-last and it’s not where we want to be and we’ll react accordingly with the group moving forward.”
Moves incoming?
Davidson’s bold message left the door open for more potential trades involving players in the Blackhawks locker room. While Bedard’s spot is set in stone, the 19-year-old has already watched several teammates be shipped out. The message to him is clear: rally the group in hopes the organization can move past its garage-sale days.
Bedard isn’t going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean he’s exempt from the stern warnings directed at the team. Hall’s trade to the Hurricanes came as a shock to the players, even though many anticipated the fourth-liner would be moved at some point this season.
Strike while the iron is hot
Though much talk has surrounded the blockbuster trade involving Taylor Hall, Mikko Rantanen, and Martin Necas, Davidson believes the Blackhawks’ decision was correct, as the timing was right.
“We were happy to get the asset we got back. Moving Taylor was something that was going to happen at some point,” Davidson told reporters. “It didn’t make sense to wait and not get a better return later on.”