The Chicago Blackhawks dropped their fourth consecutive game, and the locker room turmoil is palpable as the organization remains stuck at the NHL‘s rock bottom. Following the 2-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club, star defenseman Seth Jones didn’t mince words, calling out Connor Bedard and the rest of his teammates for their lackluster performance.
Chicago is up against the wind, which shouldn’t be unusual in the Windy City, but it’s proving to be an unparalleled challenge. Just three points separate the Blackhawks from the bottom of the NHL standings, where the San Jose Sharks currently reside. Yet, the Hawks have been dangerously flirting with the cellar as of late.
Bedard hasn’t registered a point in his last three outings, coming out cold after the 4 Nations break. Chicago needs its superstar to step up, but for that to happen, the team around him must provide the necessary support. The Blackhawks find themselves trapped in a double-front dilemma, with no answers in sight.
Interim head coach Anders Sorensen reunited Tyler Bertuzzi and Frank Nazar with Bedard on the top line, but it was fruitless, as the trio was blanked. Seth Jones, who has openly expressed his desire to leave the organization, had enough of the lackluster campaign, dropping a blunt message for everyone in the locker room to hear.
“We’re the exact same team right now as we were game one,” Jones said postgame, via Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s pretty evident out there. We haven’t made any strides to be a better, more simple hockey team, and it shows. We don’t get a lot of wins because of that. We have no business being in that game.”
Tense locker room
The Blackhawks are going through their most critical hours, and the locker room is filling with tension. Jones is looking for a way out of Chi-Town after four seasons, and though he is still committed to the group, his latest comments may have been the camel that broke the camel’s back. “This has been almost four years of bottom of the league, so it’s not just this year — for me at least,” Jones said.
“He’s a pro…he’s well-liked in the room, so I don’t see any issue there,” Anders Sorensen had stated shortly after the news of Jones asking to be traded broke out. However, things have changed since, and Jones’ presence in the building may be seen differently.
Message to Sorensen
“[We were] refusing to play simple and turning pucks over,” Jones stated, with a clear dig at his teammates and the gameplan. “[It’s] not just forwards. It’s everybody, [including] defensemen. We weren’t very good on the breakouts tonight.”
Sorensen took notice of Jones’ comments but didn’t fully agree, acknowledging that the defenseman’s message was spot-on in some areas, but not in others.
The Hawks will look to wipe the slate clean as they head to Sin City for a showdown with one of the league’s top teams, the Vegas Golden Knights, on February 28.