Blackhawks forward Craig Smith drops stern message to Connor Bedard, rest of the team after loss to Blue Jackets

The 2024-25 NHL season just keeps piling on embarrassing performances for the Chicago Blackhawks, who are anchored at the league’s rock bottom. After the 4 Nations break, Chicago returned to the ice to face the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena but were ragdolled in a 5-1 defeat. After the game, forward Craig Smith delivered a blunt wake-up call to Connor Bedard, Anders Sorensen, and everyone in the locker room.

Fans in Chi-Town would certainly love to fast-forward to the start of next season, or the one where the organization finally completes the rebuild and becomes a competitor in the NHL. For now, their reality is that of a bottom-feeder, and there’s no escaping that hard truth for the Blackhawks.

After watching the best-on-best competition over the last week, the Hawks’ visit to the Blue Jackets in Columbus served as a cold reminder for fans in the Windy City that they are far from that level of play. Chicago lost in embarrassing fashion, by a lopsided score of 5-1. Though fans are surely disappointed, they can’t pretend to be surprised by the result.

The Blackhawks reap what they sow, and Craig Smith had enough of the team’s shortcomings, as he issued a blunt admission to Bedard, interim head coach Sorensen, and the rest of the team.

Craig Smith #15 of the Chicago Blackhawks arrives to the red carpet prior to the Chicago Blackhawks home opener against the San Jose Sharks at the United Center on October 17, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.

“It’s frustrating, it’s unacceptable [and] it’s embarrassing to a certain point,” Smith stated, per Chicago Sun-Times. “We have to dig deep, personally, before every game. That preparation starts the day before the game [with] what we’re doing, how we practice, things that are said, how you eat, how you get up. You can’t just turn it on when you get to the rink.”

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A way out

Amid the turmoil in Chicago, star defenseman Seth Jones is looking for new horizons, as he publicly admitted his desire to join a contender in the NHL, putting an end to his four-year tenure with the Blackhawks. Jones didn’t formally request a trade, but he made it clear he wishes to move on from Windy City’s franchise.

“I would like to give myself a chance to win in my career,” Seth Jones confessed, during an interview with Chicago Sun-Times. “I know that the money is not an easy thing to move, and that’s what we’re figuring out. If it happens, it happens. Obviously, while I’m here with the Blackhawks, they have my full effort [and] full attention to this team to try to get this team better.”

Seth Jones #4 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates after scoring a goal against the Nashville Predators during the second period at the United Center on February 07, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.

Jones poses a significant challenge for both the teams pursuing him and the Blackhawks because of the ludicrous contract extension he signed in 2021. Jones earns $9.5 million annually and will continue to do so for the next five years. His performance has been far from excellent, and not many teams would be eager to pay that price for his current output.

Homecoming?

Blue Jackets defender Zach Werenski, however, talked about his former teammate’s trade request, perhaps pursuing the Blue Jackets to retrieve Jones as they look to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

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“He’s a hell of a player,” Weresnki said postgame, per Chicago Tribune’s Phillip Thompson. “I don’t want to speak on the situation in Chicago or what he’s going through, but he’s a guy that I know can be a different maker in this league. He knows it. The league knows it.”