The Chicago Blackhawks suffered their worst loss of the NHL season during New Year’s Eve against the St. Louis Blues. It wasn’t the Hawks’ biggest margin loss, nor their worst performance of the campaign, but it was the most painful loss because of what was at stake. In front of 40,000 fans at Wrigley Field, Connor Bedard and Chicago layed an egg, and were thrashed by their enemies from St. Louis.
Chicago reaches new lows with every loss. Stuck at the bottom of the NHL standings, fans are already hopeful for the NHL Draft Lottery, instead of any miraculous revival in the season.
The Winter Classic was the perfect opportunity for a glimpse of hope to strike the organization, yet the Blackhawks squandered and were humiliated on national television. As if things couldn’t go worse for Bedard and the Hawks, forward Jason Dickinson voiced a heavy, frustrated message amid Chicago’s five-game losing streak.
“You felt like things were changing and now, all of a sudden, it feels worse than it ever has,” Jason Dickinson stated, via Ben Pope of Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s probably because there was hope, there was a reason to be excited about what we were doing, and all of a sudden, it’s now been three embarrassing losses.”
Jason Dickinson #16 of the Chicago Blackhawks skates during the second period against the St. Louis Blues in the 2024 NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field on December 31, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
Along with the five straight losses, the Blackhawks were largely outplayed over the past three outings. Chicago suffered three consecutive defeats by four-goal margins, as it lost 6-2 to St. Louis, 5-1 to Dallas, and 6-2 against Buffalo.
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Blackhawks coach Anders Sorensen sends harsh wake-up call to Connor Bedard, rest of the team
Desperate measures
Interim coach Anders Sorensen was called up after Luke Richardson’s firing, and was given the head coaching job with little expectations. However, the recent slump the Blackhawks are in is concerning, even for an interim coach in a bottom-feeder team. Looking to lit a fire under the team and develop a young prospect, Sorensen made a bold move ahead of the matchup with the Montreal Canadiens.
Winger Lukas Reichel was scratched from the lineup as 20-year-old Colton Dach was called up to make his NHL debut against the Canadiens on January 3. However, Reichel is only 22-years-old, and while most agree on the decision to call up Dach, they are wary about Reichel having to pay the price for it.
Sorensen addressed the issue and explained his decision. “We’ve got to make some decisions here, and [we’re] making room for Colton as well,” Sorensen told Chicago Sun-Times. Asked about what he’s not seeing from Reichel, Sorensen admitted: “The finishing product… I’d like to talk to him about having more of an attack mentality and utilizing his shot more.”
It will be a special occasion for the Dach family, as Colton makes his NHL debut against none other than his brother Kirby’s Canadiens. According to Colton, his mother asked him to keep it “family-friendly” when he and his brother step onto the ice.
Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks warms up prior to the 2024 NHL Winter Classic against the St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field on December 31, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
Bedard apologizes to fans for Winter Classic defeat
Bedard became the sixth-youngest NHL player to participate in the iconic outdoor game, but aside from the milestone, his performance and the end result was far from memorable. After the heartbreaking loss, Bedard issued an honest message to the fans.
“We’re obviously, in our room, disappointed with ourselves, but I feel bad for our fan base, coming out to this and we lay an egg,” Connor Bedard stated postgame, via The New York Times. “Forthy-thousand people out there, probably thirty-plus-thousand of them our fans, and those tickets aren’t cheap.”
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Although it won’t make up for the recent losses, Bedard and the Blackhawks will aim to make their home fans proud when they host Montreal at the United Center on Friday night in a key matchup between two Original Six franchises.
