The Blackhawks have a chance to do something that they have not accomplished since February of last year when they host the Seattle Kraken on Thursday night at the United Center.
These two teams met just over a month ago up in the Emerald City, with the host Kraken taking both points in a 3-1 victory that was smack in the middle of a 1-5 stretch for Chicago. Seattle was very much rolling at that time in the middle of a 5-1 stretch, but the last handful of weeks have not been as kind for the multi-tentacled sea creature. They have a 4-6-1 record since Nov. 27, which includes losses in the last two, most recently a 3-0 shutout at home against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night. The Kraken are sixth in the Pacific Division, 12th in the Western Conference and 22nd in the league with a season total of 32 points that’s about as mediocre as the team looks on paper.
Matty Beniers, the 2021 No. 2 overall pick, is probably the name in lights but his production has yet to match the 57 points (24 G, 33 A) in 80 games that he posted during his rookie season in 2022-23. He’s currently at just 17 (4 G, 13 A) in 33 this season, which is sixth on the team this season. The five players ahead of him are close to or over 30 years old, which doesn’t bode well for the future of a team that doesn’t seem to have much of a present worth discussing. Shane Wright, the No. 4 pick in 2022, has five points in the last five games but is still nowhere close to silencing the increasing doubts about his potential with a season total of 14 points (7 G, 7 A) in 30 games and a career total of 37 (21 G, 16 A) in 82.
Seattle did make an interesting move on Wednesday, throwing a life raft to 2019 No. 2 overall pick Kaapo Kakko, who escapes the impending wreckage of the New York Rangers’ franchise. But he only has 14 points (4 G, 10 A) in 30 games this season and was probably a decent reason for why things are heading south so drastically in NY. Perhaps a change of scenery helps Kakko unearth some potential, but healthy skepticism is going to follow him despite being shipped across the country. The blue line does have the likely prize of the 2024 free-agent class in Brandon Montour, who cashed in healthily after helping the Florida Panthers win the Cup. But it’s hard to find too much else to get excited about there.
This is a team that doesn’t score much (tied for 21st in the league at 2.88 goals per game), is average at defending (14th at 2.97 goals against per game) and doesn’t have a special teams unit worth devoting much internet ink in exploration. Joey Daccord has been good in net (12-7-2 record, .915 save percentage, 2.46 goals-against average) while backup Philipp Grubauer has not (3-9-0, .879, 3.50). No word on lines for Seattle since the Kappo acquisition, but here’s what skated against Ottawa two nights ago:
Here's how the #SeaKraken will line up against #GoSensGo.
— Sound Of Hockey (@sound_hockey) December 18, 2024
No changes from last game, other than Daccord in goal against his former team. pic.twitter.com/bSnIvu06on
As for the Blackhawks, there’s a chance for the team to collect its third straight win on the line at the UC this evening, which is something the Blackhawks haven’t done since winning five straight after Valentine’s Day last year. And the Blackhawks are getting a bit healthier as well, with Petr Mrazek returning from his injury on Thursday morning, a development that saw Drew Commesso returned to the IceHogs.
But the rest of the lineup remains unchanged from the one that beat the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night:
#Blackhawks morning skate lineup:
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 19, 2024
Foligno-Bedard-Donato
Hall-Nazar-Bertuzzi
Teravainen-Dickinson-Mikheyev
Maroon-Reichel-Anderson
Vlasic-Crevier
Allan-Murphy
Korchinski-Brodie
Söderblom
Mrazek
Extras: Kurashev, Kaiser
The last few Blackhawks games have made for more pleasant viewing, with interim coach Anders Sorensen injecting some life into the team with a more up-tempo style that’s suited the younger, speedier skaters on the roster as well. Sorensen is sitting at an even .500 record right now, and it feels like there’s a real possibility at him moving above that mark with another victory this evening. Quite a different mood around this place lately, isn’t there?
Let’s go Hawks.
Blackhawks — Statistic — Kraken
45.24% (31st) — 5-on-5 Corsi For — 48.04% (24th)
45.02% (29th) — 5-on-5 Expected goals for — 46.83% (26th)
2.5 (30th) — Goals per game — 2.88 (t-21st)
3.16 (t-23rd) — Goals against per game — 2.97 (14th)
43.1% (31st) — Faceoffs — 48.3% (25th)
22.6% (12th) — Power play — 18.0% (23rd)
84.9% (4th) — Penalty kill — 79.5% (t-16th)
(All stats from this season)
How to watch
When: 7:30 p.m. CT
Where: United Center, Chicago, IL
TV: CHSN (How to Watch) Crazy that we still have to provide a how-to-watch guide in mid-December, right?
Webstream: ESPN+
Radio: WGN 720