The Chicago Blackhawks outshot, outplayed, out-chanced the Colorado Avalanche and still lost 5-1. A loss like that is not the way you want to start the yearly “Circus Trip.”
Colorado has been an interesting team through the first quarter of the NHL season. Their hot start has been credited in large part to new head coach and Hall of Famer Patrick Roy. The young players are playing well past expectations, and their equally young goaltender Semyon Varlamov is playing like an all-world netminder.
Dig beneath the surface and there is more than what fans and analysts care to see and recognize. Varlamov has a domestic abuse charge hanging over his head after beating his girlfriend like a punching bag. He is playing on a work visa, which means if all goes well (or wrong for him) “Varly” could be sent home to mother Russia. He and Roy have done something to make things work in Colorado as both have history of playing well while working their frustrations out on women’s faces.
More on that as it develops…
A team is only as good as their defense is in front of the goalie. Colorado has been dependant on an average journeyman and a middling former first overall pick to carry the D-corps this season. So far, so good, but can it last? The safe bet is no, as Varlamov and back up netminder Jean-Sebastian Giguere are being pounded with puck on a nightly basis. In their win over the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday, the defense allowed 37 shots on goal with most being legit chances. The Avs are allowing 32 shots per game, 23rd in the NHL.
How does this affect the Windy City’s finest? In the short term it doesn’t. Colorado will come down to earth as time progresses. Chicago has enough to worry about as the “Circus Trip” goes on. Bryan Bickell may be lost for a period of time with a lower leg injury, and his loss means Chicago has decisions to make with the roster and salary cap.
Michael Handzus and Mike Kostka have been placed on long-term injured reserve with the intent of adding cap space, and if Bickell’s injury is more serious than a day-to-day scenario, he could be added to the list. Marian Hossa’s health is becoming more of an issue than anything. He is an integral part of the Chicago Blackhawks and has to be healthy. If his health were considered a concern over the remainder of the contract, then he should have been amnestied in the offseason to provide cap relief. I projected that he would be, but here we are.
The Blackhawks have had two clunkers in three games against teams that stink. Corey Crawford has been overworked because of the lack of relief behind him. Antti Raanta gets his chance to prove he was worth his deal, taking him away from Finland. Brent Seabrook and the defense in front of whomever is starting has been in spectator mode too often as of late. Coach Joel Quenneville does not call out players in the press, but I would imagine the locker room has been a fun place for audio.
The Chicago Blackhawks are clearly a cut above the rest in the Central Division and much of the NHL. While that should remain the same going forward, there may be some concern that like Colorado, Chicago may have to mask some deficiencies by putting on a little cover-up for when the lights are shining on them.
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