The Chicago Blackhawks have proven over the last seven seasons that
simply being good is not good enough. With three Stanley Cup
championships in six years, the Blackhawks are continually aiming
to lift the trophy in June.
After a disheartening 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday
night they are ready to take out their frustrations on the next
opponent. Fortunately for them it comes against the worst team in
the NHL, and a team that has a better road record than home mark.
When Chicago faces the Colorado Avalanche at Pepsi Center tonighti will feature two teams headed in different
directions. The Blackhawks are reportedly looking to add pieces to
anchor a title run, while the Avalanche are rumored to be
considering breaking up their core.
The trade talk has weighed on the Avalanche players after a stretch
in which they've gone 4-18-1 and have just 27 points at the halfway
mark.
"You look at where we are in the standings and there's obviously
lots of speculation and rumors going around about our team, so
that's tough for the players to deal with, I think, at times,"
coach Jared Bednar told HockeyBuzz.com. "They're hearing different
rumors every day, and you're trying to keep them focused and
concentrating at the task at hand and understanding that they just
have to continue to go and play, and that it's out of their
control, I think is the most important thing that we can try and do
as a staff."
The first trade was made Friday when Colorado (13-27-1) dealt
fourth-line enforcer Cody McLeod to Nashville. The next day McLeod
scored a goal against his former team in a 3-2 Predators win.
The trade rumors surround Colorado's young core and anyone else who
could offer some cap relief. The only ones not available are
21-year-old Nathan MacKinnon and 20-year-old Mikko Rantanen.
If general manager Joe Sakic is able to move veterans such as Matt
Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog and Tyson Barrie, it will pave the way
for prospects and give Colorado much-needed cap room.
"We do know going forward that we've got to get younger and
faster," Sakic told ESPN.com. "We've had conversations (with other
teams) about our players. I want to do what's best for the
organization long term."
Chicago (27-14-5) is on a two-game skid with both losses coming to
the top teams in each conference. The Blackhawks aren't panicking
after losses to the Washington Capitals and the Wild, especially
with the experience and talent in their locker room.
"The game (against the Capitals) was kind of like a shock to the
system thinking maybe you're one of the top teams in the league ...
and we obviously got thoroughly outplayed," Kane told the Chicago
Tribune. "We came back (Sunday). We just didn't pull it out, but
(when) you played two of the better teams in the league and (lost),
there's got to be room for improvement, right?"
The Blackhawks will talk to teams to try to bolster their top two
lines. Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa haven't produced like they
have in seasons past so adding a left winger could help their games.
Until then, a game against a team that has bottomed out is a quick
fix. The Avalanche are 5-15-1 at home, a place where they have lost
12 of 13. That bodes well for Chicago, which is trying to rebound
from two disappointing losses.
