What’s Been the BIGGEST SURPRISE for the Chicago Blackhawks?

What’s Been the BIGGEST SURPRISE for the Chicago Blackhawks?

Who or what has been the biggest surprise for the Blackhawks this year? There has been a lot of surprises this season early on for the Blackhawks. I think there’s a lot that maybe we thought might happen, but not to the degree that it has. For me, the biggest one that I think I wasn’t expecting is how quickly Jeff Blashel came in, took control, and the response that this group had to him coming in and implementing the expectations, the style that he has, and and just really just immediately feeling like the bar was raised for how things were going to operate and how he was going to go about his business as head coach and the team. As we talked to a lot of the guys in training camp, like they were overjoyed to talk about how much they liked how Blashel and his coaching staff came in and were running practices, how they were communicating, the you know, intensity, the uh you know, just just the the style that he has of of coaching and laying out very clear expectations. Um, and I think the the group responded really well. And I I I would like to think that that is part of what has gotten them off to a better than expected start to this season. I know in the off seasonason we were talking a lot about coaches we thought we would want or that would make, you know, make the most sense for a rebuilding team, but really Jeff Blashel came in as one of the more experienced guys that was available on the market or or open to, you know, a head coaching opportunity and came into it with the right mindset of I’m not coming in here to win right away. I’m coming in here to instill winning. And I think he’s early on gotten off to a really good start with that. That’s what I mean. That’s obviously a really good pick. He has been really good. And I mean, just think back to our first few years doing the show through, you know, Luke Richardson and Andre Sorenson. And how many times did we hear the leadership on this team say, “We need to establish a culture. We need to establish a culture, culture, culture, culture.” It got to that point where we heard it so much that we just started rolling our eyes about it like, “Okay, you know what?” And I have seen recently somehow it came back in my feed last year’s game against Utah where they gave up 95 shot attempts and we were yelling about how their culture is that they’re bad and that they suck. In a very short amount of time, Jeff Flash was able to come in here and instill a culture that was in place the first game of the year, a work ethic and a a style of play and a uh accountability from day one. So it it was almost as if the players really wanted it, but they hadn’t really been guided towards a culture. Yeah. From the the previous coaches they’ve had. So he comes in and does it right away. And and you mentioned too is you’re like going through the list and I think we all got really hung up on David Carl and then there started to seem like there was some a chance of that happening cuz Frank Sarali was talking about it and they were definitely talking to him and he decided to stay in Denver. And I think that initial let down was all right. Well, you know, Mike Sullivan’s gone, so that’s not going to happen. David Carl’s not going to happen. So now it’s whatever. And it was whoever it was going to be was going to be a disappointment. But the more work we did learning about Jeff Flashel, the more it made a lot of sense, the more it checked a lot of boxes. And Kyle Davidson now probably pointing and laughing at all of us because so far, uh, things have worked out really well with Jeff Lash. And look, there’s a ways to go. This team is far from perfect, but are they playing above expectations? Yes. Have they more often than not been competitive? Yes. And I think that’s something we maybe didn’t see uh coming into the season where hey, you know, by the first week in November, you’re going to feel pretty good. You’re going to be realistically talking about competing for a playoff spot. Who knows how long it lasts, but I would not have predicted that. If I was going to think anything would have happened, it would have been the first month would be rough as they learned a new system, learned a new coach, and then as things got implemented, as they got more comfortable, then we would see a bit of a burst from the Hawks and they would start to look better in maybe the second third of the season or something, but they started off really solid. So, the hope is they can go from really solid to good to even better. That would be the great that would be the great step they could take. So Jeff Flashel has a great uh answer from you. I’m going to go with Wyatt Kaiser and we talk about conversations we had in the offseason. This is a guy who basically waited until the day before training camp to sign a contract. And we’re all kind of like I mean he looked fine when he played. I I don’t know who he is really under the impression of who he is or whatever or what he thinks that he’s proven and he hasn’t really proven too much. and he’s come out and been really like since day one the Hawk’s best defenseman, most reliable. Wyatt Kaiser has gotten to the point now where when he’s on the ice, I don’t worry about him at all. And his steady play has really helped Ardum Levinov kind of settle down, get his feet under him, and know that if he makes a mistake, Kaiser is going to be there to bail him out. And I think at the same time, why a Kaiser benefits from playing with a guy as talented as Lebanon, but Kaiser has just come in with this, okay, I got my contract, it’s probably not what I wanted, and now I’m going to show these guys when this deal is over, they’re going to have to pay me. I’m going to quickly become one of their most reliable, well-rounded, solid defenseman, the Mr. Do everything, and look great doing it. And he has. There’s been maybe in count on one hand plays of his that you maybe he would want back, but more often than not, he has been outstanding. Uh, and not only defensively, you know, the numbers aren’t really there for him production-wise, but breakout passes and um the ability to move the puck side to side and like he’s really kind of done it all aside from produce points-wise. But that’s not what they’re looking for from Wyatt Kaiser. He has been dynamite and you talk about like found money. That’s what you’ve got in Y Kaiser. Like I think we, you know, we’ve been talking for years about Kchinsky and Delastro and Allen. He’s passed all those guys. Oh yeah. And now there’s there’s time for that. Now they were probably thinking, well, by now I’ll be in the NHL and they’re not. And why Kaiser is a big part of why not? Because he’s been so good and so dependable. Uh I don’t know. I don’t know. It’s hard to find a path for all three of those guys and Rockford to the NHL because of how good he’s been. There’s there’s a difference between like the way that say like a Matt Grizzlick has been playing where it’s just like he’s doing the right things. He’s quiet. He’s not he’s not killing you. But then you look at Wyatt Kaiser points-wise quiet. But everything that he’s doing, those small details of the game, the game in transition, um being able to like you mentioned with Levino, like help teammates feel more comfortable, um make up ground for teammates. Like there was a play in the game on Monday night, I believe it was, where he he came from from the right side of the ice. No, he came from the left side of the ice covered for Conor Murphy who was not out of position technically, but was like the the gap he was he had on the attacking forward was way too much space. Kaiser closed the gap to force that player to get rid of the puck basically and then recovered back and uh forced another tough play on the guy that he was supposed to be covering anyways. So like the ability to make not only decisions like that but also have the abil the physical capabilities and skill to make both of those plays in one in one go. Like that is such a crazy quality that I would have never guessed even last year that Wyatt Kaiser would turn into a defenseman that you would say he can make that that kind of play. That’s that is like you said found money like a guy that was a third round pick to become one of your most reliable defenseman like that’s a pretty good as quickly as he did. Well and as we were talking about his contract it was okay well he’s been pretty good but like what is it that he does really well? What he does really well is everything. Mhm. And that’s you know that’s kind of the the argument when that contract comes up. That’s going to be the argument he has is what have I done? What have you asked me to do that I haven’t been able to do? Right. And I don’t know what Kyle Davidson’s going to be able to say to him. He’s been great. Jeff Lashel’s been great. Let’s hope it continues uh for the next few months here.

The Chicago Blackhawks have had a season full of ups, downs, and unexpected moments — but what has been the biggest surprise so far under new head coach Jeff Blashill? Join the CHGO Blackhawks hosts as they break down the team’s most shocking performances, breakout players, and unexpected storylines, including standout contributions from Connor Bedard and Wyatt Kaiser. We analyze how Blashill’s leadership is shaping the team and which surprises have fans talking. Don’t miss this deep dive into the Chicago Blackhawks’ season surprises and NHL insights!

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