I thought we were done with this.

Sitting down on the couch on any given evening of Blackhawks hockey, taking in the first few minutes of the game with those little twinkles of optimism that something good might happen during the next two or three hours and then having the realization — or, perhaps the reminder — settle in that this is Blackhawks lineup is simply not as good as the one on the opposite bench and that it’s going to take some rather special circumstances for the game to remain competitive, let alone for the Hawks to actually win it. The collective ability of Chicago’s skaters makes it feel like they’d have as much luck if they’d shown up for this ice hockey game on roller skates.

There have been bad games at times during the first month or two of the season when the Blackhawks were a healthier side and racking up wins at a rate that had us all briefly considering the postseason as a legitimate possibility. But those dreams are now dashed we’re once again sentenced to another couple of weeks — at least — of noncompetitive hockey, where the Hawks can bring as much grit and fire and passion and every other intangible possible to the building but it won’t cover for the fact that this team is outgunned by its opponent, with the winning goal an inevitability from the opening faceoff, destined for the goal behind whichever Chicago goalie is in the crease that night.

What’s happening right now may not mean much for the big picture here, which is something that didn’t initially occur to me but was brought to my attention during the most recent Musings on Madison discussion. There are two pretty hefty developments this season which we should not ignore: Connor Bedard has already taken a massive step towards the superstardom we were all hoping to see once the Hawks won that draft lottery. Spencer Knight has also exceeded expectations early on and is trending towards being the No. 1 goalie of this franchise for the next decade. That’s not nothing.

But there’s been a question lingering at this corner of the internet for several years now and the events of the last month have restored its relevance once again. Now, there isn’t any reason to think that Nazar’s mild slump prior to his injury is indicative of how the rest of his career will go. And yes, there are other Hawks forward prospects playing quite well in various parts of the world. But success in leagues outside the NHL is not a guarantee of success in the NHL. And even if we count Nazar as a future top-six player here, that still leaves four spots open on the top two lines in Chicago’s long-term lineup. So the question remains without an answer and it feels like we’re no closer to getting one based on how woeful the Hawks look without 98 and 91 in the lineup right now.

Who’s going to score for this team in the future?

The Week That Was

Thursday, Dec. 18: Canadiens 4, Blackhawks 1

Just annoying.

Saturday, Dec. 20: Senators 6, Blackhawks 4

This felt like as winnable of a Hawks game as they’ve had during this lengthy streak.

Tuesday, Dec. 23: Flyers 3, Blackhawks 1

This one didn’t feel as close as the score may have indicated.

Blood on Blood

With things feeling rather bleak around Chicago these days, let’s venture up to the Twin Cities, the site of this year’s World Juniors. Three Blackhawks prospects are playing in this year tournament on different teams, and some brief thoughts on each follow.

Anton Frondell

Frondell is going to be the one to watch most, mostly because he’s the highest draft pick among this Chicago at No. 3 overall last summer. He’s also expected to play a starring role for Sweden, and anyone worthy of that high of a draft selection should be a dominant force in this tournament. Frondell has 15 points (10 G, 5 A) in 25 games with Djugardens this season and already has four points (3 G, 1 A) in five games while representing Sweden in other international games. The Swedes are among the contenders for a gold medal this year, so we could get an excellent glimpse of what Frondell can do in a high-stakes situation over the next few weeks.

Vaclav Nestrasil

Nestrasil has been one of the surprise standouts from early in the NCAA season, racking up 20 points (10 G, 10 A) in 18 games as a freshman at UMass. The 6-foot-6, 197-pound forward has the size and skill and energy to be a physical menace down the road, and this year’s No. 25 overall pick could help Czechia be in contention for a medal, although questions about the team’s overall depth will likely keep them out of the gold medal game. Still, Hawks fans should keep an eye on this forward as he has a chance to continue surpassing the expectations established for him after being a first-round pick in the summer.

AJ Spellacy

The two players mentioned above are likely to have featured roles on their respective teams, but Spellacy will likely not have that opportunity with Team USA. Spellacy’s production with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires remains modest (17 points in 27 games) and he likely won’t be lighting up scoreboards in Minnesota while destined for a spot on USA’s energy line in this tournament. But that role is in line with what Spellacy’s NHL projections since he was drafted: a speedy, physical forward with good size (6-foot-3, 205 pounds) who could be a nightmare for opposing defenders on the forecheck. Displaying those abilities on perhaps hockey’s biggest pre-professional stage would do wonders for Spellacy’s NHL aspirations.

The Week That Will Be

Saturday, Dec. 27: Hawks at Stars

Unfortunately, the games ahead don’t seem to offer much of a respite for this team.

Sunday, Dec. 28: Hawks vs. Penguins

Considering that the Hawks have already torn down their prior dynasty, endured some tanking and are now inching towards the other side of it all (or so we hope), the fact that Crosby, Malkin and Letang still remain significant contributors in Pittsburgh is astonishing.

Tuesday, Dec. 30: Hawks vs. Islanders

Have been meaning to see what all the buzz is about regarding this Schaefer guy.