The Chicago Blackhawks are formally 11 video games into their 2024-25 marketing campaign, as we additionally attain the top of October and head into November. The staff is an unlucky 3-7-1 up to now on the season, which is tied with the Nashville Predators for final within the league. It looks as if such a nasty file contemplating how the Blackhawks have been enjoying. Sure, I do know it’s arduous to place issues into perspective after so many losses. However the staff is working arduous on gelling and enjoying collectively as a gaggle. There’s clearly nonetheless extra work to be completed. However a number of gamers deserve some further kudos for his or her efforts. Who has stood out up to now in the beginning of this marketing campaign? Let’s choose the three prime stars from October.
No. 3 Star: Defenseman Seth Jones
Seth Jones will get a nasty wrap for his mega contract. And he’s out on the ice a lot he’s certain to finish up on the improper aspect of a variety of objectives. However I’d like to offer the 30-year-old some credit score for a wonderful begin to this 2024-25 marketing campaign.
He didn’t join a rebuild. However he actually has no selection however to embrace the difficulty at hand. Jones has completed his half up to now this season, touting a purpose and 6 assists within the first 11 video games. His six helpers types a three-way tie for the staff excessive (together with Connor Bedard and Connor Murphy). Jones’s seven factors can be a three-way tie for second place on the staff (Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Donato).
It’s a provided that Jones leads the best way in ice time, averaging 25:41 minutes an evening. That is over three minutes greater than second-place Alex Vlasic (22:18 ATOI). However what stands out to me is that Jones, as a defenseman thoughts you, is second on the staff with 30 photographs on purpose (Bedard has 37 and Taylor Corridor has 26).
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I might go on. However I’ll depart that as much as Hunter, who just lately did a function (linked above) on Jones’s sturdy begin to the season.
No. 2 Star: Defenseman Alex Vlasic
Sure, two of our stars this month are defensemen. In spite of everything, the Blackhawks’ offense (apart from my No. 1 Star) might use some assist proper now. Alex Vlasic had a breakout marketing campaign final season, exhibiting he most actually belonged within the NHL as a prime shutdown defenseman. His rangy 6-foot-6 body and lengthy legs and arms give him an enormous attain and prolonged strides. That enables him to cowl a variety of floor on the ice, and win a variety of puck battles. Vlasic presently leads the staff with 11 takeaways and 27 blocked photographs. He’s second on the staff in ice time, averaging 22:18 minutes per evening (Jones is at 25:41 minutes). He’s additionally second solely to Jones in penalty kill time, with 30:14 minutes (Jones has 30:32 minutes), in addition to being utilized because the quarterback on the second energy play unit.
The Wilmette, IL native is already defensively sound, so now he’s engaged on the offensive aspect to his recreation. It’s coming alongside fairly properly. Vlasic centered within the offseason on his slapshot, and capturing more durable and extra steadily. However one factor I’ve observed is Vlasic’s means to search out his teammates to create scoring probabilities and objectives. He already has 5 assists in his first 11 video games, 4 of them being main. Right here’s my favourite:
Connor Bedard scores his second purpose of the season after an attractive cross from Alex Vlasic. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/D0rwMhSbDQ
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 26, 2024
Vlasic doesn’t hesitate, and pulls off an attractive cross to Bedard proper in the course of the ice. If Vlasic can preserve his sturdy defensive recreation and proceed to progress in his offensive recreation, then the Blackhawks are actually going to have a stud on their blue line.
No. 1 Star: Ahead Ryan Donato
He could be thought-about a depth ahead, however that’s precisely why Ryan Donato must be credited for his season begin with the No. 1 Star. This can be a man who was thought-about a bubble participant headed into coaching camp, based mostly on the plethora of offseason additions on the ahead place. He was even a wholesome scratch two occasions early within the season, on Oct. 15 and Oct. 17 (towards the Calgary Flames and the San Jose Sharks, respectively).
Regardless of all that, Donato is presently main the staff with six objectives by his first 9 video games. Add a main help in there, and the 28-year-old ahead is tied for second on the staff with seven factors. He’s additionally second on the staff with 22 hits (Nick Foligno has 38). Contemplating Donato has performed in two much less video games than the opposite level and stat leaders, that is much more commendable. And, he’s completed all this whereas averaging simply 12:22 minutes of ice time. This can be a man that’s benefiting from his enjoying time.
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Donato began out the season on the fourth line. However since his two wholesome scratches, he’s primarily been deployed on the appropriate wing of the third line, alongside Jason Dickinson and Ilya Mikheyev. That is the staff’s checking line, typically tasked with taking over the opponent’s prime strains. Donato is a scrappy participant that doesn’t hesitate to go to the arduous areas of the ice, so this line suits his type of play completely! Additionally, there’s been no scarcity of effort from the gritty ahead evening in and evening out.
Within the latest 5-2 over the Colorado Avalanche, Donato had an particularly good recreation, racking up two objectives and an help. Head coach Luke Richardson expressed his appreciation for Donato’s sturdy play.
“I am glad to see him get rewarded with a pair objectives tonight as a result of he goes to these arduous areas. He is bleeding out of the nostril and the lip and he is coming to the bench smiling as a result of he is acquired a purpose.”
—Luke Richardson on Ryan Donato pic.twitter.com/YUxf1Otd8S
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) October 29, 2024
It’s nice to see a depth participant contributing like Donato has by this primary stretch of the season. Hopefully he can sustain the nice work!
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The Blackhawks now flip the calendar to November, with 12 extra video games on faucet. The above gamers earned the three stars of October, however others will certainly step up because the season goes alongside. Who might be subsequent?
