February 15, 2025
Last Place Blackhawks have an incredibly tough 8-game stretch ahead of them
NHL

Last Place Blackhawks have an incredibly tough 8-game stretch ahead of them

Last place belongs to the Chicago Blackhawks, who are 32nd in the NHL in points and point percentage and may be facing the toughest eight-game stretch of any team this season.

The Blackhawks have lost four straight games and 10 of their last 12 and have a record of 14-28-3 and 31 points. They are well on their way to securing the best chance at the number one pick in the 2025 Entry Draft, and it will be a challenge for the team to pick up even a few wins in the next few weeks.

The Blackhawks’ first test is January 18 against the Vegas Golden Knights (29-13-3). The 2023 Stanley Cup champions are tied for second place in the Western Conference and third in the league. Even though they haven’t been as dominant as usual in recent weeks, they are still clearly superior to Chicago.

The Blackhawks then host the Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning and Minnesota Wild. The Hurricanes are fourth in the Eastern Conference with 57 points and ninth in the league with a record of 27-16-3. The Lightning aren’t far behind with a record of 24-16-3 (51 points) and the Wild are 27-14-4 (58 points).

Related: Where Connor McDavid would reach the Blackhawks’ best point total ever

Chicago actually has two options, either get revenge or try to win back-to-back against strong teams when the Blackhawks visit the Lightning and Hurricanes after their four-game homestand.

To complete the Blackhawks’ eight grueling games, the team visits the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers before returning home to host the team the Panthers defeated in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Edmonton Oilers.

The Panthers have a record of 26-17-3 (55 points), while the Oilers are the hottest team in the NHL with a record of 29-13-3 (61 points). Edmonton has won four straight, eight of nine, and is 19-4-1 in its last 24 games.

At this point in the season, the Blackhawks should want to see the production and development of their young players, but maintain their spot at last so Chicago has the best chance of acquiring another elite talent from the draft.

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