Blackhawks captain Connor Bedard gets 100% real about Jeff Blashill after 4th straight loss
The Blackhawks have lost seven of their last eight games overall, and have won back-to-back games just once this year.
It has not been an encouraging season so far for the Chicago Blackhawks. Connor Bedard and the team have dropped to 4-11-1 this year and have yet to pick up a win on the road. On Wednesday, the team lost their fourth straight game, losing to the Florida Panthers 5-3. It is clear that the Blackhawks still need help on their roster if they are going to contend any time soon.
While there may not be enough talent on the ice, members of the media have also taken shots at the coaching. During the first-period intermission in the loss to the Panthers, Paul Bissonnette of TNT called out the team, per Mark Lazerus of The Athletic.
“Bissonnette called the Blackhawks ‘pathetic’ before the game, and after watching them fall behind early, lose hustle plays, repeatedly fail to play the body, and bumble their way through the neutral zone time and time again in the first period, he described the Blackhawks as ‘soft,’ ‘brutal,’ ‘Mickey Mouse,’ ‘AHL-level’ and ‘horrible’ — the last one at least four times,” Lazerus noted.
That was not the only disgust to come from Bissonnette. During the second intermission, he added: “I’m sick of watching this team play.”
While the team has struggled, Bedard has backed up his coach, speaking right after the game.
“Blash is great. We love Blash, we love how he approaches us, how he coaches our team. I know on a personal note how much better of a hockey player he’s made me. … He’s given us the right message, the right formula, and we’ve got to go execute better for 60 minutes,” Bedard said.
Blashill did not find a lot of success in his first season with the Blackhawks, as the team went 29-39-14, finishing eighth in the Central Division. He has not found a ton of success as a coach overall. Blashill was the head coach for the Detroit Red Wings for seven seasons, leading them to just one playoff berth and a 204-261-72 record overall. His contract was not renewed at the end of the 2021-22 season, and he was let go. If things do not turn around soon for the Blackhawks, Blashill may not even make it to the end of this contract.
It has not been an encouraging season so far for the Chicago Blackhawks. Connor Bedard and the team have dropped to 4-11-1 this year and have yet to pick up a win on the road. On Wednesday, the team lost their fourth straight game, losing to the Florida Panthers 5-3. It is clear that the Blackhawks still need help on their roster if they are going to contend any time soon.
