10 Thoughts About This Blackhawks Bunch

An inside look into the latest opinions surrounding the Blackhawks, including Connor Bedard's return and historic occassions.

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to “10 Thoughts About This Blackhawks Bunch.” The basis of this premium segment is simple. It will be a recurring post each month of 10 opinions, and nothing is off-limits. Considering hockey never sleeps, it could be 20 thoughts, but 10 will have to suffice for now.

Without further ado, here are my thoughts about the Blackhawks for the month of February and what a momentous month it was!

1. Connor Bedard Returns!

I wanted to put this nugget as number 10 on the list because, you know, the suspense, but Connor Bedard’s return was probably one of the biggest events, not to mention it first.

Bedard’s return came as a bit of a surprise. His return seemed very near but not as near as even we expected. Elliotte Friedman dropped a bomb, as he usually does, while we were enjoying our morning coffee on Feb. 15 when he announced there was a possibility Bedard would play against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The final confirmation came later on in the afternoon from the team, but that made the morning coffee taste so much better!

The initial timeline was 6-8 weeks from the initial injury date (Jan. 5), so his return was on time, but it was thought he would probably need a couple more games because, at that point, he hadn’t taken a contact practice, but what do you know? I said I wished that no one would have said anything, and he could have returned Undertaker-style. Could you imagine the United Center goes dark, and then a single spotlight shows on center ice, and Bedard just appears with the smoke machine effect? The Hawks and the NHL could have had a field day with that, and it would have been fun for marketing. A missed opportunity. But the excitement was still next level!

Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Unfortunately, the return against Pittsburgh wasn’t as nice as it was when the Blackhawks faced them to start the season with a 4-2 win. This time, the Hawks were met with a 4-1 loss. However, Bedard got an assist in that game and has 7 points in 6 games since he has been back. With him back, it makes the team so much more enjoyable. The team plays with so much more “oomph.” It’s like night and day from when he was out. Although the offense still struggles, he gives them a chance to create offense on that first line with Philipp Kurashev and Nick Foligno.

2. Anthony Beauvillier Returns

Bedard is not the only one who made a return. Anthony Beauvillier also made his return on Feb. 19 against the Carolina Hurricanes, and he hasn’t had the start he was looking for after missing a month with a wrist injury. He has been without a point in all 4 games since his return while playing on the top-9. I hope he steps up because I think he is the one player that realistically can because he has the skill. A player who had 40 points last season between 2 teams and who averages 30-plus points a season has it in him. Unfortunately, it has yet to show.