Hawks — and Colliton — making strides
Coach more comfortable with group (and Kane’s hot streak has helped)
A big thank-you to the Blackhawks for firing Joel Quenneville 15 games into the season.
Not for the firing but for the 15 games. It provides a good number from which to assess Jeremy Colliton. We looked back last month at Colliton’s first 15 games, which couldn’t have gone much worse and ended with a 3-10-2 record.
These past 15 games — which concluded after Monday’s 4-3 loss to the Flames — have gone decidedly better. The Hawks went 7-6-2, and while they haven’t exactly turned their season around, they have been far more fun to watch. Here are five reasons.
1. Colliton is winning over the locker room.
This isn’t at all to suggest the players had initially rejected Colliton. But transitioning from Quenneville, who ran a different system and communicated in a much different way, was a shock that took time to recover from.
Colliton is open and never wants a player to leave a game or practice without knowing why a decision was made. On Saturday, Colliton spent a good 10 minutes in deep conversation with Brendan Perlini toward the end of practice. Colliton was letting Perlini know what he can do to improve and get more ice time.
“We have those conversations with everyone,” Colliton said. “Sometimes they’re on the ice, sometimes they’re in the dressing room.”
Those conversations make a difference and are key to how Colliton thinks he has improved as a coach.
“Just getting more comfortable with the group, learning them, learning how to handle each guy,” Colliton said. “I’m going to try to get better at that as I get to know them and we build a relationship with each guy.”
2. Patrick Kane is feeling it.
Kane is in a stretch in which it feels as if he’s going to create offense every time he touches the puck. Whether it’s a magical backhand like he had against the Flames or zipping passes to Alex DeBrincat or Dylan Strome, Kane is carrying the Hawks offense.
He has had at least two points in seven of the Hawks’ last 15 games and scored 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) overall during that stretch.
Compare that with the first 15 games under Colliton when Kane had 13 points (two goals, 11 assists). Not bad for most players but Kane could do better, and of late he has been spectacular.
3. The lines finally have been consistent.
Colliton tried so many different line combinations in the early going you never knew who would end up out there each game. But starting Dec. 18 against the Predators, things started to solidify and it has paid off.
For the first time all season, the Hawks have had three lines that have been working most games. Brandon Saad, Jonathan Toews and Dominik Kahun have been a solid top line while Kane has been a force on the second line with Strome and Artem Anisimov. DeBrincat was moved to the third line, and while he probably is not getting enough ice time, he is producing and opponents have a lot more to worry about.
The defensive pairings also have been consistent but that hasn’t solved an ongoing problem. The Hawks allowed 508 shots on goal in Colliton’s first 15 games. Over the last 15 — when they’ve won four more games — they’ve allowed 555 shots on goal.
Which brings us to ...
4. Collin Delia and Cam Ward.
Delia has been nothing less than brilliant each and every game since being called up from the IceHogs.
Ward has been very good at times but hasn’t been in the same league as Delia, who has stopped 197 of 208 shots in his five starts. That’s nearly 40 saves per game for a .947 save percentage and it’s even better than the AHL-leading .933 save percentage he had with the IceHogs.
Delia and Ward each has started five games in Corey Crawford’s absence. Colliton has taken some flak for not starting Delia more, but being cautious with a rookie goalie when you have a veteran playing well seems to have been a wise choice.
5. The power play woke up.
The power play went 3-for-37 during Colliton’s first 15 games. The past 15 games it has gone 12-for-48, including 10-for-30 in the last 10.
Finally, it’s working. It took some time for Colliton to find the combination of Kane, Toews, DeBrincat, Strome and Erik Gustafsson, but that should be the power play for the time being.