Everyone that follows the NHL closely would guess that the 2022-23 Chicago Blackhawks would have a problem with the 2022-23 Carolina Hurricanes. One team is trying to rebuild and one team is trying to win the Stanley Cup.
It would be nice to see the Blackhawks build this thing in a similar fashion to how Carolina did. They made some smart trades and have had some really good drafts. They still have to get over the hump in the playoffs but winning the Stanley Cup would surprise nobody.
Coming out of the holiday break, the Blackhawks knew that they had their hands full against them. It is hard for some of the elite teams in the league to beat Carolina so the Hawks would need to be at their very best to even have a chance.
Unfortunately, they weren’t able to get it done as they were defeated on the road by a final score of 3-0. This win put the Caroline Hurricanes even farther ahead in the standings when it comes to their lead in the Metropolitan Division.
The Chicago Blackhawks were completely outclassed by the Carolina Hurricanes.
To be honest, the Blackhawks were outshot 49-24 so they are lucky that the score wasn’t even more embarrassing than 3-0. The Canes saw goals scored by Martin Necas, Jesper Fast, and Jordan Martinook. They get a lot of scoring from their depth and their stars.
The World Junior Championships are currently going on and it is more exciting to see the Blackhawks’ prospects play in addition to some of the players that they might draft when the 2023 NHL Draft comes along. Losses like this one to Carolina aren’t for nothing.
The Blackhawks are keeping this show on the road now as they come back to the midwest to face the St. Louis Blues. They are also struggling a little bit this season compared to their normal years but they are still 15 points ahead of the Blackhawks in the standings. It should be interesting.
One thing that needs to continue being noted is the fact that Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews’ time in Chicago is almost done. They could get moved at any time so enjoy them while you can.