Hawks, Jets need captains to lead the way
Captains Blake Wheeler and Jonathan Toews will be under the microscope when Chicago hosts Winnipeg tonight as leadership is integral at this point in the NHL season.
Wheeler and the Jets are looking to snap a three-game losing skid, while Toews and the Blackhawks are in desperation mode, knowing they need to run the table and get some help to sneak into the playoffs.
Wheeler has 20 goals and 89 points, but has only one assist in his last six games, while Toews has enjoyed a rebound season and has 33 goals and 76 points in 78 games.
Here are five things to watch when the Jets and Blackhawks tangle tonight in Chicago:
1
Big guns must deliver During the last two games, the Jets have five goals, but don’t have any from their Top 6 forwards at even strength. Mark Scheifele has one on the power play. The other goals have come from the checking line (two from Adam Lowry, one from Brandon Tanev) and fourth unit (Mathieu Perreault). To snap out of this funk, the Jets need their best forwards to produce.
2
D is for discipline
The Jets have shown some flashes while killing penalties, but their efficiency remains in the bottom third of the NHL, dropping below 80 per cent for the season. Staying out of the box is a start, but quicker reads and getting into shooting lanes are other things the Jets will be looking to do as well.
3
D is also for desperation Just like Saturday, when the Jets faced a Montreal team fighting to stay in the playoff race, the Blackhawks are in an even more dire situation and must win each of their final four games and hope Colorado goes cold. The Jets have been lacking urgency since clinching a playoff spot and they’ve got four games left to find it.
4
Kane definitely able Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane is on pace to have the best offensive season of his career, piling up 41 goals and 105 points in 77 games — closing in on the 46 goals and 106 points he had in 2015-16. Only Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov and Edmonton’s Connor McDavid have more points this season and Kane has enjoyed plenty of success against the Jets during his career, producing 36 points in 31 games.
5
Strome rejuvenated Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman believed Dylan Strome had more to give and it turns out he was right. The third overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft could never find his footing with Arizona, but he’s provided some excellent secondary scoring for Chicago. After being limited to three goals and six points in 20 games with the Coyotes this season, Strome has 14 goals and 45 points in 54 games with the Blackhawks. Strome has spent a chunk of his time reunited with Erie Otters teammate Alex DeBrincat, who is up to 41 goals and 74 points in 78 games this season.