Players to Watch: CHI vs CBJ (2/23/21)

(Photo by Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks are in Columbus tonight for a 6pm game against the Blue Jackets. Both teams are coming off of a loss and are looking to get back into the win column. The last game between these two teams ended with a 3-2 Blackhawks win. 

The two series between the Blackhawks and Blue Jackets so far have been very up and down. They’ve split them both 50/50, but Columbus has a slight advantage PT%-wise due to their last loss against Chicago coming in overtime. 

The Central Division picture is becoming a bit more clear with Saturday’s game for the Blackhawks being postponed. A few teams have had a chance to get closer to them in games played, and Columbus now equals the Hawks in that category. 

That’s great news because you have to do less thinking to compare the two. 

The Columbus Blue Jackets come into tonight’s game with a record of 8-7-4 for 20 points. The Chicago Blackhawks hold a record of 9-6-4 for 22 points. Yikes. This is an important game if the Blackhawks want to stay in the playoff picture. They currently sit 4th in the division when sorting by points and PT%. Previously, we’ve seen them jump a bit lower in the PT% category. That’s an upward trend for Chicago, but this Blue Jackets team seems to give them fits. 

Let’s hop over to Goal Differential. 

In 19 games played, the Columbus Blue Jackets have scored 55 goals while allowing 64 for a DIFF of -9. In 19 games played, the Chicago Blackhawks have scored 55 goals while allowing 56 for a DIFF of -1. 

So much for that positive DIFF they took into Carolina. 

Looking at those numbers, the two clubs have paced each other in Goals For - each with 55. Chicago has been slightly, to significantly (however you choose to look at it), better at keeping pucks out of the net. That’s not the trend we were seeing to begin the 2020-21 season, so there’s another positive trend for Chicago. 

These numbers will be important to tuck away into the back of your mind for tonight if we see good things from the guys below. 

Your players to watch:

Patrick Kane

Patrick Kane is coming off of a game in Carolina where he did his best to put the team on his back and carry them to success. With no other help aside from Kevin Lankinen, they fell short and took the L against the Hurricanes. He looked determined and dangerous with the puck on his stick. Surely the Blackhawks (and us watching at home)  are hoping to see another effort like that from #88. 

Carl Soderberg

Carl Soderberg found himself on the power play late in the third period on Friday. The result? A quick tally off a shot from, who else, Patrick Kane. With the Blackhawks announcing that Dylan Strome is in concussion protocol and Andrew Shaw also being out for the same reason, I’m hoping to see Soderberg causing problems for the opposing goaltender so Kane can work his scoring magic. We can only hope. 

Duncan Keith

Duncan Keith was the best Blackhawks defender in Carolina. That’s not saying a whole lot, the bar was pretty low. Keith had a more classic game that we are used to seeing from him, and it was noticeable. While we can all hope the rest of the defense group can raise the level of their game to above sea-level in this one, Chicago needs Duncan Keith to come out with another good game to help out Kevin Lankinen. Lord knows he deserves it. 

The puck drops between the Blackhawks and Blue Jackets tonight at 6pm CST.