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If the Hawks Really Are Going to Do This...



CHICAGO, IL -- Last night marked six straight wins for the Blackhawks.

 Yeah, you read that right.

 The Blackhawks, after the rough November, December and January, are sitting within two points of a playoff spot.

 The best part of all of this? They keep this up, and they might actually find their way to a playoff spot this season.

 Now, keep in mind, there are quite a few teams in the playoff hunt right now--as it stands, the Hawks are tied with Edmonton and Colorado (53 pts), but behind Vancouver and St. Louis (55 pts) for the last wildcard spot. Except for Vancouver, all of those teams have games in hand over the Hawks, which puts them in a tough position.

 The way I see it, about five things need to happen for the Hawks to legitimately have a chance to make the playoffs this season:

 First, there are 27 games left in this season, and the Hawks are currently at 53 points through 55 games. For them to realistically make the playoffs, they'd have to end with about 88-90 points. Meaning, averagely-speaking, they'd need to get about 36 points through these last 27 games. To do that? They'll need to go something like 18-9. That's way easier than said. Like I said earlier, too, it really depends on what other teams do in the Western Conference--it's a pretty mediocre conference this season, so it's going to likely be a tight race to the playoffs. But, you look at even the bottom of the barrel--LA is only three points behind the Hawks, and Anaheim and Arizona are two points behind. Then, you've got to fight through Edmonton, Colorado, Vancouver and St. Louis. It's not going to be easy, but it's doable.

 (For reference, down the rest of the way, the Hawks play a total of 17 of their last 27 games against Western Conference teams--they're going to have to win each of those games for a real fighting chance here.)

 Second, the Hawks need to really decide what they're going to do down the line in terms of the trade deadline. Are they going to be sellers and likely wait until next season to see the playoffs, or are they going to be buyers and bolster the lineup and potentially jeopardize the future? I really think the Hawks should stay mum--they've got an okay lineup that's been getting things done as of late, so I think they should stay the course. If they're going to be sellers, maybe it makes sense to trade away Artem Anisimov/Marcus Kruger/John Hayden to bolster someone else's bottom six and get futures. If they're going to be buyers, though, I think going cheaper would be better--no need to trade away future draft picks or prospects for a guy you'll have for a month.

 Third, keep those top two lines hot. It's no question that putting Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane back together was a great idea. It's clearly working--Kane's riding a 13-game point streak right now, and I'd venture to say a big reason for that is playing with Toews again. And I personally love Drake Caggiula up on the line with them, seeing huge minutes and a definite increase in production with those two. The second line's been great, too, with Dylan Strome down the middle and Alex DeBrincat and Dominik Kahun on the wings. Strome's really starting to come into his own, and I think he'll be a great piece for the Hawks in the future--he's certainly shaping up to be a great number 1 or 2 center. Keep these lines hot, and they might have a fighting chance.

 (As a side note, the power play's been red-hot and it needs to stay that way, too. Keep scoring when you've got an advantage, boys.)

 Fourth, the goalies need to keep playing at the high caliber they've been showing as of late. Collin Delia may be a rookie, but he's playing like he's been in the league for a lot longer than that. And, as much as people may have hated the signing over the summer, Cam Ward's certainly looking like the best deal the Hawks got over the offseason. Delia's posting a .923 save percentage, and Ward's posting a .891--between the two of them, they're not doing too bad, and both of them have made highlight-reel saves recently. I really think this goalie tandem is working for now--maybe it's not suited for long-term--and I think if they can keep flashing the leather on the NHL's superstars, the Hawks might just do this.

 And finally, fifth: they need to keep having fun. That sounds weird, I know. But, it's clear they're in great spirits and it's showing in their games. They look like they're having a good time playing, that they're taking actual chances to score without second thoughts. I think it's helping build a lot of confidence around the locker room, too, which is always a good thing. If blasting 'Trophies' by Drake and scream-singing in the locker room after a win like they did in Edmonton means anything, I think they're on the right track and really could make a run at this thing.

 Those are my five keys to getting to the playoffs. I'm holding onto whatever shred of hope I can have at this point, because this season has been a wild one from the start. The fact that they've had two 8-game losing streaks and are still in wildcard contention is absurd. But, you know what? I'll take it. I want them to win, it's clear now that they want to win, and if they can keep this red machine rolling, I say make a run at the playoffs. Do the damn thing.

 I'll ask this again, because now this season's feeling real: are you in?

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