Chicago Blackhawks Need To Be Prepared To Grind Out an NHL Playoff Spot

The Chicago Blackhawks have a decision to make if they have designs on turning this recent stretch of games into the full-blown run that may salvage a spot in the playoffs.  The Blackhawks have won three or their last four and threaten to put together a much-needed win streak.  They just need to remember one simple thing.

The 'Hawks aren't a talented team.

They have talented players, but this isn't a talented team.  The sooner everyone admits this, the sooner this team can grind out a playoff appearance.

A lot of us have been content to sit back and wait for the Blackhawks to press the button that will transform this club into an elite hockey team.  A lot of national pundits are wondering when that will happen.  All season long, we've lamented that this team is too talented to keep playing mediocre hockey.  Our core is as good as any team in the league.  Once we figure it all out, we're headed right to the top.

That thinking has us two games over .500.

Talented teams don't lose to Columbus at home.

Talented teams pour it on when they have a chance to win.

Talented teams would have shown that talent by now.

We haven't.

If anything is evident by this latest run of games, it is that we are going to have to earn every point that we get from here on out.  Was there any game in the last four that you had a good feeling about for more than a few minutes?  That you felt like Chicago was completely in the driver's seat?

Get used to it.

We have three games coming up with teams that will attempt to grind points out of us.  Not surprisingly, they are all ahead of us in the standings.  We reached must-win status for every game a week ago.  There is no time to cry about a road game in Nashville or the back-to-backs this weekend with Phoenix and Minnesota.

It's time to call it like we see it.  This team is prone to lapses in play.  If other teams are able to find the net three times in six minutes like the Blue Jackets did on Friday night, then the outlook is not so good.

If the 'Hawks can play well enough to offset a period of poor play like they did last night in St. Louis, then they can continue to eke out victories; they just won't be easy on our stomachs.  Coach Joel Quenneville may want to consider that before he rejoins the team.  This team is not an elixir for an ulcer, that's for sure.

Forget about the 'Hawks getting it together and coasting into the playoffs.  If this team can pull off an 8-2 run in this last handful of games, it's going to be an ugly, hardscrabble 8-2 run.  Most of the games are going to be like the ones we've seen recently.  The Blackhawks haven't shown me that they can win any other way this season.

Might there be a roster change?  I think the fact that we're tied with four other teams for the last two seeds merits that we might still be buyers as the trade deadline approaches.  Just don't expect a savior at this point.  There will be some help for the penalty kill, but if this team reaches the postseason, it's going to be with most of the usual suspects on the ice.

Will Tomas Kopecky continue to play on the fourth line?  Will Troy Brouwer remain with the third unit?  Is Bolland centering the second line for the duration?  The answers may change from night to night.  We can speculate (I'd like to see Brouwer-Toews-Kane, Sharp-Bolland-Hossa, Bickell-Dowell-Frolik and Kopecky-Johnson-Pisani), but it's a good bet there will be movement up and down the lines.

Just like we can expect movement up and down the standings.

Hang on.  The ride continues Thursday in Nashville.