Watching a team outperform expectations is one of the purest joys a sports fan can enjoy. That’s what made the the Blackhawks’ recent 10-game stretch with a 6-1-3 record so much fun: they weren’t supposed to be this successful.
While some familiar names like Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat have been central to this success, adding to the enjoyment is the flurry of young players who’ve contributed in key moments: Phillip Kurashev and Pius Suter at forward, Nicolas Beaudin and Ian Mitchell on defense and Kevin Lankinen in net. That’s just a short list, too.
A finished product this is not, however.