One of the very best indicators for the Blackhawks’ future as they end out one other disappointing season is the emergence of Alex DeBrincat as one of many NHL’s elite scorers.
As excellent of a season as Patrick Kane is having, DeBrincat tied him for the crew lead in targets by ripping his 41st within the loss to the Kings on Saturday. He led the Hawks in targets as a rookie, too, and his leap leaves them dreaming concerning the potential of a 21-year-old who hasn’t hit his prime but.
“Forty goals is a nice floor,” coach Jeremy Colliton smirked. “But he’ll get higher. He’ll be taught an increasing number of about find out how to get open on this league.
“He’s already doing a fantastic job of it, however as a veteran man you be taught what you’ve gotta do to supply each night time. I wouldn’t say that he’s a completed product in any respect. He’s taking part in nice, however he’s a child nonetheless.”
Alex DeBrincat is tied with Patrick Kane for the crew lead in targets. | (Ringo H.W. Chiu/AP
Sadly for the child, the outstanding begin to his profession hasn’t been accompanied by a lot profitable. The Hawks have a .500 factors proportion heading into their final 4 video games, all of that are towards playoff-bound opponents.
They are six factors behind the Avalanche for the ultimate wild-card spot within the Western Conference and might be eradicated in the event that they lose to the Jets at house Monday and the Avalanche beat the Blues.
The Hawks have issues, however DeBrincat isn’t certainly one of them. He broke a six-game scoreless streak with two targets to assist beat the Sharks final week and one other towards the Kings. He and Kane have been fourth within the league in targets heading into the Sunday video games.
DeBrincat’s 40th got here within the Sharks recreation, and he admitted he by no means imagined hitting that mark.
“You just worry about getting to the NHL, not about how many goals you’re gonna score,” DeBrincat mentioned. “It’s a cool accomplishment for me. It’s fun to do, fun to score. Glad it happened.”
He shrugged prefer it was nothing. There have been many milestones already.
But all of the youth-related stats on DeBrincat — he’s the youngest participant in franchise historical past to place up 40, he owns the Hawks’ file for many targets within the first two seasons of a profession and he’s properly forward of Kane’s tempo at this checkpoint — are beginning to appear trivial. He’s certainly one of this crew’s most dynamic gamers no matter age.
He has been the Hawks’ only scorer this yr, reaching his aim whole in 108 fewer pictures on aim than it has taken Kane. He is probably the most environment friendly scorer on the crew, potting 19.three % of his pictures. That ranks eighth within the league.
He is their greatest power-play risk, too, scoring 13 of his targets that manner. Despite being 5-7, 165 kilos, he’s lethal in these conditions as a result of he’s so usually in the fitting place on the proper time to unleash a blistering one-timer.
The Hawks’ confidence that DeBrincat will preserve rising is rooted partly in what he’s performed on the ice, but additionally how they’ve seen him deal with his first two seasons.
He is exact in all the things he does and his method coming off a powerful rookie yr was no completely different than when he was simply hoping to make the roster as a second-round decide. He’s unusually regular for somebody with so little expertise.
“Sometimes being a young rookie and not knowing what you’re up against helps you to go out there and just enjoy the game and play and create and score,” Jonathan Toews mentioned. “So it’s always tough to come back and back that up in your second season, and he’s done all that and more.”