Chicago Blackhawks' 10 Worst Moments Of 2016 Calendar Year

Apr 25, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Blues center David Backes (42) and Chicago Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford (50) shake hands after the St. Louis Blues defeat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 in game seven of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Scottrade Center. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

It’s time to be sad, folks, and that shouldn’t be too hard in this calendar year

So 2016. It’s been a bit of a rough year, right? We at least had the Chicago Cubs winning their first World Series in 108 (though for some, that just makes the year even worse). But things were difficult to watch and digest in many fields, including with our Chicago Blackhawks. Hell, while I was working on this post, Carrie Fisher died. Yeesh.

Just because they didn’t win the Stanley Cup in 2016 doesn’t mean the Blackhawks had a bad year, though. Far from it, I’d say. They got some great performances, found some budding young stars and received some great performances from their veterans.

Heck, right now they’re on top of the Western Conference despite playing maybe half as good as they’re capable of most of the time. I think we can all get behind that.

Unfortunately, however, 2016 also brought us some sour moments for the Chicago Blackhawks, on and off the ice. While I was driving yesterday, I thought it would be interesting to do a top 10 worst and best moments from the Blackhawks’ 2016. Of course, shortly afterward, I saw CSN Chicago’s Tracey Myers had the “best” parts covered.

I’m still going to do 10 of those, in a separate post. But today, we’re going to start on the sad side of things. Here are my 10 worst moments from the Chicago Blackhawks’ calendar year 2016.

Apr 9, 2016; Columbus, OH, USA; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Dalton Prout (47) skates against Chicago Blackhawks left wing Bryan Bickell (29) in the third period at Nationwide Arena. The Blue Jackets won 5-4 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

No. 10: Bryan Bickell is diagnosed with multiple sclerosis

Now, this one is a far sadder moment than many of the others coming up on this list, but it gets the No. 10 spot because it didn’t actually happen while Bickell was with the Blackhawks. However, many fans still felt a tie to Bickell because the Blackhawks were previously the only NHL team he had ever known.

So when we learned in November that Bickell had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, it was a bit of a gut punch. The disease is one that sees the body’s immune system attack its central nervous system. Bickell woke up one morning with a shooting pain in his shoulder that wouldn’t go away, and he was eventually told he had M-S.

Bickell may still be able to play in the NHL again. Former Minnesota Wild goaltender Josh Harding played through M-S. But Bickell is currently taking time off to get his medical affairs in order, as he hasn’t played a game since late October.

I hope to see Bickell back on the ice again real soon. While he had his struggles in Chicago toward the end, he was key to the 2013 Stanley Cup run, and he seems like a really great guy off the ice.

Dec 23, 2016; Raleigh, NC, USA; Carolina Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen (86) celebrates his game winning goal in the overtime against the Boston Bruins at PNC Arena. The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the Boston Bruins 3-2 in the overtime. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports

No. 9: Losing players in the offseason

This is an every-year occurrence with the Blackhawks anymore, being so pressed up against the salary cap they can’t hold on to everyone who dotted the previous season’s roster.

This offseason, we said goodbye to Bickell, Teuvo Teravainen and Andrew Shaw, as well as the trade-deadline acquisitions (more on them later). Losing a promising young player in Teravainen and a heart-and-soul type guy like Shaw certainly made for a sad offseason.

Fans have all kinds of different views on these players, but it’s never fun watching your team’s roster get purged after seeing it have any sort of success. And guys like Teuvo and Shaw projected as ones who could help the team moving forward, too.

That’s just the business of the game these days.

Dec 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks right wing Jordin Tootoo (22) and Winnipeg Jets right wing Chris Thorburn (22) fight during the first period at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

No. 8: Brandon Mashinter Out, Jordin Tootoo In

I know there are plenty of Chicago fans who like the idea of having a gritty, “protector” type running around the ice. Some still feel it’s needed in hockey.

I probably can’t change your mind by saying it isn’t (and it isn’t), but I can say wasting a roster spot on two separate useless players in the same year is definitely a down moment from this year.

Mashinter biffed almost every chance he got, though he somehow managed four goals and an assist in 64 regular-season games last year. Heck, at least he put something on the board.

And I say that now because Mashinter went to the AHL this season to be replaced by Tootoo. And he’s somehow been far worse than Mashinter was on the offensive end.

Through 28 games this season, Tootoo has no points. Not a one. And he’s trying through the legs breakaway attempts to break that drought. Genius.

Coach Joel Quenneville will never break from desiring an “enforcer” on the ice at all times, so we have to live with this. But when the year’s chosen ones produce five points in 92 games … woof.

Feb 21, 2016; Minneapolis, MN, USA; The NHL logo on display in a game between the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks in the second period during a Stadium Series hockey game at TCF Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

No. 7: Blackhawks Phone In Outdoor Game

That Minnesota-Chicago outdoor game in Minneapolis this February sure was a treat, huh? Well, if you were a Wild/North Stars fan, anyway.

The Blackhawks had absolutely nothing going for them in this outing, which saw the Wild shell the Blackhawks 6-1. This was also the game that saw Vincent Hinostroza essentially seal his fate as far as how long he’d last with the team in the 2015-16 season, so it was a doubly bad day.

The Blackhawks just don’t seem to care much about playing outdoors anymore, having done it year after year for a while now. And it translates on the ice, as they were essentially asleep throughout this contest.

It brought clamors for the Blackhawks to get some downtime from outdoor play. Naturally, they were thrown right back into the outdoor scene, as they’ll take on the Blues at Busch Stadium next week. Let’s hope they turn in a better effort in that one.

Feb 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Andrew Ladd (16) warms up prior to the first period against the Washington Capitals at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

No. 6: Trade-Deadline Acquisitions Do Next To Nothing

This was really disappointing for two reasons. We’ll get to the other one in the next entry on this list, but first we’ll just start with the actual performances of this year’s trade-deadline acquisitions.

Andrew Ladd was the big gun, brought over from Winnipeg. Ladd never really clicked despite playing alongside Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa for much of this run, tallying 12 points in 19 regular-season games and two in the seven-game first-round series against St. Louis.

Also added at the deadline were Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise. Coach Q soured on both of these guys at various points, and Weise later said he wasn’t given the opportunity to succeed in Chicago.

Neither guy did a whole lot of succeeding in the Indian Head. Fleischmann started with a nice connection with Teuvo Teravainen, but eventually wound up with just five points in 19 regular-season games and none in four postseason tilts. Weise didn’t fare better with two points across 19 total contests.

Oh, and there was also the addition of defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, but Q refused to play him essentially ever.

General manager Stan Bowman usually hits on at least one of his trade-deadline acquisitions, but 2016 did not see that. Unless, of course you count adding Richard Panik in early January. I don’t count that.

Dec 22, 2016; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Montreal Canadiens left wing Phillip Danault (24) warms up before the first period against Minnesota Wild at Bell Centre. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

No. 5: Blackhawks Ding Their Future Through Trades

Of course, trades made at the deadline aren’t a one-way street. Something has to go back the other way. And the Blackhawks gave up an unfortunate amount in that respect.

The key piece of the Ladd deal, outside a 2016 first-round draft pick, was young forward Marko Dano. The Blackhawks gave him about 10 minutes to make an NHL impact, got upset when he didn’t and shipped him to the AHL. Then they traded him.

Dano, the secondary return piece in the Brandon Saad deal, hasn’t lit up the scoreboards in Winnipeg. But you can’t tell me nine points in 26 games this season wouldn’t be better than Jordin Tootoo and Andrew Desjardins combining for zero thus far.

The Blackhawks also shipped Phillip Danault to Montreal in the Fleischmann-Weise deal (in addition to a 2018 second-round draft pick). Danault was seen as the future Marcus Kruger in Chicago, and with Kruger still dealing with a wrist injury at the time of the trade, this was a surprising give-up.

Danault is having himself a fine year in Montreal, posting 14 points in 34 games, winning 52.5 percent of his faceoffs and posting a Corsi-for of 51.3 percent despite starting 62.3 percent of his shifts in the defensive zone. The Blackhawks are going to wish they didn’t give up Danault.

Apr 19, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues scrap after game four of the first round of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs at United Center. The Blues won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

No. 4: First-Round Playoff Exit To St. Louis

For the Blues and their fans, seeing the Chicago Blackhawks fall in seven games in the teams’ first-round playoff series earlier this year was cathartic. Of course, the team didn’t even make it to the Stanley Cup Final, but hey. Baby steps.

On the Chicago side, however, it was a really unfortunate loss. The Blackhawks didn’t have the defense to contend with most anyone in the postseason, yet they kept staying alive against the Blues on the back of Corey Crawford and some timely scoring.

It just wasn’t enough. Losing to a rival in the postseason is always painful, but this one especially hurt because the Blackhawks had somewhat mortgaged their future and went all-in at the trade deadline. And they couldn’t even crack the first round of the postseason.

Of course, with the Blackhawks starting this season with a nice grab of points, it puts a little less worry into the immediate future. But losing to the Blues in the postseason — or in general — will never not sting.

Jan 17, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks right wing Marian Hossa (81) and goalie Corey Crawford (50) celebrate their win against the Montreal Canadiens at the United Center. The Chicago Blackhawks won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3: Why Don’t People Like Corey Crawford?

So Crow pretty much carried his (literally) defenseless team through large stretches of the 2015-16 season (along with the Artemi Panarin–Artem Anisimov–Patrick Kane line), and he was essentially ignored for it.

Crow posted a league-best seven regular-season shutouts and tied for fourth in the league with 35 wins despite missing close to a month due to injury. He still managed to make 58 starts, putting him close to the league leaders despite, again, missing close to a month of time.

His .924 save percentage was second among guys with 41 or more starts last season, and he did this while facing the 10th-most shots in the league, which, AGAIN, came while missing about a month of playing time.

Sure, his 2016 postseason performance wasn’t world-shattering (.907/2.54), but the team probably wouldn’t have even made the playoffs without Crow in net.

So how does the league reward this effort? By not putting him in the All-Star Game due to wanting to make sure no one (except John Scott and his family) had their feelings hurt. Pekka Rinne the Devan Dubnyk were summarily torched in that game.

Crow was further rewarded for his team-carrying play by receiving a fifth-place finish in the Vezina Trophy voting. Fifth. Right.

Crow has been at it again this season, pretty much dragging Chicago through a lot of games. His even-strength percentage was absolutely obscene early this season, hovering around .950 for a while. His overall save percentage right now is a cool .927. Just give the guy some love, please.

Feb 28, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks center Andrew Shaw (65) and Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) fight during the third period at the United Center. Chicago won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

No. 2: Andrew Shaw Loses His Cool

These next two entries aren’t going to be fun to talk about, because they cause so much divisiveness among the fan base and involve uncomfortable subjects. But these two entries are clearly the two worst of the Blackhawks’ 2016, so we’ll soldier on.

We’ll start in Game 4 of the Blackhawks’ first-round playoff series this year against St. Louis. With the Blackhawks trailing late, Andrew Shaw committed an interference penalty with 2:04 to play. Shaw was not happy with this call, and proceeded to yell “fucking faggot” at an official.

This homophobic slur was picked up by television cameras and quickly brought to the public eye. While some considered it a heat of the moment event, it was very clear Shaw was in the wrong here, and his slur put a black mark on himself, his team and the league.

Shaw would eventually apologize for this, including a separate apology to openly-gay Chicago Tribune writer Chris Hine, a guy Shaw saw most every day at this point in his career.

It was an extremely uncomfortable and sad moment for the Blackhawks in 2016, and one fans certainly want to leave in 2016.

Jan 21, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane (88) works out prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

No. 1: Patrick Kane’s Offseason Splinters Fan Base

This is not a space to talk about if Patrick Kane did or did not sexually assault a woman in Buffalo in 2015. Nor is it a space to point out how Kane had an incredible on-ice season in 2015-16. This is a space to point out how much one alleged offseason action divided a fan base and made for a truly ugly spectacle, starting in 2015 and dragging into 2016.

Essentially, the Kane alleged rape was a black cloud hanging over the Blackhawks for the entire 2015-16 season. Some fans may not have seen it that way; some may have been able to quickly put it out of sight and out of mind. But that wasn’t the case for everyone, myself included — and I know I’m not the only one.

Terrible comments were flung back and forth between fans and other fans, from fans to those covering the Blackhawks and the alleged rape case. It was all ugly, and shone a really dark light on the Blackhawks’ fan base throughout the season.

When the Blackhawks lost to the Blues in the postseason, for me, there was half a sense of frustration and sadness over the loss, and half a sense of relief this season could be put to rest. It just felt so … awful throughout, trying to justify to opposing teams’ fans and non-hockey fans how you could root for a team that employed an alleged rapist.

You can think what you want about my viewpoints on the ordeal, and you can think what you want about the entire case in general. But for me, the worst moment of 2016 for the Chicago Blackhawks was the continuation and aftershocks of the events involving Kane prior to the season.

I know this whole post was a real downer, so I’ll be back later this week with the Blackhawks’ top 10 best moments of the 2016 calendar year. I promise that one will be far more cheery.