Chicago Blackhawks veterans lash out at inexperienced roster after loss to Penguins

Pain and loathing continue to engulf the Chicago Blackhawks with four games remaining in the regular season. Tensions were high following the Blachawks’ 5-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins in front of 15,029 fans at PPG Paints Arena.

The Blackhawks are giving extra time to young players as the season winds down. Rookie defenceman Sam Rinzel and centre Oliver Moore played in their fifth career NHL game on Tuesday night.

Bumps in the road are to be expected, but veteran players and interim head coach Anders Sorensen was not happy with the efforts given on the ice.

Per Scott Powers of The Athletic, voices were raised during a players-only meeting that lasted 15 minutes following the loss to Pittsburgh. Players did not reveal to the media what was said during the meeting.

The Chicago Blackhawks could have used more yelling

Forward Ryan Donato argued there could have been more yelling during the meeting.

“I think we could have used more of it,” Donato said of players yelling during the meeting . “The coaches give us all the right messages. They can tell us everything to do. It’s about us to execute that. They give us a good plan to go in the game. We all have to buy into that and play the same way. I think it’s on the veterans and some of the young guys to make sure we’re doing what we’re told.

“Like I said, some of the most simple teams are the best. As a team that’s young and inexperienced, the more simple you play, you create more offense, you create all these different things.”

Connor Murphy: Youth need to learn right from wrong

Defenseman Connor Murphy said it was “good to blow off steam” instead of letting bad vibes fester for a few days. Murphy thought Tuesday night was a good learning explanation for young players on the roster.

“Hopefully learn right from wrong,” Murphy said of what young players can take away from the meeting. “The feeling in each other and teammates and systems and work ethic and details of what it feels like in, say, a win last game, and not just a loss but the kind of loss tonight.

“You hope to grow individually and as a team anytime you can be aware of that and then have better preparation for games you have coming up, this year and in your career, to try to limit nights like tonight.”

Playing is a privilege

Donato made it clear it was just the young players that needed to learn from Tuesday night. Veterans on the Blackhawks have to be better at leading and showing by example.

“It’s a privilege to play in this league,” Donato said. “You just got to show up every night and give your A-effort every night. It’s too good of a league. You’re playing against the best players in the world every night no matter what… I just think we all just need to buy in and show up every night–not just every so often.”

The Blackhawks fell to 22-46-10 with the loss. They travel to play the Boston Bruins on Thursday night. Chicago will have one more home game when they play the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday. They then finish their regular season with games on the road against the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators.

The Bruins are the only team remaining on the schedule that has a losing record. Chicago isn’t likely to go on a hot streak to end the season, especially not with a roster full of players who started the season on the IceHogs.

But they can learn how to compete.

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