The Blackhawks’ current first line of Dylan Strome centering Patrick Kane and Brandon Hagel is so scorching hot right now, Chicago’s snow piles are in jeopardy.
“It’s [about] good chemistry,” interim coach Derek King said Monday. “All three players bring different elements to the game and to their line, and they just seem to be clicking right now. Touch wood — hopefully they continue to click on.”
“Both those guys are playing great,” Kane said. “Hagel is an easy guy to play with, with how hard he works and how good he is as far as getting pucks back. And I’ve always had some chemistry with Strome, as well. [We’ll] try to keep it going here, but it has been fun the last few games.”
They entered Monday having outshot opponents 46-28 and outscored them 5-1 (during five-on-five play) during their last five games together. But they hadn’t done anything too special until the second half of last week, when they completely took over against the Red Wings and Avalanche.
In just those two games combined, Strome tallied six points (three goals and three assists), Kane tallied five points (two goals and three assists) and Hagel tallied four points (two goals and two assists, with another goal taken away the day after).
Strome’s out-of-nowhere dominance last Wednesday in Detroit — three goals, one assist and 10 faceoff wins on seven individual scoring chances — was one of the Hawks’ best individual offensive performances of 2021-22.
Then Kane’s performance Friday topped it, with his two goals and one assist on eight individual scoring chances (and a ridiculous 10 shots on goal).
And Hagel’s combination of grit, speed, relentlessness and underrated offensive instincts glue it all together. When Strome’s suddenly terrific faceoff skills aren’t generating offensive zone possessions, the forechecking strategy of Hagel leading the charge and Strome and Kane finding open space behind him often does.
“They’ve been really effective on the forecheck, turning over pucks and getting pucks back,” Kane said. “Obviously we know Hagel’s good at that, but Strome’s been really good at stripping pucks and creating chances off that, [too].”
“We just feed off each other pretty well,” Hagel said postgame Friday. “Strome and Kane help me out on the forecheck. They’re coming in [and] the second guy’s in quick.”
Strome’s key role in the line’s success is particularly notable considering his tribulations earlier this season. He entered Monday with 15 points in his last 17 games (since Dec. 5) after recording just three in his first 14 games.
Typically soft-spoken Hagel talked passionately and lengthily Friday about his admiration for Strome’s persistence.
“Hats off to him being able to mentally stick together and be able to get out of that,” Hagel said. “He has been unbelievable. Even when things are going wrong, he never has his head held down. That’s why he’s a good NHL player: he’s able to keep his head up and keep moving forward and try to get better [despite] his circumstances. He may not be happy with it, but he keeps that out of the dressing room and [isn’t] negative to anyone on the team. It has been really, really good to see.”
King still doesn’t seem to appreciate what Strome brings on-ice as much as one would expect. The interim coach said Monday he “wouldn’t say [he] fully trusts him yet” before acknowledging Strome is recently “playing well without the puck, at times, for the most part.”
That came after King interjected praise last week of Strome’s hat trick by saying he doesn’t “know how long he’s going to be lasting with us,” not-so-deftly confirming suspicion the Hawks have been shopping Strome for nearly a year now.
And given the Hawks’ place in the standings, Kane, Strome and Hagel’s current hot streak might accomplish little of significance other than raising Strome’s trade value. But it has nonetheless been impressive to witness.
