GDT Game 16: 11/14/18 | 7:00 PM CT | @ 'Hawks | NBCSN/KMOX

[theohall]

CHICAGO -- When Jeremy Colliton was handed the reins of the Chicago Blackhawks last week, he understood that there weren't going to be any quick turnarounds.

That hasn't changed in the three games Colliton has spent behind the Blackhawks' bench -- all losses, which has extended Chicago's losing streak to eight games heading into Wednesday's game against the St. Louis Blues at the United Center.

While the frustration remains present throughout the Blackhawks' roster, the patience that Colliton is being forced to exhibit must also trickle down to his players as they attempt to get things turned around.

"We can only take it one game at a time," Chicago captain Jonathan Toews said after Monday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, according to The Athletic. "You're putting yourself behind quite a bit by going on a slide like this, but it happens. Good teams go through it, and good teams have overcome it before.

"So it's a long year and all we can worry about is the next game. We've got a home game coming up and this road trip wasn't what we wanted, but like I said it's tough to get thrown in right away with a lot of things to adjust to, but a good feeling is there and the guys are really bought in to what the coaching staff is saying and Jeremy Colliton is saying, so we're as optimistic as we can be given the situation we're in."

Chicago's latest loss came after the Blackhawks built a 2-0 advantage -- their first lead in a game under Collison, who replaced fired Joel Quenneville last week. But as they have experienced many times this season, they were unable to put a team away and once again couldn't figure out how to win.

The Blackhawks placed forward Marcus Kruger on injured reserve Tuesday with a left leg injury and called up defenseman Gustav Forsling. Forsling underwent wrist surgery during the summer and has started the season with the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate.

Kruger is eligible to return Friday, but the Blackhawks will get Brandon Saad back on Wednesday. He missed the past two games after he was hit on the arm by a puck last week in practice. Saad, like many of his teammates, has been intent on watching video as the Blackhawks hope to adjust to Colliton's system.

"What we were doing (before Colliton) wasn't working," Saad said Wednesday, according to the Chicago Tribune. "He's our new coach. We want to commit to his system and buy into his play. Once we get that going, we're going to have some success."

The Blues, meanwhile, begin a stretch of three games in four days (all on the road). St. Louis has won four of its past six games but is coming off a 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild on Sunday.

St. Louis coach Mike Yeo told reporters on Tuesday that center Brayden Schenn (upper body injury) wouldn't play Wednesday but could return to the ice sometime during the upcoming three-game road trip. Schenn has missed three straight games.

"We were hoping that he'd be ready for tomorrow, but he's not," Yeo told said, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Hopefully, we'll have more information (Wednesday). As of right now, I'm not concerned, but obviously things could change and things could linger, so we'll see."

[gaijin]

Hawks are desperate for a win. Playing on home ice against the Blues will only increase that desperation.

This should be a situation where the Blues can take advantage if they play disciplined and execute good passing. But that may be asking too much.

[theohall]

Projected Lineup:

Forwards

Schwartz - O'Reilly - Tarasenko
Fabbri - Bozak - Steen
Sanford - Thomas - Perron
Maroon - Barbashev - Sundqvist

Defense

Gunnarsson - Pietrangelo
Dunn - Parayko
Edmundson - Bouwmeester

Goalie

Allen


IMO's Fabbri's speed is going to be wasted on a line with two slower forwards. The whole J-Bo playing thing, unless the Blues recall someone there isn't really a better option. Schmaltz played so poorly vs the Wild he got benched for the 2nd half of the game, and rightly so. Repeating this refrain, Schmaltz is not an NHL caliber defenseman. His ceiling as a good d-man was at the AHL level. Of course, J-Bo isn't an NHL caliber defenseman right now either, but the only other d-man currently on the roster is the injured Bortuzzo and recalling someone else would mean moving someone else. Unless that player is Thomas, moving anyone else on the roster requires waivers - which Armstrong isn't doing (for now).

[Robb_K]

Crawford really robbed Tarasenko on that backhand 2 on 1 attempt with Schwartz.

[theohall]

I don't really know what to think of that period. The Blues didn't seem to have any kind of structure to their game at all.

[Toasted Oates]

Jay Bouwmeester, penalty killer.

Bluuuuues hockey.

[theohall]

And it continues: The Blues complete inability to forecheck and generate offensive zone pressure has returned.

Even though the Blues lost to the Wild, those lines were working in generating offensive zone pressure. These bottom 3 lines, all the ones that were changed, aren't working.

[gaijin]

[Robb_K]

I’m going to be very, very disappointed if I wake up tomorrow and Yeo hasn’t been fired.

And I'll also be disappointed if no announcement comes soon that Quenneville has been hired by The Blues, and he happily(sincerely) states that he's "returned home", and Bouwmeester is put on waivers, and another team claims him. But I won't feel decently about this team again until the goaltending situation is improved drastically.

It's been very "Bluesy" for Doug Armstrong to partially make up for his failings in the goaltending area to have had a terrific offseason, strengthening the team significantly, only to have his terrible mistake (Mike Yeo)help the improved roster fall on its face during this season. Have I ever said that it's been frustrating being a Blues fan for the past 51 years. If I haven't, I'm doing it now.

The Blues looked like they were just going through the motions during much of this game. Stillman and Doug Armstrong better be careful, or they'll scare away all decent level players from wanting to play for this team, INCLUDING the good players on the team roster now. They'd better do something to remedy things VERY SOON.

[gaijin]

I’m going to be very, very disappointed if I wake up tomorrow and Yeo hasn’t been fired.

And I'll also be disappointed if no announcement comes soon that Quenneville has been hired by The Blues, and he happily(sincerely) states that he's "returned home", and Bouwmeester is put on waivers, and another team claims him. But I won't feel decently about this team again until the goaltending situation is improved drastically.

It's been very "Bluesy" for Doug Armstrong to partially make up for his failings in the goaltending area to have had a terrific offseason, strengthening the team significantly, only to have his terrible mistake (Mike Yeo)help the improved roster fall on its face during this season. Have I ever said that it's been frustrating being a Blues fan for the past 51 years. If I haven't, I'm doing it now.

The Blues looked like they were just going through the motions during much of this game. Stillman and Doug Armstrong better be careful, or they'll scare away all decent level players from wanting to play for this team, INCLUDING the good players on the team roster now. They'd better do something to remedy things VERY SOON.

Sorry Robb, looks like today isn't the day. Maybe on Thanksgiving.

Seen on Twitter:

Oh my GOD. The Blues haven't beaten a Central Division opponent other than the #Blackhawks since FEBRUARY! They're 3-13-3!!!!!!

#YeoMustGo

[glen a richter]

Remember, there's a reason John Tavares wouldn't talk to the Blues and it's not because his heart was set on Toronto. No high profile free agents want to come to a Yeo team because they know their skills will be negated by his system. Think about it, the biggest names that Armstrong has added had to be added via trade. You think for two seconds that Schenn or O'Reilly would have willingly joined the Blues through free agency? Maybe if there was a better coaching team in place, but not with this one.

[flyingnote38]

hard to make a case that the Blues aren't the worst team in their division right now. Blackhawks were in free fall and got the cure they needed: a game with the Blues.

Too much talent to be this bad.

[gaijin]

Too much talent to be this bad.

I think that sums it up pretty succinctly.

[theohall]

Goaltending on the Blues part had nothing to do with this loss.

Allen makes the save on the power play and Bouwmeester kicks it in his own net. How is that a goaltending issue?

Not scoring any goals in front of Allen has returned to rear it's ugly head... while - hmmm let's blame it on goaltending arises. WHAT????

Blues 8th worst in even strength scoring... but you know - it's the goalies fault.

If it weren't for the Blues PP, they wouldn't have won half the games they did win.

Yes, Allen has had issues. This game was most definitely NOT on of those to bring up that subject with the Blues pitiful offensive zone "work."

[theohall]

Remember, there's a reason John Tavares wouldn't talk to the Blues and it's not because his heart was set on Toronto. No high profile free agents want to come to a Yeo team because they know their skills will be negated by his system. Think about it, the biggest names that Armstrong has added had to be added via trade. You think for two seconds that Schenn or O'Reilly would have willingly joined the Blues through free agency? Maybe if there was a better coaching team in place, but not with this one.

[glen a richter]

Goaltending on the Blues part had nothing to do with this loss.

Allen makes the save on the power play and Bouwmeester kicks it in his own net. How is that a goaltending issue?

Not scoring any goals in front of Allen has returned to rear it's ugly head... while - hmmm let's blame it on goaltending arises. WHAT????

Blues 8th worst in even strength scoring... but you know - it's the goalies fault.

If it weren't for the Blues PP, they wouldn't have won half the games they did win.

Yes, Allen has had issues. This game was most definitely NOT on of those to bring up that subject with the Blues pitiful offensive zone "work."

It's ironic that the Blues "saving grace", if you will, has been the power play this season, while last season one could reasonably argue the power play was the biggest reason the team missed the playoffs. Yet when the power play gets somewhat fixed, everything else goes to hell. If it's not the power play doing awful, it's awful play at even strength. If it's not lousy effort on the offensive side, it's lousy effort on the defensive side. If it's neither of those, it's Allen. It's always something with this team... always. When was the last time there was sustained "clickage" of all cylinders for 60 minutes a night and multiple consecutive games? That's on Yeo for being lousy at coaching and motivating.

From now to Thanksgiving weekend, we have Vegas, San Jose, LA, Nashville twice and Winnipeg. Then they have three days off. I can reasonably see 2-4 over those 6 games and at that point you have to fire Yeo. The three day break before Detroit is an ideal time to fire him. San Jose, both Nashville games and Winnipeg are likely losses and I would even say Vegas is no guarantee in their barn. LA should be a win, but you never know with these guys. Not to mention it's 6 games in 9 days, they'll be spent by the end and they both open and close that stretch with back to back nights. Keep Q on the speed dial, he'll be an important phone call come November 25th.

[theohall]

Thank Ryan O'Reilly for fixing the power play. He actually skates to make PKers move, unlike the rest of the Blues forwards all last season.