Blackhawks have been shut out 7 times this year, but are nowhere near the franchise record

When the Blackhawks were beaten 4-0 in Montreal on Tuesday, it marked the seventh time this season they'd been shut out.

With more than a third of the campaign remaining, that loss prompted me to see how bad things could get from a historical perspective.

Turns out the Hawks are unlikely to rewrite the history books.

The Hawks actually hold the NHL record for most times being shut out in one season at 20. And get this: It came in 1928-29, when only 44 games were played!

The modern record is 16 and held by the 2006-07 Columbus Blue Jackets, which actually won 33 games and finished 11th in the 15-team Western Conference.

The Hawks have been shut out 10 or more times in eight different seasons, most recently in 1997-98 when they were blanked 11 times.

Last season, the Hawks didn't score in eight games, meaning their two-season aggregate is 15 - the highest number since 1996-98, when those two teams were whitewashed 18 times.

Piling on:

As long as we're looking at some dreadful statistics, let's consider this possibility: The leading scorer on the Hawks may finish with fewer with 50 points. That's never happened in the modern era during a full season.

Tyler Arnason, who had 22 goals and 33 assists in 2003-04, holds the "record" for fewest points to lead a Hawks team in scoring with 55.

It's a mark that seems destined to fall. Max Domi (36) is the current leader and is followed by Patrick Kane (35), Jonathan Toews (28), Taylor Raddysh (24) and Seth Jones (24).

If Domi, Kane and Toews are all traded, there's almost no way someone reaches 55 points with only 29 games left. And even if Domi and/or Kane remain, do they hit 55? Also seems doubtful.

Nice debut:

Coach Luke Richardson was impressed with Cole Guttman's performance against Toronto on Thursday. Guttman, who captained the University of Denver to its ninth national championship last year, inked a two-year deal with the Hawks in August.

He has 16 goals and 14 assists with Rockford this season and played 12:09 in his NHL debut vs. the Maple Leafs. Guttman, who had 3 take-aways, centered the second line with Tyler Johnson and Taylor Raddysh on the wings.

"In position a lot tonight," Richardson told reporters. "(A) heads-up player and can play in pretty much any situation. But first day here and he's traveling ... we just thought it was better to put (Ian) Mitchell on the power play. Give him a couple days in our system before we give him a shot on special teams.

"But 5-on-5 he played with smart hockey players and they did some good things out there. ... For his first game and (playing in) Toronto on the big stage, I thought he did really well."

Guttman was inserted for Mackenzie Entwistle, who aggravated a wrist injury at Montreal on Tuesday.

Up next:

The Hawks wrap up a four-game road trip against Alex DeBrincat and the Ottawa Senators on Friday. Ottawa has won six of seven, with four victories coming by 1 goal.

DeBrincat is fourth on the team with 18 goals. He's behind Tim Stuzle (24), Brady Tkachuk (22) and Claude Giroux (21). DeBrincat has 3 goals and 2 assists in the last five games.

Astute Hawks fans will also remember Tyler Motte, who was dealt to Columbus as part of the Artemi Panarin-for-Brandon Saad trade in the summer of 2017. Motte, who played in 33 games for the Hawks in 2016-17, has 3 goals and 6 assists while averaging 13.5 minutes in 37 contests.