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Rozner: Blackhawks' quiet day hardly a surprise

The Blackhawks are trying to win now.

This is nothing new. Whether they say it or not, and regardless of their actions on trade deadline day, as long as they have Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, they will continue to try to win.

The degree to which they can try, or the degree to which they are able this season, is the tepid debate for the moment.

Even with this run of late, the Hawks still have a mountain to climb if they're going to make the tournament this year, but it doesn't mean there isn't value in meaningful games for players who have never participated in those games at the NHL level.

The better question, as they approached Monday's trade deadline, is what kind of chance would they have if they did sneak into the playoffs?

The simple answer that most use, that "anything can happen," is not true. There are several teams that get in each year that don't have a prayer of winning a series.

The Hawks would fall into that category.

That's unless Corey Crawford comes back - he was activated Monday - and immediately plays like Crawford at his best. Is that realistic or even fair to ask?

For what it's worth, saw him on the way out of the rink Sunday night and he said he feels great.

And that's unless Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook play like the Keith and Seabrook of five years ago. Any chance of that?

And that's unless the forwards get back to playing team defense, something they did to start this month, but have not done much of the last two weeks.

Unless all of that happens, this matters only in the way that it furthers development and prepares the team for next season.

Among the forwards, Kane isn't alone in taking an optional approach to defense of late, but he's been spotted 100 feet from his net too often in close games while attempting to extend a spectacular point streak.

Coach Jeremy Colliton didn't name names on that crucial too many men penalty Sunday afternoon, but Kane was clearly among the suspects, standing alone behind the Stars' defense near the visitors' blue line, in a tie game in the third period, when the Hawks were busted.

"We had them in their end, hemmed in for a long stretch of time and no one wanted to change," Colliton said, sounding like a frustrated parent. "Then, everyone needs to change on the way back and then there's confusion at the bench.

"I'm not gonna point any fingers. We have to change earlier. That's it."

There was also some bad luck Sunday, like when righty Connor Murphy lost his stick and was handed one by lefty Artem Anisimov, who picked up Murphy's stick and then failed to clear the puck before the third Dallas goal as he whiffed on the backhand, which was really a righty's forehand.

That's describes the Hawks' margin for error right now.

Nevertheless, the Hawks have to help a young and often scattered defense if they're to be taken seriously over the next month. Winning 8-7 is lots of fun for the fan base, but it's hardly a formula for postseason success.

Stuck in the middle of trying to get in, but not close enough to the top or the bottom of the standings to do much of anything - not to mention a pile of no-movement clauses - it wasn't shocking that the Hawks biggest move Monday was to add Crawford to the roster.

Earlier deals to add Dylan Strome, Drake Caggiula and Slater Koekkoek have already begun to alter the roster for next season and all three have played a role in the Hawks' resurgence.

No, this trade deadline was nothing like the playoff seasons in which the Hawks were looking for a piece or two to finish off the roster.

This was not a day for buying, though one has to assume they would have sold off bad contracts if there was interest elsewhere and the player was willing to go.

So while six Western Conference teams made significant additions the last few days, the reality of the Hawks' situation is it's a lot more fun for the fans today than it was when they were losing eight in a row, and in the process they're beginning to develop some young assets.

But as for making big additions, the likes of which the faithful have seen so many times this decade, those will have to wait for another day.

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