Rozner: Chicago Blackhawks' forwards must stop neglecting defense
If the Chicago Blackhawks want to be a playoff team next season, one of the many program changes that must occur is a commitment to defense — and not just from the defensemen.
The Hawks still have some veteran forwards who think offense before defense and consistently find themselves on the wrong side of their check.
It's more than just selfish. It's a result frequently of losing games and assuming that defense doesn't matter because the game — and the season — is lost anyway.
Might as well pad your stats.
That changed for the Hawks when they started buying into what new head coach Jeremy Colliton was selling, and their quality chances allowed improved quickly after that.
But as the Hawks cleaned out their lockers Sunday afternoon at the UC and held exit interviews, Colliton did not mince words in suggesting the commitment among the forwards must get serious.
“It's better than it was, but we're not where we need to be,” Colliton said. “If you compare how our forwards played to some of the top defensive teams, I don't think we're there.
“Some of the games where the back pressure was excellent, and the response when the puck turns over from offense to defense, when we were flying back with not just one guy, but two and three forwards, then all of a sudden our defense looked really good.
“That's no coincidence, so we're going to continue to stress that.”
Colliton was in a tough spot, taking over in the middle of a season and trying to change the culture and structure on the fly. But given practice time — which was difficult to find his first two months on the job, with a heavy slate of games — the Hawks did start to think more about their own end of the ice.
“That's one more thing we can do from the beginning of training camp,” Colliton said. “And in practice time, stress this is how we have to play, and if we do we're going to be a better team defensively.”
Colliton also didn't excuse great offensive players from their defensive assignments, though it was obvious even over the final weeks of the season that some players would still rather cheat with a step the wrong way if it meant the chance to pick up some cheap points.
The young head coach says that thinking responsibly on the ice will be a focus in the fall.
“It's just a habit, and just because you're doing that doesn't mean you're giving up offense,” Colliton said. “In fact, I believe you get more offense from defense.
“You get the puck back quicker, you force turnovers, and then you have transition opportunities.
“If you're slow on the way back, then there's no back pressure. Then the defense can't hold the gap. Then it's a clean entry. Then you're playing in the defensive zone. And then you waste your shift.
“So we have to do it.”
It's not exactly a new concept, being smart in all three zones, but it's also not shocking to see players known for their offense neglecting defense if they believe the situation hopeless.
That should not be the case next season, with the Hawks building off their second half and inserting themselves into the playoff race, given a productive summer and improved play among some young defensemen.
“We're not starting from scratch and that's exciting,” Colliton said. “Defensively, 5-on-5 we saw progress in the second half.
“We showed that we can be a dynamic offensive team and we can put the puck in the net and can play a quick-strike, transition style.
“If we get better defensively that's only going to make us more dangerous with the puck.
“We made progress, and that's good. If we continue on, we should be a much harder team to play against.”
It's not exactly breaking news that offense starts with defense. The Hawks just have to remember how to do it.
And it sounds like Jeremy Colliton will insist they do.