How the Blackhawks plan to improve their defense without changing their systems

After a team-wide reckoning Saturday night through Monday morning, the Blackhawks elected not to overhaul their systems — or even make any major tweaks — but to instead bear down on numerous points of emphasis within those systems.

At practice Monday, they spent the first half working on defensive-zone coverage. Then they stopped for a rare mid-practice meeting before returning to the ice to work on tracking in transition.

Considering how inept the Hawks have looked at times this season — including throughout their 9-2 drubbing Saturday that prompted this reality check — fans may be confused why they wouldn't burn everything and start from scratch.

But coach Jeff Blashill, whose job security was reiterated by team sources Sunday, believes a rash decision like that wouldn't pay off Thursday against the Sabres.

"If you make full-scale changes to what you do, you could walk on the ice Thursday and guys [could] be super hesitant and not know what they’re doing," Blashill said. "And that’s the worst possible situation."

Blashill added players indicated "full belief in the systems" during team meetings Sunday. Everyone understands the Hawks need to allow fewer scoring chances than they have so far, though.

Natural Stat Trick's public model has the Hawks giving up the second-most chances (30.3) — per 60 minutes of five-on-five play — in the NHL. Blashill has been mocked plenty for the Hawks' internal stats, but they paint a comparable picture.

"Just [as] a big blanket statement, we've got to give up less chances," Blashill said. "The early part of the year, we didn't create much and we gave up a lot. As the year went along, we started creating more but we still gave up too many."

Blashill later said the Hawks have allowed the most two-on-one rushes in the league "by a lot," which certainly matches with the eye test.

Many of those rushes are enabled by players making mistakes within the Hawks' aggressive 2-1-2 forecheck, which Blashill admitted he would love to one day resemble the Hurricanes' renowned relentless approach.

Within that system, defensemen are encouraged to step up along the walls in the neutral zone, but the Hawks emphasized Monday they need to pick and choose when to do that instead of doing it automatically every time.

"On strong-side plays and on goalie-touch plays, [they need to] be way more cautious and aware of whether the 'F3' is there or not," Blashill said.

The F3s (high forwards) need to be more responsible, too. In particular, they need to stick to the middle of the ice instead of veering toward the wall. If they veer and the near defenseman steps up, that creates a situation primed for a two-on-one rush against.

"We want to be a pressure team, but you can’t chase pressure," Blashill said. "Sometimes you have to read those situations and live another day."

Decision-making by defensemen within the defensive zone was another focus area Monday — in addition to basic defensive fundamentals like going "stick-on puck, body-on-body" and staying on the goal side of opponents.

The Hawks encourage defensemen to jump out from the net-front toward the boards if they can kill a play by doing so, but they need to rein in how often that happens.

"[The message was], 'Strike when you can in the 'D'-zone, but get to your post,'" defenseman Wyatt Kaiser said. "We [need to] be a little more cerebral, not just hanging on guys. Get to them, get back. If you can't get to them, let the center get to them. We don't need to be spreading out."

Blashill said the defensemen need to do "a better job of owning both posts," which involves "not getting tied up" with box-outs or going to the wrong post altogether.

It's worth noting the league's stoutest five-on-five defensive team (the Panthers) still allow 21.8 scoring chances per 60 minutes per Natural Stat Trick — only about 30% fewer than the Hawks do.

The margins are relatively slim in the NHL. That's why the Hawks believe a handful of fewer mistakes per game could actually make a big difference.

"Are you going to see a drastic difference next game? It's probably not going to look that different, to be honest," Kaiser said. "Maybe we win a few more battles, or [we] get a few blocked shots, or a few more shots come in and the 'D' are there and nothing happens.

"We're going to do what we do and do it a little bit better."