Blackhawks appreciating unique baseball-style schedule in Dallas
Blackhawks appreciating unique baseball-style schedule in Dallas originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
DALLAS – The Chicago Blackhawks opened a five-game road trip in Dallas on Friday, and they didn't have to travel anywhere after the game because their next opponent is ... the Stars in Dallas.
That's right, two games in three days in the same city against the same opponent. This was the norm during the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it's hard to remember the last time this happened in a normal campaign.
"We loved it, just cause you get to limit travel time and limit flights," Connor Murphy said. "A lot of little things. Instead of having the meal on the plane you get the meal in the hotel, it's better, you get to hang out with the guys a little more, have a little extra time to kick your feet up after the game and not have to pack your bag after the game. So many little things.
"And then you have to come back and you knock out a couple games in a row. I honestly don't think there's any cons to it."
Every Blackhawk I spoke to regarding this topic seemed to enjoy this baseball-style schedule idea of being parked in one location for a few days and playing a couple games before dipping out.
"I actually love it," Tyler Johnson said. "I think pretty much every player in the entire league when we had to vote on it voted for it but the owners and the league itself didn't want it, and I guess I can kind of see both points of view. But it does make it a lot easier logistically for travel.
"It just kind of lets you focus more on the games and have a little bit of fun compared to constantly being in the airplane and then bed late at night, that kind of thing, and feeling tired all day. I kind of wish we had it more."
Taylor Raddysh didn't make his NHL debut until the 2021-22 season so he never got to experience the unique schedule during COVID. (Unfortunately for him, he suffered a groin injury on Friday and won't get to participate in the second game).
"It's obviously different," Raddysh said. "Maybe sometimes it would be good, just kind of limit the traveling and when you go on a long road trip, instead of being three nights in three cities, you're three nights in the same one, so it may be better for the players when it comes to the physical grind.
"This is probably my first one doing this since the minors; I don't even know if we did it, but I think it's a good thing here and there to try and do. It's a lot less easier on the body than harder, that's for sure."
Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson was an assistant coach in Montreal during the COVID campaign. That was the season the Canadiens reached the Stanley Cup Final.
"I liked it back in COVID," Richardson said. "It was one of the one things that benefitted COVID, a little bit less travel. You play the team the next night and you're a little more familiar with what's going on. We haven't played Dallas yet this year, I know we've seen them on TV but it's not the same. I think there's benefits. They see us but for us we're going to play our hardest in Game 1 obviously and then we can make adjustments for Game 2."
Connor Bedard didn't have much to compare it to. He was just looking forward to playing in a building he hadn't been in yet.
"It's a little different, but it's good," Bedard said after Friday's morning skate. "We haven't played these guys yet so it's always fun coming into a new building for myself and playing new teams, and obviously a great team. So hopefully we can have a good couple against them."
The back-to-back set kind of resembles a playoff-type vibe. Both sides are able to dive deeper into the other team, rather than read or see a quick scouting report before a one-off game.
"I think it allows you to play a little bit more of a chess match compared to just playing checkers," Johnson said. "I think you kind of see what teams are actually better in that sense that can adjust; you have to play a different style sometimes and make adjustments, which would benefit teams in the playoffs if you're able to do that in the regular season because if you see a team once a year or whatever, it makes it kind of hard to say you have to focus on your team, you're really just trying to focus on yourself and what you have to improve on."
The Blackhawks picked up a point in the first matchup against Dallas. If they earn two on Sunday, they'll probably be happy with three out of four points, and then really be in favor of pushing for something like this in the schedule again next year and beyond.
"We'll see how we'll do," Raddysh said. "Hopefully we can get a couple wins and say it's something we like and it'll be good for the team just to be together and have the game and then you're back here tomorrow and the next day, so it's good for us to kind of be together for a full three days before we get traveling again."
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