Blackhawks unite Toews, Kane in hopes of punching up anemic attack
The Chicago Blackhawks' $10 million dollar men - Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane - are, like the team as a whole, struggling to score goals.
Through 12 games, the Blackhawks rank 26th in the NHL in goals per game, and though Toews and Kane are tied for the team lead in points (with eight apiece), their scoring rates are way off what's come to be expected from two of the league's most electrifying forwards.
How far off pace are Toews and Kane from their usual production rates?
Well, over the past five seasons, Toews and Kane rank seventh and eighth among all NHL forwards in even-strength points rate. So far this season, 276 forwards have logged at least 100 minutes at even-strength, and Toews ranks 223rd while Kane ranks 265th in points rate. That's ... Brutal.
So what's Joel Quenneville's solution to get his star forwards going offensively? When the Blackhawks face the Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night, he's going to stick them on a forward line together.
Toews and Kane, who are something of an odd-couple off the ice, have skated together frequently over the past five years - though, in recent seasons they've spent more time apart than together. Since the 2012 NHL lockout, Kane has logged more ice-time with Dave Bolland and Michal Handzus than he has with Toews.
It's not that they're ineffective when partnered up, though. It's just that Quenneville prefers to ice his top-six in a more balanced fashion.
"Usually we like them spread out to give us a little bit more of a balanced attack," Quenneville said to ESPN Chicago. "They like playing with one another, and right now we are looking for a little more scoring."
Historically, when Kane and Toews have shared the ice, the Blackhawks have manufactured goals at a much higher rate than they've managed when apart - so this is a worthwhile experiment.
"I’m not looking for an explosion,” Quenneville explained. "I’m just looking for a consistent amount of goals."
When Kane and Toews have played together, they've done more than that.
Tough break for the Habs.