Now the Blackhawks (13-24-2) are trying to find that same consistency as a team. They ended a five-game losing streak with a 4-2 win against the Montreal Canadiens on Friday and hope to build off that when they host the New York Rangers at United Center on Sunday (3 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, SN, TVAS).
The aggressive aspect, Chicago captain Nick Foligno said, focuses on forechecking and how quickly the forwards are getting to pucks.
“Also, in our (defensive) zone we have more rules on how we’re going to get out, and that helps," Foligno said. "When you know as a forward, if it’s coming in this way, it's going out this way, we can be more predictable. It allows us to be in better spots defensively, too.”
“Yeah, I think we had a good thing going a few games back and then stumbled a little bit with our effort and compete, because things were coming easier than they had been, so that was a nice dose of reality for everybody on how hard we have to compete within our system.”
Indeed, the Blackhawks had a three-game winning streak under Sorensen, their longest since they won five straight from Feb. 17-25, 2023, before they lost five in a row to finish up 2024.
The losing skid wasn’t so much about Sorensen’s system implementation as it was Chicago not doing the things that are part of every system: getting loose pucks, especially around the net, boxing out opponents and winning puck battles in corners and along the walls.
“That’s why it was so disappointing," Foligno said. "If there’s one thing I’d say about a lot of the guys in here, their track records, there’s a lot of compete. That was a weird feeling to have that kind of come through our room and it happens. Now you just make sure it’s out of our system and understand how important it is to have that and hopefully we move past that.”
Defenseman Alex Vlasic said the biggest change on defense with Sorensen is the Blackhawks are running more of a 1-1-3 (two single layers of forwards, with the third forward with the two defensemen) under Sorensen compared to a 1-2-2 (one forward leading, then two forwards then two defensemen) under Richardson.
Sorensen also encourages defensemen to jump up into the play; Chicago defensemen have seven goals in 13 games under Sorensen after they had five goals through the first 26 games of the season.
“I just know we’re having trouble scoring," said Vlasic, who leads Blackhawks defensemen with 17 points (two goals, 15 assists) in 39 games this season. "So I’m trying to push myself and develop a different part of my game, like the offensive side of my game and I’m still learning when to jump up, when not to, but he’s encouraging it.
“You watch the best teams, they do it. It’s a way to get an odd-man rush in your favor for the whole game, so yeah, it’s a great way to create offense and like I said, I’m still trying to figure it all out.”
Sorensen said he’s seeing more of what he wants, although there are areas that remain a work in progress.
“A little bit in the neutral zone,” he said. “We talked about it yesterday, hanging onto pucks, (when you) want to make a play when the game is on the line but also those decisions. When the game is on the line, what is your decision-making look like? So we’re talking through some of those areas more so than X's and O's. It’s more mentality than anything.”
Chicago has more than half the season remaining to get things together. The players are responding to Sorensen’s system and his no-nonsense style; it's just a matter of getting on the right page on a more consistent basis.
“He's really good at commanding the room and directly what he wants us to do and what he doesn't want us to do," Bedard said, "so that's been pretty easy.
"I mean, it's not rocket science, it's all hockey. There are little tweaks here and there that you can figure out pretty easily, and he's good at teaching that and just holding us accountable in that way.”
