Connor Bedard still believes in Jeff Blashill. That's good news for the Chicago Blackhawks head coach, although fans probably aren't feeling quite as confident.
Chicago has stumbled to a 4-13-1 record, dropping six straight games. The Blackhawks were supposed to be moving forward in their rebuild. Instead, they're looking like a team that hasn't learned much from the previous few seasons.
And Bedard? He's standing firmly behind his coach.
Connor Bedard isn't giving up on Jeff Blashill
Speaking with reporters Wednesday, Bedard made it clear that Blashill hasn't lost the locker room.
"Yeah, 100 percent belief," Bedard said, according to NHL.com.
Bedard praised his coach's communication and preparation, placing much of the responsibility for Chicago's struggles on the players themselves.
It's the sort of answer you'd expect from a captain. Nobody wants their best player publicly questioning the coaching staff, particularly when the season is already spiraling out of control.
But Chicago's problems go well beyond a few players having bad nights.
The Blackhawks surrendered nine goals against Carolina last Saturday. They've allowed 4.22 goals per game, one of the worst defensive averages in the NHL.
So what exactly is working?
Blashill can preach accountability and preparation all he wants. If the same mistakes keep happening, eventually somebody has to question whether his message is actually getting through.
Blackhawks management is sending mixed messages
General manager Kyle Davidson isn't backing away from Blashill either.
Davidson defended his head coach Wednesday while announcing that assistant general manager Mark Eaton would become involved with the coaching staff to address Chicago's defensive problems.
That's an interesting combination.
Apparently, the Blackhawks have complete confidence in their coaching staff. They just need someone else to help fix what the coaching staff hasn't been able to fix.
Bedard deserves credit for supporting Blashill. At 21, he's trying to lead a young team through another miserable stretch without creating additional distractions.
Still, Blackhawks fans have heard enough about patience and development.
Chicago has spent years rebuilding around Bedard. At some point, those years need to produce something other than another disappointing season.
Bedard's confidence in Blashill might be genuine. The bigger question is how much longer fans should be expected to share it.
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