Blackhawks’ smart coaching, competitive culture defying last-place objective for the moment

The Blackhawks’ roster is, almost certainly, the worst in the NHL.

Their active players have cumulatively contributed 30.3 “point shares” — a holistic statistic measuring total impact — this season, per Hockey Reference. For comparison, the Blue Jackets’ active players have contributed 35.5 win shares, the Ducks’ 35.9, the Sharks’ 40.3 and so forth.

But the Hawks are not, by record, the worst team in the NHL. Even without six of their top 14 contributors this season (as measured by point shares), they’re not yet plummeting to the sea floor.

Entering Wednesday, the Jackets sit 32nd at a .371 points percentage (49 points in 66 games), the Sharks sit 31st at .375 (51 points in 68 games), the Hawks sit 30th at .388 (52 points in 67 games) and the Ducks sit 29th at .403 (54 points in 67 games). The next tier of bad teams — the Flyers, Canadiens and Coyotes — have somewhat separated themselves.

So it’s still a tight race, and the Hawks could still easily end up in last place when the season ends April 13. The damage done to management’s tanking aspirations by the Hawks’ shocking 6-3 win Tuesday over the Bruins was mostly negated by the Jackets beating the Sharks 6-5 in overtime later in the night.

But the assumption this talent-gutted team would run away (figuratively) with last place after the trade deadline hasn’t proven accurate so far.

Ending up there and guaranteeing a top-three pick in the draft lottery — now scheduled for May 8 — would help the organization long-term, but that isn’t on this group’s mind.

They have been tied or leading in the third periods of five consecutive games, ultimately going 2-2-1 during this stretch. The statistics aren’t gorgeous — scoring chances favor Hawks opponents 180-111 during the span — but they nonetheless have been competitive and resilient.

Why? One can logically point to four factors.

Factor No. 1: The Hawks are benefiting from low-to-nonexistent expectations and a corresponding lack of pressure.

“It’s just playing loose,” Connor Murphy said. “Some of those other teams are playing a little tighter, knowing they need points for their playoff race. For us, we’re the underdog in a lot of the games, so that can sometimes play in your favor. [You’re not] afraid to make mistakes.”

Factor No. 2: The majority of the Hawks’ roster is composed of depth players fighting hard to earn new contracts and establish themselves in the NHL.

Factor No. 3: Coach Luke Richardson and his staff have done a fantastic job, all season long, installing systems and creating a culture that gets the most out of every player — and gets more out of the group overall than the sum of its parts.

“They’re a team. That’s the key word: team,” Richardson said. “I believe it’s working here, and it only works if the other side believes, as well. So there’s a lot of belief in that room.

“[Look at] the leadership group. Some of them aren’t here anymore, but it’s a credit to the ones that are here and the ones that have left. They helped create this foundation.”

And factor No. 4: Coaches and players — as a rule across the NHL and other leagues — do not intentionally tank, even if the same cannot be said for the front office.

“I’m not even looking to see where we’re picking,” Richardson said. “We’re trying to figure out the best game plan to beat [each opponent]. Whether that helps or hurts long term, I don’t think it’s going to really do much.”

It remains to be seen whether the Hawks can continue overperforming this much over their final 15 games. Their upcoming five-game road trip through all four time zones — beginning Thursday at the Predators — will be challenging.

But those four factors aren’t about to change.