Chicago Blackhawks demote Taylor Hall in surprising lineup change announced Thursday by Luke Richardson

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Joshua Deeds
October 10, 2024 (3:34 PM)

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The Chicago Blackhawks lost what could've been a winnable game against the Utah Hockey Club this week. The lack of effort saw the team give up 2 goals in the 3rd period.

Of course, this led to Captain Nick Foligno being dissatisfied with the team's performance and would call out Luke Richardson and the team, for their lack of effort and slow start to the night.

So, it seems Luke Richardson is listening as he has changed it up for the Chicago Blackhawks.

He's demoted Taylor Hall, from the 1st power-play unit, and promoted Nick Foligno to from the 2nd to the 1st.

This was after the Blackhawks power play looked terrible until later in the night.

«I thought the third one was the better one,» Richardson said of the power play. «We had more zone time. But again, we've got to shoot the puck more. Very similar to Vlasic and Nick's tip goal in the third: direct. Just win a faceoff, before they can get set up, shoot pucks.
«And we need to move the puck a little bit quicker and shoot pucks quicker. Get to the net.»
Last year's unit ranked 28th (16.6%) in power-play percentage - and this year's group may need some tinkering.

Here's how the first and second units lined up:
PP1: Bedard and Teräväinen on the flanks, Hall (bumper), Tyler Bertuzzi (net front), Seth Jones (quarterback)
PP2: Philipp Kurashev and Ryan Donato on the flanks, Craig Smith (bumper), Pat Maroon (net front), Alec Martinez

So Luke Richardson has switched Hall, who the former Hart Trophy winner is having issues getting started. He registered only two shots on goal and scored no goals and no assists.

Hopefully, this demotion can kick Hall into gear and make him production once more.

In 2023-2024, Taylor Hall played 10 games for the Blackhawks and would have his season ended with an ACL injury and surgery to follow.

He only scored 4 points( 2 G, 2 A) in that time frame.

Hall needs to find that player he was in 2019, or at least half that to give the Blackhawks a chance at success.