Rookie defenseman Isaac Phillips seems to be a gem within the Blackhawks mud

Isaac Phillips already seems like a completely succesful NHL defenseman.

It was not straightforward for the participant to face out throughout this unhappy journey of the Blackhawks. Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the Blue Jackets despatched the Hawks residence with no win and simply two targets in three video games, however Phillips made it work. like this.

And given the irrelevance of the win-loss facet of this Hawks season, his sturdy displaying in December is a optimistic price valuing.

Phillips, 21, scored his first NHL level Saturday in his ninth profession sport on a first-period help from Andreas Athanassiou to provide the Hawks a uncommon 1-0 lead.

After Sam Lafferty pressured the Jackets as they scrambled out of their defensive zone, Phillips made what coach Luke Richardson known as a “good little play” to intercept the tried go, held the jumper on the blue line and stepped up. : to Athanasiu.

It supplied a pleasant statistical reward for Phillips’ constantly sturdy play since he was known as up on Dec. 19, based mostly on his unbelievable begin to the season in Rockford of the AHL. He is been one of many Hawks’ higher defenders within the 5 video games since then and appears to be getting higher as he settles in.

His pairing with Conor Murphy boasts a objective probability ratio of 53.5%, going five-for-five in these 5 video games. They each recurrently killed performs within the defensive zone, serving to the Hawks transition within the different path and even making offensive rebounds on the proper time.

Richardson just lately praised Phillips for being significantly efficient and aggressive within the corners of the defensive zone, an space the place the remainder of the Hawks have struggled.

Take away Tuesday’s poor displaying towards the Hurricanes, and Phillips’ sport seems even higher with a 57.9% scoring probability ratio.

In opposition to the Blues on Thursday, the Falcons held a 10-7 benefit in Phillips’ five-on-five scoring alternatives and 13-6 when he was off the ice. The Falcons went 4-3 with him on Saturday and 22-5 with out him.

These variations are enormous. And whereas Phillips’ numbers are spectacular, they’re fairly embarrassing for the remainder of the workforce.

Richardson was uncharacteristically vital of the Hawks’ play after the sport. In opposition to a Jackets workforce that had misplaced seven video games in a row, the Falcons had been horrendous within the second interval, going from a 1-1 tie to a 3-1 loss with no single scoring probability in a five-on-five, and by no means recovered.

”[That was] one in all our worst performances of the 12 months,” Richardson stated. ”[We were] simply off. We have had a couple of this 12 months, not many. Our guys, I’ve to provide them credit score, they made it to the top most nights. [Today], we had been simply dissatisfied and turned off and could not get it again. We began off fairly effectively, the primary half of the primary interval, then stopped transferring our legs.

“We’ve to settle down, get our minds straight, cease yelling on the referees or at one another, come collectively as a workforce and play like that.”

Possible defenseman Ian Mitchell, who was inexplicably a wholesome scratch for all three video games on the journey, may very well be included within the squad once more at residence towards the Sharks on Sunday as Richardson seems to make a change.

However Phillips has clearly leapfrogged Mitchell on the organizational depth chart. His future seems shiny.

Will probably be attention-grabbing to see what the Hawks do with Phillips as soon as veteran Jared Tinordi returns from jaw surgical procedure. He is clearly confirmed his NHL capability, however he may be higher served if he continues to develop in Rockford quite than being a part of this dumpster hearth for the Hawks.