Paul Bissonnette has delivered a harsh assessment of the Chicago Blackhawks following their 5-3 loss to the Florida Panthers. The NHL analyst questioned the team’s identity, physicality, and defensive awareness during Wednesday’s game.
Speaking on NHL on TNT, Bissonnette criticized Chicago’s overall effort and highlighted several defensive mistakes. He believes the Blackhawks lack the structure needed to compete consistently.
“I don’t see a lot of identity. I see a soft team. They don’t check well. They don’t forecheck well. They don’t really do anything well,” Bissonnette said.
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He first highlighted a sequence involving Frank Nazar and Teuvo Teravainen. After Nazar delivered a pass, he failed to maintain defensive pressure on his opponent.
Bissonnette argued that Nazar needed to make physical contact or stay in front of the opposing player. Instead, Chicago allowed the Panthers to move through the play without resistance.
He then turned his attention to a poor forechecking sequence involving Tyler Bertuzzi and Connor Bedard. Bissonnette explained how Chicago’s positioning left the team vulnerable to a quick transition.
Paul Bissonnette questions Blackhawks’ defensive structure
The analyst specifically criticized Bertuzzi for failing to recover and support Bedard after the puck moved up the strong side.
“You have to skate hard and now become the F3 to clog up the middle of the ice,” Bissonnette explained.
He also questioned the team’s decision-making after already conceding an early goal. Chicago’s defensive mistakes allowed Florida to build a 3-0 lead before the Blackhawks responded.
Despite the loss, Nazar scored twice in the third period, while Bedard recorded two assists. However, those contributions could not prevent another disappointing result.
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The Blackhawks have now gone 1-6-1 across their last eight games. They also surrendered the final five goals in Monday’s 5-2 loss to Colorado.
Bissonnette’s criticism highlights a larger problem for Chicago. Bedard’s individual production cannot compensate for defensive breakdowns and a lack of consistent team structure.
