Blackhawks Have Reached 4-Letter Territory 4 Games Into Season

CHICAGO — The catcalls showered down from the upper reaches of the United Center are traditionally directed at a certain Midwest city most Blackhawks fans don’t consider all that desirable.

But the “Dee-troit sucks” chant that has become commonplace has never included an F-bomb. The language being directed at Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton during Tuesday night’s home opener, however, wasn’t so welcoming. Being one of five winless NHL teams tends to bring out the worst in Chicago fans who don’t take well to losing.

There has been plenty that already this season and fans who got spoiled with a franchise that has fallen on hard times after winning three Stanley Cup championships in five years need a scapegoat. That goat's name is Jeremy Colliton, whose last name was preceded by two four-lettered, F-words while the Hawks were on the way to another loss in a 4-1 setback against the New York Islanders Tuesday night.

The first word isn’t permitted in print by my bosses, but the second is. “Fire Colliton” accompanied the not-so-family-friendly chant directed at Colliton, whose honeymoon period has long expired and who is now the poster boy for unpopularity among the city's sports fans. The young coach who was tasked with replacing Stanley Cup-winning coach Joel Quenneville was loudly booed in pregame introductions Tuesday night before the four-letter greetings flew later.

Colliton’s job is ultimately win games and 197 games in, he has won 44.4 percent, which isn't going to win him many playoff series or any popularity contests.

The Hawks were supposed to be better with captain Jonathan Toews again healthy and after the front office made a number of off-season moves. But the Hawks have gone 0-3-1 this season and have looked relatively miserable with the exception of two decent periods Tuesday night.

Now, the fans want Colliton to pay with his job. If something doesn’t change soon, a change somewhere at the top has to happen. A change may be necessary not to appease the fans, but to keep what was expected to be a playoff season from completely washing down the drain before November even gets here. Colliton insists he wants to be around to see that happen and hopes to escape the fate that met Denis Savard, who was fired four games into the 2008 season when Quenneville was hired.

“Hey, we’ve all got pride,” Colliton told reporters Tuesday after the Hawks' season-long losing streak reached four games. “We play for Chicago, we play for the team and the fans and the organization. We want to win, so I understand people care.”

Colliton’s said his job is to get his team to respond positively and to start winning games. But now, the clock seems to be ticking before the Hawks’ front office may be forced to attach one of those four-letter words to Colliton’s name.