Worth While (blackhawks)

According to interim head coach Derek King, "There’s no timeframe. It’s when [Toews is] feeling right." With Toews being unfit to play for an indeterminate amount of time, the opportunity presents itself for the other centers to apply themselves and prove their worth as trade winds pick up and teams start to shop and move players.

In particular, Dylan Strome, Kirby Dach, Henrik Borgstrom, Philipp Kurashev, and Sam Lafferty are on the spot. Ryan Carpenter can play pivot, too, but is already fully developed having reached his NHL water level. The others, though, aren't yet in their prime and some have another level or so to reach if they hit potential.

Strome may finally be turning a corner as a forgettably mediocre player after breaking out with the Hawks in 2018-19 once he was traded with Brendan Perlini from the Coyotes for Nick Schmaltz. Just like many young players, lack of consistency and compete level could be what holds Strome back if he doesn't permanently bust through that wall.

Dach needs a confidence boost as well as lessons to simplify his game so he realizes he doesn't have to be everything to everyone as a former 3rd overall draft pick. He instead needs to play within his means so he can be a reliable contributor in all zones. Right now he seems to be in his own head which in turn makes him grip his stick too tightly.

Borgstrom shows a quiet compete level and flashes of skill yet he doesn't dent the scoresheet enough to make him an impact player who can play big minutes in a top 6 capacity. Like Dach, Kurashev and Lafferty are pending free agents but they both are lobbying for job security more than #77 who is a shoo-in to get re-signed at a team-friendly price.

These young centers also need to look in their rearview mirrors as Lukas Reichel is bound to earn a spot in the starting lineup next season with perhaps another cup of coffee later this season. MacKenzie Entwistle and Josiah Slavin can also line up at center. Further down the prospect pipeline are Jake Wise, Antti Saarela, and Victor Stjernborg.

Blackhawks Game Summary

Starting Lineup

Hagel - Strome - Kane DeBrincat - Dach - Kurashev Kubalik - Lafferty - Connolly Borgstrom - Carpenter - Entwistle

McCabe - S Jones de Haan - Murphy C Jones - Gustafsson

Fleury Delia

Scratches: Toews, Kalynuk

Abridged Boxscore

1st Goal (0-1): Landeskig (Makar, Girard) PP 2nd Goal (0-2): Compher (Jost, O'Connor) 3rd Goal (0-3): Landeskog (Rantanen, Kadri) PP 4th Goal (1-3): Hagel (Murphy, Strome) 5th Goal (2-3): Kane (Gustafsson, S Jones) 6th Goal (2-4): Newhook (Kadri, Burakovsky) 7th Goal (3-4): Kane (Strome) 8th Goal (3-5): Kadri (Rantanen, Landeskog) EN 9th Goal (4-5): Gustafsson (Hagel, Kane) 10th Goal (4-6): Makar (Compher) EN

SOG For/Against: 43/27 PP: 0-for-3 PK: 1-for-3 Faceoffs Won: 54%

Game Notes

* The Hawks put 43 shots on net on 65 attempts while thwarting 33 of the Avs 60 attempts including 22 blocked shots.

* Of the 22 shot blocks, the blueline accumulated 15 of them with Calvin de Haan responsible for a third of those and even had to leave the game temporarily after one that particularly stung him.

* Patrick Kane had himself a night with 2 goals and an assist plus 10 shots on goal; both tallies were of the highlight-reel variety as he executed sublime eye-hand coordination and patience.

* Strome remains on a hot offensive streak with 2 assists on the night and 9 points (4 goals and 5 assists) in the last 9 games; however, his faceoff percentage dropped below 50% for the game.

* Brandon Hagel squared off with J.T. Compher in a tussle after both exchanged elbows and checks moments earlier in the shift.

* Hagel's persistence in the crease paid off with a redirected goal and another one credited to him as he started a ruckus in the crease where the Avs accidentally put the puck behind their own goalie.

Highlights

Goal by Brandon Hagel

IceHogs Game Summary

Starting Lineup

Altybarmakian - Reichel - Teply Hardman - McLaughlin - Busdeker Barratt - Slavin - Gicewicz Pour - G Mitchell - Gabriel

Phillips - I Mitchell Beaudin - Galvas Stanton - Watson

Soderblom Morris

Abridged Boxscore

1st Goal (1-0): Altybarmakian (Reichel, Galvas) 2nd Goal (1-1): Del Gaizo (Glass, LaBate) 3rd Goal (1-2): Richard (Glass) OT

SOG For/Against: 21/33 PP: 0-for-4 PK: 4-for-4

Game Notes

* Arvid Soderblom was outstanding in net staying compact in his crease making 31 saves on 33 shots including several barrages from below the circles and inward.

* Reichel sure loves to dangle the puck and does it quite well knowing when to draw the puck back towards him as defenders try to stymie him.

* Andrei Altybarmakian not only scored the Hogs only goal but was also doggedly relentless on the forecheck and on rushes to the net with a few bulldozing drives.

* Evan Barratt was persona non grata on the ice as countless Admirals players wanted a piece of him including former Hawks prospect Graham Knott.

* Carson Gicewicz came to his linemate's defense after Josh Healey delivered a high hit to Barratt that knocked his helmet off; Barratt needs to learn to keep his head up or else he will keep getting lit up.

* Michal Teply is demonstrating that he can play the role of power forward but he really needs to pack on more mass and muscle as he's still easy to knock down.

Highlights

Goal by Andrei Altybarmakian

Roster Updates

According to Blackhawks beat reporters:

* Riley Stillman is expected to be out of commission for an additional 2-3 weeks with a shoulder injury.

* Jujhar Khaira is out indefinitely due to back spasms.

* Tyler Johnson is at least a month away from being eligible to play again after suffering a neck injury and undergoing surgery earlier in the season.

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Townhall Meeting

On Wednesday, February 2 at 6:00pm CDT, Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz, chief executive officer Danny Wirtz, and president of business operations Jaime Faulkner will host a townhall meeting that is open to the public to discuss the "greater vision of the organization moving forward."

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See you on the boards!

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