Blackhawks Keep Rolling Amidst Injuries | Blackhawks Breakaway

Blackhawks Keep Rolling Amidst Injuries | Blackhawks Breakaway

[Applause] Welcome to the Blackhawks Breakaway podcast brought to you by Toyota. Toyota has more all-wheel drive and four-wheel drive vehicles than any other brand. Find yours and shine on Toyota. Let’s go places. From the CHSN podcast studios, Charlie Romelot’s Pat Bole with you. How you doing today, Charlie? The streak continues. Fivegame point streak for the Blackhawks. 40 and1 and they’re finding ways to win without significant players in the lineup. Over the last couple of weeks, we’ve seen Dickinson out. We’ve seen Bertusi out. We saw Nazar out for a couple of games. Now, the captain, Nick Felino, is going to be on the shelf for about a month with a hand injury. Uh it was McKay earlier than that a couple weeks ago. So that’s kind of like, you know, one thing is next man up, but when they’re key cogs to the penalty kill or the power play or top six or whatever they are, these are significant roles that are being subtracted and the Hawks are still finding a way to fill it and to win. So, we just got back from practice uh Monday afternoon and we’re recording this and Jeff Blashill had a 10-minute media availability and we did a little injury asked him about some injury updates at the beginning. A couple other questions got asked and then I was getting ready to ask a question and we went at the same time. This is how much Pat and I are on the same wavelength. My question exactly was going to be to Jeff Blas was you’ve been dealing with all these different injuries up front. Everyone’s some players are playing higher in the lineup. Some players are playing penalty kill power play moving in different roles and the Hawks have not skipped a beat. It’s been so impressive to watch and a lot of it’s been like game time decision or ingame losing players in game. So like not they’re not even getting like a practice in with the new unit and the way the new PP1 looks or what have you. They’re adjusting completely on the fly. Exactly. And they’re not not disrespectful. They’re not like depth players. These are like important pieces that like McKayv is a shutdown guy, penalty kill. You know, Nick Felinino is a guy that they lean heavily on in the faceoff department. Tyler Berusi participated in the morning skate against Toronto, but then he’s he’s just unavailable to play in the game tonight. So, they were preparing for him to play. Then he gets subtracted from the lineup. Ryan Green steps up. He scores the first goal of the game. And it’s just it’s it’s so impressive. I don’t know if it’s a combination of Jeff Blashel pressing all the right buttons in addition to the players having a um just having a a a confidence and belief system within each other. And so it’s been it’s been really impressive to watch. You know, one of those guys returning to the lineup was Frank Nazar against Toronto. And you know, you you wonder too with other injuries if guys are kind of pressed into action a little earlier than they I mean, they they definitely don’t want to be out. Like Jason Dickinson, we were talking to him and you know, he felt he came back too soon a couple of weeks ago and then that led to him being on the shelf. He’s like, “That’s not fair for anybody. It’s not fair for my teammates. It’s not fair to me. It’s not fair to the training staff.” So, I think he’s going to be extra cautious on this one. That’s why we won’t see him Tuesday night against Calgary. But I was impressed with Nazar and his ability to make that great pass to set up Tavo in his first game returning to action. Yeah, he was really imp. I I felt like he got better as the game went on. Like I didn’t notice him too much in the first period and then in the second and thirds I thought he was much better. And how about Frank Nazar? So, we were at practice on Friday and it it very clearly looked like he he rebothered the injury that had he suffered in Calgary. Now, after the practice, Jeff Blashel said he was the the the predetermined plan was for him to leave after that drill like cuz I think they were starting to get into some battle drills and Nazar wasn’t going to participate in that. But, he certainly looked bothered by the injury that he was dealing with. And so, when I saw that I was like there’s no chance he’s going to play on Saturday. Well, then he gets ruled a game time decision. He’s on the ice for morning skate and he plays. And I’m thinking, okay, the injury that Nazar is dealing with clearly is just a pain tolerance point at the at at this moment. It’s not a like the Blackhawks wouldn’t throw him into the lineup if there’s risk of him reinjuring whatever is bothering him that would, you know, he would suffer a setback. And I actually think this might be part of the growing process for these young players is learning how to power through an injury that is pure pain tolerance. I think we saw that last year and maybe the year before with Alex Vacic. He was suffering an injury and he wasn’t at his best and it was one of those things where it wasn’t an injury that he could it could potentially sideline him down the road if he played through it. It was just a pain tolerance thing. And so when you get to playing important games in March and April and into the playoffs, you have to find ways to power through that. And for Frank to just say to to leave practice uncomfortably on Friday, then play in the game on Saturday and make a a you know a terrific play on the table and goal and out there in the PK, you know, with Felino down, they needed even more. And like so those are hard minutes and he took that defensive zone draw in the final minutes of regulation because there’s Nick Felino and he won it cleanly on John Tiveres who’s one of the best in that faceoff department. And so I just thought it was a really impressive performance by Nazar cuz I had to I left practice thinking Nazar’s for sure not playing on Saturday and then he plays and it’s like that’s a guy that’s like you want to be in the trenches with. Well think think about it from their perspective, the young younger players perspective. They have some built-in recovery time in the AHL. You know, they usually play Friday, Saturday, maybe a Sunday, and then they’re off until the following Thursday or Friday as far as games go. Y and so if you’re nicked up, you’ve got a four or five day window in there where you can get better. Same thing goes if you’re playing collegiate hockey. And so, but National Hockey League, not so much. you’re you’re playing usually every other night, certainly every third night, and you don’t have those built-in places where you can get better and recuperate without missing action. So, it’s it’s just another cog that that’s added to the young players uh process of keeping their body ready to go or when to push, when to play hurt, you know, like Dickinson obviously was like I shouldn’t have been playing at that point in time. Yeah. But if you can’t do any further damage and it’s just a pain tolerance situation like you were mentioning with with with what we expect with Nazar or suspect. Um then it’s just can the player grit through that? Yeah. And that’s Dickinson’s been around long enough to know how his body is reacting on certain things. And I think somebody asked him point blank who’s going to make that final call when you’re going to return and he’s like me. like because I you know he knows his body and and that’s a different situation obviously from Nazar because Dickinson’s saying I I tried to power through it the first time and I probably should not have because I reinjured it and reagravated it and then I was putting my teammates in a bad situation where now he’s missing multiple weeks and so the in and out of the lineup is unfair and so with the Dickinson injury his is more he needs to make sure that he’s 100% so that he doesn’t reinjure it. Nazar’s injury, what we suspect is pain tolerance, and he’s finding a way to push through it. And so I it’s it’s just been impressive to see Nazar, but also the maturity of Dickinson to say, “All right, I should probably step back because me being in the line, me being in and out of the lineup is actually affecting my team in a negative way, too.” So on Tuesday night, the Hawks are going to go back to 11 forwards and seven Dmen. Sam Renzel had been a healthy scratch for the first time on Saturday and so he’ll be back in the lineup. He’d been on the ice for some goals against uh they’re talking about um you know when he should stay in the neutral zone or in the defensive zone or in the offensive zone trying to keep a play alive and when he’s got to be the fifth player that has to be back if there’s somebody who’s cheating behind him. Um, I think best case scenario, Renzel’s situation of going from a healthy scratch to getting back in this lineup and performing at a high level. As Blashel said, you know, he he’s played well this year as an NHL defenseman. So, it’s not like we’re looking for this. We haven’t seen it. We’ve seen it in 11 and seven format. Not unlike Arty Levchinoff who was a healthy scratch a couple weeks ago and arguably played his best game uh against the Leafs on Saturday night. Yeah, that was Ardam Lefchov’s game on Saturday looked like that was by far the best game that Lechnoff has played as a member of the Blackhawks. I mean, he was controlling play, skating with confidence. I don’t know how he still hasn’t scored his first NHL goal cuz he’s been around it, man. And uh you know, he was even joking around today. I went up to him and I was like, “Man, you’re you’re close.” And he he he thinks it’s coming soon and I expect it to come soon with the way that he’s playing. Um I mean, talk about a bounce back from, you know, a really challenging first two games on the road trip. He’s a healthy scratch. The Hawks after that game start going 11 and seven. So the Hawks went 14 straight games going 11 forwards, seven defenseman. And a part of me thinks a big reason why is they need to shelter Ardum Lechnoff to make him more put him more in offensive role type situations and then they can give Louis Krevier who is the seventh defenseman more defensive situations. Boy has that worked out beautifully not just for Lefchnoff but for Krevier as well. And if you’re a if you’re a guy like Sam Renzelle, you can see the left shinoff bounce back from the home opening scr home opener scratch and say, “Okay, I think that’s the situation that I need to get to as well.” Well, I’m feeling confident. I’m controlling the play. I think the Hawks just want to cut down the scoring chances against Renzel. It feels like when he’s been on the ice lately, there have been some oddman rushes um going his way. I think with the puck, he’s still okay. Like he’s he’s still been fine. he could probably get to a different level, but it was trending in this direction, right? Like his ice time started to decrease. He went from power play one to power play two, then he got removed from the power play in the morning skate on Saturday and then we find out he’s a scratch. And so, uh, I have no concerns about Renzel. He actually did a media scrum today after practice. And after the cameras went away, I kind of looked at him and I said, “You’re you’re going to be fine.” And he’s just like shoulders up. He’s like, “I I’m no I’m not I’m not worried. I’m going to be just fine.” Like, he’s a really confident kid. So, I’m not worried about his confidence taking a hit from this. I think he actually is going to be motivated to to want to follow the lepinoff path here. Yeah. And uh to finish the full thought on on Arty, you know, we’ve both gone up to him and and have had uh casual interaction with him and and by casual because, you know, there’s a language barrier there and you don’t know if necessarily he understands. And so I asked Blashel, where is that at between him? Because sometimes when I talk to Arty, I get the the nod like he knows what I’m saying, but it I I kind of go I don’t know if that’s the nod of somebody who understands what he So imagine getting information from a coaching staff when they nod does he really get it or and so they’re he said that that is progressing and he’s starting to be able to read when he really gets it and when he needs to reexl explain it to him for sure. And I think with Lefchov, he he had a tough training camp in the first week or so of the regular season. Like I think he was really having a hard time grasping the system that Jeff Blashel cuz which had to be I mean for it was hard enough for the English-speaking players and the veterans to to for him to have limited language uh English use of the English language. Uh it had to be extra difficult for sure and for a guy that like Lefchoff, Blash was trying to get the structure in order and Lefchov’s game is anything but structure. He just plays totally off instincts and Blasau was even explaining a play from the game on Saturday against Toronto. Um I I can’t remember what play he was talking about. Was it the the Lefchoff primary assist to to Ryan Green when he saw he thought Kai or he thought Lefchoff should have shot it. He’s like shooty. Then he passed it and he’s like, “Oh, nice play.” So he’s like, “Blash is actually enforcing to Lechenoff.” Uh I think he said this on the road trip on the six game road trip. He said, “We we have told Lefchoff, do what you think is the right play, don’t do what you think we want you to do there.” Cuz when you’re playing off your instincts, that’s when we think that you’re going to be at your best. And so maybe there were times at the beginning of the season or in training camp with where Lefches was getting in trouble and there were some times that Blash was laying into him specifically in during training camp cuz he was messing up drills because maybe Lefchoff was thinking what do they want me to do here and he got away from what his instincts are telling him to do. So I think we’re seeing him now finally lean into his instincts and I mean in the second period specifically against Toronto I thought he was the best player. was flying out there and it just seemed like such a confident skater in his ability. So, Levchinoff and Green are going to get a lot of credit for that first goal against Toronto the other night, but it was the fourth line with the extended ozone time for like 40 seconds prior to the goal that wore down the Leafs, kept them out there for extended period of time defending. And it really we’ve seen in the last couple of games the Hawks fourth line and sometimes that’s only two players and to be determined. Um but that that Slagger Felino Laferty line uh really set the table for the green goal. And then it’s also a reminder too of when it’s smart to get off. Slagger gets off, Green comes on, Arty makes the play around the perimeter and finds Green through the seam. Yeah. And we’ve talked about we talked about earlier about how everyone has been stepping up when there are injuries. I mean, think about again, we’ll we’ll make this example like Ryan Green was not supposed to be on the opening night roster. He’s been here taking advantage. He’s on he was on the first line again Saturday. Been on every line. He’s been on every line. Um, guy like Oliver Moore, he steps in after there’s a spot that opens up. He’s taking advantage. Landon Slagert, he gets called up because there was an injury and he wasn’t supposed to be here and then he scores the goal a couple nights ago. Then he’s part of the extended ozone shift. And then how about Sam Laughaferty? He’s been a healthy scratch for a majority of the season and he has that highlight reel goal. Um, and then he follows that up with being part of that extended offensive zone shift. And so we’re seeing guys respond to either not being in the lineup, being a healthy scratch, maybe not even supposed to be here in the NHL, and they’re taking advantage of their opportunity. And it was great to see I know Felino, they’re going to miss him for for the next several weeks, but it was great to see Slagger and and uh Laferty be part of that extended offensive zone shift so they can continue to get that confidence within themselves. I think we’re going to see an opportunity for the young leadership group of the Blackhawks to take an even bigger step here over the next month. We’ve always talked on this podcast how the voice of the younger player has become louder since Nazar and Levino were called up last year from Rockford and how it’s changed the um the complexion of the room as far as the leadership. Obviously, that changed a lot this year with far fewer veterans in the room and a lot more younger players entering the fold. Now, without your captain, Nick Felino, who’s even probably adjusted his role from like he said at at one point, coach uh Felino last year to now like uncle uh for these guys. We’re gonna and and Dickinson being out. You know, I think we’re going to see uh Nazar have a bigger voice, maybe Badard even having a bigger voice. Um more opportunity for growth for these guys at at a early stage in their NHL career. Yeah. And I think there was a game earlier in the year too. Um can’t remember which which players exactly were out, but Alex Velic ended up wearing the A in one of the games. And I remember he was our postgame guest on WGN radio that day. And I was I asked him about it. I was like, “Man, you’re Chicago kid. you’re wearing an A on your sweater. And he he acknowledged he’s like, “Man, I grew up watching Kane and Tae and Sharp and Keith, all those guys are wearing.” He’s like, “I don’t feel worthy to wear it. Like, I don’t think I’m in that class.” But it’s cool to see that maybe some new fans are coming to games and they see him in that light, even though Velic feels like he doesn’t live up to that. And so, it is starting to become their I shouldn’t even say starting to, but it is their locker room now. And so, um, I think in San Jose too, Mlin Celibbrini wears an A. And so, they they’ve already said, “Hey, you’re part of our future. You’re one of our cornerstones. We want you to be a voice inside that locker room.” And so, I wouldn’t be surprised if as the veterans slowly, you know, slowly start to fade out, we’re going to see more of the leadership role put on guys like Baddard, Nazar, Vic. We talk about the stepping up when players go down. How about rebounding when a call goes against you? We saw that on display in the second period, which has been notoriously the uh the Achilles heel for this Blackhawks team this year. It was again uh against the Leafs. And Riley ends up with the goal, but they challenge for a high stick and they go to the situation room. And boy, the angles that CHSN provided and Sportsnet in Canada, it looks to me like Knander has the stick on an angle with the blade above the shoulder. I talked to Conor Murphy today and he said their explanation from the official was it hit the heel of the stick and the heel wasn’t above the the shoulder line. It was just the the tip of the stick was I mean like if we’re getting to this minutia of the actual what it takes to reverse it. Take it off the books because if that wasn’t a high stick by all accounts it looked like it was then I I don’t know. We’re just wasting everybody’s time, including probably a three or four minute situation room uh discussion that stopped play in a game that had already been delayed and at the onset right there. There was a controversial challenge earlier in the year. It was the Tyler Berusi goalender interference against Vancouver that didn’t go Chicago’s way that everyone felt like it should have gone the Blackhawks way, but that challenge was subjective, right? Like it did, you know, did he push the pad? Did he not? This was like we had video evidence. Was it above the shoulders or was it not? And it very clearly looked like it was just a fraction above the shoulders. And the officials took a long time to look at it and then they came out of the review and said, I think it was Wes Mccau that was the official and he said the call on the ice is confirmed. Like he said confirmed with a with an inflection on it, not a call stands. I’m like, man, if you’re looking at it that long and you come out of that, just say the call on the ice stands. Like maybe they didn’t have a direct angle that was at the shoulder length. So, they didn’t want to, you know, try to piece together whether a camera from just a slightly higher angle was not. I don’t know. But, it was weird that they confirmed it and they just didn’t say call stands. And so or or explain that video replay did not show that the stick blade was above the should like give the full extent of what we’re going to find out on our own via text or email later from the league. I don’t I don’t understand in the moment you’ve you’ve captivated 19,000 people for three or four minutes and the the TV audience and you don’t pay off what they’ve been waiting for. Right. Yeah. other than the the result, but you don’t tell them how we got to the result. Yeah. And now like quick clarification, not that this was in any discussion, but if you’re wondering, so if if you deflect a goal that’s a potential high stick, if it goes directly into the net, the the threshold is the crossbar, not the shoulder. The shoulder length is the whether there’s a high stick that doesn’t lead directly to a goal. And so that’s what, you know, if you were wondering why it wasn’t the crossbar, that’s not the barometer, it’s the shoulder. And so, and there was the Tavo part. Did the puck touch, right? And it did not look like video. And that would have been another clarification that like and the puck did not hit Tavo Terrain or what what have you, right? And and credit to the Blackhawks is what your original point was. The Hawks have the Hawks responded by that by killing off the penalty and then they get the third period goal by Tavo Terrain. Um, and then obviously go up three to2. So there have been several situations this year where there’s like a you circle like that was a turning point. The one in Detroit last week it was the Arvid Solder Bloom save on Dylan Larkin that was like wow that big save you know Detroit didn’t score after that or the Hawks kill you know against Vancouver in that game that was controversial. The Hawks killed that off. They end up getting a point. Unfortunately, they don’t get the second one. But I have been impressed by the way the Hawks are able to just put that aside and just kill off the penalty rather seamlessly. Like it’s not like a hairy penalty kill. It was like they the Hawks like really buckle down for those. Well, and it that must empower BL to make that call, right? Uh to challenge specific plays because the PK has been fantastic. They’ve killed 14 of their last 14 oppositions power plays over the last five games and some of them have been pretty decent power play units uh that they’ve gone up against. So, uh and and you can get as we’ve seen you can get uh a change in momentum off a kill. Yeah. And think about you mentioned earlier that the players that the Blackhawks have been missing on on the penalty kill like Frank Nazar was gone for a few games and um you know Jason Dickinson obviously haven’t been there. So some like key pieces on the Blackhawks penalty kill haven’t been there and the Blackhawks have have still stepped up. Even in the Detroit game got some penalty kill time as well. So the Hawks are slowly starting to you know f they’ve really started to find a groove in the special teams department specifically. What do you you thought of about the power play and adapting to different pieces? We talked about Barakovski being added to the left flank and actually he missed a game over this last couple of weeks uh and Arty being promoted to quarterback of power play one and then having uh Connor on the right side which what’s kind of been in a state of flux has been the bumper and the net front guy because of injuries for sure. Bertusi obviously missed the last game and he’s so good in that human backboard play. I think FelinO stepped into that net front roll on the first power play for Bertusi. Now he’s injured. So at practice today, Frank Nazar gets bumped back to the first unit. So Nazar and Terrainan were interchanging from the bumper to the netfront. And it obviously depends on which side the puck is on and and the down low play and all that all that stuff. I think a low-key element of why the Blackhawks power play has been having some success though too is Lefchov has had a shoot first mentality like he has a howitzer of a shot when he lets it go and I think that also opens up some lanes. We’ve talked about how Connor Baddard moving to the right side of the faceoff circle has certainly the Hawks have benefited from that because it feels like every power play he gets, he fires off that tow drag release that catches the goalender offguard and so that’s been great. But Leanoff having more of a shoot first mentality, I think has also opened up some things for the Blackhawks power play. Let’s uh talk about the surprise sighting at Fifth Third Arena. Lauren Bruis, he lives uh you caught him on the ice at Fifth Third Arena on Monday. Yeah, we we well the Hawks have had a third goalender on the ice who’s been I I can’t remember his name, but he’s he’s been around for several years where he helps train the guys in the summer and he side note I I’m wondering if the Blackhawks are doing that cuz he was at practice again today after Bruis went off. I’m wondering if the Hawks are preparing for next year when they’re able to travel an emergency goalender that will be like on a little bit of a salary. I was going to ask him that because I saw him on Friday as well. So, he’s been he’s been around quite a bit. Yeah. So, if you’ve been attending a Blackhawks practice and you’re wondering who is that third goalie that has always been on the ice. I’m wondering if the Hawks are preparing for next year and beyond where you know the Hawks every team is going to be able to carry an emergency goalender. So, uh, side note, but yeah, we saw Bruis warming some players up and I’m like, I’m pretty sure that’s Lorent Bruis cuz I I recognize his paddings, but all of the writers, we were like hesitant to tweet that it was Bruis cuz we just weren’t sure. And then he lifted up his mask and we’re like, “Oh, that’s for sure him.” And so, uh, I mean, great to see him. He literally has not played a single game for the Hawks because he missed all of last year with a knee injury. Then he had offseason hip surgery. And so to see him on the ice, he’s still likely a ways away from even returning to game action. But uh that had to be an encouraging thing for Bruis personally cuz I know how much I know I think we asked Kyle Davidson at the beginning of training camp and we’re like is this potentially career ending and he’s like absolutely not. Lorent wants to get back to playing and so that has to be a great feeling for him to finally feel like he’s part of the team too. Like that’s got to be such a weird feeling for him the last year and a half where he’s just been disconnected from everything. Yeah. Yeah. His situation has to be bizarre cuz we could talk about other players injuries. They’ve had some sort of connection to the team. They’re still around. Lauren has not really been around at least visibly to us in the in the locker room uh during availabilities. Um the goal and and he’s got to be feeling like he’s missing out. I mean, when you look at what Spencer Knight and Arvin Solder Blum have done as far as, you know, the best save percentage of of a tandem in the National Hockey League, um it it probably drives you even more to want to be a part of the mix. For sure. And it’s for him, he’s probably just like, I just want to get back to playing so that I can show any team that I can still do it. Right. So, it’s almost like an audition, not just for the Blackhawks, but for for really for any team. And these things always have a way of sorting itself out. Like sometimes you’re like, “Oh, you have to come up on a major decision.” And then somebody gets hurt and you’re like, “Oh, perfect. Throw him into the lineup for a few weeks.” And then, you know, there’s another injury and this guy returns. And so, we’ll see how that all sorts out. Obviously, there’s no chance that Brois is going to uh thwart Solder Bloom as the 1B cuz Arvid has been unbelievable and the Hawks maybe feel like they’re trending towards having a really strong 1A 1B tan. But I imagine that when Brois is ready for some sort of game action, they would send him to Rockford for a twoe AHL conditioning stint. Side note to uh Solder Bloom, I I talked to him the other day about making the save on his brother Elmer, uh who he went up against in Detroit last weekend, a week ago. We eight days ago. Eight days ago. And uh he he joked about it. He said Elmer uh told him afterwards, you know, he was thinking so much and if you recall, he stick handles quite a bit on that play and uh Arvid now has it as his wallpaper screen saver on his phone. He got someone sent sent him a really good a really good shot of his save on his brother Elmer. So bragging rights. But I I imagine those two players are going to be facing off against each other down the road. So if Elmer ever gets one on Arvid, he might return the favor and put it put the goal on his screen saver. So yeah. So we’ll see. Calgary in town. Just saw him on November 7th. So any of the extracurricular activity that you had in that game may carry over. Just talking to a couple of the players, they like the fact that they’re taking on the same team. uh knowing some tendencies uh as far as coverage um and things of that nature. So, and that that that was also the game where Baddard had four points. He had three assists, right? All primaries. Primary and then had that great thievery and Deak uh to have the goal on the four-point night. Yeah. I I don’t expect there to be any carryover from the last game because it feels like every single one of those situations sorted itself out like Colton Doc standing up for, you know, uh after the um the Frank Nazar hit, Nazar leaves that game. Uh and then Oliver Moore got hit by I think it was Mackenzie Weaguer. Velic steps in. He fights McKenzie. Then Felo ends up laying big hits on Zayn Perk and Connor Zer. Perk is still out of the lineup for Calgary and Felino ends up dropping the gloves with Joel Hanley and now Felino is hurt. So even if somebody wanted to respond to Felino doing what he did because Perk is still out of the lineup, that can’t happen. And so I it might be physical, but I don’t think it’s going to be like, hey, there there’s still a score that needs to be settled here. I I think that all got taken care of. But I imagine Calgary is certainly going to got to want to get that bad taste out of their mouth. And uh we’ll see if Baddard can get back. Baddard’s point streak unfortunately came to an end against Toronto. I still think thought he played really well. I thought he played a great game. I mean he played a great game. So the points don’t tell the real story, but I think uh you know Connor probably still has a good feeling about that Calgary game the last time they played and we’ll see if he gets back on the the score sheet. We’re noticing that nationally, you know, the conversation of who is on the radar of team Canada is getting momentum with, you know, Badard being up among the league leaders in points along with Mlin Celibbrini. Matthew Schaefer has entered the equation too with how well he’s played in his first year uh obviously in a defenseman role. But at the end of the day, it’s going to be really interesting to see if Hockey Canada and USA Hockey end up going with players that have Stanley Cup playoff experience. And um you know, that’s probably the only thing that’s working against guys like Celibbrini and Bernard. Yeah, it feels like team Canada and maybe team USA too, they’re going to be prioritizing the players that understand what it feels like to play in big games so that way the moment isn’t too big for them. Now, you certainly want to add maybe some some of the young guys to the roster just to get that experience. Like if you’re team Canada, you know that Mlin Celibbrini and Connor Baddard are going to be part of team Canada for a really long time. So maybe it’s it’s an opportunity to get at least one of them. not even like a courtesy like hey let’s just um come come see what it’s like to be around because they’ve both played themselves into the conversation right uh feels like the more Conor Bard starts to produce like the more he’s he could potentially be more involved in the conversation but think about I’m looking at team USA right they they’re dealing with a lot of injuries right now the both Kachchuck brothers are out the Jack Hughes Jack in here in Chicago here in Chicago that I I was I was listening to 32 thoughts. Elliot Friedman originally he was hearing that it could potentially be season ending for Jack Hughes. So that’s how much worry there was there was going into that Jack Hughes situation. And so I wonder if God forbid something like that happens to team Canada that could potentially open the door for Connor Bard to really be part of the conversation like okay we team Canada lost. They also have people like Nick Suzuki that and Shley on the butt. like there there’s it’s not just the line doesn’t start with Bard and Celabbrini. There’s there’s even a couple of players with experience with skins on on the wall that are could possibly be ahead of them, right? And and I think uh Conor Badar, he did a couple interviews with um I think NHL Network. He was on TSN’s Overdrive a few days ago and that was his point, too. He’s like, “It would be an honor to be on the team, but I also realize team Canada is loaded.” And so it there’s there’s the um the competitiveness that wants him like I’m sure he desperately wants to be on that team, but I think he would understand if he’s not part of it cuz the guys that are being left off isn’t just Connor. It’s guys that probably deserve to be on the team, but there’s just no room for all of them. Uh before we uh put a bow on this one, we had the first chapter of the Centennial Celebration, the originals on Saturday night. It was a great scene as always. I thought Patrick Sharp did a nice job in his presentation, Pat Foley as well. And uh it was nice to see the families of the Glenn Halls and the Stan Makitas and the Bobby Halls that were a part of this and the atrium was kind of transformed into like a Blackhawks museum. And it surprised me how many people like didn’t know that Makita and Hall were instrumental in bringing the curve stick to the NH. Like you people that I thought for sure knew that story were like learning about it. So it it does have a place uh you know it’s nice to hear about the past and when you hear things like that it’s like and if you don’t know those stories it’s like wow okay that I can’t even imagine this league without a curve stick. Uh, but all those things were on display. And as I was driving into the United Center that night, I saw at the corner an Espazito jersey. In the same grouping, I saw a Cane jersey and a Badard. And to me, it was like, “All right, look at look at the generations that I’m seeing at just one stop sign.” So, I I usually get to Blackhawks games about two hours before puck drop. And I was walking towards the media gate, and there was a line wrapped around the United Center already. wait 2 hours before puck drop uh 30 minutes before the the gates actually open waiting because they wanted to get the Tony Espazito bobblehead and so it was incredible to see the building was as packed as I’ve seen it for a regular season game in a very long time maybe since the Chris Chelios retire jersey retirement night like it was unbelievable atmosphere warm-ups was packed um obviously the Tony Espazito and the final chapter that being the night w was fantastic so my postgame show ended I think around 9 or uh 9:30. The game ended at 9:00. I was walking to the parking lot around 9:45. The entire parking lot was jammed bumperto-bumper. And so I pulled a security guard and I said, “Is there an accident in the area? Like why is there?” And he was like, “It’s a sellout tonight, man.” I was like, “No, I know that it was there were 20,000 plus.” But I was like, “It was still bumper to bumper 45 minutes after the game ended.” And he’s like he’s like, “It’s we’re just busy.” I’m like, “Oh, yeah. That’s actually how it was like during the Dynasty era. Like every game was an the parking lot was absolut ab absolutely slammed. And so it was great to feel the like it’s been a long time since I remember Saturday night game 20,000 plus in in attendance. The energy was high. The Hawks leave a winner. So everyone’s going home happy. I mean that felt like the old days again. I just I I go by the gauge of the uh the fan that’s like not that’s kind of on the fence about hockey. Those type of people are coming up to me making comments about Baddard and this young team. When I start getting that, I know that this team has made an impression with the fan base and and we’re starting to see we’re seeing it on CHSM with ratings. I’m sure uh WGN radio is as well, but it it’s and Saturday was a unique situation because of the originals, but I I I feel the momentum growing for this team and because they’ve been on the road so much and a lot of them were late games. It’s now it’s coming to fruition because I I don’t think people were locked in uh at the beginning of the season when they were on the road for two weeks and most of the games were starting at 9:00. I was at a a family birthday event yesterday and one of my one of my cousins who is not a a Blackhawks fan at all. He’s like, “I can maybe name two or three guys on the team, he said a he bought a CHSN subscription because he was following.” He’s like, “Man, the Blackhawks seem fun to watch. Like, I miss watching entertaining hockey, just having it on in the background.” So, even he casual fan can only name three players, bought a CHSN subscription literally a few days ago because he’s like, “What’s it your cousin’s name?” George, George, George, thank you. Gio, Gio, thank you. Yeah. So, how about that? They’re suck. They’re they’re bringing more people in. Makes a great holiday gift, too, by the way. Uh, that’s going to do it for this edition of Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast for CHSN. For Charlie Romelotus, I’m Pat Bole. Thank you for watching and listening, and we will catch you next time. [Music]

On this episode of the Blackhawks Breakaway Podcast, Pat Boyle and Charlie Roumeliotis break down Chicago’s 4-0-1 run over the last five games and how seamlessly players have stepped up amid injuries. They dive into Frank Nazar’s return, the tough break for Nick Foligno, and the growing confidence of Artyom Levshunov, who delivered arguably his best performance as a Blackhawk on Saturday against Toronto. The guys also discuss Sam Rinzel’s healthy scratch and explain why it could help his development, much like it did for Levshunov.

Plus, a conversation about the power play finally turning a corner, a rare Laurent Brossoit sighting, and a look back at a memorable Centennial Celebration Night to close out The Originals chapter in front of a sellout crowd.

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