Today’s News Clips Feb. 16, 2019

ChicagoBlackhawks.com PREVIEW: Blackhawks vs Blue Jackets 2/16

By Chris Wescott February 15, 2019

The Blackhawks improved to 24-25-9 with a 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night and they now set their sights on another big two points when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Chicago has won eight of their last nine games, while Columbus has earned victories in four of their last five.

Patrick Kane extended his point streak to 16 games versus New Jersey and has an assist in 15 in a row, which surpasses the franchise record previously set by Stan Mikita in 1967. Kane leads the Blackhawks in scoring with 85 points (34G, 51A) in 57 games. Toews is second on the team with 57 points (26G, 31A) in 58 outings. DeBrincat is second on the team with 29 goals and third in points with 54.

Collin Delia leads the team between the pipes with a 3.22 GAA and .916 save percentage in 12 starts. Cam Ward has a .898 SV% and 3.60 GAA in his 23 starts.

As for the Blue Jackets, former Blackhawks forward Artemi Panarin leads them in scoring with 22 goals and 42 assists for 64 points in 54 games. Cam Atkinson is second on the team with 54 points but has an impressive 31 goals. Pierre-Luc Dubois has 21 goals and a total of 49 points.

Between the pipes, Sergei Bobrovsky has started a workhorse 40 games for Columbus, posting a 2.90 GAA and .903 save percentage. Joonas Korpisalo has a 2.96 GAA and .901 SV% in 16 starts.

SEASON SERIES: In the first of what will be two meetings of this season, the Blackhawks downed the Blue Jackets 4-1 in Columbus on Oct. 20. Kane scored twice, including the empty-netter, while DeBrincat and Marcus Kruger also lit the lamp. made 37 saves on 38 shots for the W.

OPPONENT TO WATCH: Panarin enters his return to the United Center with four points in his last three games. Columbus' leading scorer has helped his team to a 32-21-3 record thus far this season.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com FEATURE: Koekkoek settling in nicely with Blackhawks

By Chris Wescott February 15, 2019

Jeremy Colliton didn't hesitate or have to gather his thoughts when asked about his newest defender. He was ready to talk about him.

"Yeah, he's been a really nice surprise for us," he said.

The Blackhawks head coach has enjoyed having Slater Koekkoek on the roster since he arrived from Tampa via trade back on Jan. 11. Chicago parted with Jan Rutta and a seventh-round pick and received the 24-year-old blueliner and a fifth.

The acquisition of Koekkoek has flown under the radar with the current trade talk of the town centering around Dylan Strome's production. Since being acquired from Arizona on Nov. 25, Strome has compiled 11 goals and 20 assists for 31 points in 34 games.

Koekkoek's contributions may not show up on the stat sheet as loudly as Strome's, but the 10th-overall pick in 2012 has made an impression of his own.

"Obviously, we knew he had some potential, was a high draft pick and kind of got blocked in Tampa Bay because they have a pretty nice roster but I think he continues to improve," said Colliton. "He's a great skater, but he's closing on people defensively and he's also not afraid to be physical and battle and get us out of d-zone."

Koekkoek recorded his first point as a Blackhawk with an assist on Jonathan Toews' goal in the 5-2 win over the New Jersey Devils on Thursday night. It's a perfect example of what Koekkoek can bring on the ice.

"He closed maybe three times on the puck carrier in the d-zone and found a way to create a turnover and we capitalized in transition," explained Colliton. "That's what we're looking for out of our defensemen."

Koekkoek has played just seven games in a Chicago uniform, but when he has been on the ice at even strength Chicago is controlling 53.6% of the shot attempts. That's the best number of any Blackhawks defenseman currently on the roster.

He appears to be fitting in just fine.

"I love it here," he said. "I think the guys have been good welcoming me. And we've been on a good run here. I thought we've been playing some good hockey so that's exciting and we're looking forward to this last stretch. We need all the points we can get."

Since that trade on Jan. 11, Chicago is 8-3-1. Stepping into a winning atmosphere and a happy locker room makes it easier to assimilate.

"It sure does," said Koekkoek. "Everybody's positive. We're watching video every day and it's constructive. There are things we can do better, but since we get the two points it makes things much sweeter."

Koekkoek doesn't know if he's playing any better than he did in Tampa, but he's getting an opportunity to step onto the ice. That's half the battle.

"I hadn't played for a long time there when I first got traded here so other than just getting the rust off the first few games I've settled in nicely," he said.

Making the transition easier on Koekkoek has been the veteran core of the Chicago roster, including his old friend and Lightning teammate Chris Kunitz.

"I had Kunitz in Tampa with me so I always thought he was a great leader," Koekkoek said. "When I got here, he's one of the veteran guys here so he's been great to me. But a lot of the guys have. It's felt good to come in and be welcomed like this."

ChicagoBlackhawks.com BLOG: Kruger focused on winning ahead of trade deadline

By Austin Siegel February 15, 2019

However this Blackhawks season is remembered, this season where checking the playoff and draft lottery odds on the same night seems totally normal, Marcus Kruger will have seen it before.

Kruger isn't part of the Blackhawks core of Stanley Cup veterans who have seen it all and done it all in Chicago. But he's no youngster either, learning how to win in the NHL for the first time.

Anchoring the Blackhawks fourth line after being reacquired from Arizona in the offseason, the 28-year-old is focused on what he can control. On Friday afternoon, that meant improving the Blackhawks league-worst penalty kill.

"We don't want to be where we are right now. But we can't do anything about that. Have to move forward and get better," Kruger said. "That can help us win games if we play better in that area. That's an area where we can improve a lot. I think over the last little while it's been better even if we've been giving up goals. I think we've been playing pretty good. We just need to keep the focus on the whole kill."

With the Blackhawks role at this month's upcoming trade deadline still undefined, Kruger is keeping his focus on what he can control. No small feat for a guy who has been dealt three times in the last year.

"We don't talk about it a whole lot. Right now we're focused on winning and doing well. Everything else is going to take care of itself," he said. "Obviously we wan't to be up in the standings. That helps. Right now we've just got to focus on one game at a time. I know it sounds boring, but that's what we've got to do right now."

NBCSportsChicago.com Corey Crawford acknowledges he's ready to return for Blackhawks

By Charlie Roumeliotis February 15, 2019

The Blackhawks are back within two points of a wild card spot, and they may finally be getting their star back soon.

After joining the team on the ice for the fourth time in a week, Corey Crawford met with the media on Friday and acknowledged he's essentially ready to come back. But it's not up to him when he'll actually return.

"It's really hard to say," Crawford said. "It's not up to me. I'm healthy to play right now. Really it's whether they think I'm ready to get in the net."

The Blackhawks have won eight of their past nine games, and have gotten terrific goaltending from Collin Delia and Cam Ward. There's no urgency to rush Crawford back, but if he's ready, he's ready and he basically serves as a trade deadline acquisition on his own.

"We've been playing great," Crawford said. "I think that's a tough situation too. Obviously you don't want to come back in and [not] be at the top of my game. We're in a pretty good run right now, a pretty good stretch. It's really thinking about what game do you throw me in? I'll leave that up to Jeremy [Colliton]. Whenever they want to, I'm ready to play."

Colliton was asked about Crawford's potential timeline and said there will be discussions internally about when he will be back between the pipes for the Blackhawks. All we know is, that won't come on Saturday against Columbus. But it likely will be very soon.

"It’s good to hear he’s feeling good," Colliton said. "That’s good. We’ll discuss it in the staff and let you know.”

NBCSportsChicago.com Breaking down why Cam Ward has been better than his numbers show with Blackhawks

By Charlie Roumeliotis February 15, 2019

If you look at Cam Ward's stat line this season, his numbers don't look great. In fact, they aren't very good.

His 3.60 goals against average ranks dead last in the NHL among with at least 20 starts, and .898 save percentage ranks 39th out of 47th. But there's a reason for that.

Ward is facing 9.4 high-danger chances at even strength per game and a shade above 11 in all situations, according to naturalstattrick.com. No other goaltender is seeing that many quality of shots at that rate. Couple that with the fact that the Blackhawks are giving up the second-most shots in general (35.4) and the numbers simply won't favor the goaltender, no matter who's in net.

On Thursday against the New Jersey Devils, Ward faced 19 total high-danger shots against. He stopped all 19 of those. He also turned aside 35 of 36 shots at 5-on-5 to up his season save percentage to .922 in that area.

Where Ward's overall save percentage has taken a big hit this season is the penalty kill. He's given up 26 power-play goals on 122 shots against for a .787 save percentage. Some of that is on him. But the Blackhawks statistically have the worst penalty kill in the league with a 73.4 percent kill rate, so there's plenty of blame to go around.

In the big picture, Ward deserves more credit than he's getting for his on-ice play with Corey Crawford out and off-ice role by serving as a great mentor for Collin Delia. Quite frankly, the Blackhawks likely wouldn't be in the playoff race at this point in the season if it wasn't for him because he's bridged the gap perfectly between a two-time Stanley Cup winning goalie and 24-year-old who had only two NHL starts going into this season.

Remember how last season turned out when they didn't have a veteran like Ward?

Chicago Tribune 'I'm ready to play': Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford itching for 1st start to complete return from concussion

By Jimmy Greenfield February 15, 2019

Sitting at his locker after practice Friday, Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford declared he’s healthy and ready to return from a concussion that has sidelined him for two months.

But Crawford also acknowledged he might need a “few more practices to get timing back” and understands the Hawks’ recent success will affect when he returns to game action.

The Hawks have gone 14-6-3 in Crawford’s absence, including a current 8-1 stretch that has propelled them back into the playoff race.

“Obviously you don’t want to come back in (and not) be at the top of my game,” Crawford said. “We’re in a pretty good run right now — a pretty good stretch. It’s really thinking about what game do you throw me in. I’ll leave that up to (coach Jeremy Colliton). Whenever they want to, I’m ready to play.”

Colliton has steadfastly declined to discuss when Crawford would play again, not even saying if he thinks Crawford will play again this season.

“I don’t have a crystal ball,” Colliton said. “We hope so. He’s progressing very well. We’re excited about that.”

Numbers game: The Hawks hosted 8,000 students at the United Center on Friday, allowing them to view practice. Afterward they watched players bring math skills to life.

Dylan Strome, Alex DeBrincat and John Hayden were among the players who competed in three challenges as part of the “STEM Showcase” designed to measure speed, energy and angles.

One-timers: The Feb. 25 trade deadline is approaching, but Colliton doesn’t think the Hawks’ recent success will affect how they proceed. “The players and the coaches, we’re going to try to win every game,” Colliton said. “The organization’s trying to build an elite team. I don’t think the results are going to change how they approach the deadline.” ... Colliton said the Hawks have no plans to bring back rookie defenseman Henri Jokiharju from Rockford. “He’s where he should be for now,” Colliton said. “Playing a lot, being a very important contributor there. And we’re pretty happy with our group, so it’s a good situation.”

Chicago Tribune Slater Koekkoek has a distinctive name. More plays like he had Thursday will grab Blackhawks fans' attention even more

By Jimmy Greenfield February 15, 2019

Go ahead and laugh at Blackhawks defenseman Slater Koekkoek’s name. You won’t be alone.

You can even get in line behind at least two members of the Koekkoek family.

“I don’t have Twitter, but my sister sent me some funny things that people said (Thursday) night about my last name,” Koekkoek said Friday. “There was a funny one that said, ‘Imagine waking up one day and naming your kid Slater ... last name ‘Koekkoek.’ I thought that was pretty funny.”

Koekkoek, whose name is pronounced “cuckoo,” has rarely been a topic of conversation among Hawks fans since he arrived last month in a trade that sent Jan Rutta and a seventh-round pick to the Lightning.

But that changed when he teamed up with a couple of somewhat better-known players — Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews — for the Hawks’ go-ahead goal in their 5-2 win over the Devils.

Koekkoek saw that Kane was about to cross into the Devils zone and skated in behind him. Kane stopped on a dime, twirled and sent a soft pass onto the stick of Koekkoek, who found Toews across the slot for a one-timer that gave the Hawks a 3-2 lead. The assist was the 15th point of Koekkoek’s career and first in a Hawks uniform.

“That was cool,” Koekkoek said. “Whenever Kaner has the puck, you just know to try to get open, so I followed him on the rush and he made a sweet pass underneath the stick. When Tazer is scratching the rafters with his stick, you usually want to pass it over to him, so I tried to get it over there. You get him the puck when he’s asking for it.”

Koekkoek, the 10th pick in the 2012 draft, has played in only seven games since joining the Hawks but has made a strong impression on coach Jeremy Colliton.

“He’s been a really nice surprise for us,” Colliton said. “Obviously, we knew he had some potential and (he was) a high draft pick and kind of got blocked in Tampa Bay because they’ve got a pretty nice roster, but he continues to improve. He’s a great skater. He’s closing on people defensively and he’s also not afraid to be physical in battle and getting us out of (the defensive) zone.

“Tazer’s goal was a perfect example. He closed three times on the puck carrier in D-zone and found a way to create a turnover, and we capitalized in transition. That’s what we’re looking for out of our defensemen.”

Koekkoek, who turns 25 on Monday, was teammates with Hawks forward Chris Kunitz last season on the Lightning, so he had a familiar face waiting for him when he arrived in Chicago. Still, it can be daunting when you’re leaving the only organization you’ve known.

“The first day is like starting high school kind of,” Koekkoek said. “You get here early, introduce yourself to everyone and make friends. It’s kind of like one of those life experiences that comes back full circle. (Kunitz) brought me around, but other than that I was starting from scratch. But it was great; the guys were awesome.”

Not all Hawks fans might know Koekkoek yet, but he has a pretty good idea of how to speed that process.

“Just keep making good passes to Toews,” he said. “That will get my name known.” Chicago Sun Times Blackhawks goalie Corey Crawford says he is ready to play, but when?

By Jason Lieser February 15, 2019

Corey Crawford is eager to rejoin the Blackhawks after two months of isolation. They carried on without him while he practiced on the side and watched games from a distance. The Hawks would leave for road trips, and he would stay home to work out at the facility.

He has had enough. Crawford is medically cleared and ready to play again.

He’s available as soon as coach Jeremy Colliton and the staff want him and would take the net Saturday against the Blue Jackets if they’d let him. That won’t happen, Colliton said, but it shouldn’t be much longer.

“It’s not up to me,” Crawford said. “I’m healthy to play right now. Really it’s whether they think I’m ready to get in the net.”

Crawford feels “pretty good” but admitted he would benefit from “a few more practices to really get timing back.”

The Hawks have relied on Cam Ward and Collin Delia while Crawford has been on injured reserve. Colliton didn’t say who would start against the Blue Jackets other than ruling out Crawford.

“It’s good to hear he’s feeling good, though,” Colliton said.

The next opportunity for Crawford is Monday against the Senators, which would be a logical choice. The Hawks would be wise to give him as favorable of a road back as possible, and it doesn’t get much friendlier than a home game against the worst team in the NHL.

Crawford’s only apprehension about jumping back in the lineup has been the thought of supplanting Ward, who has been on fire during the team’s run of eight wins in nine games.

Ward stopped 41 of 43 shots in a win over the Devils on Thursday and has a .940 save percentage and 2.20 goals-against average in his last five starts.

Coaches are often averse to disrupting anything when a team is hot like this, but Colliton doesn’t think that way and hasn’t been thrilled with how the Hawks have played this week anyway. That doesn’t factor into his decision on when to play Crawford.

“I think it’s a great problem to have, if you can call it a problem,” Colliton said. “It’s all positive.”

There hasn’t been one complete effort this week from the Hawks, who were fortunate to escape with wins against the lowly Red Wings and Devils but got clobbered against the one strong opponent they faced in Boston.

There’s no question the Hawks are better than they were when Colliton arrived, but whether they’ve improved enough to tangle with legitimate playoff teams isn’t so clear. The Blue Jackets provide another chance to test that, just like the Bruins did earlier in the week when they took the Hawks down a peg with a 6-3 stomping.

The Hawks headed off a prolonged slump by handling the Devils to keep themselves within two points of a playoff spot. That’s shocking considering where they were when Crawford went down, and the thrill of trying to get in the postseason heightens Crawford’s urgency to return.

“You definitely want to be a part of it,” he said. “It’s never fun to watch on TV or to watch here in the locker room. Either way, it’s tough. You just want to get out there and play again.”

As well as Ward and Delia have played at times, neither is as good as when Crawford is at his peak. If he can play near his best, he is the obvious choice.

Crawford matched his career-high .929 save percentage last year before a season-ending concussion. He has a 2.42 goals-against average over 12 seasons.

“You don’t want to come back in [and not] be at the top of my game,” Crawford said. “It’s really thinking about what game do you throw me in? I’ll leave that up to Jeremy. Whenever they want to, I’m ready to play.”

Daily Herald Blackhawks' Crawford says he's ready, but his return is on hold

By John Dietz February 15, 2019

Corey Crawford is ready to return.

As in Saturday against the Blue Jackets if Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton were to call his name.

"I'm healthy to play right now," Crawford said after the Hawks practiced in front of 8,000 students at the United Center Friday. "Really it's whether they think I'm ready to get in the net."

Well, no shock here, but that will not be against Columbus.

Crawford said that while he could play, he's still working on getting his timing back and that it may take a few more practices before he feels 100 percent sharp.

This was Crawford's third full participation with the team (two practices and one morning skate) since suffering a concussion against San Jose Dec. 16. The Hawks, winners of eight of nine, have been getting stellar goaltending from Cam Ward and Collin Delia, throwing a bit of a wrinkle in when Crawford may be called upon.

"We've been playing great," Crawford said. "I think that's a tough situation, too. Obviously you don't want to come back in and (not) be at the top of my game. But we're in a pretty good run right now. …

"It's really thinking about what game do you throw me in? I'll leave that up to Jeremy."

After confirming Crawford will not start against Columbus, Colliton was asked if he worries about messing with the momentum the Hawks have built up.

"No. I don't worry about it," he said. "It's a great problem to have, if you can call it a problem. It's all positive."

Colliton provided no guidance as for how he'll decide when to reinsert Crawford.

"We'll discuss it (among) the staff and we'll let you know," Colliton said.

One thing Crawford knows is he wants to be a part of his team's resurgence -- one that has them on the brink of a wild- card berth. The Hawks (24-25-9) are just 3 points behind Minnesota, which holds the final spot in the West and hosted New Jersey Friday. They are also 2 points behind Vancouver tied with Colorado.

"Sitting on the sides -- whether the team's winning or losing -- it's never fun to watch on TV, or to watch here in the locker room," Crawford said. "Either way it's tough. You just want to get out there and play again.

"Like I said, I'm going to try and be ready for whenever I get back in."

Scoring race:

Patrick Kane, who is riding a 16-game point streak, had a goal and 2 assists against New Jersey Thursday to increase his season point total to 85. He's behind only Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov (92), who has 11 in the Lightning's last three games.

"Yeah, I just saw that he had four tonight (against Dallas)," said a smiling Kane after the Hawks' win over the Devils. "You think you have three you're going to maybe cut down the lead a little bit, and he has four."

Kane is on pace for 120 points, which would blow away his career high of 106, set in 2015-16.

Math and hockey:

The Hawks allowed 8,000 students -- mostly from the Chicago Public Schools -- to attend practice at the United Center Friday. All of them participated in the Future Goals -- Hockey Scholar computer program, and used their math skills in three challenges:

• Speed: They measured distance and time to figure out who was the fastest skater.

• Energy: They saw how the flex of a hockey stick affected the speed of a shot.

• Angles: They saw how use of angles determine how players should pass a puck off the boards.

Drake Caggiula, Dylan Strome, Erik Gustafsson, Dominik Kahun, Connor Murphy and John Hayden demonstrated during the hourlong bonus portion of practice.

Slap shots:

Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Cam Ward did not participate in practice. … When Brandon Saad scored short-handed in the third period of the Hawks' 5-2 win over New Jersey, it was his 19th goal of the season, surpassing the 18 he had in 2017-18. … Duncan Keith has 3 goals in the last 15 games. He had just 2 in the previous 135.

The Athletic Playoff-push primer: Who has the easiest path to the Western Conference wild cards?

By Mark Lazerus February 16, 2019

You’ve been there. You’re driving on the highway when one massive truck swings into the left lane to pass another massive truck. The slower truck is going about 59 mph. The passing truck is going about 59.01 mph. You, meanwhile, are losing your mind.

There’s a word for it in German: Elefantenrennen. It’s a big, slow, plodding elephant race that drives everybody nuts.

Well, folks, welcome to the Western Conference elefantenrennen, a big, slow, plodding playoff race with nine or 10 very flawed teams fighting for two wild cards. The Blackhawks, remarkably, are right in the thick of it, having won eight of nine games entering Saturday’s game against Artemi Panarin and the Blue Jackets. Barely a month ago, the idea of the Blackhawks being in a genuine playoff race was absurd. Now it’s reality. So for those of you out there who might have mentally checked out at some point in the season (no judgment here, it’s understandable), here’s a playoff-push primer of all the trucks jockeying for position.

Dallas Stars Record: 29-23-5, 63 points Games remaining: 25 (13 home, 12 road) Games against current playoff teams: 8 Games against the Blackhawks: 3 (Feb. 24 in Chicago, March 9 in Dallas, April 5 in Chicago) Hot or cold: Warm. A five-game win streak around the bye week had the Stars feeling comfortable until St. Louis blew past them and dropped them into the first wild-card spot. Key injuries: G Ben Bishop is on the verge of returning from an upper-body injury, F Martin Hanzal is out long term with a back injury, and defenseman Stephen Johns has been out since the start of the season with a head injury.

The skinny: It’s never great when the biggest story of the season is your team CEO calling out your two biggest players for their “fucking horseshit” play. But the Stars have been in the playoff picture for much of the season, and appeared comfortably in until the Blues’ resurgence. Of course, the Stars were in a similar spot last season and then dropped eight straight games in March to plummet out of the picture. Jamie Benn is having his worst season since his rookie campaign with just 19 goals and 20 assists in 56 games, and Tyler Seguin isn’t getting much help elsewhere, either. Only the Ducks and Kings are scoring fewer goals per game than the Stars. That said, only the Islanders are giving up fewer goals per game the Stars.

Minnesota Wild Record: 27-25-6, 60 points Games remaining: 24 (12 home, 12 road) Games against current playoff teams: 16 Games against the Blackhawks: 0 Hot or cold: Chilly. They’ve lost seven of eight, including Friday’s 5-4 overtime loss to the Devils, in which they blew a 4-1 lead. Key injuries: No. 1 center Mikko Koivu is out for the season with a torn ACL, D Matt Dumba has been out for 26 games with a torn pectoral muscle.

The skinny: If any team is poised to drop out of the race, it’s the Wild, who lost their No. 1 center and traded away one of their few offensive weapons in Nino Niederreiter (who has six goals and four assists in 11 games with the Hurricanes) in exchange for a mediocre-at-best center (Victor Rask, who had one goal and one assist in 10 games with the Wild before getting injured). Bruce Boudreau insisted the Wild will make the playoffs, but hours later, The Athletic’s Michael Russo reported that GM Paul Fenton has the ability to trade everybody and anybody, even if it means the team won’t make the playoffs. As Russo points out, the Wild have been stumbling through the soft part of their schedule. They open March with Calgary, Nashville, Nashville again and Tampa Bay. That could be moving time for some other teams in the hunt.

Vancouver Canucks Record: 26-26-7, 59 points Games remaining: 23 (14 home, 9 road) Games against current playoff teams: 12 Games against the Blackhawks: 1 (March 18 in Chicago) Hot or cold: Room temperature. Vancouver has hovered around the .500 mark for much of the season. Key injuries: LW Sven Baertschi and D Alex Edler are out indefinitely with concussions. C Brandon Sutter is out for at least two more weeks.

The skinny: Poor Michael DiPietro’s debut aside (the 19-year-old goalie was thrown into the fire against the Sharks and gave up seven goals), the Canucks have been led by their young stars in this pleasant surprise of a season. Twenty-year- old wunderkind Elias Pettersson has been better than a point-a-game player, 21-year-old Brock Boeser has avoided a sophomore slump with 20 goals in 46 games, and 23-year-old Bo Horvat is having a career year and is already at 20 goals. Can the kids carry the Canucks into the postseason in the first year post-Sedins, a year that was supposed to be the start of a long rebuild? Hey, in the West, anything can happen. The Athletic’s Jason Brough says: Just a few weeks ago, their owner was tweeting about the Canucks being the healthiest they’ve been all season. Nice jinx, Francesco! Since then, the Canucks have been decimated, most significantly losing their No. 1 defenseman, Alex Edler. On the bright side, the Canucks still have Elias Pettersson, their best rookie since Pavel Bure. He provides hope. But there are still no realistic expectations for the Canucks to make the playoffs.

Colorado Avalanche Record: 23-23-11, 57 points Games remaining: 25 (15 home, 10 road) Games against current playoff teams: 12 Games against the Blackhawks: 3 (Feb. 22 in Chicago, March 23 in Chicago, March 24 in Denver) Hot or cold: Cold (1-3-3 since the All-Star break) Key injuries: D Ian Cole is out indefinitely with a fractured orbital bone suffered in a fight with Washington’s Tom Wilson. C Colin Wilson is out with an undisclosed injury.

The skinny: The Avs have fewer regulation losses than the Golden Knights, and the same amount of regulation losses as the Stars. Yet a whopping 11 losses in overtimes and shootouts have them on the outside of the playoff picture. The Avs have ridden their dominant top line of Mikko Rantanen, Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog all season. The trio have been on the ice for 93 goals for and just 39 goals against at all strengths. But their play has dipped lately — in the seven games since the All-Star break and bye week, they’ve combined for just four goals. Not surprisingly, the Avs lost the first six of those games (three in OT). An impressive 4-1 victory in Winnipeg on Thursday stopped the bleeding.

Chicago Blackhawks Record: 24-25-9, 57 points Games remaining: 24 (12 home, 12 road) Games against current playoff teams: 11 (including last four) Trending: Hottest team in the West outside of St. Louis Key injuries: G Corey Crawford is on the verge of returning from his second concussion in 12 months.

The skinny: The Blackhawks have won eight of nine despite giving up at least 36 shots on goal in eight of their last 11 games, and at least 43 shots on goal in three of their last four (the one time they didn’t was the lone loss, in Boston). Patrick Kane, riding a 16-game point streak and averaging more than two points per game for nearly two months, has put the team on his back and is now very much in the Hart Trophy discussion, especially if he can get the Blackhawks into the postseason. Crawford’s looming return will be fascinating, as Cam Ward and Collin Delia have done quite well in his absence lately.

Arizona Coyotes Record: 25-27-5, 55 points Games remaining: 25 (14 home, 11 road) Games against current playoff teams: 10 Games against the Blackhawks: 2 (March 11 in Chicago, March 26 in Arizona) Hot or cold: Lukewarm Key injuries: (deep breath) C Nick Schmaltz (knee) is out for the season. G Antti Raanta (knee) has been out since Nov. 27 and seems unlikely to return. C Christian Dvorak (pectoral) is on the verge of making his season debut. D Jason Demers (knee) has been out since Nov. 15 and could return in March. F Michael Grabner (eye) has been out since Dec. 1. C Brad Richardson (hand) just returned Thursday after more than a month.

The Athletic’s Craig Morgan says: The Coyotes have been a good road team at 15-13-2, but they have 23 points in 27 home games (10-14-3), the NHL’s fewest home points, and 14 of their final 25 games are at home. They are 30th in the league in 5-on-5 goals (93), their power play has sputtered most of the season and the team leader in goals (Alex Galchenyuk) has a whopping 12. It’s tough to evaluate this team, given the injuries, but it’s not hard to see they don’t have enough top-end forward talent. They are in this race (like everyone else) because it is such a bad race and because they defend very well on most nights. Nik Hjalmarsson is having a retro year.

Edmonton Oilers Record: 24-28-5, 56 points Games remaining: 25 (13 home, 12 road) Games against current playoff teams: 13 Games against the Blackhawks: 0 Hot or cold: Ice cold (1-7-2 in their last 10). Key injuries: D Matt Benning (upper body), D Andrej Sekera (two more AHL games before returning from offseason Achilles surgery).

The Athletic’s Jonathan Willis says: The club is in free fall, having won just six of their last 24 games, and coach Ken Hitchcock (accurately) said the other day that they need to get four points out of every three-game segment between now and the end of the year. The have just three players producing up front and the goaltending has been up-and-down and generally not very good, though the defense has improved since the return of Oscar Klefbom and will improve again if Sekera looks anything like he did the last time he was healthy.

Anaheim Ducks Record: 22-27-9, 57 points Games remaining: 24 (13 home, 11 road) Games against current playoff teams: 12 Games against the Blackhawks: 1 (Feb. 27 in Anaheim) Hot or cold: Frigid. Key injuries: Goalies John Gibson (head and neck) and Chad Johnson are both on injured reserve. RW Patrick Eaves is on the verge of returning, and C Ryan Getzlaf is dealing with a stiff back.

The Athletic’s Eric Stephens says: The Ducks stopped a seven-game losing streak Wednesday with a 1-0 victory as pitched a 35-save shutout in his first NHL start. But they were still out-shot, 35-22, and continue to have major issues getting the puck out of their side of the ice and generating zone time (and quality scoring chances) in the offensive end. Jakob Silfverberg might have improved his stock with the trade deadline coming up as he scored his team- leading 13th goal. Murray, who won his first game as interim GM, is trying to re-sign the fine two-way winger, but he’ll move him if they can’t come to an agreement. Term is believed to be the sticking point for the 28-year-old.

Los Angeles Kings Record: 23-28-6, 57 points Games remaining: 25 (14 home, 11 road) Games against current playoff teams: 13 Games against the Blackhawks: 2 (March 2 in Los Angeles, March 30 in Los Angeles) Hot or cold: Tepid. After showing signs of life with three straight wins over the Rangers, Devils and Flyers, they’re 0-1-2 since. Key injuries: Jeff Carter has missed five games with a lower-body injury, but could return Saturday. C Trevor Lewis returned after missing three months with a foot injury.

The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman says: Their injury woes have improved — just in time for the trade deadline. Playing better of late, but we’re not talking about a very high bar. Players are waiting for the other shoe to drop, wondering who gets traded next. Just don’t call it a rebuild. Management is terrified of that word. Ilya Kovalchuk looked like he was auditioning for the scouts (Thursday) night and played appreciably better and became involved physically. Looks like they are leaning toward keeping Alec Martinez (someone has to eat up D minutes!) and so far other teams have been told that the Kings aren’t willing to move Tyler Toffoli. Very odd.

ColumbusBlueJackets.com PREVIEW: Blue Jackets, moms head to Chicago

By Jeffrey Svoboda February 15, 2019

In preparing for each game, the Blue Jackets don't spend a ton of time worrying about the opposition.

Head coach John Tortorella might talk about the impact players on the other team, and the Jackets will watch video of the opponent's special team units in an effort to try to pick up tendencies.

But in an 82-game season, overloading a team with information about the opposition is just too much. Instead, Tortorella wants his team to worry about its own game, and if his team plays well, it'll end up winning more often than not.

"My whole thinking ever since I've coached is we have enough problems working about our game than to worry about the other team's game," Tortorella said. "I think if you start showing or talking too much about the other team, you're counterpunching right away before the puck is even dropped.

"We want to inflict. We want to work on our execution and just stay consistent in our game."

But with that in mind, the turnaround the Blue Jackets are about to face from one opponent to another is about as dramatic as can be.

The New York Islanders, the team that shut out Columbus in Thursday's loss at Nationwide Arena, think defense first, and maybe second and third as well. The Islanders' goal is to make it hard to enter the defensive zone and even harder when you get there, and the team is content to funnel toward its net to take away clear looks at the goaltender and passes across the middle of the ice. As a result, New York entered the game first in the NHL with just 2.34 goals allowed per game.

Then there's the , Columbus' opponent on Saturday night on the road. The Blackhawks want to play defense, of course, but the numbers say they're simply not as good at it as the Islanders.

Chicago has allowed 3.62 goals per game, second worst in the NHL, and if it weren't for the fact Ottawa has somehow been even worse (3.65 goals per game), the Blackhawks would be on pace to allow the most goals by an NHL team since Philadelphia's 2006-07 squad, which also gave up 3.62 per game.

Instead, the Blackhawks win -- or have been winning -- with offense. Chicago has emerged victorious in eight of its last nine and outscored opponents by an average margin of 5.0-3.1 in that span.

So do the Blue Jackets change their approach heading into the United Center?

"No," defenseman Seth Jones said. "We have to check a lot better than we did last game, do things on both sides of the puck that we can be better at. We're going to watch film tomorrow. They have a lot of firepower, but the team we played last night had a lot of firepower, too."

That firepower hasn't always translated to success, and in fact before its hot run Chicago was last in the Western Conference in points. Suddenly, earning 16 of a possible 18 points over the last four weeks has put the team in back in the race, as the Blackhawks were just two points out of the final wild card spot going into Friday's games in the super crowded West.

The energy has returned to the United Center, where Chicago has won five straight, and the Blue Jackets have to be ready for what should be a massive crowd on a Windy City Saturday night.

"It's one of the best (buildings) in the league for sure, for me at least," Jones said. "The atmosphere is unbelievable. The crowd always seems into it every night. It should be pretty exciting for not only us but the moms as well."

That's right, the Blue Jackets' moms are in town, having traveled with the team to Chicago on the team's first-ever moms' trip. Most were in attendance for Thursday's loss to the Islanders, and no one wants to face two losses with the moms in town.

"Nobody wants to upset their mom," captain Nick Foligno said. "Dads are one thing, but nobody wants to make their mom mad. We let them down last night."

Know The Foe Chicago enters as one of the hottest teams in the NHL, having won seven straight before Tuesday's 6-3 loss to Boston. In that span, the Blackhawks scored 37 goals, an average of 5.3 per game. The Blackhawks then got the offense going again Thursday night in a 5-2 triumph over New Jersey.

The charge has largely been led by Patrick Kane, who is currently on a 16-game point streak, including three points in the win vs. the Devils. In that span, he has an 12-23-35 line, including six goals and 10 assists during the team's seven-game winning streak.

On the season, Kane has 34 goals, 51 assists and 85 points, which places him second in the NHL in both goals and points. Backing him up are Jonathan Toews, who has a 26-31-57 line, and burgeoning goal scorer Alex DeBrincat, who has 29 goals among his 54 points.

In net, two-time Cup-winning goalie Corey Crawford is nearing a return after suffering another concussion, but it seems unlikely he'll play vs. Columbus. The net largely has fallen to rookie Collin Delia, who has started 13 games and is 6-3-3 with a 3.22 goals-against average and .916 save percentage. Cam Ward has been serving as the backup with a 3.60 GAA and .898 save percentage in 23 starts.

3 Keys Stop Kane: OK, this is easier said than done, but any chance at leaving with a win comes down to keeping the line of Kane, Toews and Drake Caggiula from putting up multiple goals.

Stem the tide: The United Center, aka the Madhouse on Madison, can be one of the hardest places in the NHL to play with a hockey capacity of more than 21,000 fans. Not letting one goal turn into two or three is huge.

Score on the power play: The Blackhawks are last in the NHL in penalty kill, giving up goals on 73.4 percent of opposing chances. The Jackets haven't scored in the last two games and could use at least one man-up goal vs. Chicago.

Of Note Entering 2018-19, the teams had split the previous three season series. … Columbus has won three road games in a row and has won 17 of its first 27 road games, a franchise record. … Chicago features two former Blue Jackets in Brandon Saad (19-15-34) and Artem Anisimov (9-17-26) as well as Dublin native Connor Murphy, a former AAA Blue Jacket who has eight points and a plus-12 rating in 28 games along the blue line. … The teams previously met Oct. 20 in Columbus, with the Blackhawks taking a 4-1 victory. … The Blue Jackets rank second in the NHL in penalty kill percentage overall (84.5 percent) and first since Nov. 1 (101-of-114; 88.6 percent) and on the flip side have scored on 10 of their last 36 power plays.

Roster Notes: Columbus forwards Jenner (lower body) and Hannikainen did not travel. Kole Sherwood was brought up on an emergency recall while Brandon Dubinsky, who did travel with the team despite missing the last four games with a hip injury, was placed on injured reserve. ColumbusBlueJackets.com CBJ place C Brandon Dubinsky on injured reserve

By Blue Jackets Staff February 15, 2019

The Columbus Blue Jackets have placed center Brandon Dubinsky on Injured Reserve retroactive to February 2 and added right wing Kole Sherwood to the roster on emergency recall from the Cleveland Monsters, Columbus' affiliate, club General Manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced today.

Dubinsky, who has missed the past four games due to a hip injury, has collected five goals and six assists for 11 points with 34 penalty minutes in 37 outings during the 2018-19 season. He has also won 55.5 percent of face-offs taken this season. The Anchorage, Alaska native has registered 152-283-435 and 903 penalty minutes in 799 career NHL games.

Sherwood, 22, has notched 11-3-14 with 42 penalty minutes in 34 games with the Monsters this season, ranking fifth on the club in goals during his first full professional season. He also tallied 1-0-1 in a three-game stint with the ECHL's Jacksonville IceMen.

The New Albany, Ohio native has registered 11-3-14 and 44 penalty minutes in 36 career AHL games with the Monsters since making his pro debut at the end of the 2016-17 campaign. He tallied 75-104-179, 169 penalty minutes and was +33 in 180 career Ontario Hockey League games with the London Knights, Flint Firebirds and Kitchener Rangers from 2015- 18, including 30-30-60 in 57 contests with the Rangers in 2017-18. Signed by the Blue Jackets to a three-year, entry level contract on July 7, 2015, the 6-1, 202-pound right wing played three seasons with the Ohio AAA Blue Jackets organization from 2012-15.

The Blue Jackets return to action on Saturday when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks. Game time from United Center is 8:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage on FOX Sports Ohio begins with the Blue Jackets Live pre-game show starting at 8 p.m. All Blue Jackets games televised on FOX Sports Ohio will also be streamed live via the FOX Sports app. The game may also be heard on the Eldorado Gaming Scioto Downs Blue Jackets Radio Network, including Sports Radio 97.1 FM The Fan in Columbus, and online at BlueJackets.com.

Columbus Dispatch Zach Werenski’s education continues in 3rd year

By Jacob Myers February 15, 2019

Zach Werenski’s first two seasons with the Blue Jackets might have been too good.

The former first-round pick was so prolific on offense it created the illusion that his game was about as complete as it could be when he entered the league at age 19. This season has shown there are still plenty of elements of his game that need fine-tuning, especially the ones that define what he’s paid to be — a defenseman.

“I think my first year, things went really smooth,” Werenski said. “Last year with the (shoulder) injury, it was kind of hard to play through it a lot and learn. Obviously, this year, with the learning curve I had early on, I think I’ve come a long way since then.”

Werenski had 27 goals and 57 assists in his rookie and sophomore seasons combined, making him one of the brightest young offensive blue-liners in the NHL. This season, his shortcomings on defense have been exposed a bit more, resulting in him playing more on the second or third defensive pairs rather than with Seth Jones on the first pair like in previous seasons.

Coach John Tortorella said Werenski is improving but is still a work in progress.

“He’s improving on all aspects of his game defensively, and the thing with him is just to make sure while he’s improving defensively that he doesn’t lose his offensive instincts and his offensive aggressiveness,” he said.

Tortorella benched Werenski at times this season for making the wrong play or for not being tenacious enough going after the puck. Werenski has owned up to his deficiencies.

He said assistant coach Brad Shaw, who returned to his role coaching defensemen in December, has put together one or two clips after each game for Werenski to watch on things he can improve or things that worked well.

“Usually when I see it once, it doesn’t happen again,” Werenski said. “I think for me it’s just watching those and the next time it happens I know what to do. Or if it’s a good thing, I know to keep doing that.”

He has been focusing on being more physical on defense, which hasn’t hurt his offensive output at nine goals and 21 assists. Noticeably fewer players are able to get around him in the Jackets’ zone.

“You probably see him two, three, four times a game lay his body into someone, which is pretty fun to see,” Jones said.

Werenski will be a restricted free agent after the season. Assuming he’s a part of the Jackets’ long-term plans — a pretty safe assumption — his development is important to the organization.

“I think it’s been a good year for me in terms of just learning and kind of figuring out what I can and can’t do,” Werenski said. “I think it’s only going to continue to get better.”

Columbus Dispatch Kole Sherwood set for NHL debut with Brandon Dubinsky, Boone Jenner and Markus Hannikainen out

By Jacob Myers February 15, 2019

Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky has been placed on the injured reserve list and New Albany native Kole Sherwood has been recalled from AHL Cleveland, the team announced Friday.

The team traveled to Chicago for its game Saturday against the Blackhawks, where Sherwood will join the club and likely make his NHL debut.

This is the second time Sherwood has been promoted from the AHL. He was recalled for the first time on Jan. 13 but didn’t play in a game before being sent back to Cleveland the next day.

Dubinsky has missed the past five games with a hip injury and the move to IR is retroactive to Feb. 2. He has recorded 5- 6-11 with a minus-11 in 37 games played this season.

Part of the reason Dubinsky was moved to make room for Sherwood is that center Boone Jenner and wing Markus Hannikainen will not be traveling with the team to Chicago.

Jenner and Hannikainen did not practice Friday at Nationwide Arena before the team left for Chicago. Jenner was seen walking near the team locker room with his right ankle wrapped Friday. He has played the past four games after missing three games for an infected laceration on his right ankle that he suffered on Jan. 12 against Washington.

Coach John Tortorella said Jenner is “nicked” and Hannikainen is sick. Defenseman Ryan Murray was also not on the ice Friday, but Tortorella said it was just “maintenance.”

Without Jenner and Hannikainen, Eric Robinson likely will draw into the lineup with Sherwood.

The Athletic

‘Let’s be honest: We’re a hell of a lot more fun!’ Welcome to the Blue Jackets’ first-ever mothers’ trip

By Aaron Portzline February 15, 2019

Every time Amy Jones heard about an NHL team hosting a “fathers day” trip, she became a little more irritated and a touch more outspoken.

Decked out in her son’s No. 3 Blue Jackets sweater for Thursday’s game against the New York Islanders, Jones was well underway with the weekend when she smiled and joked about NHL teams finally coming around.

“We gave birth to the children who became these players,” said Jones, the mother of Blue Jackets defenseman Seth Jones. “So explain that to me. Why was the moms trip not the first trip? Why haven’t there always been mothers trips?”

The Blue Jackets, who have had several fathers trips through the years, have long considered adding a mothers trip, too. But Jones began pressing the issue as far back as August 2017, and she quickly learned she had allies.

“It’s cool that they’re doing a moms trip,” said Kristen Werenski, the mother of Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski. “But, like a couple of moms said, we were at the flippin’ rink more than the dads when these guys were little.

“Plus, let’s be honest: We’re a hell of a lot more fun.”

Sixteen women arrived at Nationwide Arena on Thursday to witness the Jackets lose 3-0 to the Islanders. On Friday, they attended morning practice and flew on the Blue Jackets’ charter to Chicago, where they had dinner at Gibson’s, a swanky steak joint. No coaches and management, just players and moms.

On Saturday, they’ll go sightseeing during the day, then attend the Blue Jackets game against the Blackhawks in United Center. Then it’s back on the charter to return home.

“Before Seth walked out (of his home) for the game (on Thursday), he gave me the biggest hug,” Amy Jones said. “I told him, ‘I want you to know how much this means to me.’ And he said, ‘Me, too, Mom. I’m glad you’re here.’ And so, yeah, I started this fun weekend by crying.

“We feel like we are a part of this journey since they were little kids. We’ve gotten up with them, stayed up late with them, been through the injuries, the trips to the emergency room, suffered the losses, gone through the ups and downs … probably, in most cases, more than the men. So this feels really, really special.”

Jones has always credited his mother with most of his upbringing. His father, former NBA player Popeye Jones, has led the much-traveled life of a pro athlete. He’s currently an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers.

Amy Jones might soon get two mothers trips per year. Another son, Caleb Jones, has played sparingly with the Edmonton Oilers this season but is considered a bright prospect.

“She’s always been the rock of the family,” he said. “She has a great personality. She taught me how to grow up and be a man, things outside of hockey that I’ll always take with me.”

Many of the mothers are frequent visitors to games in Nationwide Arena, but they haven’t seen the insides of the operation — walking onto the plane from the tarmac, staying in posh, five-star hotels, etc.

They’ve heard stories, but …

“My mom is going to have a blast, and I love having her here,” Werenski said. “The dads are a little more uptight and serious. I think the moms will be more fun, more relaxed.”

As Jones and Werenski lead the Blue Jackets’ blue line, so their moms seem to lead the mothers group. They traveled to last Saturday’s game in Las Vegas — along with Terri Jenner, Boone’s mom, and Michelle Anderson, Josh’s mom — as a warm-up to this weekend.

But everybody’s chipped in something: Ellen Atkinson, Cam’s mother, showed up with custom pink T-shirts for each mother bearing their son’s sweater number.

“They are going to have a blast, I can tell already,” Seth Jones said. “We’re excited that they’re getting a little bit of the credit now, not just the dads. I know they’re going to be buzzing.”

Perhaps literally. The moms will have different hotel rooms from their sons.

“It just makes sense,” Kristen Werenski said. “We’re going to go to dinner and go out, when the boys have to go to bed to rest up for the game (on Saturday).

“If you get home at 2 in the morning, or 3 … I don’t know how late Chicago stays open … then we can just go to bed.”

Stand-in moms

Oliver Bjorkstrand’s parents live in Denmark, so he asked his aunt, Cheryl Kelsey, to come on the trip. Kelsey traveled many times from her home in Minnesota to see Bjorkstrand play in Portland, Ore., during his major junior days.

“She’s played a big role in my life, absolutely,” Bjorkstrand said. “So this is nice to be able to do.”

Here’s a funny twist, too.

Kelsey and Fox Sports Ohio rink-side reporter Dave Maetzold were high school sweethearts during the late 1970s in Minnesota, which led to some good-natured ribbing from Bjorkstrand on Friday. (Both are now happily married.)

For Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno, the weekend will be bittersweet. His mother died of cancer in 2009 when he was 21 years old.

“Not having my mom here anymore … it probably means a little more to me, seeing them with their moms than they realize,” Foligno said.

Foligno asked his two older sisters, Cara (Murphy) and Lisa (Carey), to come in his mother Janis’ place.

“I don’t want to get too (pauses) … they’ve become like my mom just in the way they’ve helped guide me these last 10 years,” Foligno said. “They’ve become mother figures in my life, absolutely.

“I couldn’t pick between the two of them. It was either them or no one. I want them to see what I do, but I also want to say ‘thank you.’

Lisa, who lives in Rochester, N.Y., met Cara in Buffalo, and they drove to Columbus together on Thursday.

“It actually brought tears to my eyes when Nick asked us,” Lisa said. “It makes me feel honored to fill my mom’s shoes. We never will, of course, but we’re going to fill some kind of a void for him.”

Cara said she’s already found herself reminiscing about all those days of her youth spent at the rink with their younger brothers Nick and Marcus, who plays for the Minnesota Wild.

This weekend will be one of the rare times Nick and his two sisters can spend time together like they did in years gone by.

“My mom used to bring Nick and Marcus to the rink all the time,” Cara said. “The others’ moms, they probably made the same sacrifices. The early mornings and the late nights. The effort it takes to get their kids to this level.

“It brings back that part of my memory of our mom. We’re here in her place, and I feel like I’ll be thinking about her a lot this weekend.”

First of many trips

The Blue Jackets appear to be settling into a rhythm with these trips: fathers in the even years, mothers in the odd, though it’s hardly set in stone.

Clearly the women are committed. Catharina Wennberg traveled from Sweden and Heidi Dubinsky from Anchorage, Alaska, to take part.

“They seem like a lively bunch,” Cara Murphy said. “So much fun. We’re excited to get to know them.”

Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella timed his exit from the practice rink poorly Thursday, getting snared in a group of mothers behind the benches.

The man who has opined on many of their sons in recent seasons got an earful, he said.

“I went through the whole gantlet,” Tortorella said, smiling. “I’ve already heard some thoughts about their sons as I was going through it. Trying to be a gentleman, as I am, and there were quite a few thoughts thrown my way.

“This is before we even get on the plane, so I’ve got some meetings set up.”

Asked if the meetings could result in line changes or different roles, Tortorella laughed.

“I’ll let them talk and see where it goes,” he said.

Tortorella kept smiling, even as he stopped joking.

“I think it’s fantastic,” he said. “If you asked me 10 years ago, I would have said, ‘Go to hell! No one’s going on the plane, no one’s coming in the room. Leave us alone. It’s a business.’

“But this is really important. To have your mom watching you play and travel with you is just fantastic. Your dad is going to coach you or be a little critical about it. You mom is just pulling for you.”

Seth Jones said he fears for Blackhawks fans who might come in contact with the Blue Jackets’ moms on Saturday in United Center.

“I know my mom is ecstatic to be here,” said Anthony Duclair, whose mother, Dominique Rafael, traveled from Montreal. “She’s already best friends with everyone.

“I told her to calm down a little bit. Pace yourself. She’s probably going to be one of the loudest ones there. Once she gets with that group, she’ll get going.”

Thursday’s 3-0 loss to the Islanders was a “bit of a dud” to start the trip. It’s put more pressure on the Blue Jackets to play well against the Blackhawks on Saturday.

“Nobody wants to piss off their moms, right?” Foligno said.

Notebook

• Tortorella said C Boone Jenner (lower body) won’t travel to Chicago and is day-to-day. That’s a bad break on two fronts: Jenner has played well of late as the second-line center, and his mother, Terri Jenner, is part of the mothers trip.

• RW Markus Hannikainen (illness) is not traveling to Chicago, either.

• With Jenner and Hannikainen out Saturday, the Blue Jackets recalled F Kole Sherwood from AHL Cleveland. Unless C Brandon Dubinsky (hip) is activated from injured reserve, Sherwood and Eric Robinson would draw in the lineup Saturday versus Chicago. For Sherwood, of New Albany, it marks his NHL debut for his childhood team.

• Sherwood has seven goals and no assists — yes, 7-0-7 — in his last 11 games. He has 11-3-14 on the season.

• D Ryan Murray (upper body) did not skate Friday.