Today’s News Clips Nov. 16, 2018

ChicagoBlackhawks.com

PREVIEW: Blackhawks vs Kings 11/16

By Chris Wescott November 15, 2018

The Blackhawks are fresh off their first win under new Jeremy Colliton, a 1-0 shutout victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night. With points in two straight games, is looking to continue to progress as they host the Los Angeles Kings on Friday evening.

The Blackhawks are led in scoring by Patrick Kane, who has 23 points (12G, 11A) in 18 games this season. Alex DeBrincat is currently second on the team with 16 (9G, 7A) in 19 games. Chicago has two rookies near the top of their class in terms of assists. As of Thursday afternoon, Henri Jokiharju led the pack with nine, while Dominik Kahun was tied for second with Vancouver's Elias Pettersson with seven helpers.

Corey Crawford leads Chicago between the pipes with a 2.76 GAA and .911 save percentage through 10 games. He is coming off a 28-save shutout win.

Ilya Kovalchuk is at the top of Los Angeles' scoring list with 14 points (5G, 9A) through 17 games. Jeff Carter and Drew Doughty each have 10 points.

With their goaltender Jonathan Quick unavailable (torn meniscus surgery), Jack Campbell has played the most between the pipes for the Kings. He has a .923 save percentage through 13 games.

SEASON SERIES:

This is the first time these two teams have met this season. In 2017-18, the Blackhawks went 1-2-0 in three games against the Kings.

They'll meet again in Los Angeles on March 2 and March 30.

LINEUP NOTES:

After Thursday's optional practice, Colliton said there's a chance that Marcus Kruger (left leg) could be activated off IR. Brandon Davidson is day-to-day with a right leg injury.

Stay tuned for updates following the morning skate.

OPPONENT TO WATCH:

Doughty leads the Kings defense in scoring with 10 points this season. He also leads the team in ice time, averaging 26:52 minutes per game.

Doughty was taken second-overall in the 2008 NHL Draft. He has played 787 regular season games in his career, recording 103 goals and 329 assists. He has also played in 84 postseason games, scoring 16 goals and adding 35 assists.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com

THREE STARS: Raddysh leading IceHogs from blueline

By Austin Siegel November 15, 2018

Every Thursday throughout the 2018-19 season, chicagoblackhawks.com will highlight prospects who have stood out for their junior, college or professional team in the previous week's action.

Here are this week's Three Stars.

FIRST STAR D Darren Raddysh (Rockford) THE NUMBERS: 16 GP, 4 G, 8 A

Darren Raddysh might not have the high draft-pick status of most defensive phenoms, but the 22-year-old's resume was enough to earn a contract with the Blackhawks in 2018. It's not hard to see why. Raddysh was a former teammate of Alex DeBrincat in Erie and was voted the OHL's Most Outstanding Defenseman in 2017.

He's continued that impressive rise in Rockford, where Raddysh leads all IceHogs defenseman in goals, assists and points this season. In November, he logged his fourth multi-point game of the season and shares the team lead in total scoring with Dylan Sikura. In a 4-3 win over the on Saturday, Raddysh struck with a on the power play.

SECOND STAR C Mikael Hakkarainen (Muskegon) THE NUMBERS: 9 GP, 8 G, 10 A

A Three Stars regular, Hakkarainen was voted the USHL's Forward of the Week for his recent performance with the Muskegon Lumberjacks. In two games last week, the Blackhawks fifth-round selection in the 2018 NHL Draft recorded six points including a hat trick against the Youngstown Phantoms. A two-assist performance on Saturday - also against Youngstown - was enough to secure USHL honors for Hakkarainen.

THIRD STAR RW John Dahlstrom (IKO - Sweden) THE NUMBERS: 17 GP, 3 G, 3 A

It's easy to forget that Blackhawks draft picks from way back in 2015 are still kids just coming into their own as professional hockey players. Enter, John Dahlstrom. A seventh-round pick of the Blackhawks just days after Chicago won their sixth Stanley Cup, Dahlstrom is currently plying his trade in Sweden. Playing for a IKO team currently top of the division and eyeing promotion to the SHL, Dahlstrom has one of the highest +/- of any prospect in the Chicago system (7). With a promotion battle on the horizon, Dahlstrom could be in for a crucial 2018-19 season.

ROCKFORD REPORT:

The era in Rockford is off to a flying start, as the IceHogs picked up wins against Milwaukee and Chicago to buoy their position in the AHL's Central Divison. A road trip through Texas will test the squad, who saw their five-game point streak snapped with a loss in Grand Rapids on Wednesday. Newly signed Justin Auger scored in his first two games with Rockford on a PTO, after beginning the season with the Florida Everblades of the ECHL. Anton Forsberg continued his strong form with the IceHogs, currently second in the AHL in GAA and save percentage.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com

RELEASE: Blackhawks announce Hockey Fights Cancer details

By Media Relations November 15, 2018

The Chicago Blackhawks will host "Hockey Fights Cancer" night at the on Sunday, Nov. 18, when the team faces off against the Minnesota Wild.

More Info about 's One More Shift

The night will kick-off with a special Purple Carpet event in the United Center Atrium at 3 p.m. Blackhawks Television Color Analyst Eddie Olczyk and former forward Adam Burish will host the event, which will honor fans who are currently battling cancer, have lost a loved one to cancer and those who are in remission. This special event is generously supported by CIBC, which will also be donating $20,000 to the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation for cancer-related causes. Following the Purple Carpet event, gates will open, and the first 10,000 fans to enter the United Center will receive a Blackhawks cancer awareness hat, also presented by CIBC.

Additional moments to raise cancer awareness throughout the evening include:

Players will wear one-of-a-kind lavender jerseys during warmups, which will each be autographed and auctioned off online. Coaches and broadcasters will wear lavender ties, which will also be included in the auction accompanied by an autographed photo. The auction on chicagoblackhawks.com will begin on Sunday, Nov. 18, and run through 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30, with all proceeds benefitting various local cancer-related organizations through the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation.

Through the team's partnership with Make-A-Wish Illinois and Bear Necessities, five local children will accompany the Blackhawks starting lineup on the blue line for the National Anthem. Carter Holmes, an 11-year-old from Viroqua, Wis., who is battling Hodgkin's Lymphoma, will perform the ceremonial puck drop prior to the game as part of his Make-A- Wish experience.

There will be several additional opportunities for fans to help raise cancer awareness or contribute funds throughout the game:

"I Fight For" signs will be available around the concourse for fans to personalize upon arrival and share using #HockeyFightsCancer.

Hockey Fights Cancer t-shirts will be available for a $10 donation during the Purple Carpet ceremony in the United Center Atrium.

Player-autographed Hockey Fights Cancer mystery pucks will be sold on the concourse. Proceeds from the puck sales as well as Split-the-Pot and the Blackhawks silent auction will be donated across seven cancer-related organizations who will be sharing information with fans along the concourse including Make-A-Wish, Bear Necessities, Silver Lining Foundation, American Cancer Society, Ross MacNeill Foundation, Movember and Phil's Friends.

Sunday's game against Minnesota starts at 5 p.m. It can be seen on WGN-TV and heard on WGN Radio. For more information about the NHL and NHLPA's Hockey Fights Cancer initiative, please go to HockeyFightsCancer.com.

About Make-A-Wish

Make-A-Wish® creates life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses, seeking to bring every eligible child's wish to life because a wish is an integral part of a child's treatment journey. Research shows children who have wishes granted can build the physical and emotional strength they need to fight their illness.

About Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation

Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation is a national organization dedicated to eliminating pediatric cancer and to providing hope and support to those who are touched by it. The foundation has two unique programs: the Bear Hugs Program and Bear Discoveries. The Bear Hugs Program customizes experiences aimed at brightening the lives of children diagnosed with cancer, in addition to providing financial and essential support to families while the Bear Discoveries Program funds critical research for pediatric cancers.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com

RELEASE: Blackhawks to honor Olczyk with "One More Shift"

By Chicago Blackhawks Media Relations November 15, 2018

Former Chicago Blackhawks forward and current Television Color Analyst Eddie Olczyk will be honored with "One More Shift" as he takes the United Center ice on Sunday, Nov. 18, prior to the Blackhawks game against the Minnesota Wild at 5:00 p.m.

Olczyk, who battled stage three colon cancer last season, will join the team during the national anthem after the starting lineup has been announced on this special "Hockey Fights Cancer" night. In-arena elements will feature highlights of Olczyk's career as well as raise awareness and support for cancer-related causes.

The third-overall choice in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, Olczyk began his NHL career as an 18-year-old with his hometown Chicago Blackhawks in 1984-85. He played five seasons with the Blackhawks (1984-87; 1998-2000), recording 209 points (77G, 132A) in 322 games.

During his 16-year NHL career, he scored 342 goals and recorded 794 points in 1,031 games with Chicago, Toronto, Winnipeg, the New York Rangers, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, winning a Stanley Cup with the Rangers in 1994. He scored a career-high 42 goals during the 1987-88 campaign and recorded a career-high 90 points during the 1988-89 season with Toronto. He was also a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team and represented the U.S. in numerous international competitions.

After returning to Chicago to finish his NHL career with the Blackhawks, Olczyk retired from the league in 2000. He became the 16th Blackhawk inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame on Oct. 15, 2012.

Following his playing career, Olczyk served as Pittsburgh's Head Coach from 2003 to 2005 before continuing his career as a broadcaster. He is now in his 13th season as the Color Analyst for the Blackhawks' television broadcasts on NBC Sports Chicago and WGN-TV and has also served as lead analyst at NBC since 2007. Olczyk has received two Emmy Awards (2009, 2012) for his outstanding achievements in broadcasting as well as the Chicago Athletic Association's Ring Lardner Award in 2016.

In its third season, the "One More Shift" campaign allows fans to recognize former players one more time as they skate on the ice. While Olczyk is the first honoree of the 2018-19 season, previous honorees include former forwards Bryan Bickell, Al Secord, Eric Daze, Troy Murray and the late Stan Mikita during 2016-17 and Blackhawks Ambassador Denis Savard, former forwards Steve Larmer and Jeremy Roenick, and former goaltender Ed Belfour during 2015-16.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com

RELEASE: Chicago sports teams continue alliance for second year

By Chicago Blackhawks Media Relations November 15, 2018

The Chicago Sports Alliance, the collaboration of five of Chicago's professional sports teams, announced it will move forward in 2019 to lend the teams' collective reach and resources in support of finding innovative solutions to decrease violence in the city. This is the second consecutive year of the Alliance and its contributions.

With this announcement, the Chicago Bears, Chicago Blackhawks, Chicago Bulls, Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox, operating together as the Chicago Sports Alliance, confirmed the group will donate a total of $1 million in grants to continue supporting a partnership with the University of Chicago Crime Lab and Choose to Change (C2C), which combines Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc's high-intensity mentoring and advocacy with trauma-informed therapy provided by Children's Home & Aid. New this year, the Alliance will fund the targeted transitional job training program, READI Chicago (Rapid Employment and Development Initiative).

Last year, the Alliance provided a grant earmarked for analyst training at the Chicago Police Department's Strategic Decisions Support Centers (SDSCs). In 2018, additional support fully funded the training program and SDSCs. The support created the opportunity for the Alliance to direct investments toward a new program, READI Chicago.

The Alliance maintained the approach established in its first year by relying on data and expertise from the Crime Lab to direct the group's investments toward programs and efforts structured to produce more actionable insights.

The Crime Lab, which partners with policymakers and practitioners to help cities design and test ways to reduce crime and improve lives at scale, provides data-driven recommendations to the Alliance about promising ways to reduce violence. The ongoing support from the teams will further the Crime Lab's mission of working closely with nonprofits and city government to identify and help scale the most effective ways to reduce violence and support thriving communities in Chicago.

With support from the Alliance for a second year, C2C will expand its mentoring and trauma therapy program to more participants who are most at-risk for violence involvement in the Englewood community. Support from the Alliance in 2018 allowed C2C to add a fifth group of participants, reaching 60 additional at-risk youth. Preliminary results from the Crime Lab's randomized controlled trial evaluation indicate that participation in C2C reduced violent arrests by about 50 percent.

Through the Alliance grant, READI Chicago will add more young men at highest risk of becoming involved in gun violence to participate in the 18-month program providing transitional job training and trauma-informed cognitive behavioral therapy. READI Chicago is grounded in research that suggests the promise of employment opportunities coupled with therapy and training to help participants slow down their decision-making in high-stakes situations. READI Chicago is the first program of its scope and scale ever to be implemented.

Each team also will continue to work with the grant recipients throughout the year by providing in-kind support, as well as tapping into the teams' vast networks of fans and organizational strengths to help bring awareness to the programs.

"Our thanks to Jerry for organizing us. The Chicago Sports Alliance was his idea," said Chicago Bears Chairman George H. McCaskey. "He came to us and said, 'We've got to do what we can about the gun violence that is tearing apart our city.' Michael, Tom and Rocky have been incredibly supportive. My hat's off to them."

"Today we collectively recommit to supporting these important gun violence initiatives because we share a desire to give back to the community by making it a safer place to live, work and play," said Chicago Blackhawks Chairman . "The Chicago Blackhawks organization is honored to host this announcement at the MB Ice Arena, which was built for the community with the same vision and provides essential programming to underprivileged youth."

"We are proud to continue the Chicago Sports Alliance and partner with great organizations that are working to address the violence plaguing our city," said Michael Reinsdorf, Chicago Bulls President and Chief Operating Officer. "We want our players, coaches, front office, corporate partners and, most importantly, our fans to know we are committed to this issue and to join us in helping to find and support solutions. This cannot be done alone, and we are grateful that the Alliance teams have come together to try to make a positive and lasting impact on our city."

"Chicago has given my family and the Cubs so much. We want this city to reach its fullest potential. To do so, we must put an end to the senseless violence and offer hope and opportunity to every young person and every family in every neighborhood," said Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts. "We're determined to keep up the progress on this mission and do it in the spirit of teamwork with the Chicago Sports Alliance."

"Our organizations are part of the identity and history of the city of Chicago. Our teams live in the hearts of all Chicagoans. It's our responsibility to lend our collective power as iconic institutions to find solutions and motivate others to get involved," said Chicago White Sox and Bulls Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. "We have seen progress in the first year of this journey, and we're moving forward with the Chicago Sports Alliance into 2019 because gun violence continues to plague our hometown."

"This new investment by the Chicago Sports Alliance comes at a critical time for our city. We have already lost over 480 people to gun violence this year. That is 480 too many lives cut short," said Roseanna Ander, Executive Director of the University of Chicago Crime Lab. "The expansion of these promising programs with the support of the Alliance has the potential to stop bloodshed, to support our most vulnerable, and help build a safer, more vibrant Chicago. We are proud to partner with the Sports Alliance on this work, but there is much left to be done and the stakes could not be higher."

All five teams will continue their individual charitable and community relations efforts, which donate millions in financial and in-kind support annually to hundreds of organizations and programs across the Chicagoland area.

The teams will look to continue the Chicago Sports Alliance effort on an annual basis, and decisions regarding programs that will receive future funding will be made as the effort progresses.

For more information about the partnership, please visit urbanlabs.uchicago.edu/projects/chicago-sports-alliance.

About the University of Chicago Crime Lab

The University of Chicago Crime Lab partners with policymakers and practitioners to help cities design and test the most promising ways to reduce crime and improve human lives at scale. We focus on the most important criminal justice challenges of our time, including efforts to help Chicago and other cities prevent crime and violence from happening in the first place, improve schooling and income opportunities for those living in communities most impacted by violence and reduce the harms associated with the administration of criminal justice itself. To learn more about the Crime Lab, visit https://urbanlabs.uchicago.edu/labs/crime.

About Choose to Change (C2C)

The Choose to Change (C2C) program was developed by Chicago nonprofits Youth Advocate Programs (YAP) and Children's Home & Aid and selected as a winner of the University of Chicago Crime Lab's 2015 Design Competition. C2C is a six-month program focused on developing the individual strengths of youth to reduce criminal and violent behavior and improve academic achievement. Recognizing the multiple needs of youth at high-risk for being involved in violence, C2C youth are involved in therapy that seeks to improve their decision-making in high-stakes situations and teaches youth to avoid situations where violence is likely. Since 2015, C2C has served more than 500 youth between the ages of 13-18 in Chicago's Greater Englewood community.

About Rapid Employment and Development Initiative (READI Chicago)

READI Chicago is an innovative response to gun violence. The program connects individuals most highly impacted by gun violence involvement to paid transitional jobs, cognitive behavioral therapy and support services to help them create a viable path and opportunities for a different future, and to reduce violence in the city's most impacted neighborhoods. Heartland Alliance is partnering with six community organizations in Austin, West Garfield Park, North Lawndale, and the Greater Englewood to implement the program. Since Fall 2017, READI Chicago has already engaged over 300 men. The University of Chicago Crime and Poverty Labs are studying the program's impact through a randomized control trial evaluation.

NBCSportsChicago.com Chris Kunitz on in-season coaching change experience with Penguins that led to Stanley Cup

By Charlie Roumeliotis November 15, 2018

In-season coaching changes are hard to predict in the NHL. There were zero of them last season, which was a rarity. This year, there have already been two so far ( and John Stevens) and they're usually done for a similar reason: the group is underperforming and teams want to salvage whatever is left of the season.

Chris Kunitz was part of a mid-season coaching change as an alternate captain with Pittsburgh in 2015-16 when Mike Sullivan took over for Mike Johnston on Dec. 12 after the Penguins went 6-6-3 following a 9-4-0 start. It was probably time for a new voice there anyways, but the Penguins lost four straight games in regulation to start Sullivan’s tenure as coach. Things didn’t look great.

But it wasn’t because players weren’t responding. It was more-so the challenge of getting acclimated to a new system and unlearning old habits on the fly. That’s what the Blackhawks are going through right now with Jeremy Colliton.

“Some of the guys have played a different system and haven't played anything like this,” Kunitz said. “Being around the league, I've played in a system like this, I feel comfortable with the changes on the fly. But for some guys, it's not that natural instinct to do something different than they've been doing for 8-10 years."

In many ways, Sullivan and Colliton have a similar coaching style: play with pace, be aggressive on the forecheck, quick and clean zone exits. It helps having a guy like Kunitz in the locker room to help with that transition, for both the younger players and veterans.

Once the Penguins did get accustomed to the new system, they never looked back. They snapped that four-game losing streak on Dec. 21 and didn't lose back-to-back games in regulation the rest of the season. It was exactly what they needed. They went into the playoffs as one of the hottest teams — winning 13 of their final 14 games — and eventually went on to win the Stanley Cup, the first of their back-to-back.

Obviously, the 2018-19 Blackhawks are not the 2015-16 Penguins. But it provides a glimpse into how it takes time to adjust to a different system mid-season while also offering hope that it's not too late for a struggling team going through a coaching change to turn around their season.

"Any time there's something changing, guys want that 'why' or 'how does this affect what's going on out there?' Kunitz said. "It's easier if we talk through it as a group or with coaches to better understand why we're doing it and how we're trying to accomplish it and where the puck is supposed to be at certain times. Whenever we can just have that natural instinct to transition from watching it to doing it on the ice, that's when we'll have more success."

After going winless (0-2-1) in Colliton's first three games as an NHL head coach, the Blackhawks got back in the win column with a 1-0 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday night. They had been making progress, but weren't seeing the end result reflect that.

The Blackhawks got reinforcement that what they're doing is working so far, as long as they stick with it. If they continue to do that, the points will follow. And that's all they can control right now.

"It's starting to believe in yourself," Kunitz said. "... It's a process of understanding the system and getting to the right level of comfort with each other, but also going out there and outworking the other team. That's what it boils down to.

"With changing the systems, it's more learning and trying to educate yourself. Go out and practice, coach says keep it clean, have good passes and the results will come. When we go out there and we keep it clean in the D-zone, when we've come up the ice we've had good things, we've had success. Probably haven't scored as many goals as we should have, but in the end we have to work harder in our D-zone and when we do all that and put a complete game together, I know the end result will be there."

Chicago Tribune Rough starts, similar problems have the Blackhawks and Kings trying to find their way back to glory days

By Jimmy Greenfield November 15, 2018

It wasn’t too long ago that every NHL team feared the Blackhawks and Kings.

Now they fear ending up like them.

Over four seasons from 2012 to 2015, the Hawks and Kings each made three appearances in the Western Conference finals and combined to win all four Stanley Cups. They were the two best teams in the NHL, they knew it and their organizations reflected their success.

The former NHL powers are now working through similar issues: aging core players, salary-cap problems, head coaching turnover and a realization that making the playoffs is no longer a given.

Of the two teams, the Kings have had a considerably more dire season to date. When they face the Hawks at the United Center on Friday night they'll be doing so as not only the team with the worst record in the NHL but with their direction less certain.

They moved on two years ago from their Cup-winning coach , and last week showed little patience after a 4-8-1 start and fired his replacement, John Stevens. This despite Stevens leading the Kings to the playoffs in his first season with a 45-29-8 record.

While the Hawks fired coach Joel Quenneville and suffered through an eight-game losing streak, they at least had a permanent replacement in Jeremy Colliton as well as a sense that there’s a larger plan in place. The Kings have an interim coach in , losses in three of his first four games and an unhappy locker room.

“This is the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my hockey career, that all of us have had to deal with in our hockey career,” Kings defenseman Drew Doughty told the Los Angeles Times.

The Kings still talk of their championship window being open, but that’s likely wishful thinking. They have the oldest roster in the league and have won only one playoff game since winning their second Cup in 2014.

Anze Kopitar is off to a miserable start with just four goals and two assists, and Dustin Brown missed the first 10 games of the season after breaking his finger on a Kopitar slap shot in the final preseason game. Starting goalie Jonathan Quick and backup Jack Campbell are both out for up to six weeks with knee injuries.

The Kings barely have any cap space available this season and already have nearly $73 million committed to just 14 players next season when the cap limit is expected to be a little over $80 million. They started to deal with their cap issues by trading forward Tanner Pearson to the Penguins on Wednesday for Carl Hagelin, whose contract expires after this season. Pearson had two years left on his deal.

Even if the teams need awhile to return to their glory days, the memories will always remain. Colliton remembers watching the 2014 Western Conference finals when the Kings beat the Hawks in seven games, the finale ending on Alec Martinez’s overtime goal.

“I think that’s the best hockey I’ve ever seen,” Colliton said. “Obviously, I was working with my Swedish team, but I was home, so I typically was able to watch most of the playoffs. I just remember texting some of my people back in Sweden and saying, ‘Hey, wake up. You need to wake up. These games are unbelievable.’

“It’s been a special rivalry, so it’ll be fun.”

Chicago Tribune

Blackhawks will honor Eddie Olczyk through 'One More Shift' program

By Jimmy Greenfield November 15, 2018

On a night the Blackhawks will help raise money for cancer awareness through the NHL's "Hockey Fights Cancer" initiative, the team also will honor cancer survivor Ed Olczyk when he takes the ice for “One More Shift.”

Hawks players will wear lavender jerseys during warmups before Sunday night’s game against the Wild, which then will be autographed and auctioned. The money raised will help local cancer-related organizations.

Olczyk was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer last year and publicly shared his story while undergoing treatment. He was declared cancer-free in March.

Before the game, Olczyk will again don a Hawks jersey and skate onto the United Center ice. Olczyk was the Hawks’ first- round draft choice (No. 3 overall) in 1984 and scored 77 goals in five seasons with the team.

The Hawks' "One More Shift" program previously has honored players such as Al Secord, Ed Belfour, Steve Larmer and Jeremy Roenick, among others.

(Not a) party guy: Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton got his first NHL coaching victory Wednesday night, but it didn’t change his postgame routine.

“Just went back to the hotel, went to bed,” Colliton said. “But it’s a lot easier to come to the rink in the morning after a win. I’ll say that.”

Adaptation: Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith haven’t completely mastered Colliton’s defensive system yet, but he expects the veterans will be quick studies.

“Putting them together has helped because they’re sort of learning it together at the same time,” Colliton said. “And I see a progression and just even having a conversation with them today that they’re starting to feel more comfortable with what’s available and what’s not and how we want to play in certain situations. I think they’re pretty smart guys, they’ve been around. They’ll adjust pretty quickly.”

One-timers: Marcus Kruger (left leg) is expected to come off injured reserve Friday to play against the Kings. ... The Hawks are carrying 23 players, including eight defensemen, and will need to make a corresponding roster move. Defenseman Brandon Davidson has been dealing with a right leg injury and could take Kruger’s place on IR.

Chicago Sun Times Jeremy Colliton sends new message to Blackhawks after his first win as NHL coach

By Madeline Kenney November 15, 2018

Shortly after the Blackhawks beat the Blues, 1-0, Wednesday night at the United Center, captain drew the attention of the entire dressing room.

Holding a game puck, Toews said: “It took us a couple, but it’s the first of many.”

He then happily handed the puck off to Colliton.

Although Colliton admitted it was relieving to notch his first NHL win as a coach, he doesn’t plan to dwell on the victory.

Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton talks to his players during a timeout. | AP Photo/David Banks

“Just [have to] carry on,” Colliton said Thursday.

Colliton gathered the team for a brief film session Thursday before hosting an optional practice at MB Ice Arena, which only nine players participated in, including struggling veteran Brandon Saad. Colliton felt he needed to give some of the veteran players a day off to recuperate before the Hawks host the Kings on Friday.

“Guys have been going pretty hard here for a stretch and by no means are we taking our foot off the gas but we want to be full energy tomorrow,” Colliton said. “The energy level wasn’t as high yesterday as it was on Monday [when the Hawks lost in overtime to the Hurricanes]. We’d like to get back to that.”

Star winger Patrick Kane has seen the biggest jump in his average on-ice time to nearly 24 minutes per game under the new coaching staff. That’s nearly four minutes more on average than he played in the first 14 games of the season.

Duncan Keith and Toews are also averaging around one minute more of ice time per contest.

Despite the fatigue, Colliton believes players overall are adjusting well to his new system.

“We have to be realistic about how quickly they’re going to pick it up,” Colliton said. “Overall, we got to be pretty pleased with the transition … We got three out of four points [in the last two games], so we’re on the right path. Now the message — today we had a short meeting — to the team was we need to continue to put together solid performances, good performances and we’ll get our points.”

Chicago Sun Times

Blackhawks’ shoddy goal prevention may be too much to overcome

By Satchel Price November 15, 2018

Some of the first adjustments Jeremy Colliton made as Blackhawks coach came on defense.

The zone system used by Joel Quenneville got tweaked to implement more man coverage in the defensive third of the ice. Greater emphasis was placed on allowing defensemen to carry the puck up in transition rather than look for the quick pass. In the Hawks’ 1-0 victory over the Blues on Wednesday, we saw how that can all come together.

The changes under Colliton seemed, in part, to be an admission that the old approach wasn’t working. The team had been yielding goals by the barrel and goaltending couldn’t shoulder the load. According to Corsica, Cam Ward and Corey Crawford have allowed only 1.3 more goals than expected based on shot data.

The Hawks have remained a sieve despite that. They’re hoping strategic tweaks under Colliton and reinforcements such as Gustav Forsling, who made his NHL season debut Wednesday, can right the ship. Connor Murphy’s return may come soon, as well. Whether all this adds up to a stronger defensive effort will likely decide how the rest of the season goes.

Goal prevention hasn’t just been a small problem for the Hawks, so their urgency to make changes comes from an understandable place. Only one team in the NHL— rebuilding Ottawa — has allowed more goals per game. That’s not a spot you want to be in.

And if you look beyond the Senators’ mess this season and to recent history, the Hawks’ situation looks equally dicey.

Opposing teams have scored 67 goals through 19 games, an average of 3.5. Only 23 teams, including this season’s Hawks and Sens, have allowed that many so early since the 2004-05 lockout, per Hockey-Reference’s Play Index. The other 21 averaged just 33 wins and all but three of them missed the playoffs. None of them reached the conference finals.

That’s the path the Blackhawks have put themselves on. The only playoff teams to allow so many goals this early in the current era are the 2005-06 Flyers and Devils in the post-lockout offensive boom and the 2017-18 Penguins, who make for a tricky comparison given they boasted two of the best players of the generation. Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, as good as they remain, aren’t on the same level as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

And for everyone else, the inability to stop teams in October and November was a harbinger of things to come.

This is the most goals allowed by the Hawks through 19 games since 2005-06, when they finished with a 26-43-13 record and earned the draft pick that became Toews. The other season that stands out, 1998-99, ended with a 29-41-12 record.

Teams that allow this many goals early on tend not to figure it out quickly enough and meaningfully enough. While a shutout win over the Blues was a step in the right direction, Colliton and the players have their work cut out to avoid another last-place finish.

Daily Herald

How new Blackhawks coach is changing the defense

By John Dietz November 16, 2018

Having played in a combined 2,037 regular-season contests -- with nearly all of them coming under the tutelage of Joel Quenneville -- Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are used to playing the game a certain way.

So when the Chicago Blackhawks named Jeremy Colliton as Quenneville's successor last week, it meant the veteran defensemen's worlds were about to be turned completely upside down.

Indeed, two old dogs are finding out if they can be taught some new tricks.

"There's a little bit of a learning curve for us old buggers," Seabrook admitted after the Hawks shut out the St. Louis Blues 1-0 on Wednesday at the United Center. "But the way he's preaching it (and) the way he's talking about it is good stuff."

One of the biggest changes is happening in the Hawks' defensive zone as Colliton switches from Quenneville's zone style to more of a man-to-man defense.

To help them pick things up faster, Colliton paired Keith and Seabrook together the last two games.

And guess what? The Hawks didn't allow an even-strength goal in either contest.

"Putting them together has helped because they're learning it together at the same time," Colliton said. "I see a progression, and even in a conversation with them today they're starting to feel more comfortable. … They're pretty smart guys. They've been around (and) will adjust quickly."

So what exactly are the differences and what will you notice when you're watching?

A few things.

• First, when there's a 1-on-1 puck battle along the boards and an opponent is sending a second forward in, the Hawks have the green light to go and help out their teammate. If still another of the opponents' players goes in, another of Colliton's players can attack, as long as they stay on the defensive side of the puck.

"(New) Jersey would sometimes have four of their guys in one corner," Brandon Manning said. "As long you can get those guys stopped, they're not going to be able to come up with the puck."

• Manning, who had a tough time picking up Quenneville's system, said he believes it's not only easier to identify your man, but that the Hawks won't be sitting back and allowing opponents to dictate play as much as they did in the past.

Once guys are able to react instinctively, they'll jump on a guy and disrupt the offensive flow faster.

"With the old system -- left 'D' off the post, right 'D' off the post -- if they start cycling on you, it's harder to identify which guy's yours," Manning said. "You're a little more hesitant because having a D-man at the net, you're just kind of waiting for things to play out. The centerman is chasing more.

"(Man-to-man) is a lot more aggressive. It takes away time and space from the other team more rather than waiting for a centerman to come and support you or waiting for the left 'D' to go to his side of the ice. Once guys get it figured out it's going to be a lot quicker and a lot sharper." • The forwards are being asked to step up their defensive games -- and change their mindsets -- as well.

For example, when one of the defensemen decides to zoom over to the other side of the ice during a puck battle along the boards, it's absolutely critical that a retreating forward picks that D-man's player.

The Hawks looked utterly lost during the first game under Colliton as Carolina found all kinds of open ice and grabbed a 4-0 lead in less than 22 minutes.

"We got cut open over and over," Colliton said.

Said veteran Marcus Kruger: "I wouldn't say it's confusing, but it's a process. It's always a process, even if you play the same system for six, seven years.

"You've still got to learn and adapt. That's what we're doing now and we're taking it step by step. We're moving in the right direction."

Since that onslaught by the Hurricanes, Colliton's squad has given up just 6 goals in about 11 periods -- and 1 of those went into an empty net.

If the progression continues, the Hawks should easily win Friday against a reeling Los Angeles Kings squad that is 5-11-1 and has managed 2 goals in the last three games.

It almost feels like a must win, too, because after that the schedule gets really nasty.

"Overall, we've got to be pretty pleased with the transition," Colliton said. "When I watch the games, it's pretty clear that they're adjusting well. We were really good Monday (at Carolina) and we were solid (Wednesday), and we got 3 out of 4 points.

"So we're on the right path. … We need to continue to put together solid performances and we'll get our points."

Daily Herald

Chicago Blackhawks to honor Olczyk with One More Shift

By John Dietz November 16, 2018

The Chicago Blackhawks will honor Eddie Olczyk by giving the Chicago native One More Shift before the team hosts Minnesota on Sunday.

Olczyk, who battled Stage 3 colon cancer last season, will join the Hawks on the ice for the national anthem on a special "Hockey Fights Cancer" evening.

The Hawks drafted Olczyk with the third overall pick in the 1984 draft, and he went on to record 209 points (77G, 132A) in 322 games from 1984-87 and 1998-2000.

Olczyk finished with 342 goals over his 16-year career. His career high of 42 came in 1987-88 as a member of the . He is the 10th honoree of the One More Shift program since it began in the 2016-17 season.

Injury update: Marcus Kruger, who is on injured reserve with a leg injury, practiced Thursday and said he should be ready to go when the Hawks host the Kings on Friday at the United Center.

Defenseman Brandon Davidson remains day to day with a leg injury, and the Hawks might buy themselves some time by placing him on IR when they activate Kruger.

Slap shots: Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane did not record a shot on goal during the Blackhawks 1-0 victory over St. Louis on Wednesday at the United Center. It was just the sixth time in their careers that this happened. The Hawks are 2-4-0 in those contests, with their other victory coming against Detroit on April 11, 2009. … John Hayden has 6 hits in his last two games after registering just 10 in his first 10 contests.

He said it: "We've been watching a lot of video. Maybe the guys said, 'We don't want to watch as much video tomorrow.' "

-- Brent Seabrook on how the Hawks snapped an eight-game skid with a 1-0 victory over St. Louis

The Athletic

Powers Points: David Kampf taking on bigger role under Jeremy Colliton

By Scott Powers November 16, 2018

No player has benefitted more from Jeremy Colliton taking over as Blackhawks coach than David Kampf.

Joel Quenneville liked Kampf, but Colliton has another level of respect for the 23-year-old forward.

Quenneville pegged Kampf as a bottom-6 center. Last season, Kampf was given a similar defensive role to the one Marcus Kruger has occupied in the past, and Kampf bounced around between center and wing on the third and fourth lines under Quenneville this season.

But under Colliton, Kampf has been promoted to the second line, where for the past two game he’s centered Alex DeBrincat and Dominik Kahun. He was sixth among forwards in 5-on-5 ice time in the first game and fourth in the second one.

“The thing that most surprised me, just starting to work with him, is his work ethic,” Colliton said recently. “He’s so persistent, relentless in his puck pursuit, great forechecker. I think he’s more skilled than people give him credit for. We saw it in Rockford. He can make plays. It can be a confidence thing. He has made some plays in the last few games. He’s so responsible in both ends and we think he’s going to continue to develop.”

It comes down to trust. Colliton trusts Kampf, something he developed while leaning on Kampf last season during the Rockford IceHogs’ playoff run. Colliton knows Kampf will play sound defense, will occasionally contribute on offense and will be respectable on faceoffs. He’s second on the team with a 51.6 faceoff winning percentage.

Kampf’s English is still coming along — he didn’t do any interviews last season — but he was willing to try to talk about his game earlier this week. Kampf does understand English fine now.

“I’m happy he trusts me,” Kampf said of Colliton. “I think he’s a good coach, and he’s (taught) much to me.”

Kampf has noticed differences in his game since arriving to the Blackhawks last season from the Czech Republic. He said he feels much more confident now. There were those who doubted that Kampf was ready to come to North America last season, but he’s been proving them wrong. He made his NHL debut last season and now has 61 career games under his belt. He has a 51.56 Corsi percentage this season.

“I think I’m better every game,” Kampf said. “Every game is better. Every game I must work hard.”

Kampf’s confidence is surging now too playing alongside DeBrincat and Kahun. Colliton has liked how the line is able to pressure the opponent on the forecheck and create offensively.

“I think it’s very good,” Kampf said. “I have chemistry with Dominik, and Cat is a sniper on the line, so it’s good. Some speed on the line, win the battle, other things.”

Kahun said Kampf complements them well.

“He’s a two-way guy,” Kahun said. “He can do things in our D zone really well, and he can play the puck. I like how he gives it quickly, and Cat and me can do things with it. And he can also create space and get open, and we can find him.”

It helps that Kahun can also speak Czech. It gives Kampf another person to converse with in his native language.

“It’s easier for him,” Kahun said of speaking Czech. “It feels good for him, you know, because his English is not good yet, but he’s getting better. He understands almost everything now, I think, but the talking is still a little bit problem, but it should get better.”

1. Kahun and DeBrincat have become a staple as linemates for the Blackhawks this season. Regardless of whether it’s been Quenneville or Colliton, the two wingers have been together.

Prior to this season, neither player knew the other. They had both played in the OHL but at different times. Kahun had signed with the Blackhawks prior to the World Championship earlier this year, so DeBrincat got a chance to see him in Denmark.

Neither was sure exactly where they would fit into this year’s lineup coming into camp, and Quenneville found they were best on each side of Jonathan Toews. Colliton put Toews elsewhere, but he’s kept DeBrincat and Kahun together.

In 207:31 of 5-on-5 ice time together, DeBrincat and Kahun have a 53.67 Corsi percentage and 55.56 goals for percentage. They’ve been on the ice for 10 goals for and eight goals against.

“I really like playing with him,” Kahun said. “We also understand each really well off the ice. He’s a really nice guy. He’s always laughing. That’s what I like — the positive energy. I think it’s going to be good.”

DeBrincat shared similar sentiments.

“I think he works really hard,” DeBrincat said. “He’s got that ability to make those passes. He has the vision. For me, I try to find open space. He has the vision to find me. I think it’s been good playing with him. I really enjoy it. He’s a great player, really fun to play with.”

2. DeBrincat and Kahun connected for a highlight goal against the on Monday.

The entire line played a role in it, too. First, Kampf pressured the puck on the forecheck and forced a turnover near the slot. Kahun came flying in to retrieve the puck, knocked it between his two legs as two defenders converged on him, and DeBrincat skated into it, one-timed it and put it into the left corner past Hurricanes goalie Scott Darling. I asked DeBrincat and Kahun about it.

“I saw him,” Kahun said of DeBrincat. “That’s the strength of my game. I know sometimes things before they even happen. I just know he’s going to be there. I was lucky enough that he scored it.

“It feels good. I don’t want to only do special plays like this. I also got other plays. But, yeah, it obviously feels good when something like this happens. You can show off you’re a good player. I wish we could have scored more goals. We have lots of chances, but we have a little struggle to score goals. I think if we keep working like this the goals will come.”

DeBrincat was happy Kahun saw him coming.

“A lot of guys don’t see that play,” DeBrincat said. “His vision was pretty good there. To be able to drop it to me right in the slot, it’s a really good play. Not many guys are going to look at that. A lot of guys are just going to try to rip that at the net. He probably had the lane too, but he made a good play.”

Just a reminder, I’ll be breaking down all of DeBrincat’s goals this season and getting his thoughts on some of them. You can find that updated story here.

3. NHL teams are talking a lot about potential trades right now. One league source said there’s more talk than usual at this time of year. And we saw one trade happen earlier this week between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings.

Blackhawks general manager is undoubtedly having conversations too. Whether there’s something to pull the trigger on remains unknown.

I talked to a scout earlier this week about which Blackhawks players they would recommend to their team. None of the names were too surprising.

The scout mentioned DeBrincat, Nick Schmaltz and Henri Jokiharju. They’re three players the Blackhawks probably don’t want to give up.

They mentioned the Blackhawks might be willing to listen about Schmaltz more so now than last season.

“It depends on what they’re getting back,” the scout said. “I’m not a huge fan, but he has speed and skill. He’s a little soft for my liking. But don’t get me wrong, he’s a good player. He’d be valued around the league.”

4. The scout also believes it’d be in the Blackhawks’ best interest to shop Artem Anisimov.

“They have to move him,” the scout said. “He would open the books and give them more options.”

5. The biggest adjustment for the Blackhawks under Colliton has been going from zone coverage to man-to-man on defense. For some players like Brandon Manning, it’s a welcomed change as they’re more accustomed to man coverage. For players like Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, it’s a drastic change from what they’ve been doing for the past decade.

Colliton has tried to ease them into it and has noticed they’ve had some troubles adjusting.

“Yeah, I see that,” Colliton said after practice on Thursday. “That’s difficult. They’ve been playing the same way for a long time, but I think actually putting them together has helped because they’re sort of learning it together at the same time. And I see a progression and just even having a conversation with them today that they’re starting to feel more comfortable with what’s available and what’s not and how we want to play in certain situations. I think they’re pretty smart guys, they’ve been around. They’ll adjust pretty quickly.”

Colliton also went into more detail about why he prefers man-to-man coverage.

“We want to be aggressive, we want to pressure,” he said. “We want to get pucks back. We want that to be the identity of our team that we’re difficult to play against. But sometimes you just got to survive. Sometimes you got to just not give anything up. I think that’s where we’re focusing on. You look back at the first game, the ice in the middle of our net was wide open repeatedly. We got cut open over and over, and when you compare that to the last couple games I think it’s been a lot less. We’re still going to pressure, we still want to go after them and get pucks back but sometimes it’s just not on and we have to survive until our next opportunity to go.”

6. As much as Colliton has been trying to get in practices with his new players, he also understands they need rest. He’s had a good balance of the two so far.

For example, Colliton told a majority of the team, especially the guys playing bigger minutes, to stay off the ice Thursday.

“I think more so to take it down a notch as far as the stress level,” Colliton said. “Guys have been going pretty hard here for a stretch and by no means are we taking our foot off the gas, but we want to be full of energy tomorrow. I think that’s something we can do at home here. I would say the energy level wasn’t as high yesterday as it was on Monday. We’d like to get back to that. Today with a few guys off the ice that can be part of that plan.

“I would say regardless of the result last night today would have been the same as far as not many guys going on. I just think we’ve been pushing pretty hard and we’ll give them more information tomorrow. Today was more I want to get my thumb off them for a few hours.” 7. So, how does a 33-year-old coach celebrate his first NHL win? A steak in downtown Chicago? A victory cigar? Clubbing?

I asked Colliton if he did something significant.

“Not really,” he said smiling. “Just went back to the hotel, went to bed. But it’s a lot easier to come to the rink in the morning after a win. I’ll say that.”

As for his reaction to his players giving him the game puck?

“Yeah, just carry on, let’s go,” Colliton said.

8. Filmmaker Karson Pilote made a documentary about his grandfather Karson Pilote. It was released earlier this week. I plan to talk to Karson about it in the near future.

9. Alexandre Fortin acknowledged he struggled with being a healthy scratch for the Rockford IceHogs last season. He couldn’t remember another time he was healthy-scratched during his entire hockey career.

But, now having experienced it at the NHL level, he’s more understanding of the situation.

“Last year the first time I got scratched, probably in my life, I kind of got more pissed off,” Fortin said after practice on Thursday. “You don’t understand why, and you just think it’s the end of the world. You just get frustrated and change the way you play, the way you think. This year I just think it was positive. I know I played well and sometimes they try to do something, and it’s not always because you played bad. There’s a lot of guys, and sometimes something happens. You just got to stay focused. That’s when you’re a pro, you just have to keep working. I was positive the whole time and just be ready for the next game.”

Colliton said as much Thursday.

“Keep doing what he’s doing,” Colliton said. “We’re happy with him. He’s played well. He adds a different dimension, too, his speed and making it uncomfortable for the defensemen. He wins races for us. It’s his first year. It’s not going to be easy for him. Next time he gets the chance, continue on the same progression and don’t allow us to take him out.”

10. Former The Athletic Chicago contributor Sean Tierney was nice enough to look through his stats and graphs for any Blackhawks trends that stood out.

Here’s what he said:

“Expected goals differential: After a rough start to the season, CHI has become a break-even team, giving up about as much quality against as they generate themselves. For a team with some elite top-line talent, trading chances evenly with opponents can work. TOR’s played a version of this strategy with some success.”

11. Here are five Blackhawks prospects trending up:

Phillip Kurashev, center

Kurashev, 19, might be the most interesting Blackhawks prospect so far this season. He looked like he had some skill at prospect camp and in Traverse City. He’s gone back to his QMJHL team, the Quebec Remparts, and torn things up. He’s tied for fourth in the league with 20 assists and tied for eighth with 29 points. He’s also tied for first with 14 primary assists, according to prospect-stats.com. He’s had four three-point games this season. In 5-on-5 play, he’s been on the ice for 23 goals for and 11 against. It wouldn’t be surprising if the Blackhawks worked out an entry-level deal for him for next season. Collin Delia, goalie

Delia, 24, has taken that next step the Blackhawks were hoping he’d take this season. He’s made 330 saves on 354 shots for a .932 save percentage in 10 games for the Rockford IceHogs. Aside from his first game, which came right after making a surprise trip to the NHL, he hasn’t allowed more than three goals in a game. He’s had a .919 save percentage in nine of 10 games, too. He’s third in the AHL in save percentage. By the way, Anton Forsberg is second with a .933 save percentage in four games. Delia could very well be the Blackhawks’ No. 2 goalie next season and potentially be their No. 1 in the future.

Evan Barratt, center

Barratt, 19, had a positive freshman season at Penn State, and he’s following it up with an even stronger sophomore season. He was considered more of a defensively reliable center when the Blackhawks drafted him in the third round in 2017, but he’s displayed some offensive skills, too. Barratt’s tied for fourth in college hockey with 14 points and has had four multi-point games this season. He has nine goals and five assists in nine games.

Mikael Hakkarainen, center

Hakkarainen, 20, wasn’t happy at Providence College, so he left school. The problem is he’s too good for the USHL right now. He’s already produced eight goals and 10 assists in 18 games for the Muskegon Musketeers. He leads the league averaging two points a game. It’ll be interesting to see where Hakkarainen decides to play next season. He needs more of a challenge. He is from Finland, so maybe he returns there to play pro. The Blackhawks don’t have to sign him until August 2022.

Nicolas Beaudin, defenseman

Beaudin, 19, recently returned to the lineup after missing about three weeks with a wrist injury. He continues to be reliable on both sides of the puck. He had a goal and two assists in his first two games back and has two goals and 10 assists in 12 games this season. He’s also fifth among defensemen with a 72.22 on-ice goals for percentage in 5-on-5 play. He’s been on the ice for 13 goals for and five against.

12. Here are five Blackhawks trending in the other direction:

Jake Wise, center

It can take college freshmen a minute to get up to speed, and that appears to be the case with the 18-year-old Wise. He has zero goals and one assist in his first seven games for Boston University.

Andrei Altybarmakyan, winger

Altybarkmakyan’s trade to Sochi has helped him get more ice time in the KHL, but he’s lacked production so far in the top Russian league this season. The 20-year-old has zero points and 10 shots on goal in nine games with Sochi. He is averaging 13:03 of ice time.

Matheson Iacopelli, winger

Iacopelli’s ticket to signing with the Blackhawks was his big shot and scoring ability. He showed that at times last season in the ECHL and AHL. He had 11 goals and 19 points in 50 games with the IceHogs last season. He’s struggled to produce this season, though. He has one goal and one assist through 14 games and is pointless in the past two games. He’s 24 years old and a restricted free agent after this season, so his time is running out.

Wouter Peeters, goalie

Peeters has had a rough season so far. He was on a tryout with the Lincoln Stars in the USHL, suffered an injury, was let go and is now rehabbing and looking for a team. Peeters is just 20 years old and the Blackhawks don’t have to sign him until 2020, but he’s going to have to find a home and make some progress for that to happen.

Tim Soderlund, winger

Soderlund, 20, had one big game for Frolunda in the SHL this season. He scored twice on Sept. 27. He doesn’t have a point in his 17 other games this season and is on a 14-game pointless streak. Soderlund projects as a bottom-6 speedy winger, but the Blackhawks would like to see more production out of him.

13. Thank you to everyone who was able to make our Athletic hockey get-together at The Atlantic in Chicago. It was just a coincidence that it ended up being The Athletic at The Atlantic, but it did have a nice ring to it. We hope to do more of these in the future.

LAKingsInsider.com

What are the Kings getting in Carl Hagelin? Where will he play?

By Jon Rosen November 15, 2018

Carl Hagelin, who is expected to meet the LA Kings in Chicago to begin a three-game road trip that will also take the team through Nashville and St. Louis, is a 30-year-old veteran who is known for his pure, unadulterated speed. Ask anyone for an appraisal of his game, and that will be the first observation shared.

“His main asset is his speed,” General Manager Rob Blake said. “He has been on a good team in Pittsburgh and they have had a lot of success both in the regular season and in the playoffs there. But, again, it is that speed that is a much needed element for us.”

Speed, speed, speed.

His arrival was precipitated by a trade between two general managers looking to spur some more life into their teams. Pittsburgh, 1-5-1 in their last seven games, took on some risk contract-wise but appears confident they’ll be able to help Tanner Pearson regain prior levels of productivity. Los Angeles, which dismissed John Stevens two Sundays ago, was looking to further prod a comfortable group with another jarring stimulus while creating some salary cap flexibility by removing Pearson’s two additional years at $3.75-million per. These were messages sent to two locker rooms.

Much of this was covered yesterday. But little of the Kings-centric conversation to this point has revolved around Hagelin, a 30-year-old unrestricted free agent to-be who is widely expected to be moved again by Los Angeles at the trade deadline to a team looking for a veteran rental player with speed, defensive awareness and good character. Such character was evident in reactions from players on the Penguins. Patric Hornqvist called it “a tough day for me and my family.” Brian Dumoulin said that he “loved Carl” and that he’s “a great friend and obviously a tough guy to replace in the locker room.” Kris Letang compared him to Marc-Andre Fleury. “He brings so much joy to the dressing room.” GM Jim Rutherford revealed that he felt bad about removing an important figure from the team. “Carl Hagelin is a popular guy. I like him a lot personally.” | Quotes via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette / Pittsburgh Tribune

One player particularly familiar with Hagelin is fellow Swede Adrian Kempe. The two skated and worked out back in Sweden as part of a group for “two or three summers,” according to Kempe, but they don’t train together regularly anymore.

“He can for sure come in here and bring some speed. I know all the boys are going to like him, he’s a great guy,” said Kempe, who also praised Hagelin’s work ethic.

“I wouldn’t say I’m as fast as him. Like, he’s really explosive. I know how strong he is and everything like that. But, obviously we’re both good skaters, so hopefully he can come in and bring that to the team.”

It’s very possible that the two will get an early crack at seeing time together. If they’re able to summon some chemistry, you may have some early trappings of a blazing third line.

“We’re looking at lines a little bit right now,” Willie Desjardins said. “Kempe played a little bit on the wing and he was pretty good on the wing. There’s a chance you could probably go with maybe sliding him in on Kempe’s line. A veteran guy, so I think it’ll be a good spot.”

“He’s got speed. He’s a good penalty killer,” Willie Desjardins said. “He’s a guy that’s probably sitting there, he’s got something to prove at this point. He’ll be looking for another contract, so I think he’s got to be hungry coming in.”

Again, we’re very likely talking about a transient member of the locker room, given that the Kings would like to recoup assets rather than raise the opportunity that they’d have nothing to show six months from now after having traded Pearson, who carried significant value in recent seasons. But even though Hagelin isn’t really a scorer – his individual .45 Goals/60 in 2017-18 would’ve ranked between Alex Iafallo and Andy Andreoff – he has some solid underlying metrics that have allowed him to consistently average between 15:14 and 15:57 per game, dating back to 2013-14. Over the last three years he has averaged between 2:16 and 2:32 of shorthanded time per game, so Los Angeles will replace a solid defensive player capable of killing penalties with another player who probably has a shade better defensive awareness and penalty killing reliability. He played his 500th career regular season game on November 3 and won Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017, totaling six goals and 16 points in 24 games during the 2016 run as part of 121 career playoff games.

Hagelin has been a consistent play-driver in his career. He’s always maintained a positive, year-end CF%Rel, an impressive attribute considering he played for the tightly structured Penguins, who’ve been one of the best forechecking teams in the league when they’ve been going well. His CF%Rel ranged between +2.6% and +4.1% over the last four years.

But this is still essentially at best a lateral move, one that removes a player from the Kings’ roster who’s below the average age on the team.

“Like, players, they’re smart, they can see what’s going on, and they know that if things don’t change then they will have more changes,” Desjardins said. “You’re not going to just sit and go, ‘well, this is fine, this is OK, we’re good with this.’ So changes will occur. Do you want to see it? No, you don’t. That’s not what you want to have happen. But we have to realize if we don’t play better, things like that will happen, so it’s up to us to take charge of it.”

Los Angeles Times Kings need to find solutions or their season of embarrassment will continue

By Helene Elliott November 14, 2018

The first step in the unwritten instruction book on how to salvage a bad season is to fire the coach. The Kings did that after they won four of their first 13 games and ranked last in the NHL in points, goals scored and goal differential.

If step No. 1 doesn’t work — and it has had no appreciable effect — proceed to step No. 2, which is to make a significant trade. On Wednesday, the morning after a shudderingly bad loss, they announced a deal whose impact goes beyond exchanging one disappointing winger for another. “I think enough messages have been sent around here where we’ve got to wake up,” Anze Kopitar said.

Consider this a thunderous alarm for a team whose speed has been limited to its slide toward oblivion. Sending unproductive Tanner Pearson to Pittsburgh for swift Carl Hagelin gives the Kings future salary-cap space — Pearson has this season and two more at a cap hit of $3.75 million, while Hagelin’s contract is up after this season — and it brings the plodding Kings much-needed speed. Above all, trading a player they’d nurtured and once considered a future leader, a player who contributed to their 2014 Stanley Cup championship, signaled no one is safe. And no one should be.

They’ve tried Steps 1 and 2. What’s next?

“We win some hockey games,” defenseman Drew Doughty said.

There’s an idea.

“This is the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever had to deal with in my hockey career, that all of us have had to deal with in our hockey career,” Doughty said Wednesday. “You want to put a finger on it and you want to know exactly why this is happening but it’s hard to figure out. It has to come from within. We can’t be waiting for guys to make it happen. We can’t all be looking at Kopi for him to take the reins and take it over. We all need to individually pick it up ourselves and one by one we need to go out there and do exactly what we’re supposed to do and not wait for other guys to do it for us.

“We’ve got to take the bull by the horns and do it ourselves. And that’s the biggest problem I see with our team right now.”

He acknowledged he has been part of the problem, not the solution. “Even myself, I’m going out there, I’ve been frickin’ minus almost every game, it seems like, whether it’s an empty net or whatever it may be. I’m going out there thinking, ‘Don’t get scored on. Don’t get scored on,’ ” he said. “And when you think that way, the bad things happen. So you’ve got to start thinking positive, and I know it’s hard to think positive when we’re losing like this, but that’s just the bottom line. When you think negative, negative things happen.”

So much has gone so wrong that it’s almost impossible to list it all.

The Kings knew scoring again would be a problem, but they hoped their lack of speed could be minimized by speeding up their tempo. That hasn’t worked. Their defense has struggled, too, surprising because they won the Jennings Trophy last season, awarded to the goaltender or goalies on the team that gives up the fewest goals. Goaltending hasn’t been an issue: Jack Campbell played well after Jonathan Quick underwent knee surgery, and neither Peter Budaj nor rookie Cal Petersen was to blame for the 5-1 shellacking Toronto inflicted on the Kings on Tuesday.

What’s missing can’t be quantified with advanced or basic statistics.

When Willie Desjardins was appointed the Kings’ interim coach he said he knew their veteran players from having coached against them while with Vancouver. “I know how hard they were to play against. That was a team that when they turned it up, they were so hard to stop,” he said.

They’re not that team anymore. “When I used to go to these All-Star games and these Team Canada things, every time I would go in there, guys would just come up to me and be like, ‘God, I hate playing your team. I absolutely hate playing your team,’ ” Doughty said. “For one, we were always physical. We were in your face. We worked as hard as we possibly can and we gave their star players nothing. When we shut down star players and don’t give them opportunities they get frustrated with themselves and they don’t perform their best way.

“I haven’t heard other players talk about our team like that in two or three years. We need to get back to that. Yeah, we don’t have the same guys but we have the same core and we know how those older guys used to do it, so we can teach these young guys how to do it and they’ve just got to go out there and do it.”

Step 1 hasn’t done much. The impact of Step 2 won’t be apparent until Hagelin gets acclimated in a good spot. Step 3 would be a total breakup, a challenging task given the lucrative contracts — some with no-move or no-trade clauses — many players got for their Cup efforts. Center Jeff Carter isn’t ready for that. “There’s a lot of hockey left,” he said. “You look at our division, yeah, we have 11 points, but we turn things around here quickly and I believe that we can be right back in there, in our division."

If they can't, the next message will be loud and clear and it will involve trades of core players and a full rebuild. Desjardins said he thinks the Kings “still have it in them” to be the commanding team they were during their Cup years. If that’s true, now is the time to prove it. They’ve been warned. Twice.

Los Angeles Times After all these years, Kings defenseman Dion Phaneuf still inspires teammates and irritates opponents

By Curtis Zupke November 15, 2018

A search of Dion Phaneuf’s name on Twitter is enough to confirm that he’s tailor-made for social media.

He’s amusing and provocative. He’s hated and embraced.

The latest example was a bit of both, from a recent game against the Calgary Flames. During a break in action, a close-up of Phaneuf showed him staring mockingly at a player, with a slight smile as he asked, “What do you want me to do?”

Nobody does rhetorical quite like Phaneuf.

“He’ll be the first to tell you that he probably has a lot of enemies around this league,” fellow Kings defenseman Alec Martinez said. “But he’s certainly a great guy to have in our room. You don’t necessarily like playing against him.”

Phaneuf’s penchant to rattle opponents is one of the few positives for the Kings, and it speaks to Phaneuf that his agitation began before social media took hold and is going 13 years strong. Set to play in his 1,000th regular-season game on Saturday, Phaneuf allowed for some appreciation that he’s been in opponents’ faces for this long.

“It’s definitely something that I’m proud of,” Phaneuf said. “It definitely does put things into perspective. You definitely look on things and you reflect. For me, this game’s given me a lot in my life and I love it.”

Phaneuf, 33, is the first to admit he’s had a mediocre season. He didn’t get his first point until Tuesday, and he is a minus-12 through 17 games. There are times when he’s looks like Exhibit A of a Kings team deemed old and slow. But Phaneuf can play a basic, hard-nosed game that might remind Kings fans of Matt Greene in his prime.

Ultimately, there is that edge that not many other Kings bring.

“He’s for real, the way he plays,” Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly said. “Very physical. He likes to get in battles with guys. That’s what you love when you’re a teammate. In practice, you’d be battling with guys. His teammates would be laughing because he’s working so hard.”

Phaneuf took Rielly under his wing in Toronto and showed him “countless things,” Rielly said. That included a week-long stay with Phaneuf at Phaneuf’s summer home in Prince Edward Island, Canada, two years ago.

“He’s a very, very good friend of mine that I keep in touch with still, and I really appreciate what he did for me when I was younger,” Rielly said. “I feel like I was over at his house a lot, cooking dinner and spending time [with him].

“But what he taught me and the rest of our team about how to handle yourself off the ice and how to treat people and how to be a good person are things that I learned and I’ll keep with me for a long time. Because I think the way that he handles himself and the way he treats people and the type of teammate he is, he’s world class.”

As difficult as it is to imagine, Phaneuf was once a fresh-faced kid like Rielly. It was 2005 and the NHL installed rules titled toward offense after the previous season’s lockout. Phaneuf was a rookie for Calgary and eager to learn from elder defensemen Roman Hamrlik and Bryan Marchment.

“Both guys had played over 800 games at that time,” Phaneuf said. “I actually got the opportunity to be partners with [both] of them for their 900th game.”

Phaneuf watched them get bandaged and iced just to play the next game, through blocked shots and punishing checks. Game after game.

“They showed me how to be professional,” Phaneuf said. “They showed me how to come and do your job every day. I learned a lot from those guys.”

Thirteen years later, Phaneuf is setting that example. He’s been paired with Paul LaDue, Oscar Fantenberg and Sean Walker in a mentor role that extends from the ice, down the tunnel to the locker room.

“He’s always fired up,” LaDue said. “He’s always the one getting the boys going before the game … he’s the one who’s jacked up to play every day. We need that. He’s a great locker room guy.”

Phaneuf’s 1,000th game would be the second of a back-to-back set against the Chicago Blackhawks and Nashville Predators. It’s a grueling test every NHL player endures. It’s also a bell that Phaneuf has answered his entire career, having missed fewer than 50 games.

Phaneuf has said he wants to play as long as he can. He’s contracted through the 2020-21 season at $5.25 million annually, a head-scratcher for a salary-cap tight team that needs to get younger and faster. But his acquisition last season shed the Kings of chronically injured Marian Gaborik.

Besides, Phaneuf can still play a tough, safe game, and even at this stage of his career, there’s another level to reach.

“I love the game and I love the competition, and when I started I wanted to continue to get better, and my goal hasn’t changed,” Phaneuf said.

UP NEXT FOR THE KINGS- AT CHICAGO

Update: Chicago, like the Kings, has lost three of four since it fired its coach, Joel Quenneville. Brent Seabrook is two goals short of joining Doug Wilson and Bob Murray as the only defensemen in franchise history to score 100 goals.

The Athletic Can Adam Oates’ methods do anything to help the struggling Kings? Yes, says longtime pupil Zach Parise

By Josh Cooper November 15, 2018

Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise didn’t see Adam Oates helping out the Los Angeles Kings in their game against each other last Thursday as a conflict of interest.

“At least I hope not,” joked Parise, who is one of the many NHLers who uses Oates as a personal skills coach. “I don’t think what he’s doing with them is going to interfere with what he’s got with all the players. He’s got a lot of guys and a lot of guys on different teams. I think he still wants to see his individual guys be successful and at the same time wants the Kings (to win).”

The Kings recently hired Oates as a consultant to help save their sinking season. Oates also works with Wild defenseman Greg Pateryn and forward Jason Zucker, along with dozens of other NHL players as the CEO of Oates Sports Group, a boutique hockey agency, whose core mission is: “to make players better.”

Oates previously was the head coach of the Washington Capitals from 2012-14, and an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils and Tampa Bay Lightning. Oates, who notched 1,420 points in 1,337 games, was also co-coach of the Devils for half of the 2014-15 season.

At times, Oates’ name can be controversial since he’s a former NHL head coach not on team staff working with an organization’s players. During the end of Mike Yeo’s coaching tenure with the Wild, Oates was seen as somewhat divisive to the Wild by Yeo. But the situation with the Kings is a little different since he’ll be working with Los Angeles’ management and coaches to improve the whole group, not just a specific player.

“I’m kind of surprised it hadn’t happened earlier,” Parise said of Oates being hired by a team. “Just from having played for him as a coach (with the Devils in his first stint there) and knowing the knowledge he has about the game and about skills and individual skills. I’m surprised, and maybe there had been other opportunities, but kind of surprised it didn’t happen until now that someone hired him.”

The Kings have said that Oates will mostly work on their power play (which has hit at 14.3 percent this season) with the coaches. There is some off-ice video he may do with players, per interim coach Willie Desjardins. In some respects, he replaces Pierre Turgeon, L.A.’s offensive coordinator from 2017-18 whose role was vacated in the summer when Turgeon left because of family reasons.

According to Parise, there are a few areas where Oates helped him excel, specifically by strengthening the parts of his game that may have needed work and unlocking potential in those spots.

“For me personally, he’ll tell me, like, ‘I know your game is around the net.’ He calls me ‘Charlie Hustle’ like around the net. But he’s trying to broaden my game to different areas and make me better up the ice and holding onto the puck more and making better decisions with the puck,” Parise said. “For me, I think that’s where he has helped a lot. And especially for me, helping me on the power play, in my position with different options.”

Parise noted that Oates is a “stick fanatic,” a reputation that took off when Oates was the coach for the Capitals. Though it might seem odd to meddle with the type of stick a player uses, Parise said there’s a method to this madness that helps Oates’ players control the puck.

“To the outside, people are probably like, ‘Why does that matter?’ But it’s amazing how many times you see people fumble pucks or people miss plays that they should have, they would have with the proper stick,” he said. “So it’s an interesting conversation to have with him, but he’s really smart with that.”

One of the biggest keys to Oates’ philosophy, per Parise is to try to ensure a player doesn’t kill a play by going offside. Or really just ending any sort of momentum with a bad skill play is a major negative for Oates.

“He says he never went offside in his career. So every time I go offside I’m like, ‘Oh shit,’ because I know that’s going to be on my video clip next time (like), ‘what are you doing here?’” Parise quipped. “In the videos he’ll send me, it’s always, ‘why do you lose the puck here?’ or ‘why did you not give that guy a good pass?’ Because if you give him a good pass, he’s got a better chance to score. So that’s how he looks at the game is, ‘why didn’t you give him a one-timer? Why did you give him a shitty pass?’ So that’s kind of how he looks at the game from an offensive standpoint, which a lot of teams – you’re focused so much on systems and defense, but he’ll never talk about anything outside of what you’re trying to do with a team and the way you have to play, but he tries to make you more productive offensively and make better plays with the puck, which we all should want to do.”

Kings president Luc Robitaille said he doesn’t think Oates will be around that often, so he won’t be exactly like Turgeon, who traveled with the Kings and was at every practice. But Los Angeles players noted they miss Turgeon, and how the player who notched 1,327 points in a 1,294 game NHL career pumped them up every day and helped them see the game differently.

Last season’s Kings team had 2.89 goals per game, the most by the organization since the 2005-06 season. This year’s team has scored 2.00 goals per game, on pace for its lowest total in that same timeframe.

“You know, maybe we do (miss Turgeon)? I don’t really know,” defenseman Jake Muzzin said. “But we could use some more energy and some more excitement around the room for sure.”

Added Kings forward Dustin Brown: “I really liked having Turgeon around quite honestly. Someone with his type of experience and how (he) played the game is probably similar to Adam Oates.”

As for the long-term potential for Oates and what this means for his career, it’s unclear. It doesn’t seem like the Kings hired Oates as a possible successor to fired head coach John Stevens. Plus, Oates’ consulting work is super successful with so many of the league’s top players seeking him out, so monetarily his current job may even be better – and personally more fulfilling – than a head coaching position.

“He’s built a great business. People trust him and he has helped a tremendous amount of players in the NHL,” Robitaille said. “He had a bunch of guys who had great years for him last year and he’s just tweaking here and there part of their games that can make them better players and, at the end of the day, those guys help their teams.”

No matter what, with the season quickly going off the rails, the Kings get someone who knows offense, and L.A. is desperate for anyone who can help them find their scoring touch again.

And if it doesn’t work, the Kings will move on to the next potential remedy, which hasn’t reached a total firesale/rebuilding mode quite yet but is moving swiftly in that direction.

“We think that bringing a guy like that with his mind, that he sees the offensive game in a different way than most people,” Robitaille said. “And I think what I think is impressive about Adam is his ability to deliver the message. He’s a really good communicator in that way. So that’s the reason we brought him on board. We want him to be able to communicate with our people about working on a different way to look at what we can do offensively.”