Today's News Clips Sep. 17, 2019
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Today’s News Clips Sep. 17, 2019 Chicago Tribune Alex Nylander had a big night — and Adam Boqvist had a highlight-reel goal: 3 takeaways from the Blackhawks’ 4-3 preseason loss Jimmy Greenfield Sep. 16, 2019 The competition to nab one of the few available forward spots on the Blackhawks got underway in earnest during Monday night’s preseason opener. Your early leader? Alex Nylander, who scored a goal and an assist in the Hawks’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Capitals at Capital One Arena. The Hawks left most of their regulars back in Chicago and the Capitals only used a few of theirs, so take this game with a grain of salt. But there were plenty of positives that gave the Hawks something to consider as they try to figure out their opening-night roster. “It does start the process as far as guys separate themselves based on how they perform,” Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton told reporters after the game. “We got two more games so I think we’ll have a pretty clear picture of — not maybe the team — but how we can get down to some lower numbers. So it’s good.” Here are three takeaways from Monday’s 4-3 loss: 1. Alex Nylander did nothing but help himself. The Hawks have around nine forwards competing for one or two spots. If Alex Nylander doesn’t make the team out of camp, it won’t necessarily be because he didn’t play well, and it won’t necessarily be a black eye for the Hawks. There will be time for Nylander to prepare himself in Rockford if that’s what it comes down to. But it will also be a huge relief to the Hawks if Nylander shows he’s ready to make his mark in the NHL. On Monday, he looked as comfortable as any player on the ice. The Hawks went up 1-0 when Nylander dug out the puck along the boards and fed a pass to Erik Gustafsson, whose slap shot was tipped in by Aleksi Saarela. In the second period, Nylander kept skating without the puck and was alone in front of the Capitals net to take Adam Boqvist’s shot — or was it a pass? — from the point and make a quick move to the far side of the net and lift a backhander past goalie Pheonix Copley. “He made some plays,” Jeremy Colliton said. “He showed some flashes where he was working away from the puck. He got above it a few times and caused turnovers a few times and then when he does that he creates opportunities for himself in transition.” Nylander seems to understand how important these preseason games are going to be for him. “It’s huge,” Nylander told reporters after the game. “This is a very important training camp for me. Every game there’s always a close eye on me so I got to perform and work hard because I obviously want a spot on this team.” 2. Adam Boqvist had a strong game, but still looks ticketed for Rockford. It’s time to get used to the fact that Adam Boqvist is going to make enough highlight-reel plays to have his own reel. His goal against the Capitals on Monday was a thing of beauty. He settled the puck down behind the Capitals’ net and swung around to the far side slot before getting off a shot at an odd angle that somehow found its way in. “He’s got great instincts,” Jeremy Colliton said. “He knows when he can jump in and create for himself. He zings it in there and goaltenders are not ready for it so he can score from everywhere it seems like.” Boqvist is ready offensively, there’s little question about that. What’s holding him back now is his defensive awareness and the not so small fact that the Hawks have six veteran defensemen slotted ahead of him. Even with Calvin de Haan possibly missing the start to the season while he recovers from shoulder surgery, the Hawks may not want Boqvist to come to the NHL and struggle — even for a brief period. “He made some plays and I thought he had some moments where I thought he defended really well,” Colliton said. "And that’s going to be the thing for him learning how to be a pro and he definitely showed tonight he can do it. "For him, we want him to be a top player in the league. We know he's dynamic offensively. If we can convince him the defensive side of the puck is really important and not only is it good for the team but he's going to get more offensive out of it. That's sort of the plan. Tonight was a good step for him." 3. It was a good night for Brendan Perlini. Brendan Perlini didn’t get his name on the scoresheet but was active throughout the game. Aside from one terrible turnover in his own end that turned into a dangerous scoring chance, he helped himself keep the roster spot he held last year after a trade from the Coyotes. "I liked his skating tonight," Colliton said. "I thought he was getting in on the forecheck and creating some havoc. He won some races and was flying through the neutral zone without the puck which I think is really important for his game. “I really liked that he was active away from the puck tonight. That’s what we need to see more of.” Chicago Tribune Brendan Perlini is a free spirit still searching for NHL success. Will he find it this season with the Blackhawks? Jimmy Greenfield Sep. 16, 2019 The passage of time has been the Blackhawks’ friend over the past year. Their prospects are starting to blossom, the front office has added considerable depth and talent, and the coaching staff has won over skeptical veterans. For Brendan Perlini, time has seemingly come to a halt. It has been nearly a year since he joined the Hawks from Arizona in the Nick Schmaltz trade and not much has changed for him. He’s still a happy-go-lucky sort who is as comfortable talking about soccer and movies as he is hockey. He’s still as friendly and laid back as he was on the day he arrived on a 5:45 a.m. flight from Phoenix, hours after learning he’d been traded to the Hawks. He’s still trying to find his place in the NHL. Perlini, 23, has the benefit of nearly a full season under his belt to feel acclimated to the organization, but he remains in the position of having to explain how he’ll find success rather than sustain it. “Just come in and play my game,” Perlini said. “I’m more comfortable here now than last year. Obviously, know all the guys and coaching staff. Come in, play my game, play hard every shift and wherever they put me out is where I’m going to work the hardest. " By the time the Hawks acquired him in November, Perlini had not lived up to the promise he showed when the Coyotes made him the No. 12 pick in the 2014 draft. There were times during parts of three seasons that he looked like the offensive weapon he was supposed to be. The numbers his first two seasons were not terrible. He finished with 21 points (14 goals, 7 assists) as a rookie in 2016- 17 and raised that slightly to 30 points (17 goals, 13 assists) a year later. But last season he had two goals and four assists in the Coyotes’ first 22 games and soon found himself headed to Chicago. Perlini’s talents afforded him opportunities, but he remained maddeningly inconsistent with the Hawks. He failed to register a point during his first nine games after the trade. While Dylan Strome, who also came over in the Schmaltz trade and was similarly in need of a change in scenery, was elevated to the power play and began scoring at nearly a point-per-game pace, Perlini was in and out of the lineup. But for a stunning seven-game stretch in March when he had eight goals in seven games, Perlini was ineffective. He closed out the season with one goal — on the final day — in his last 10 games. Hawks general manager Stan Bowman hasn’t given up on Perlini despite haggling over a contract all summer. Perlini was a restricted free agent without arbitration rights and eventually signed a one-year contract with a cap hit of $874,125 just days before training camp started. Taking a hard line on Perlini’s contract was as much about the Hawks needing to stay flexible to make moves later in the season as it was about his inconsistency. But the message was sent. “We saw he had flashes of greatness last year,” Bowman said. “It’s just a matter of the consistency for him. His best game is really impressive and it can help us. If we can get that to come out more often, then it’ll be good for the team.” Perlini’s talents have tantalized Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton, who recognizes the benefits it would bring if those talents could be unlocked permanently and not just every few games. “He plays with joy,” Colliton said. “He loves being at the rink. We just want him to influence play away from the puck, work hard to get it back for himself and his linemates because when he’s on offense he’s extremely dangerous.