Today’s News Clips April 2, 2019

ChicagoBlackhawks.com RECAP: Jets 4, Blackhawks 3 OT

By Chris Wescott April 1, 2019

RAPID REACTION: A wild finish to regulation saw the Blackhawks come from behind and score the equalizer to gain a necessary point in the standings by sending it to overtime. Unfortunately for the home team, Kevin Hayes scored in OT to lift the Jets to a 4-3 win and that extra point. The loss puts Chicago six points back of Colorado for the final Wild Card spot with three games left to play.

Jonathan Toews continued his resurgent offensive season when he scored his 34th of 2018-19 at 4:25 of the first period, on the power play. Toews was assisted by Erik Gustafsson, who reached 40 assists on the year, and Dylan Strome.

Adam Lowry tied things up for Winnipeg at 10:49 of the opening frame as his shot from the faceoff dot beat Corey Crawford up high.

The Jets made it 2-1 with just 34 seconds left in the first, courtesy of Jack Roslovic.

Crawford denied Mark Scheifele's penalty-shot attempt 40 seconds into the second period to keep it a one-goal game.

However, Roslovic scored his second of the night at 5:11 of the second to give the visiting Jets a 3-1 advantage.

Strome put Chicago back within one just moments later as he got in behind the defense and potted his 18th of the season. Drake Caggiula and Gustafsson recorded the helpers.

It looked as though Scheifele closed out the game by giving Winnipeg a 4-2 lead with three minutes remaining in regulation. However, Chicago challenged that the goal was offside and the call was reversed, making it 3-2 once again and giving the Blackhawks a chance.

Strome played the hero role with his second of the night at 17:40 of the third period, tying the game at 3-3. He was assisted by Toews and Gustafsson.

Crawford was magnificent early in overtime, but Hayes managed to beat the Blackhawks netminder for the win.

CAREER YEAR FOR THE CAPTAIN: Toews' goal in the first period gave him 34 for the season, which ties his career-high set in 2008-09. It was also his 77th point of the season, which is now a new career-high for the captain, surpassing the 76 he recorded back in 2010-11. Toews later added an assist to increase his new career-high to 78 points. What a year of offense it has been for Toews and the Blackhawks.

TALKING POINTS: "It would have been nice to get a win. But it seems like that's a recurring theme. A lot of games just slip away from us and it's tough to make the playoffs when that happens." - Corey Crawford on the loss to Winnipeg

"We're working hard every day...There hasn't been a game where we've felt terribly about ourselves and we're right in every game." - Dylan Strome on the Blackhawks performance down the stretch

ChicagoBlackhawks.com FEATURE: Blackhawks host Hockey is for Everyone Night

By Fred Mitchell April 1, 2019

With a league-wide mission and commitment to diversify the sport of hockey, the Blackhawks celebrated "Hockey is for Everyone" night on April 1.

The Blackhawks faced the at the United Center and the host players opened the commemoration by sporting Pride Tape on their hockey sticks during pregame warmups.

Earlier in the week young students from the Girl Scouts, the ICE (Inner-City Education) program and other organizations collaborated to create a multi-colored mural in the United Center atrium, which reads: "We All Live Here."

Fans were encouraged to view the mural before and after the game that was created in coordination with the "We All Live Here" project, which uses art to emphasize the importance of inclusion. The Foundation had brought together more than 100 youth for the project. The Marillac St. Vincent Family Services also helped create the special mural. Meanwhile, fans were urged to display their support on social media by using the hashtags #hockeyisforeveryone and #wealllivehere.

The purpose of the annual "Hockey is for Everyone" night throughout the NHL is to promote access to the sport for every race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and those with disabilities.

The Blackhawks' 2018-19 player ambassador for the initiative is Marcus Kruger.

Some of the sticks used in the pregame warmups by the Blackhawks will be auctioned online in the coming days at blackhawks.com. The proceeds from the auction will be used to benefit organizations that increase diversity in hockey through the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation.

The You Can Play Project, Chicago Blackhawks Blind Hockey, Chicago Gay Hockey Association, and Center on Halsted also were located throughout the United Center concourse during the game. A portion of the Blackhawks silent auction and Split the Pot proceeds will benefit these organizations.

Monday also marked the first Blackhawks game under the United Center's recently announced sensory inclusive certification by KultureCity. There is a newly-designated "Quiet Room" at section 115 and sensory bags are available to fans who want to calm their environment.

ChicagoBlackhawks.com RELEASE: Sikura re-assigned to Rockford

By Chicago Blackhawks Communications Department April 2, 2019

The Chicago Blackhawks announced today that they have re-assigned forward Dylan Sikura to the Rockford IceHogs of the .

Sikura has split time between the Blackhawks and IceHogs this year. He had eight assists in 33 games with Chicago. The 23-year-old has 13 goals and 17 assists in 40 games with Rockford during the 2018-19 campaign. Prior to being recalled on Feb. 11, Sikura had a point (1G, 3A) in four straight games with the IceHogs.

The Blackhawks host the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. at the United Center. That game can be seen nationally on NBC Sports Network, heard on WGN Radio and in Spanish on WRTO AM-1200.

NBCSportsChicago.com Four takeaways: Blackhawks lose in overtime, but live to fight another day

By Charlie Roumeliotis April 1, 2019

Here are four takeaways from the Blackhawks' 4-3 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets at the United Center on Monday:

1. Live to fight another day

Entering the final week of the NHL regular season, the Blackhawks know they're running out of rope. And with the Colorado Avalanche rallying from 2-0 down to force overtime, it put the Blackhawks in a position where they had to pick up at least one point or else they'd be eliminated from contention.

And Dylan Strome saved the day.

Trailing 3-2 in the final minutes of the third period, Strome tied it up with 2:20 left for his second of the night after he had gone 12 straight without a goal. The Blackhawks eventually got it to overtime, which was the key, and it kept their playoff hopes alive ... barely.

"It was a huge goal to get it to overtime," said. "Obviously, we needed that. Somehow, live to fight another day and we just worry about the next game and doing everything we can to just focus on that and trying to win the game."

2. The Captain ties and sets personal best

Jonathan Toews has never been regarded as an elite offensive player. The thing that makes him great is his effectiveness when it comes to playing a 200-foot game. He's a coach's dream to have in a franchise centerman. It's why Mike Babcock has such an appreciation for Toews, because he's been a key part of Team Canada's success internationally.

After scoring a goal on Monday, Toews tied his career-high in goals (34) originally set in 2008-09 and established a new career-high in points (77) from 2010-11. The most impressive part of his season is that he hasn't gone more than three points without recording at least one point.

The underlying metrics suggested the Blackhawks captain was due for a bounce-back season offensively and that's exactly what's happened.

"It's nice to produce day in, day out," Toews said. "I think that's always the focus. If you're thinking about numbers way before the fact I don't think that's going to get you very far, so just trying to get back to my game and create offense but also play the right way. There's always room for improvement in any part of your game, but definitely nice to be able to go out there and contribute offensively and just feel like you're going into a game and good things are going to happen. You can keep kind of repeating that same feeling every day."

3. Reuniting the nuclear option

When the Blackhawks were playing their best hockey, Drake Caggiula was on the top line with Patrick Kane and Toews and it oddly worked — not just that group, but the balance up and down their lineup. So with their backs against the wall, Jeremy Colliton went back to his nuclear option.

And it worked for the most part.

Three of the four lines finished with positive possession numbers at 5-on-5. When the Caggiula-Toews-Kane trio was on the ice together, the Blackhawks controlled 59.1 percent of the shot attempts and 60 percent of the scoring chances, according to naturalstattrick.com. It wouldn't be surprising to see them go back to it on Wednesday.

"I think it's probably as good as we've played when they were together and as good as those two have played when Caggiula was with them, so obviously we missed him," Colliton said. "Whether you go to it right away or not, felt like we should go back to it at some point and I thought they had some good shifts. That's what we're looking for, still working on the right combos."

4. Time to scoreboard watch

The Blackhawks will be off on Tuesday, but we've reached the time of year where they aren't afraid to admit that scoreboard watching is a thing. The Avalanche host the Edmonton Oilers at 8 p.m. CT in the second of a back-to-back, and if they record a point, the Blackhawks will be eliminated from playoff contention.

"It’s probably a good idea to watch and see what happens," Strome said. "Hopefully Edmonton ... I mean, we put ourselves in this position where we have to hope other teams win, so it’s not where we want to be. But sometimes in hockey you need some luck. So hopefully we can get some the next three games.”

NBCSportsChicago.com Never say never: Blackhawks won't stop believing until math says they're out

By Charlie Roumeliotis April 1, 2019

The calendar has flipped to April, which means we've reached the final week of NHL regular season. Time is running out for bubble teams to make a run and get in. But at this point those clubs need help, too.

The Blackhawks are six points out of the second wildcard spot in the Western Conference with four games remaining. Their odds are down to 0.4 percent, according to hockeyreference.com, and they could mathematically be eliminated from contention by the end of Monday night with a loss and Colorado win.

But until the math says they're out, the Blackhawks will never say never — even if they internally have maybe allowed themselves to think otherwise.

"We’ll take it day-by-day," Patrick Kane said. "We’ve kept things pretty positive for a while here, to be honest with you, and I think we’ve been one of the better teams in the latter half of the year in the league. It’s never fun to be in this position, but obviously there’s a lot to play for tonight to keep our season alive and keep these meaningful games going for us. That’s the position we’re in.”

At the same time, it's hard not to look back at the schedule and point to some stretches and wonder "what if?"

"At first when you think about it, it's probably easy to say those two eight-game losing streaks really hurt us," Kane said "You do that and you're giving up a fifth of the season where you're not getting any points or winning any games, so that was a tough stretch for us. It seemed like things just snowballed there for a while after the coaching change, and I know Jeremy [Colliton] was implementing the way he wanted to play but we kind of struggled right out of the gate. Once we figured it out we were a lot better. I think right after that it was the toughest part of the year for us."

The Blackhawks, at the very least, have a chance to play spoiler against the Winnipeg Jets, who are fighting for the top seed in the Central Division. But they want to start being on the other end of these meaningful games. And while they still (barely) have a chance, it's important to finish strong and on a positive note.

"We’re playing at home, we’ve got a lot of pride, it’s a big game for Winnipeg," Colliton said. "We technically are still in it. So let’s do our part. Have a great effort. Bring our best game. That’s kind of been what we’ve been saying for a while and that’s all we can do. We want to feel good about ourselves, we want to come to the rink and be happy in the morning. So you’ve got to perform."

NBCSportsChicago.com Blackhawks reassign Dylan Sikura to help Rockford IceHogs in playoff push

By Charlie Roumeliotis April 2, 2019

The Blackhawks kept their playoff hopes alive on Monday by picking up a point against Winnipeg, but the odds are still stacked against them. They need to win out in the final three games and receive major help around them to have a chance.

Because of that, the Blackhawks reassigned forward Dylan Sikura to the Rockford IceHogs of the American Hockey League for the stretch run in hopes of earning another Calder Cup playoff berth. The IceHogs are three points out of the fourth and final spot in the Central Division with six games remaining, and could use an offensive player like Sikura, considering the team ranks last in goals per game (2.40).

Sikura noticeably looked like a different player when he got called up to Chicago in February, and played his way onto the top line with Jonathan Toews for a few games. But through 38 career NHL appearances, he’s still looking for his first goal and it’s unfortunate that he’ll have to take that with him into the summer.

Sikura has been very productive with the IceHogs this season, accumulating 30 points (13 goals, 17 assists) in 40 games. Four of his goals have been game-winners. He joins forwards Brandon Hagel and Reese Johnson and defenseman Chad Krys as late reinforcements for the IceHogs’ playoff push.

Chicago Tribune 3 takeaways from the Blackhawks' 4-3 OT loss to the Jets, including every way they can still make the playoffs

By Jimmy Greenfield April 2, 2019

Not only is it extremely complicated to figure out how the Blackhawks can still earn a playoff spot, but the odds are so small only a fool would waste their time trying to figure it out.

Let's waste some time trying to figure it out.

To start, if the Avalanche earn any more points this season or the Hawks fail to earn a point in any of their games, then the Hawks are eliminated.

Simply put, the Avs have to go 0-3 and the Hawks have to go 3-0. Anything else and it’s over for the Hawks.

So let’s assume the Hawks do come back and tie the Avalanche with 86 points when the regular season is over. This is when the NHL's first tiebreaker kicks in.

The greater number of games won (regulation + wins, also known as ROW), excluding games won in the shootout.

The Hawks would win this tiebreaker 35-34 over the Avalanche if they win their remaining three games in regulation or overtime. If the Hawks win two or more games in a shootout then they are eliminated.

If they win one of their three games in a shootout then they will be tied with the Avalanche in ROW and would be eliminated by virtue of the next tiebreaker.

The greater number of points earned in games between the tied clubs. If two clubs are tied, and have not played an equal number of home games against each other, points earned in the first game played in the city that had the extra game shall not be included.

Excluding the first home game at the United Center, the Hawks went 2-2 for four points against the Avalanche, while the Avalanche went 2-0-2 for six points against the Hawks. The Avs hold the advantage.

Still with us? Hang on, it gets really complicated now because we're getting a third team involved.

Let's say the Hawks, Avalanche and Coyotes all end up tied with 86 points. And let’s assume there are no shootout wins the rest of the regular season.

The Hawks would once again win this tiebreaker because the Coyotes currently have 34 regulation and overtime wins.

Now let’s say the Hawks, Avalanche and Wild all end up with 86 points. The Wild currently have 35 ROW victories and would almost certainly get one more if they go from 81 to 86 points over the last three games of the season. The Wild would win this tiebreaker.

Finally, let’s say the Hawks, Avalanche, Wild and Coyotes finish in a four-way tie with 86 points. Once again, the Wild would win this tiebreaker because they have the most ROW victories.

What does this all mean? That the Hawks still have almost no chance to make the playoffs.

Here is a link to the NHL’s standing page which contains the full tiebreaking procedures at the bottom.

Now, here are three takeaways from Monday night’s game.

1. At least some Blackhawks players will be watching the Avalanche-Oilers game.

When a reporter asked Dylan Strome if he would be watching on Tuesday night, Strome looked at him with a grin.

"Probably keep an eye on it," Strome said.

Players don't always admit to scoreboard watching, but this situation is a little bit different. If the Avalanche win, the Hawks’ playoff hopes are done. Given the choice between the season finale of "This Is Us" and a key NHL game, it's an easy decision.

Duncan Keith seemed hesitant to admit the game would be on his TV but eventually came around.

"I don't know," Keith said. "I think for sure, now this time of year with the situation we’re in, gonna be watching, you know, scoreboard watching. Making sure that, hopefully, they lose."

2. Your No. 1 star of the game: Hawks video coach Matt Meachem

With three minutes left in regulation, the Hawks were cooked. Jets star Mark Scheifele just scored his 37th goal of the season to give his team a 4-2 lead, virtually clinching a win and eliminating the Hawks from the playoffs.

But Meachem noticed that when the Jets entered the zone, they may have been offside. So after Scheifele scored, Meachem got word to the bench that this needed to be challenged.

Coach Jeremy Colliton called the ref over, requested a review and a couple minutes later the goal was wiped off the board. The stage was set for Strome to score his second goal of the game and send the game into overtime, allowing the Hawks to remain alive.

"Obviously nice call by (Meachem) on the offside there and (we) found a way to get a point," Colliton said.

3. Drake Caggiula should not be fighting. Especially with .

In Caggiula's second game back after returning from a concussion, he somehow got himself into a fight with Byfuglien.

Caggiula is 5 feet, 10 inches and weighs 176 pounds. Byfuglien is 6 feet, 5 inches and weighs 260 pounds.

But this wasn't a case of Caggiula trying to pick a fight with Byfuglien. In the final seconds of the third period, the two collided. Or rather, Caggiula collided with Byfuglien and hit the ice hard. Byfuglien remained sturdy, which mountains usually do when twigs blow into them.

Byfuglien shoved Caggiula back to the ice and within a few seconds, they were throwing punches. Caggiula had a nasty looking bruise on his forehead and left the ice to get it checked out.

After the game, Colliton said Caggiula appeared to be fine but wasn't happy to see Byfuglien get away with pounding Caggiula. They both received 5-minute fighting penalties.

"Don't love it," Colliton said. "Surprised that we didn't get a power play out of that one, but seems to be OK so that's a positive because (Caggiula) has a big impact on our team."

Here’s a recap of the Hawks’ 4-3 loss at the United Center:

The Blackhawks might not remain in postseason contention for another 24 hours. But on Monday night they just wouldn't quit.

Dylan Strome scored his second goal of the game late in the third period to help the Hawks earn a point in their 4-3 overtime loss to the Jets at the United Center on Monday night and allow them to stave off elimination.

Kevin Hayes scored the game-winner for the Jets with 1 minute, 22 seconds left in the extra session.

Just a few minutes earlier on Monday, the Avalanche scored their own late goal with 47 seconds left in regulation to tie the Blues and put the Hawks in a do-or-die situation. Despite Strome's heroics, the Avalanche can eliminate the Hawks on Tuesday if they beat the Oilers or lose in overtime or a shootout.

Despite ultimately losing in a shootout, the point the Avs earned meant the Hawks could not lose in regulation and stay alive.

Mark Scheifele seemed to have scored his 37th goal of the season with three minutes remaining to seal the win for the Jets, but a review found the play was offside.

Given new life, the Hawks pulled Corey Crawford with just under three minutes remaining to try to get the equalizer and Strome came through.

The Hawks nearly tied the Jets early in the third period when Drake Caggiula's backhander shot went through the crease and somehow stayed out of the net. Moments later, Patrick Kane's blast from the blue line hit the post to keep the Jets up by a goal.

Jonathan Toews' first-period goal gave the Hawks a 1-0 lead and was his 77th point of the season, setting a new career- high. The goal was his 34th, tying his career-high.

The Jets scored a pair of first-period goals to take a 2-1 lead, the latter coming with 34 seconds remaining in the period. Jack Roslovic stripped Gustav Forsling of the puck in the Hawks' zone then banked a shot off Crawford from a terrible angle. Roslovic added his second goal in the second period to make it 3-1.

Strome scored 1 minute, 12 seconds later to pull the Hawks back within a goal. It was Strome's first goal in his last 13 games.

Chicago Tribune 'It's crazy': Patrick Kane marvels at reaching 900 games with the Blackhawks

By Jimmy Greenfield April 2, 2019

As soon as the puck dropped Monday at the United Center, Patrick Kane hit another milestone, and this one really freaked him out.

Kane, who turned 30 last year, played in his 900th game with the Blackhawks. He has four years remaining on the eight- year, $84 million contract he signed in 2014 and would need another deal covering at least three seasons to break Stan Mikita’s team record of 1,394 games played.

Of course, Brent Seabrook (1,079 games) and Duncan Keith (1,074) can beat him to Mikita’s mark.

If Kane plays in the three remaining games this season, he would be in line to tie Dennis Hull for eighth on the Hawks’ all-time list during the 2019-20 opener in Prague.

“It’s crazy — 900 games,” Kane said. “It’s gone by pretty quickly, but as far as my career has gone and what’s happened here in this city and organization, I wouldn’t have it any other way. So it’s been a fun ride and looking forward to many more.”

Hey, it's Hayden: After playing 12 games in February, forward John Hayden appeared in only three last month and had been a healthy scratch for the last 11 games before playing Monday against the Jets. The last time he got into a game was March 7, when he played 6 minutes, 37 seconds against the Sabres.

Hayden has been on the roster the entire season and has had opportunities to prove himself but has yet to show coach Jeremy Colliton he deserves to be a permanent part of the lineup. He had three goals and two assists in 50 games before Monday.

“He can bring some energy, get in on the forecheck, be physical, try to play in the offensive zone,” Colliton said. “If he can end his shift in the offensive zone with his line, then the next guys come out in a good spot. Having been out for a while, he’s going to be excited, he’s going to want to make an impact, something to prove.”

One-timers: Corey Crawford started his 13th straight game, the longest streak by a Hawks goalie since he started 14 straight from Nov. 1 to 29, 2014. ... David Kampf missed Monday’s game with facial and dental injuries suffered Saturday against the Kings.

Chicago Tribune Career seasons from Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Alex DeBrincat and Erik Gustafsson can't will the Blackhawks to the playoffs

By Jimmy Greenfield April 2, 2019

Looking back on the Blackhawks season and seeing what Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Alex DeBrincat and Erik Gustafsson have accomplished inspires a bit of awe.

And a bit of aw, why aren’t the Hawks better?

If somebody had told you in October that future Hall of Famers Kane and Toews would put together possibly their greatest regular seasons, that might have put a big smile on your face. Add in DeBrincat soaring past the 40-goal mark in his second season and Gustafsson coming out of nowhere to approach 60 points, and the only question might have been, “Where do I buy playoff tickets?”

Well, not in Chicago. There almost certainly won’t be a postseason for the Hawks, who faced the possibility of being eliminated from playoff contention after Monday night’s game against the Jets at the United Center.

That the Hawks have struggled so frequently despite getting extraordinary seasons from their best players underlines a lack of depth they must address in the offseason.

Toews had tied his career high with 76 points entering Monday’s game and was one goal and one assist from equaling his best in each category. Having been on nine playoff teams three Stanley Cup winners, he understands as well as anybody that individual glory doesn’t necessarily translate into team success.

“There’s some things you’ve got to identify that maybe can make our team better,” Toews said. “You think that guys having seasons like that makes the difference. But at the end of the day, hockey’s a very team-oriented game, more so than other team sports maybe. You can have a superstar on your team and you still need a lot of different pieces to make your team successful. So in that sense it doesn’t matter too much.”

Kane’s season was strong from the start. He had two points in each of the first three games and went scoreless in just nine of the first 61 games. He entered Monday’s game with 105 points, one shy of his career high.

Gustafsson is a different story. He didn’t have a multipoint game among his first 29 while compiling just 12 points. Since then, Gustafsson had 10 multipoint games entering Monday and had scored 44 points (12 goals, 32 assists) in 46 games to rank among the top defensemen in the league.

The Hawks have received some solid and promising performances throughout the rest of the roster. Dylan Strome was nearly a point-per-game player until recording only one point in his last seven games, and Brandon Saad’s 45 points are right around what you would expect out of him (he averaged 48 over his first five full seasons).

They just haven’t had dynamic players elsewhere in the lineup. Rather than demand extra out of players who might not be able to give it, coach Jeremy Colliton relied more heavily on his best players during the Hawks’ bid for a playoff berth.

“It’s something we’re aware of, and we just have felt that throughout the second half that if we were going to get back in it, we needed to lean on the top guys,” Colliton said. “For the most part they’ve come through for us, and that’s why we’ve been in the playoff race, playing big games.

“Long term, we’d like to use more of the lineup. So it’s something we’ll work toward.” Chicago Sun Times Blackhawks lose 4-3 to Jets, slip to one point away from elimination

By Jason Lieser April 1, 2019

This is a blown opportunity for the Blackhawks, regardless of how far they’ve come. They deserve credit for climbing out of their early-season hole, but they righted themselves quickly enough to have a shot at the playoffs with more than a month to go.

It’s what they’ve done since then that doomed them in the wild-card race, not their dreadful start.

The Hawks fought off elimination for another day by forcing overtime before losing 4-3 to the Jets on Monday, but they’re one step away from this being over after the Avalanche gained a point in their shootout loss to the Blues.

Any point gained by the Avalanche or missed out on by the Hawks will end their season. The team refuses to accept that as inevitable.

“We put ourselves in this position where we have to hope other teams win, so it’s not where we want to be,” center Dylan Strome said. “But sometimes in hockey you need some luck. So hopefully we can get some the next three games.”

A few breaks went the Hawks’ way to keep that small hope alive. Mark Scheifele appeared to give the Jets a 4-2 lead with three minutes left — “I’m sitting there at 4-2 thinking that our season is pretty much done,” Strome admitted — but video coach Matt Meacham lobbied coach Jeremy Colliton to challenge that the Jets were offside.

The goal was nixed after review, and Strome tied the score 40 seconds later with the Hawks going empty-net.

Had they lost in regulation or the Avalanche won, the Hawks would’ve been knocked out. Now they look to the Avalanche’s home game Tuesday against the struggling Oilers, hoping for an upset so their game Wednesday against the Blues still will matter.

“We put ourselves in that situation,” defenseman Duncan Keith said. “That’s the tough part, knowing that we’re in this hole. But there’s nothing we can do about it now.”

The Hawks could’ve done something about it in the last six weeks. Remember when they had the second wild-card spot all to themselves for a few moments after a victory Feb. 20 in Detroit?

They had played at a 107-point pace for more than two months to get there, then they slid again. They’ve gone 8-7-3 to flounder in a wild-card race that was there for the taking.

They’ve lost twice to the last-place Kings during this rut, dropped consecutive home games to non-playoff teams in the Canucks and Flyers and narrowly avoided getting swept in a recent weekend home-and-home against the Avalanche.

“Well, we’ve struggled to get the results we need,” Colliton said of his team’s play in the last month or so. “I don’t think we’ve played badly; we just struggled to score. Power play’s gone a little cold.

“The compete level, I’ve got no issues with. I think defensively we’ve tightened up, so that’s a positive going forward. We just haven’t been able to take that next step. Disappointing, certainly. We want to be in the playoffs; we want to be in it right to the end. But we are where we are.”

None of the teams that has been in the mix for the last spot is overwhelming. The Avs are the most talented among them, but they only took the lead after going 6-0-1 the last two weeks.

The Hawks will spend their offseason knowing that could’ve been them, but they fell short in the most crucial stage of the season. It’s easy to point to the 9-18-5 start, but they got past that. Folding down the stretch is what put them on the edge of being buried.

Chicago Sun Times Blackhawks wince at fight between Dustin Byfuglien, Drake Caggiula

By Jason Lieser April 1, 2019

There were a few scraps in the Blackhawks-Jets game Monday, and the friction gave way to a fight between Hawks forward Drake Caggiula and Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien.

Byfuglien knocked Caggiula to the ice with 13 seconds left in regulation, then pushed him down as he tried to stand up, and that led to punches. Byfuglien landed several shots to Caggiula’s head before officials broke them up, and the two were hit with matching five-minute major penalties.

“I don’t love it,” Hawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. “Surprised that we didn’t get a power play out of that one, but [he] seems to be OK, so that’s a positive because he has a big impact on our team.”

While Colliton didn’t like the double penalty call, it seemed like he also wished Caggiula hadn’t taken the bait.

The biggest concern with Caggiula is that he just came back from a concussion. He suffered one Feb. 27 and missed more than a month before returning Saturday. This was his second game back.

“You never want to see him taking hits to the head — anybody for that matter,” Duncan Keith said. “Buff’s a good guy… We don’t ever want to see a player, especially on our team, getting hit in the head like that, but [Caggiula] brings a lot of energy and feistiness to our team and we need that.”

Byfuglien played for the Hawks from 2005 through ’10, helping them win a Stanley Cup. They traded him to the Jets (the Thrashers at that time) in the 2010 offseason.

Chicago Sun Times Blackhawks notes: Jeremy Colliton a good fit in debut season

By Jason Lieser April 1, 2019

Hiring Jeremy Colliton was one thing the Blackhawks got right this season, even if they were a little late in making the coaching change.

Colliton arrived in November as the youngest coach in the NHL at 33 and took a beating his first month on the job. Once he got his footing, he steered the Hawks back into playoff contention and still had them mathematically in the wild-card race as they began the final week of the season.

Given that he had to implement his defensive approach and other elements of his playing style on the fly, the fact that Colliton made anything out of this season is an achievement. Once he gets a full offseason and training camp, the results should be even better.

“Right from the start you could see he’s a pretty intelligent person,” Jonathan Toews said. “He came in and gave us his system — obviously sometimes it takes you a little while to adjust. But as time went on we all adapted and adjusted appropriately.

“Now you see him getting more and more comfortable coming in between periods and making in-game changes… You’re going to see him get better and better as a coach as time goes on.”

Colliton is 28-27-8 heading into the game tonight against Winnipeg.

He had never coached NHL players in any capacity before taking this job, previously coaching the Rockford IceHogs and a pro team in Sweden, but has navigated the locker room well. He has been willing to ride out mistakes by younger players, something that surely would’ve tested Joel Quenneville’s patience, and connected with the veterans—eight of whom are also in their 30s.

“He’s very receptive to anything the captains and the leadership group has to say,” Toews said. “He tries his best to be respectful to some of these guys that have played a lot of games, but we know it’s quite clear that he’s the coach and he makes the tough decisions. It’s not always going to be popular, but I think there’s a great line of communication between the players and the coach.”

Kane’s 900th game Patrick Kane has hit some impressive milestones in his 12th season, and he will reach another one tonight against the Jets: 900 career games.

“It’s crazy,” Kane said. “It’s gone by pretty quickly, but as far as my career has gone and what’s happened here in this city and organization, I wouldn’t have it any other way. So it’s been a fun ride and looking forward to many more.”

He will become the ninth man to play 900 for the Blackhawks and can move into seventh place in franchise history next season. He scored 353 goals and had 933 points in his first 899.

Lineup changes Hawks forwards Brendan Perlini and John Hayden are getting a chance at redemption. Colliton had both of them in the lineup against the Jets.

Perlini went on a run of eight goals in seven games last month, but fell out of favor with Colliton because of his effort on the recent road trip and was a healthy scratch Saturday against the Kings. Hayden had not dressed since March 7.

The Hawks are missing center David Kampf, one of their better defensive players, because of a facial injury he suffered Saturday.

Daily Herald Blackhawks not done yet despite OT loss to Jets

By John Dietz April 1, 2019

It's not over yet for the Blackhawks.

But Corey Crawford wasn't about to paint a rosy picture after a 4-3 overtime loss to Winnipeg on Monday that all but eliminated the Hawks from the playoff picture.

"Obviously it doesn't look good," Crawford said. "We've let a lot of points go, especially late. Keep playing hard, but we'll see."

The Hawks (34-33-12) remain 6 points behind Colorado with three games remaining for each team. They are also 4 points behind Arizona and 1 behind Minnesota, meaning coach Jeremy Colliton's team would need to complete the equivalent of three Hail Marys to qualify for the postseason.

"A lot of games slipped away from us and it's tough to make the playoffs when that happens," Crawford said.

Monday's wasn't necessarily one of those as the Hawks battled back from a 3-1 deficit, successfully challenged a Mark Scheifele goal that would have made it 4-2 with three minutes remaining and tied things up at 3-3 on Dylan Strome's second goal of the game with 2:20 on the clock.

Crawford was sensational in overtime, making 4 saves on high-quality chances, but Kevin Hayes notched the game- winner on a nifty backhand-forehand move from in close with 1:22 remaining.

Jonathan Toews had a goal and an assist, giving him a career-best 78 points and a career-tying-best 34 goals.

The Hawks will be officially eliminated if Colorado earns a point against Edmonton on Tuesday.

Duncan Keith said he'll be watching, knowing full well that his team could have been in a better spot if they'd executed more consistently the past couple of weeks.

"We put ourselves in that situation," Keith said. "That's the tough part, knowing that we're in this hole. But there's nothing we can do about it now. Hopefully they lose, and hopefully we win the next game."

Caggiula fight: Drake Caggiula, in just his second game back since suffering a concussion against Anaheim on Feb. 27, got into a fight with Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien with 13 seconds left in the Hawks' OT loss Monday. Caggiula absorbed several big hits to the head from the 6-foot-5, 260-pound Byfuglien.

"Buff's a big guy and (Caggiula) plays a hard-nosed game," said Hawks defenseman Duncan Keith. "We don't ever want to see a player -- especially on our team -- getting hit in the head like that. But he brings a lot of energy and feistiness to our team and we need that."

Coach Jeremy Colliton said he thinks Caggiula will be OK.

Hayden returns: After sitting 11 straight games as a healthy scratch, John Hayden returned to the lineup against Winnipeg. Brendan Perlini, who was scratched at Los Angeles on Saturday, also returned.

Chris Kunitz, David Kampf and defenseman Slater Koekkoek all sat out. Kampf is still recovering from taking a puck to the face against the Kings that required major dental work.

Slap shots: Erik Gustafsson assisted on all 3 Blackhawks goals against Winnipeg on Monday, running his season total to 42. Gustafsson is just the third Hawks D-man to record 40-plus assists since 1996-97. … Patrick Kane played in his 900th game and Artem Anisimov played in his 700th. ... Scott Foster, who made 7 saves in an emergency role last season against Winnipeg on March 29, 2018, was at the United Center and received a nice ovation when he was shown on the scoreboard in the first period.

Daily Herald Chicago Blackhawks about to miss playoffs again despite career years from Toews and Kane

By John Dietz April 1, 2019

After waiting 20 minutes for Jonathan Toews to emerge from behind the sliding doors of the Chicago Blackhawks' dressing room Monday morning, a throng of media members encircled the captain's locker stall.

Toews strolled out wearing a T-shirt, shorts, ball cap -- and sporting a full beard.

Nobody asked if the facial hair was a subliminal message, but it would take a major miracle for Toews to have to shelve his shaving kit when the postseason begins next week.

In some ways, it's not surprising that the inconsistent Hawks likely will sit home for a second straight season.

But if you told Toews and Patrick Kane in October that they were about to embark on career seasons -- and that Alex DeBrincat would score 40 goals AND that Erik Gustafsson would score nearly 20 -- they no doubt would have figured the team was headed back to the Stanley Cup playoffs.

"I guess there's some things you (need) to identify that you can do that can make our team better," Toews said before the Hawks hosted Winnipeg on Monday. "Hockey's a very team-oriented game -- more so than other team sports maybe -- (where) you can have a superstar and you still need a lot of different pieces to go out there and make your team successful."

That's true of the Hawks, of course, but also for a team like the Edmonton Oilers, who trot out Connor McDavid (40G, 74A) and Leon Draisaitl (47G, 54A) every night, yet they also are nowhere near a playoff spot. Same with the Florida Panthers, who have Aleksander Barkov (34G, 57A) and Jonathan Huberdeau (27G, 61A).

In the Hawks' case -- in addition to a woefully undermanned defense corps -- they have relied too much on Toews, Kane and DeBrincat all season. There are far too many forwards who are almost no threat to score.

Chief among them are David Kampf (4 goals in 62 games), Marcus Kruger (4 in 71), (4 in 53), John Hayden (3 in 50), Dylan Sikura (none in 32) and Dominik Kahun (1 in his last 22).

That's half of the lineup and doesn't include the disappointing Artem Anisimov (14 goals) or the wildly inconsistent Brendan Perlini.

Because of this, coach Jeremy Colliton has been forced to overplay Kane and Toews, who rank third and 13th among forwards in average time on ice.

Teams that are successful over the long haul can consistently play their fourth-line guys for 9-12 minutes a night. That rarely happens with the Hawks.

"It's something obviously we're aware of," Colliton said. "We just have felt that throughout the second half that if we were going to get back in it, we needed to lean on the top guys. For the most part, they've come through for us, and that's why we've been in the playoff race here. …

"Long term, we'd like to use more of the lineup. So it's something we'll work towards here."

And something general manager Stan Bowman must fix in the off-season. He needs to bring in a few players who can be consistent threats up and down the lineup.

The Jets are a perfect example. Here's a team led by plenty of star power, but also one that sports lesser-known names such as Kevin Hayes (18 goals), Bryan Little (15), Mathieu Perreault (15), Brandon Tanev (14), Adam Lowry (12) and Andrew Copp (11).

That's six middle-of-the-road forwards who can burn an opponent on any given night. Other than Perlini and Drake Caggiula, the Hawks have none of that.

And it's a big reason there will be no playoff hockey -- or playoff beards -- in Chicago this April.

Daily Herald Hayes scores in OT to lift Jets over Blackhawks, 4-3

By Matt Carlson – Associated Press April 1, 2019

Kevin Hayes scored at 3:38 of overtime and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 on Monday night to snap a three-game slide and move into sole possession of first place in the Central Division.

Hayes cut to the net off the right side, got past Dylan Strome and tucked a shot past Corey Crawford. Winnipeg improved to 96 points, two ahead of St. Louis and Nashville atop the crowded division race.

Strome scored his second goal of the game with 2:20 left in the third period to tie it at 3. By earning a point, Chicago avoided being eliminated from playoff contention for the second straight season - for now.

Strome, who also had an assist, beat goalie Connor Hellebuyck on the stick side from the slot after taking a centering pass from Jonathan Toews. Crawford was on the bench for an extra attacker.

Jack Roslovic scored two goals to end a 22-game drought, and Adam Lowry also had a goal for the Jets. Roslovic scored for the first time since Feb. 2 when he netted a hat trick versus Anaheim.

Toews had a goal and an assist for Chicago and set a career high for points with 78. The 30-year-old Chicago captain's 34th goal tied his mark for one season, set in 2008-09.

Hellebuyck made 25 saves. Crawford stopped 34 shots, including Mark Scheifele's penalty shot 40 seconds into the second period, but Chicago lost for the third time in its last four.

The Jets, who have clinched a playoff berth, conclude the regular season with three more road games - at Minnesota, Colorado and Arizona. Both the Predators and Blues have three games remaining as well.

Before missing the playoffs last year, Chicago had a run of nine straight postseason appearances that included Stanley Cup championships in 2010, 2013 and 2015.

Toews opened the scoring 4:25 in with a power-play goal from the right circle. He beat Hellebuyck between the legs as Jacob Trouba screened.

Lowry tied it at 1 midway through the first on a shot from the left circle that slipped past Crawford on the short side.

Roslovic put Winnipeg ahead 2-1 with 34 seconds left in the period. After stealing the puck from Gustav Forsling, he connected on shot from near the goal line on the right slide that slipped between Crawford's pads.

Crawford made an easy save on Scheifele's penalty shot, awarded to the Jets' top goal scorer after Toews hooked him from behind on a breakaway.

Roslovic took Trouba's centering pass and made it 3-1 at 5:11 of the second on a quick shot from the slot that beat Crawford high on the glove side. Strome cut it to 3-2 just 1:12 later, scoring from the edge of the crease after he beat Winnipeg's Nathan Beaulieu to a loose puck.

Scheifele fired a shot past Crawford from the left circle with 3 minutes left in the third period, but the goal was disallowed after a video review showed the Jets entered the zone offside.

NOTES: Strome, acquired from Arizona in a trade on Nov. 25, 2018, has 16 goals and 32 assists in 55 games with Chicago. . Blackhawks forward David Kampf sat out with a facial injury sustained when he was struck with a puck in Los Angeles on Saturday. . No NHL team based in Winnipeg has ever finished in first place. The current Jets franchise, which entered the NHL in 1999-2000 as the Atlanta Thrashers, finished first in the league's old Southeast Division in 2006-07. The team moved to Winnipeg in 2011. The original Winnipeg Jets franchise, which entered the NHL from the WHA in 1979, never finished higher than second before moving to Phoenix in 1996.

The Athletic How Stan Bowman saved his job, even in another lost season

By Mark Lazerus April 1, 2019

Let’s start by taking a step back and looking at the big picture.

For the second straight season, the Blackhawks will miss the playoffs (though their fate wasn’t officially sealed Monday night, thanks to a salvaged point in a wild 4-3 overtime loss to Winnipeg). For the third straight year, the Blackhawks won’t win a single playoff game. For the fourth straight year, the Blackhawks won’t win a single playoff series.

Last summer’s free-agent signings ranged from awful to unnecessary to just fine. The over-reaction to the 2017 first- round sweep by the Nashville Predators is still haunting the franchise. And the team just squandered career years from their two most iconic players, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, in their age-30 seasons, no less.

This is the kind of stuff that gets general managers fired.

But it won’t get Stan Bowman fired. Nor should it.

I’ve been critical of Bowman for a while now, and I still believe the mess that got Joel Quenneville canned was more Bowman’s fault than Quenneville’s. If you wanted to make the argument on Nov. 6 that it should have been a total house-cleaning, not just a coach firing, I probably could have gone along with that.

Think back to what the Blackhawks were dealing with in October: Brandon Manning and Jan Rutta were on the blue line, with a teenager, Henri Jokiharju, playing more than 20 minutes a night (albeit, quite effectively). Dylan Sikura and Victor Ejdsell, both hyped by the team as top-nine players, were languishing in Rockford (Ejdsell hasn’t even sniffed the NHL this season, and Sikura is still seeking his first goal, despite improved play). The two big offseason signings beyond Cam Ward were Chris Kunitz and Manning, neither of whom made any sort of impact. The roster was a mess, an odd mix of extreme youth and aging veterans. Quenneville managed to wring a surprisingly solid start out of them, but he never stood a chance in the long term.

The vocal “Fire Bowman” brigade (I still hear from them every day on Twitter and frequently in The Athletic’s comment section) had a case back then. And while I don’t believe it was ever seriously considered, two team sources have told me the option was at least discussed, both last spring and again this fall.

Regardless, John McDonough and Rocky Wirtz spared Bowman. And given the reprieve, he has saved his own job and earned the right to see the re-tooling process he began through to its conclusion, for better or worse. It seems facile to say that the Dylan Strome trade saved Bowman’s job (though Strome did temporarily save the season with his game- tying goal at 17:40 of the third period Monday night), but it very well might have. Bowman has nudged and tweaked the roster all season, but the three times he acknowledged a mistake and corrected it are big reasons why the Blackhawks played meaningful games into March, and why the future doesn’t look nearly as bleak as it did back in November.

Let’s break those moves down.

The mistake: Signing Brandon Manning to a two-year contract worth $2.25 million a season. Manning was a disaster from the start, a terrible contract and a poor fit. Bowman later said the signing was an acquiescence of sorts to Quenneville’s wish for a more physical, reliable blue line, but Bowman himself said Manning was “just coming into his own” the day he signed him. He wound up a healthy scratch 14 times in 41 games, including his last eight. Quenneville didn’t trust him. Jeremy Colliton didn’t even play him.

The correction: It won’t go down as a sneaky gem like Michal Handzus in 2013 or a Cup-making blockbuster like Antoine Vermette in 2015, but Bowman’s pawning off of Manning on Edmonton before the Oilers fired hapless Peter Chiarelli was an all-timer in its own right. Not only did Bowman shed Manning’s contract, he got a viable and versatile player, Drake Caggiula, in the process. Yes, it was Bowman’s own mistake that he corrected. But not all GMs are willing to admit failure so quickly (David Rundblad, anyone?). Credit where it’s due.

The mistake: Signing Jan Rutta to a one-year contract worth $1.35 million. This one’s not nearly as bad as the Manning signing, but what exactly did Rutta do to earn that much money? Carl Dahlstrom had played 46 serviceable NHL games when Bowman extended him last week with a perfectly reasonable two-year deal worth $850,000 a year. Rutta had played 57 serviceable NHL games when Bowman gave him half a million more than that. And while the Blackhawks aren’t a cap team at the moment, every hundred thousand adds up in the NHL. This one continued a growing trend of Bowman over-paying his own guys. The most egregious example was Richard Panik, who didn’t even bother hiding his surprise and excitement the previous summer after the Blackhawks’ initial offer came in at a two-year deal worth a whopping $2.8 million per season, well over market value.

The correction: Bowman sent Rutta to Tampa Bay for Slater Koekkoek, the Lightning’s extra defenseman. Koekkoek has been fine — a little better than Rutta had been, but just fine — but he’s a restricted free agent this summer after making $865,000 this season. He’ll almost certainly be re-signed, and you can be sure it’ll be for less than $1.35 million. Lesson learned.

The mistake: Counting on Nick Schmaltz to be a top-six center, and possibly a No. 1 center. At several points — the end of last season, the beginning of free agency last summer, again at the start of this season — Bowman talked about Schmaltz’s pending second contract as a reason the Blackhawks weren’t spending to the cap, that money needed to be saved to give to Schmaltz, a player he had been touting as an elite center of the future for a couple of years. But Schmaltz’s inconsistent effort and inability to win a faceoff frustrated Quenneville and suggested he might not be ready to take over for an aging Toews anytime soon.

The correction: This, obviously, is the big one. Bowman took a big swing — trading a first-round pick with whom his star player (Kane) loved playing, and who was coming off a breakout 21-goal season, for Strome, whom many pundits already had deemed a bust, and Brendan Perlini, a middle-six winger at best — and connected. Until a late-season slump, Strome had been a point-per-game player for the Blackhawks, rekindling his uncanny chemistry with junior teammate and BFF Alex DeBrincat, helping to revive the power play with his work around the net, and looking every bit the top-two center the Blackhawks need him to be. Perlini has driven Colliton batty with his inconsistent effort levels, but the eight-goals-in-seven-games eruption Perlini had last month was a reminder of his natural gifts. Perlini will be an affordable re-signing this summer, and while the Coyotes just gave Schmaltz (who also fared well after the trade) a seven-year deal worth $5.85 million a season, Strome still has another year left on his entry-level contract, allowing the Blackhawks to kick the can down the road another year and spend bigger during this critical upcoming summer.

There have been other solid moves, too. Bowman locked up Collin Delia, presumably the goalie of the future, for three years at a piddling $1 million a year. Dominik Kahun is the latest savvy addition by Bowman’s outstanding European scouting department, and Dominik Kubalik could be the next. Bowman’s faith in Erik Gustafsson has been rewarded, as the 27-year-old has emerged as one of the most productive defensemen in the league, with 17 goals and 57 points. He’s signed through next season at just $1.2 million. And Colliton, after a very difficult start, has righted the ship. The Blackhawks have run out of gas over the past couple of weeks, but have been playing the second half of the season at better than a 100-point pace, and the team defense — brutal for a couple of years now — is showing signs of structure and competence lately, holding six straight opponents to 30 or fewer shots after allowing nearly 36 per game for Colliton’s first 57 games.

No GM is perfect, and a similar column on any of the other 30 in the league would probably include a few mind-numbing signings and a few quality moves. For every Brent Seabrook contract, there’s also a DeBrincat draft pick (remember, every other GM in the league passed on the kid who has 41 goals in his second NHL season).

The fact is, the Blackhawks have hope now — for the immediate and distant future. Back in November and early December, they had none. Bowman deserves some credit for that. As Quenneville always pointed out, it’s a what-have- you-done-for-me-lately business. And regardless of what role he played in the Blackhawks hitting rock-bottom, he’s very clearly played a role in them bouncing back much sooner than expected. This is not a great team by any stretch. But it’s not too bad, either, and it’s getting better. Next April, there should be playoff games at the United Center again.

So Bowman has earned the right to navigate this critical offseason — another high draft pick, a summer with cap space to burn — and finish the job he started. How he performs and how the Blackhawks fare will decide his fate beyond that.

The Athletic How Nicolas Beaudin stacks up against fellow defenseman prospects

By Scott Powers April 1, 2019

Nicolas Beaudin interrupts the question before it reaches its conclusion.

He already knows where it’s going, and he’s more than happy to oblige. He knows he doesn’t play the same way as fellow Blackhawks defenseman prospect Adam Boqvist.

“He’s more flashy,” Beaudin said energetically after the Drummondville Voltigeurs’ recent road win in Quebec City.

Beaudin isn’t Boqvist.

He has more similar traits to Ian Mitchell, another top Blackhawks defenseman prospect, but he isn’t Mitchell either.

Beaudin is unique and has the Blackhawks excited about it.

“I’m not comparing him to this player at all, but sort of the way Nick Lidstrom used to play,” Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman said recently. “Like if you watch Lidstrom, he didn’t play like Erik Karlsson. He made it look so easy, right? He’d get the puck, he makes a nice pass, good outlet pass, breaks up the play, gives it to his partner. He’s very sort of smooth.

“I think Nic has a lot of those same qualities, different player, but he’s sort of an efficient … He makes the game look simple, not hard. I think that goes to his instincts and how he thinks the game. Like he can read the game very well and break plays up and then make that quick pass. It’s not really a 50-foot pass for a breakaway, but it’s an eight-foot pass and leads to a 3-on-2. Doesn’t get a point, but the play started because he made that much simpler play, right? It’s a simple play, but like a lot of guys can’t see it and they’ll chip it off the boards and guys are chasing it. He’s a guy that forwards want to play with.”

Beaudin would agree with that.

“I think I’m a smooth defenseman on the ice,” said Beaudin, who won’t turn 20 until Oct. 7. “I think I make the good play almost all the time. I make the easy play too. I’m not as flashy as (Boqvist). I think that’s how I was last year. I think that’s how I am this year. Just making the easy play and joining the rush, defensively, good stick, good position, that’s all.”

Simple, efficient and intelligent are three words often associated with Beaudin. He won’t “wow” you like Boqvist with the puck. His skating isn’t as high-end as Mitchell. Beaudin may lack some of the physical gifts those other defensemen have, but he makes up for them with how he thinks and plays the game.

It wasn’t a coincidence Beaudin was on the ice for 74 goals for and 27 against in 5-on-5 play in 53 regular-season games this season (per prospect-stats.com). Positive things tend to happen when he’s on the ice. He was fifth among QMJHL defensemen with a 73.27 goals-for percentage.

Beaudin is most proud of his goals-for numbers — he’s accustomed to producing points and being on the ice for goals. He was third among league defensemen by averaging 1.06 points per game this season. That was also a career-best points average.

But the defense? That’s been a work in progress, something he really tried to focus on this season because he understands that’s what ultimately will determine how soon he’ll play in the NHL.

“I find myself more a two-way defenseman now, not just offensive,” Beaudin said. “I think in the neutral zone I take a lot of pride of stopping the play, and in my zone, I don’t (go for) offense for nothing like I was doing before. You know my main challenge is still to make up points because Blackhawks drafted me for my offense first. I want to be good defensively. That’s for sure too.

“I think (the defense’s) more important, and the Blackhawks told me to work on that. Because when you get up there except for Karlsson and , there’s not a lot of just offensive defensemen. For sure they want me to be good defensively and I’ve been working a lot on that this year.”

Beaudin has been able to utilize his smarts on defense just as he has on offense.

“I have to be a smart two-way defenseman,” Beaudin said. “I’m good at reading the play before it happens. I think I just have to outsmart the opponent. If the guy’s bigger, I just have to work with my hands and my stick. I have a pretty good stick. So I think that could be my advantage.

“I’m not the biggest. I’m pretty solid on my skate, but I’m not going to make the big hit. I’m more there to put stick on puck, body on body after. That’s how I’m going to be. I’m going to be good defensively with my stick first.”

That’s Beaudin’s biggest similarity to Boqvist and Mitchell — they’re all small defensemen. Boqvist is 6-foot and 181 pounds; Mitchell is 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds; Beaudin is 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds.

And just like Boqvist and Mitchell, Beaudin must prove he can play in the defensive zone despite his size disadvantage. The game may be moving toward size not mattering as much, but it still does.

The rest of the NHL is proof that height and weight are still important ingredients for most defensemen. Take the Blackhawks’ opponents this week: the Winnipeg Jets, St. Louis Blues and Dallas Stars. When you think of those teams’ defensemen, you probably think of Dustin Byfuglien, Jacob Trouba, Tyler Myers, Alex Pietrangelo, Colton Parayako, Jay Bouwmeester, John Klingberg, Esa Lindell and Roman Polak, all of whom are bigger defensemen. The Jets’ Josh Morrissey would be on the smaller side at 6-foot, but he’s also 195 pounds. Duncan Keith is 6-foot-1, but he’s also 191 pounds.

Beaudin’s future will depend on adding strength and understanding how to break up plays with his stick. These are things he’s already heard from the Blackhawks. (We recently broke down some of Beaudin’s film too.)

“They want me to be like a two-way defenseman,” Beaudin said. “They want me to work on my strength too. They want me to work in the gym. Defensively, they really want me to be quick in killing plays. They don’t want me to just glide in and things like that. I think I’ve been doing a good job. I’ve been working on it in practice too. Yeah, that’s what they ask of me the most.”

Bowman understands that reality. The Blackhawks have gone all in on drafting smaller, offensive defensemen lately, and whether these players pay off will largely depend on how they perform in the other zones.

Bowman is hopeful and believes Beaudin can be an NHL player, but he also understands it’s going to take time and patience.

“It’s probably the same thing with Adam,” Bowman said. “It’s just they’re smaller guys, so they got to learn how to defend stronger players and bigger players, right? It’s the quickness to close on guys. Players up here are so good that if you try to close on them, they’ll spin, protect the puck and then you have to use your strength or use your head on how you can to get at that puck and disrupt. Part of it is going to be learning the tricks of the trade as a pro. It’s going to be physically stronger as well. They got to develop their bodies. And that takes time, like they’ll get stronger just because they’re maturing, right? But we want to try to accelerate that process through training, so that they can be reliable when they’re forced to defend bigger players.”

The Athletic senior NHL prospects writer Corey Pronman will take a wait-and-see approach with Beaudin. Pronman sees the upside, but he also sees where Beaudin may struggle at the next level.

“His hockey sense/vision is awesome, but I don’t know if at his size he’s a good enough skater to make a real dent in the NHL,” Pronman said. “Some scouts argue it’ll come as he bulks up. But while he was good, he didn’t blow folks away in the Q this season.”

Not making Canada’s World Junior Championship team probably wasn’t great for overall perception either. Beaudin felt hurt not to be included, but he stepped away from hockey, went on vacation to Florida, got his mind right and returned thinking positively.

“I think I react pretty good,” Beaudin said. “When they told me I was cut, I was a little bit shocked. I didn’t know what to expect. I just went to my girlfriend’s family in Florida for a week just to calm things down. Then I came back here, and my coach took me 1-on-1, and said, if we want to win this year, we need you. I think I bounced back pretty well right after that. You know it’s part of the game. They have a pretty good team. You know Team Canada is not an easy one to make. Yeah, I think I bounced back pretty well after that.”

After returning in January, Beaudin produced 18 points and was a plus-18 in 12 games. He also just helped Drummondville reach the second round of the QMJHL playoffs by producing two goals and two assists and being a plus-7 in five games.

Whenever Beaudin’s season ends, his focus will turn to the Blackhawks and getting ready for next season. He’d like to make the NHL team out of camp, but he knows it could take time. He’s aware the Blackhawks have high hopes in him, Boqvist and Mitchell, and he wants to live up to that.

“Like me, Boqvist and Mitchell, we all take pride in that,” Beaudin said. “We all want to make a difference when we play. For sure next year when we get to camp, we all want to stay there. We all want to make the jump to the NHL. Like I said, we take some pride and whatever happens, if you play in the AHL or NHL, you know you’re in an organization like the Blackhawks, you just take a lot of pride every time you take the ice with the logo on.

“I’m patient. I know I have to work on a couple of things before I get to the NHL. I’m going to work hard this summer. I’m going to have a lot of weeks to train. We’ll see next year whatever happens.”