Today’s News Clips May 7, 2018

Daily Herald

Sikura, Hayden come up big for IceHogs in Game 1 win

John Dietz May 4, 2018

Tyler Sikura and John Hayden scored goals 45 seconds apart early in the third period to give Rockford a 3-1 lead, and the IceHogs went on to beat host Manitoba 4-2 in Game 1 of their best-of-seven Calder Cup series on Friday night.

IceHogs forward Victor Ejdsell scored at 11:53 of the second period to tie the game at 1-1. Ejdsell has 3 goals and 2 assists in the last three games. Cody Franson scored Rockford's other into an empty net with 58 seconds remaining to make it 4-1.

Colin Delia made 24 saves for Rockford.

Game 2 is at Manitoba on Saturday at 4 p.m.

The Athletic

‘The town wanted to build a statue of him’: IceHogs coach Jeremy Colliton forever tied to Swedish club that gave him a chance

Scott Powers May 4, 2018

Jeremy Colliton has been carrying the weight of two emotional playoff races in recent months.

There’s the one he’s a part of as the head coach of the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL. And then there was the one 4,000-plus miles away with his former team, Mora IK, in the SHL in Sweden.

Mora IK was where Colliton was given the unique opportunity to go from player to head coach just days after his 29th birthday. Mora club director Peter Hermodsson took a big chance on Colliton, and Colliton paid off in a big way. Last season, he guided Mora to first place in Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second division, and then beat local rival Leksands IF in a best-of-seven series to earn the team a promotion to the SHL for the first time in a decade.

Colliton was already beloved by the community, but he was elevated to hero status by getting Mora promoted.

“The town wanted to build a statue of him when he left,” said Emil Bejmo, who played three-plus seasons for Colliton and is still on the team. “They might still do, I don’t know.”

After four years spent with the team, first as a player then as its coach, Colliton left Mora when he was offered the job to coach the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate. He couldn’t pass it up. It was his path to someday becoming an NHL head coach.

Still, it broke Colliton’s heart to leave Mora behind. He and his family had developed an emotional tie to the team and tight-knit community. He personally got to know many of the 5,000 fans who packed Smidjegrav Arena. Plus, leaving meant missing out on actually coaching Mora in the SHL. He had climbed a mountain with the club for three and a half seasons and wouldn’t get to experience what it was like to be at the top.

“It was difficult,” Colliton said after a recent IceHogs practice. “This was such a great opportunity, our family had to do it. It was difficult. We’re there for four years. The kids made friends. My wife made friends. Me coming to a new spot, it takes time to get adjusted. We kind of had a good thing going there. Of course, the team kind of steadily improved every year. Loved the group of players we had, especially the last couple years, just very proud of them, just enjoyed them so much. So, it’s tough to leave when we finally get to the top league. I felt like we had something really good to build on there.”

Without Colliton, Mora struggled this season. That might have been the case even if Colliton had stayed. It’s a significant jump going to Sweden’s top division, and Mora doesn’t have the financial resources of other top Swedish clubs. Mora ended up 13th out of 14 teams in the SHL, 65 points back of first place.

Entering the season, Hermodsson hoped to find someone who coached like Colliton, but he discovered that was easier said than done. Hermodsson fired Colliton’s successor midway through the season, later demoted his next head coach to assistant and hired a third head coach before entering the relegation/promotion playoff series.

“The thing [Colliton] brought in, everything he had done during his years, it had been unbelievable,” said Hermodsson, who occasionally turned to Colliton for advice this season. “Of course when he left it was very empty. It was a black hole. To fill his shoes is impossible. I can’t find anyone in Sweden that I would like to change against Jeremy. We know it was tough. We tried to not look at the new coach to compare him because it wouldn’t be fair to new coaches.”

Because Mora finished in one of the bottom two spots in the SHL standings, it had to play one of the top two teams in Allsvenskan in a best-of-seven series with the winner earning a position in the SHL for the following season. That Allsvenskan opponent again happened to be rival Leksands, which Mora relegated with its series victory the season before.

In Rockford, Colliton and the IceHogs were in a fight to get into the Calder Cup playoffs. It wouldn’t be until Game 72 of 74 that the IceHogs clinched a spot, after they went 12-2-4 down the stretch.

As the IceHogs were going through that vital late-March push, Mora opened its series against Leksands. Colliton made time for every game. Whether in his office, at home with his family or on the road with the IceHogs, Colliton watched and felt the emotional rollercoaster of each game.

“I watched them all,” Colliton said. “[As a family], we watch together. My kids are all about it. They have the Mora stuff everywhere. They’re big Mora fans. … It’s tough when you’re not there to help.”

The series began with a thud for Mora — a 5-2 loss at home. But from there, it was all Mora. Each game was tight, but Mora won the next four to take the series.

“It was very different from the year before because then we had all the momentum,” Bejmo said. “Then we had won every game, we had nothing to lose, everything to win. Honestly, this was way more pressure, I would put it like that. When we won, it was more relief than excitement.”

Colliton couldn’t have been happier.

“It was a big thing to stay up,” Colliton said. “I get they’re relieved, we’re all relieved, but I also think it’s a pretty big achievement. … I was very happy. I think especially playing Leksands again. It’s a special rivalry. To be able to beat them again, it’s huge for the club, huge for the city. Now hopefully they can build on being able to stay up.”

Mora is optimistic next season will be different. There was much more at stake than bragging rights in the playoff series as a new Swedish television contract will widen the financial gap between divisions and likely make it harder for Allsvenskan teams to compete with SHL teams.

While Mora begins preparations for next season, Colliton is still going this season. The IceHogs open the second round of the playoffs against the Manitoba Moose on Friday. Colliton’s North American coaching success has been no surprise to those who continue to follow him in Sweden.

“I knew it,” Bejmo said. “I pretty much knew when he left he was going to coach an NHL team I would say in five years. Maybe that’s ridiculous, I don’t know. Chicago is a good organization. Sooner or later he’s going to coach an NHL team and he’s going to be really good and he’s going to be there as long as he wants I feel. I don’t think there’s many like him. I’ve never met anyone like him at least.

“If I ever started to be a coach, I kind of want to be similar to him. Everybody felt important even if you were the first line or the fourth-line extra guy. You always felt important. You always felt part of the team. He made you work hard obviously, but it was all worth it in the end. He got us to believe in that we could. Nobody really thought last year with him we could win the league or move up. But we believed and he made us believe and we did.”

Hermodsson has kept tabs on Colliton’s season, as well. He and Colliton created a lasting bond during Colliton’s time with Mora, and they still talk typically once a week.

Hermodsson possessed a strong feeling Colliton was destined for coaching success when he hired him in January 2014, partly because he found Colliton to be wiser than his age would suggest.

“I’m quite he sure he’s going to raise the in the future if he stays healthy,” Hermodsson said. “He’s that kind of coach. He should be in the NHL sooner the better if anyone has the guts to put him in the NHL. … I feel proud now too. We gave him a chance here to be a coach. Of course, you feel proud. I’m happy. I’m proud and happy.”

Mora IK and Colliton will go further in their respective directions over time. Mats Lusth, the last head coach hired this season, is staying on at Mora after keeping the team in the SHL. Mora will undoubtedly add more and more players who aren’t connected with Colliton. Colliton will look to progress his career in North America and wait for his NHL opportunity.

But regardless of where the club and Colliton end up in the future, there will always be that tie.

“The footprint Jeremy made on this club is going to be remembered for always,” Hermodsson said. “It’s not only the thing that happened on the ice that we went up. It was everything on the side as well. How he treats sponsors, people in the village and everything, he was unbelievable. He was one of a kind. I’ve been a manager for 35 years in my profession in different companies and stuff like that, he was unique, I can say that. He could even run a big company if he wanted.”

The team, Hermodsson and the town will always have a special place in Colliton’s heart.

“Just it was kind of luck, right place at right time,” Colliton said. “They took a chance on me and certainly took some heat for it initially. It wasn’t an easy thing to do for Peter, but it worked out. I knew he took a big chance. At the same time, I kind of believed in myself. I felt like I could do it. I didn’t know I could do it because until you actually do something you don’t know you can. I wouldn’t have taken it if I didn’t think I could help. “I just think when you spend a long period of time anywhere you make friends and get comfortable with the area. I think I’m a pretty loyal guy. If you take a chance on me and believe in me, I’m going to do everything I can to make you look good. … They first of all gave me the chance. Peter treated us amazingly well. I’ll always be grateful to him and the club, absolutely.”

The Athletic

Max Shalunov still eyeing future with Blackhawks

Scott Powers May 5, 2018

COPENHAGEN — As Max Shalunov was being interviewed through a translator Saturday, Artem Anisimov walked past and directed a message in Russian to his fellow countryman.

“Come to Chicago,” the interpreter said, translating Anisimov’s words for the reporter.

Shalunov, whose NHL rights belong to the Blackhawks, swears he’ll be in Chicago eventually. The time just isn’t right yet.

Shalunov bypassed the interpreter and turned to his limited English to explain.

“Player contracts,” Shalunov said in English. “After, I want to play NHL.”

What Shalunov was referring to was his KHL contract. He signed a new three-year contract with the KHL prior to the 2017-18 season and plans on seeing it through.

With two more seasons left on that deal, Shalunov has the 2020-21 season circled for his NHL arrival. He’ll then be 27 and far removed from being the youthful Russian winger prospect the Blackhawks drafted in the fourth round in 2011, but Shalunov isn’t concerned he’s putting his NHL career on hold for too long.

“I think 27 years, it’s perfect,” Shalunov said again in English and then laughed.

The Blackhawks appear to believe so too. The Blackhawks could have pushed harder to sign Shalunov after his last KHL contract ended, but neither side was too aggressive in seeking a deal following the 2016-17 KHL season. Both had their reasons for waiting.

For the Blackhawks, they like Shalunov’s game and his NHL potential, but they thought he could benefit from more time in the KHL and prove he can consistently be a difference-maker. Shalunov has only come into his own the last few years.

For Shalunov, his newfound KHL stardom has opened up new opportunities in Russia. CSKA, one of the KHL’s top teams, acquired him in the offseason. He’s also been called upon by Russia’s national team more in the past year. He was hoping stayin in the KHL would lead to an invitation to the Olympics, but that didn’t happen. Still him being chosen to play in the World Championship alongside Anisimov, Pavel Datsyuk and other Russian stars was a sign of Shalunov’s elevated status.

Shalunov also was unsure where he’d fit into the Blackhawks’ lineup and didn’t want to leave Russia for an uncertain role. His experience playing in the ECHL and AHL for one season five years ago left a bad taste in his mouth, and he’d rather wait until he’s guaranteed a spot in the NHL before coming back over. The KHL pays well enough for him to be patient too.

Shalunov did mention he’s a different person and player than the one who spent the 2013-14 season in North America.

“That’s past history, it’s been four years,” Shalunov said through the interpreter. “I feel like I grew up personally and professionally. I don’t really remember that time.”

Shalunov was raw back then. He occasionally did things that opened people’s eyes, but he couldn’t put it all together on a consistent basis. In the past few years, it’s begun to click for him.

Shalunov’s learned to use his reach to break up plays, his 6-foot-4, 215-pound size to win pucks and overpaid be reliable enough in the defensive zone. More than anything, he’s figured how to consistently score with his high-end shot. That’s shown in his KHL goal totals the last three seasons. He had 18 goals in 59 games in the 2015-16 season, 19 goals in 49 games in the 2016-17 season and 20 goals in 46 games this season. He had a career-high 40 points and averaged 0.87 points per game in the KHL this season.

On Sunday in Russia’s 6-0 win over Austria, Shalunov shot every which way possible. He shot off the rush, shot when he was set, shot when he was passed the puck, shot when he created for himself and shot when the puck was loose. Shalunov didn’t score on the day, but most of his attempts were crisp on net and challenged Austria’s goalkeeper. He finished with seven shots on goal. In Russia’s opener, a 7-0 win over France, he scored a goal and had three shots on goal.

There is always the chance Shalunov comes to Chicago earlier than 2020. KHL contracts have been known to be broken in the past. One Blackhawks source even mentioned that possibility before the 2017-18 season. As of now, though, that doesn’t seem like a possibility Shalunov, his agent or the Blackhawks are interested in exploring. Shalunov’s agent Shumi Babaev wrote in a text message Sunday he hadn’t had any communication with the Blackhawks as of late and reiterated Shalunov had two more years on his KHL contract.

Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman has been on the same page about Shalunov’s future.

“He’s really taken steps the last couple years to where I think by the time his contract is up, this one he’s on right now, I think we’re hoping he’s going to be an impact player,” Bowman said earlier this season. “You can argue he’s on the fringe of that right now. But it is what it is, in the sense he’s not coming over next year. But I like his development. He’s got the size, the shot. He’s a major league scorer. That’s just something that’s at a premium in today’s game.

“By no means are we writing him off. He’s still got a lot of hockey ahead of him. I think he probably follows what I was saying before which is by the time he finishes the contract he’s on now I think if he continues this trend he should be an impact player. It’s not like he’s going to come over and try to make the team. At that point, I think he would be a guy who just steps in and plays.”

Bowman may get a chance to watch Shalunov in person himself in the coming weeks. Bowman is involved with Team USA. Russia and the U.S. could meet up later in the tournament. That would give Shalunov a chance to also face and a number of other Blackhawks as well.

“I don’t try to compare myself to others, but obviously it’s an awesome experience to play with the guys who play in the NHL and against the guy who play in the NHL,” Shalunov said through a translator. “It’s just a great experience. I don’t look at them as gods. I’m just trying to work on my game.”

So far, Anisimov has been impressed by Shalunov’s game. Shalunov shared that respect and described Anisimov as an “awesome player.”

“He has a pretty good shot obviously,” Anisimov said. “He scored a pretty nice goal. I think he plays smart game. We’ll see, I hope he going to come next summer to the training camp and it’s going to be nice.”

Anisimov has three more years remaining on his contract, so it’s realistic they could play together if Shalunov is true to his word and does come to Chicago.

The Athletic

Mike Smith: Recalling the day we drafted Dustin Byfuglien — a fat, talented kid who turned into a star

Mike Smith May 6, 2018

The ’ scouting group gathered at our hotel in Nashville after the first day of the 2003 draft. We were pleased with how the draft had gone so far. We selected the player who we wanted, defenseman Brent Seabrook, with the 14th pick. We also got who we considered the top goalie in the draft, Corey Crawford, in the second round, with pick 52. Both players would become cornerstones of the Blackhawks’ Stanley Cup championships.

We began to work on our list of players for the second day of the draft. Marshall Johnston, the club’s director of player development, asked, “Why is this guy Byfuglien not on our list?” Bruce Franklin, the club’s western scout said, “he’s too fat.” Marshall replied, “I don’t care how fat he is, he can play!”

We talked about Dustin for a few minutes. I finally said, “We’ll take him with a late pick.” And we did, drafting him in the eighth round, with pick number 245. No big deal, we thought at the time. How wrong we turned out to be.

Our prospect camp started less than a week later. The first day is always focused on medicals, fitness tests and distributing equipment. At the end of the day, I was in the coaches’ room looking over the fitness tests that included pictures to illustrate body type. I came to Dustin’s scores and pictures. I realized two things: he was fat and he was black. I remember thinking that there couldn’t be many black hockey players coming out of Roseau, Minn.

The first scrimmage was the afternoon of the second day of camp. Dustin was playing defense. Partially through his first shift, he made a play only really skilled players can make. I turned to Nick Beverly, the assistant GM, and said, “Jesus, Nick, this guy is a player.”

It was evident that Dustin had enormous ability, real talent. It was hard not to like Dustin, too, he had a winning personality. And it was also clear he was going to be a big project. He needed to change his lifestyle, learn to eat healthier, lose weight, get in shape, get serious if he wanted to be an NHL player. And he was going to need a strong support group. We accepted the challenge.

Not everyone at the Blackhawks liked Dustin. Bob Pulford, the senior vice president of hockey, growled by the end of the week that Dustin “was the second-worst player ever drafted by the Hawks.” Dustin could not be the worst pick ever because Pulford had already awarded that distinction to Duncan Keith, who we drafted in 2002. Pulford would turn out to be a real obstacle for Dustin in his quest to reach the NHL.

By early November, I was fired by the Blackhawks along with several of the people who I had brought to Chicago —Johnston, Beverly, Bill Lesuk, and Joe Yannetti. But, two key members of Dustin’s support group survived — Al MacIsaac, GM of the Hawks’ farm team in Norfolk, and Trent Yawney, Norfolk’s head coach. Al and Trent never gave up on Dustin, and both took a deep personal interest in him. It became Trent’s mission to get Duncan to the NHL.

In 2005, Trent became the Blackhawks’ head coach, although he was not able to get Duncan promoted to the big team on a full-time basis. Other than some temporary call-ups because of injuries, it seemed Dustin was stuck in the minors. This was the case despite Trent repeating time and again, “Dustin is better than most of our players.” It took a major event to change the situation. A few days after Pulford was dismissed by the Blackhawks in October 2007, Dustin joined the team, never to see the AHL again.

Dustin became a key player for Chicago in its Stanley Cup win in 2010. But faced with difficult salary cap choices that offseason, the Hawks traded Dustin to Atlanta. It is hard to criticize that decision since the Hawks won two more Cups, in 2013 and ’15, but it must have been a tough call considering that Dustin had developed into a game-changer.

The real angel in Dustin’s life was his grandfather, Ken Byfuglien. He was Dustin’s advocate, from the time he was drafted. When I was with the Blackhawks he stayed in touch with us, asking for advice and direction for Dustin. One time he told Marshall that “hockey is the only chance Dustin has in life.” Mr. Byfuglien never gave up.

He hung in with Dustin and made sure others did as well.

One day I received a call from Jeff Solomon, a player agent at the time. He told me Dustin’s grandfather had called and asked him to represent Dustin, who was playing junior hockey at the time. Jeff wanted to know if he should. My reply was short. “Jeff, sign him, he’s a player.” A month or so later Jeff called, said he had gone to Prince George to watch Dustin play and said, “I called my partner (Ben Hankinson) after the first period, told him. ‘This guy’s a stud.’” Jeff and Ben joined the Dustin Byfuglien support team.

As we watch the in the playoffs this year, everyone who knew and worked with Dustin cannot help but smile. There are times, even in the hockey world, that things work out as they should. NBCSportsChicago.com

2018 IIHF Men's World Championship tracker: Keeping up with the Blackhawks

Charlie Roumeliotis May 6, 2018

The 2018 IIHF Men's World Championship is taking place in Denmark from May 4-20, and you can keep up with all the Blackhawks participating right here.

Here's a quick rundown of the players:

Germany: Dominik Kahun, who signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Blackhawks in April.

Russia: Artem Anisimov and prospect Max Shalunov.

Slovakia: Tomas Jurco.

Sweden: Erik Gustafsson.

USA: Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane, Connor Murphy, Jordan Oesterle and 2015 Stanley Cup champion and Lemont native Scott Darling.

MAY 6

— Anisimov had a goal, an assist and won 9 of 11 faceoffs (81.8 percent) in Russia's 7-0 win over Austria. He also registered two shots on goal and was a plus-3 rating in 13:31 of ice time.

— Shalunov recorded a game-high seven shots on goal and won his only faceoff in 15:33 of ice time. He leads the team with 13 shots on goal through two games.

— Gustafsson had two shots on goal in 14:42 of ice time as Sweden defeated Czech Republic 3-2.

— Kahun was a minus-2 rating and won only 4 of 15 faceoffs (26.7 percent) in 18:28 of ice time, which ranked fourth among forwards on his team, in Germany's 5-4 shootout loss to Norway. He was also held without a shot on goal.

— Jurco was a minus-1 rating and was held without a shot on goal in 17:50 of ice time in Slovakia's 2-0 loss to Switzerland.

MAY 5

— Jurco had a team-high four shots on goal and was a minus-1 rating in 18:06 of ice time in Slovakia's 3-2 overtime loss to the Czech Republic.

— Kane registered an assist, had four shots on goal and was a plus-1 in 19:15 of ice time in USA's 4-0 win over Denmark.

— DeBrincat was promoted to the top line with Kane, and peppered three shots on goal, had a plus-1 rating and won his only faceoff he took in 15:45 of ice time.

— Murphy was bumped to the first pairing alongside Alec Martinez and finished with 19:37 of ice time, which ranked second on the team. He was one of four members from USA that was held without a shot on goal.

— Oesterle had two shots on goal in 12:42 of ice time, playing in a third-pairing role.

MAY 4

— Anisimov scored a power-play goal, had four shots on goal and went 6-for-11 (54.5 percent) at the faceoff dot in 13:55 of ice time as Russia defeated France 7-0 in its opener.

— Shalunov also scored on the power play and registered a game-high six shots on goal in 16:01 of ice time for Russia.

— DeBrincat, Kane and Oesterle each recorded an assist in USA's 5-4 shootout victory over Canada. Murphy logged 20:45 of ice time, which ranked third on the team and second among defensemen.

— Gustafsson led all Swedish blue liners with four shots on goal and had a plus-1 rating in 13:47 to help his country shut out Belarus 5-0.

— Kahun won a team-high 11 faceoffs on 18 draws (61.1 percent), had two shots on goal and a plus-1 rating in 16:56 of ice time as Germany fell to Denmark 3-2 in a shootout. Kahun shot third in the shootout but was denied by Frederik Andersen. chicagoblackhawks.com

Former Blackhawks forward Earl Balfour passes away at age 85

Bob Verdi May 6, 2018

Earl Balfour, a member of the Blackhawks' 1961 Stanley Cup Champions, has died. He was 85.

Balfour was a defensive forward who specialized in killing penalties. He began his brief career with the Maple Leafs, but was claimed by the Blackhawks in the intra-league draft in June, 1958. After several years of struggling, the Blackhawks were building a solid roster that would include Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Glenn Hall.

Balfour, nicknamed "Spider", played in 208 games over three seasons for the Blackhawks, scoring 16 goals. He played all 12 playoff games during their magical 1961 run that included a significant upset of the Montreal Canadiens, who had won five consecutive Cups but were eliminated by the Blackhawks in the semi finals. The Blackhawks went on to win the Cup against the .

Two months after that, the claimed Balfour, but he did not play again in the NHL. After his reinstatement as an amateur, he was player-coach with the Galt Hornets of the Hockey Association. He later played with the , where he began his hockey career.

According to a family remembrance published in the Toronto Star, Balfour was father of nine children: Penny, Peggy, Patti, Paul, Peter, Pamela, Piper, Patrick and Parker. chicagoblackhawks.com

BLOG: IceHogs take 2-0 series lead

Nick Merlina May 5, 2018

The Rockford IceHogs took a 2-0 series lead over the Manitoba Moose following a 4-1 win in the Central Division final of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Tyler Sikura got Rockford on the board with a goal at the end of the first period to tie the tilt 1-1. Chris DiDomenico would then break the tie with a goal in the second and Carl Dahlstrom went on to also score in the period to secure a 3-1 lead. Andreas Martinsen scored in the final minute to put the IceHogs up four. Collin Delia made 33 saves in the game.

With the victory the IceHogs have now won five consecutive playoff games. The best-of-seven series will continue in Rockford on Wednesday, May 9, at 7 p.m.