|
CHICAGO -- Losing Patrick Kane for three months could have meant losing a grasp on the season for the Chicago Blackhawks. Subtracting Kane, who was playing at an all-time elite level, from a team that had been sputtering along since Jan. 1, wasn't likely to yield favorable results. But instead of seeing how things would play out, Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman acted and found some positives to add to the equation. By getting forward Antoine Vermette and defenseman Kimmo Timonen -- addressing two needs -- prior to Monday afternoon's trade deadline, Bowman delivered a message to his team that he has faith in it. The Blackhawks, who said they felt energized by the new players, went out later Monday and showed Bowman they’re still capable of turning their game on. The Carolina Hurricanes might not be the best measuring stick, but the Blackhawks put together one of their more complete efforts, on offense in particular, in some time Monday with a 5-2 victory at the United Center. Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, who accounted for two goals and an assist, described Monday as a new beginning for the team. “I think in some ways it means a fresh start for us,” Toews said. “We’re happy to have the two guys -- I should say the three guys [forward Andrew Desjardins was obtained Monday from San Jose] eventually -- to come in our locker room. I think going into any situation like this, you feel like you got the group, you got the guys in the room that you need to have success, and you believe in that every day. “Changes happen, and you got to go with it and make the best of it. So, like I said, we’re excited about the experience that Kimmo and Antoine bring especially. They showed that tonight. Great for Kimmo to play the way he did the first time he did in a long time. I think it’s a great win for our team and we need to build off wins like that.” Vermette and Timonen will certainly have better days as Blackhawks. Vermette lost 12 of 17 faceoffs. Timonen saw his first action of the season after sitting out due to blood clots. Monday was more about their presence. “I think it helps,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said of the impact of the new players on his squad. “It can certainly give everybody the feeling that, ‘Hey, we’re a better team,’ and let’s get some enthusiasm here going down the stretch and get ourselves excited as we go along here.” Vermette has witnessed such deals giving teams a spark. “I have seen it in the past,” Vermette said. “Obviously I wasn’t here before. But I think over time it was a game, solid game for us. It’s tough for me to compare, but hopefully we can build our game and head in the right direction here.” Vermette and Timonen displayed Monday how the Blackhawks can be deeper with them. Quenneville consistently rolled out four lines, and his bottom two lines of Bryan Bickell-Brad Richards-Teuvo Teravainen and Joakim Nordstrom-Marcus Kruger-Andrew Shaw created a number of scoring chances. All six defensemen also played 15-plus minutes. “It was basically 56 minutes of five-on-five play, so you get in more of a rotation and predictability of the way the lines are going to roll when you get that type of continuous five-on-five action,” Quenneville said. “I didn’t mind the lines. I didn’t mind the consistency of the lines. I was happy for the most part.” That was Bowman’s objective. He was motivated to make moves that would make everyone happy now -- and potentially three months from now. “Right now, we’re trying to improve our team,” Bowman said Monday afternoon. “I think we have a good chance here to be even better than we’ve been. We’re bringing in two players, and then we add another one today. We think three new faces to give our group some excitement and push for the playoffs.” The push began Monday.
|
