Scott Powers, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Timonen, Vermette confident they can contribute more to Blackhawks

CHICAGO -- A month has nearly passed since forward Antoine Vermette and defenseman Kimmo Timonen were acquired at the trade deadline to assist the Chicago Blackhawks during their stretch run without Patrick Kane.

The expectation was never for Vermette and Timonen to actually replace what Kane provided the Blackhawks, but more to bolster their team game and help them make enough of a regular-season and playoff push to still be playing when Kane is ready to return.

Through 10 games, a period where the Blackhawks have gone 7-2-1, Timonen and Vermette haven’t had the impact they believe they’re capable of making, but both feel they’re heading in the right direction.

“Actually, I never thought of [there being pressure coming here] because, pure and simple, I’m not Patrick Kane,” Vermette said. “I always said that. I believe in myself, but our game is not the same. I’m not going to come in and do [what he does]. Kimmo is the same thing. It’s just a matter of finding a way as a group, you want to chip in with whatever might be and may be. Hopefully it’s some goals if needed. There’s a lot of different ways to be effective to help the team.”

For Vermette, he’d like to improve on having just two assists since his arrival, but his self-evaluation goes deeper than that. As much as he wanted everything to click right away, he realized there would be an adjustment period. He prides himself on being a solid two-way player, winning faceoffs and being a team player, and he thought his overall game was helping the Blackhawks.

“Obviously, I’d like to get more points itself on the shelf,” Vermette said. “There’s no doubt about that. If I look overall, the chances that have been generate, I think that’s a positive sign. Obviously, I had some better games than others.

“It’s still part of an adjustment. The main reason that I’m here actually is for the team work, team success. I think we’re 7-2-1, something like that. We’re demanding a lot out of ourselves, which is great. Expectations are high. I think with the group here I think it’s fair to ask a lot for us. But you know if you keep getting points and getting wins, it’s a real positive thing.”

Part of that adjustment for Vermette is not only being on a new team, but also dealing with an assortment of linemates. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville has been trying a variety of different lines to get the offense going, and it has meant Vermette has been placed alongside a lot of different players. He’ll play with Bryan Bickell and Teuvo Teravainen on Friday.

“You’re learning, you try to adjust, acclimate to the system, coaching staff, players, tendency, all that,” Vermette said. “You want to jump in right away and get it. There’s different approach to coaching, different ways of managing your team. It’s something I’m still learning. But there’s plenty of good players here to have chemistry with some guys. I thought early on we had some, but you got to go every night regardless of who you’re playing with.”

Quenneville understood Vermette has had a lot to handle in the past month.

“You look at Vermy, I think he’s looking getting comfortable with how we play, Quenneville said. “He’s had some different linesmates as well. But I think it’s a work in progress. I think he wants to make a contribution and a big contribution. I think we’ll work along here.

“Whether you measure his game on consistency, production-wise. Production-wise, I think it something that will come. Getting more familiar with how we have to play, playing the right way is getting more involved in the play and more pressure and more of an attacking type of offensive part to his game. I think it’s a work in progress, and we’ll see how that progresses.”

Timonen has been an even bigger work in progress, and everyone expected that. He hadn’t played all season due to blood clots before the Blackhawks acquired him from the Philadelphia Flyers. Plus, he also recently turned 40 years old.

Timonen admitted he’s used to a larger role, especially one on the power play, and his minutes have varied, but he’s getting more and more up to speed.

“I knew it was going to take time,” said Timonen, who has zero points and has averaged 12:57 of ice time. “It’s just a matter of playing games and get used to it and that kind of stuff. The main thing was for the first few games I needed to get my body into shape where I don’t think about it when I go on the ice. Hopefully, I don’t pull a groin or whatever. You have to remember it’s been a long time and it’s my training camp kind of. Right now, the last couple of games I felt pretty good. As long as it stays like this, I’m good to go.

“I’m kind of a puck-possession guy. Hopefully I get handling the puck as much as possible. Some games it’s hard when you don’t play much and you don’t really play power play and that stuff too. It’s hard, but I understand my role, and I’m ready to take that role and try to enjoy every second I get out there.”

Quenneville especially liked how Timonen played against the Flyers on Wednesday.

“Kimmo, I thought played his best game in Philly,” Quenneville said. “And I think there’s progress to his game. But coming off that length of absence from the game, you know it’s a long road there. We’ll see how he keeps coming along here, but I thought [Wednesday] was one of his better games.”

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews said there have been a number of ways Vermette and Timonen have already made them a better team.

“They definitely ease the pressure on some of our top guys,” Toews said. “Whenever you have guys who can take ice time and play smart defensive hockey especially takes some of the pressure off your top guys as well. They’ve been good fits in the locker room.

“There have been stretches here and there like the last one that haven’t been easy or there’s a lot of line changes. The coaches shaking things up, things that everyone has to get used, but maybe especially a player who is new to this locker room. It is what it is. Everyone is trying to make those guys feel comfortable, and I think they have been. Hopefully they can keep working and keep elevating their game as they have been.”

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