Spellman: First impressions of this year's Blackhawks

Random thoughts, notes and tidbits after two regular-season games:

• Few teams put on a pregame show quite like the Blackhawks. And the bigger the event, the better the production.

Though a regular-season home opener can't come close to a playoff game, I think the production values Saturday night were the best I've seen yet.

First of all, using the entire ice surface as a video screen is still a concept that kind of blows my mind. But there they were doing just that again before the game against Buffalo. And the crispness of it all was just unreal.

It doesn't come without a price, though. The Blackhawks have to hire an outside company to produce those openings. That's the bad news.

The good news is, according to someone in the know, they realize what a hit it is with fans, and the hope is that someday they might be able to make them a staple before every game.

• The more you see of rookie defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk, the more you think he's going to be a keeper.

After playing just less than 12 minutes in his NHL debut - Thursday's 3-2 shootout win in Dallas - coach Joel Quenneville bumped his minutes a bit Saturday night, and the 23-year-old responded … again.

"I really liked his game," Quenneville said after the win over the Sabres. "He's really impressed us from the outset in camp.

"It's just two games, but he continues to play with the same type of poise - it's impressive."

• The admiration between Patrick Kane and LeBron James first came to light when the two traded tweets during the Hawks' unbeaten streak during the lockout season and then when the Heat went on a run of its own later that same year.

Recently, the two filmed a McDonald's commercial, and on Saturday Kane talked about what makes LeBron LeBron.

"It's total professionalism," he said. "He's very smart, very knowledgeable. He knew a lot about the game of hockey, which I was actually surprised about. He talked to me about the Blackhawks and hockey in general.

"I've always been a big fan of his because he had to fight through a lot of ups and downs and drama in his personal life. It's been cool to watch him and see him do well.

• Is it wrong that I have my own personal Iso-Cam on Marian Hossa pretty much whenever he's on the ice? I cannot not watch that guy.

• Jonathan Toews recorded his first points of the season with a pair of assists Saturday. He also won 62 percent of his faceoffs (13 of 21). … The Blackhawks went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill against the Sabres. … With his goal and assist, Buffalo native Kane now has 9 points in nine games against the Sabres.

He said it:

"It's kind of do or die. I've got a family to worry about. It's not just myself anymore, so I'm going to do everything I can to stay in this league."

- Daniel Carcillo to CSN after Saturday's win over Buffalo