How Blackhawks are trying to jump start offense
The Chicago Blackhawks aren't just waiting for their offense to come around.
They're actively searching for answers. Some of the issues are immediate as they have scored just 1 goal over their last two games.
But there also have been season-long problems: the Blackhawks are 15th in the league in goals-for average and 24th in 5-on-5 goals.
The Hawks made some moves Monday organizationally and within the team in hopes of creating more production.
They placed defenseman David Rundblad on waivers, recalled defenseman Erik Gustafsson from the AHL and switched forwards Andrew Shaw and Teuvo Teravainen to different lines.
Gustafsson is a puck-moving rookie defenseman who showed some promise during six games with the Blackhawks earlier in the season. He was immediately thrown onto a power-play unit during practice Monday and is expected to play against the Arizona Coyotes on Tuesday.
“I think he can help our power play,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said after the team's practice at Johnny's IceHouse West. “We liked how he played earlier on in the year. He played extremely well down (in the AHL).
“Give him an opportunity, get him playing and continue on the way he played before is what we're looking for.”
Rundblad had been a healthy scratch for much of the season and only played in nine games. If he clears waivers Tuesday and is reassigned to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs, $125,000 of his salary still will count against the Hawks' cap space.
Quenneville also shook up the Hawks' lines Monday following his team's 2-1 loss to Carolina on Sunday.
He thought the Blackhawks lacked net-front presence against the Hurricanes and addressed that by moving Shaw, who had been on the third line, to the top line Monday.
Shaw recently had played on the first line while Marian Hossa was out of the lineup with an upper-body injury. Shaw was hopeful he could complement Hossa and Jonathan Toews and provide that necessary element around the net.
“Playing with those two guys, they're going to be having the puck a lot out there, so create some space for them, get to the net and find some dirty goals,” said Shaw, who has 6 goals and 8 assists in 37 games this season.
“I had some success in the past with those ugly goals. Got to get there and create some chances.”
Quenneville said the decision to switch Shaw and Teravainen was more about rewarding Shaw for his recent efforts than demoting Teravainen. Quenneville was hopeful Teravainen could jump-start the third line while playing alongside forwards Andrew Desjardins and Phillip Danault.
The change does allow Teravainen to return to the right wing, where he's more comfortable. He had playing left wing on the top line.
“He'll still get more time,” Quenneville said. “I think he's very versatile in who he can play with.
“He can add a dimension to that line he's going on as well, maybe give it more offensive flare, a little bit more of a threat. Probably see easier matchups. Hopefully could make that a little more balanced in production as well.”