Will Chicago Blackhawks' Panarin claim bonus again?

I'm going with a bit of a smorgasbord report today, so let's get right to it:

First, an apology. Twice in the past month I've written that Artemi Panarin is "likely" to reach his Schedule B bonus, which would reward the Chicago Blackhawks winger with an extra $1.725 million.

As it stands now, the likelihood of Panarin hitting that bonus is more like 50-50. To claim it, the second-year player needs to finish in the top 10 among forwards in goals, assists, points or points per game OR finish in the top five in Hart (MVP) or Selke (top defensive forward) voting OR win the Conn Smythe trophy.

The most likely path is to finish in the top 10 in one of those statistical categories. Through Wednesday, here's where he sat:

• Tied for 10th in points with 43. So he'd hit the bonus if the season ended today, but nine players are breathing down his neck with between 39-42 points.

• Tied for 14th with 26 assists. He's just 2 out of 10th place.

• Tied for 20th with 17 goals, 3 out of the top 10.

• Fourteenth with 0.91 points per game, 0.05 out of the top 10.

Last season Panarin racked up 13 points in the final five games and ended up with 77, good for eighth place and good enough to earn the $1.725 million bonus.

This year it's going to be interesting to keep an eye on his progress. If the Hawks don't have to pay out, it will be a huge help from a salary-cap standpoint when the 2017-18 season rolls around.

Odd timing:

In an effort to boost scoring, the NHL passed a rule last off-season that limited the size of pants goalies could wear. The rule wasn't put into place right away, though, and left many wondering when the league would enact it.

Well, that time has come as all goalies have to comply with the rule by Feb. 4.

Not everyone is thrilled with the timing.

"It's just the principle of doing it midseason," Minnesota's Devan Dubnyk told NHL.com on Wednesday. "For myself personally, I'm not big on changing gear. I wear gear for a long time and I've never switched a pair of pants midyear in my whole career. It's just frustrating to be forced to do it."

Corey Crawford told reporters in Boston that he wore the slimmed-down pants last Friday in Washington, a game the Hawks lost 6-0.

Darling to start:

After practice Thursday, coach Joel Quenneville told reporters that Scott Darling will start in net when the Hawks play at Boston on Friday. With no back-to-backs until Feb. 10-11 and the fact that many of the players' dads are on this two-game trip, Quenneville said this "was the perfect spot" to get Darling a game.

Convention passes:

Tickets for the 10th annual Blackhawks Convention will go on sale next Friday at 10 a.m. This year's convention will be held July 21-23 at the Hilton Chicago.

• Follow John's hockey reports on Twitter@johndietzdh.

Scouting report

Blackhawks vs. Boston Bruins at TD Garden, 6 p.m. Friday

TV: CSN

Radio: WGN 720-AM

The skinny: Boston (23-19-6) blew a 4-1 lead against Detroit on Wednesday and fell 6-5 in a shootout. "We collapsed," coach Claude Julien told reporters. "That was pretty obvious." … Brad Marchand (17G, 28A) and David Pastrnak (19G, 14A) lead the offense, although Pastrnak hasn't scored in 15 games. …. Goalie Tuukka Rask has struggled of late, allowing 8 goals in his last two starts and managing just an .800 save percentage. … The Bruins rank second on the penalty kill (86.9 percent). … The Hawks and Bruins have split their last six games. … Brent Seabrook snapped a 26-game goal-scoring drought in the Hawks' 6-4 win over Colorado on Tuesday.

Next: Vancouver Canucks at United Center, 6:30 p.m. Sunday

- John Dietz