Chicago Blackhawks' Toews knows he needs to make changes

Jonathan Toews had a career-low 21 goals in the regular season and scored just once against Nashville during a four-game sweep by the Predators.

Toews, who missed nine games with an upper-body injury this season, wouldn't say if he was playing injured vs. the Predators when asked about it Saturday at the United Center as the Hawks cleaned their lockers out after a shocking first-round playoff exit.

Toews, however, did say he needs to prepare differently and adjust to how the game has changed.

"I've always been the type of player who likes to play heavy and protect the puck in the corners," he said. "Seems the strength has been a factor but also the speed in my game that I used to have in my younger years.

"I have to get back to playing more puck possession, more speed on the rush. That right there is one little thing. But the skill part is another thing I'll have to focus on and trying to get back to playing the way I can."

Toews's goal total tied for 78th among forwards, while his 58 points tied for 43rd.

Anisimov was hurt:

Coach Joel Quenneville admitted center Artem Anisimov, who missed the last 13 games of the regular season with a leg injury, wasn't 100 percent during the team's loss to Nashville.

"He was limited in some ways as far as his quickness and his strength," Quenneville said. "It's one of those where we needed him because he's very important in what he brings and what he can do for us."

Anisimov won just 7 of 38 faceoffs in Games 2-4 and finished with just 6 shots on goal for the series.

World Championships:

Patrick Kane, Marcus Kruger and Niklas Hjalmarsson said they are considering playing in the World Championships in Cologne, Germany and Paris from May 5-21. Jonathan Toews, Richard Panik, Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook all said they will not participate. Corey Crawford and Nick Schmaltz have not yet been contacted.

Said Kane: "I'm just going to take the weekend to kind of see what I'm going to do and decide in the next day or two here."

He said it:

"We could sit here all day thinking if it was a different team, maybe we would have got a better matchup and got some confidence. But ... when you win a Stanley Cup it's not what you're thinking. You're thinking we could have played anybody and we would have gone all the way."

Duncan Keith on if Nashville was the wrong opponent at the wrong time