Saad: It feels like I never left

As homecomings go, they don't get much better than Brandon Saad's return to the United Center on Thursday night.

In his first game action as a Blackhawk since being traded to Columbus in 2015, Saad recorded a hat trick in a 6-1 victory over Detroit and was named the No. 1 star.

Granted, it was just a preseason game. And yes, the performance came against a slew of Red Wings prospects and minor-leaguers.

Still, Saad showed all of Chicago why GM Stan Bowman didn't hesitate to reacquire him, even if it meant giving up Russian phenom Artemi Panarin.

"At a young age, Saader was immediately was a threat with his quickness, his speed and can back the D off around the net," said coach Joel Quenneville. "His production was pretty high. It was nice to have a night like tonight where they went in."

Two years isn't very long ago, but after watching the Hawks get unceremoniously bounced in the first round of the 2016 and '17 postseasons, 2015 in some way feels like 20 years ago.

It's easy to forget how and why Saad was so important to that magical run. Just 22 at the time, Saad poured in 8 timely postseason goals in every way imaginable.

Two of them - in Games 4 and 6 against Anaheim in the Western Conference finals - came when Saad combined his lethal speed and wicked shot.

Another came in Game 7 against the Ducks when Duncan Keith found Saad camped in front of the goal early in the second period. WHAM! 3-0 Hawks.

Still another broke a 1-1 tie in the third period of Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final when Saad flipped a wicked backhander into the net. The Hawks won and tied the series at 2-2. Saad also recorded the secondary assist on Patrick Kane's Cup clincher in Game 6 against the Lightning.

Now, he's back. Under the Hawks' control until 2021. And with the potential to be a 30-40 goal-scorer every single season.

"Yeah," Saad said when asked if those numbers are achievable. "I think you want to contribute as much possible. We have a lot of firepower in this room, but depth is the key to winning hockey games. For me to contribute and score as much as I can, that's what I want to do."

Saad has averaged 24.25 goals the past four seasons, with a high of 31 coming in 2015-16 with Columbus.

"Who knows what he could do," coach Joel Quenneville said. "I still think there's room where he could go to another level because he gets so many looks around the net with his quickness, and the way he protects the puck and the way he can shoot it."

Since returning, Saad - who used to rent - purchased a place in the city. That's a move you can make when you know you aren't going anywhere for a while.

A move Saad never dreamed was possible only two short years ago.

"It was a pretty quick turnaround. It feels like I never left," Saad said. "You think later in your career when you get a chance to pick where you go that this could be a destination. But for it to be this quick, pretty surprising for sure."

Q on Oesterle:

Jordan Oesterle, in a dogfight with a half-dozen other defensemen for 2-3 openings on the back end, impressed coach Joel Quenneville in Thursday's win over Detroit.

Said Quenneville: "I liked him. A lot."

Oesterle registered a pair of assists, the second coming when he took a pass from Richard Panik and then threw the puck to Brandon Saad in front of the net. Saad stuffed it home for his third goal of the game.

"I liked his thought process," Quenneville said. "(He) was jumping up in the play and is positionally very strong. Quick and headsy. He did a real good job."

Oesterle, 25, was signed on the first day of free agency. He's a left-shot D-man who spent the last three seasons playing on the right side in the Oilers organization.

Slap shots:

Defenseman Luc Snuggerud suffered an upper-body injury and played just 6:33 during Thursday's preseason win over Detroit. "The severity, we'll know more (Friday)," said coach Joel Quenneville. … Nick Schmaltz was 7-for-9 on faceoffs against the Red Wings, winning his last 6 draws. … There have been 30 penalties called in the Hawks' first two preseason games. The Hawks are 15-for-16 on the penalty kill.

By the numbers

Brandon Saad's NHL scoring stats for the past 4 seasons:

Season, team GP G A Pts.

2013-14, HAWKS 78 19 28 47

2014-15, HAWKS 82 23 29 52

2015-16, CBJ 78 31 22 53

2016-17, CBJ 82 24 29 53

Source: NHL.com