Savard gives Campbell green light with puck

New Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell likes to get the puck and go, which is perfectly fine with coach Denis Savard.

"I know he's a good player, and I know he's offensive- minded, but he's like a fourth forward out there," Savard said. "And because of his quickness and ability, he's able to recover if something happens to break down, so that fits my style as a coach."

Savard wouldn't dream of putting the clamps on Campbell, who is being paid $56.8 million over the next eight years to put produce points.

"No, go," Savard said. "More likely he's going to get a better result on the good side than the bad side. You have to take a little of both, but I think he'll give you a lot more positive than negative."

Campbell appears to have made a smooth transition into the dressing room and into the Hawks' system.

"I'm coming in to try to fit in quietly and help out where I can," Campbell said. "I'm not going to change the way I played last year. You take the most defensive team in the league and I'm not going to change the way I play.

"I know I made the right choice. I'm really, really happy being here. I'm happy with the surroundings. I'm not from a big town and I've never lived in a big town, so it's been fun to explore and face the challenge of living in the city."

Pack the place: The Hawks drew 18,572 on Tuesday, a near sellout at the United Center. It came on the same day the club announced it has surpassed the franchise record of 13,425 season tickets sold.

"That shows the fans are excited for the season and hungry for it," Brian Campbell said.

"It's reflection of the bond our players made with the fans last year," Denis Savard said.

That's a 300 percent increase in season-ticket sales from last year, when the Hawks' base was just 3,400.

Goalie rotation: Denis Savard said Cristobal Huet would start Friday against Minnesota, and Nikolai Khabibulin on Sunday against Dallas.