With Campbell, Savard likes look of power play
The Blackhawks have more than 56 million reasons to be optimistic the power play will be better this season.
That's how much money they gave free-agent defenseman Brian Campbell to be a difference-making quarterback on one of the NHL's worst power plays.
The Hawks ranked 24th in the league last season, but the power play looked new and improved Sunday night, connecting three times in a 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars at the United Center.
Campbell had 4 assists with 3 of them on the power play.
"Campbell is going to be the key to it," coach Denis Savard said. "I like the way he brings the puck up, but we're still tweaking things here."
Savard said part of the tweaking will be a new look, with only Campbell playing out at the blue line up top.
"We might have a different setup than we had last year," Savard said. "If you're going to put your five best skill players on the ice at the same time, you probably want to be more of a puck-moving power play than net presence. So you have guys in spots that they can one-touch the puck or one-time shots.
"We might have Campbell on top so he can work with (Patrick) Kane or whoever we decide to put there. I like it so far."
Entries into the zone should no longer be a problem with Campbell lugging the puck.
"He makes plays," Kane said. "Just the way he skates with the puck he knows where the open guy is. The entries on the power play are going to be big. Him bringing up the puck, it's guaranteed to get into the zone."
Savard believes Kane and Jonathan Toews, with a year of experience under their belts, will make for a better power play as well.
"Guys were first-year players in the NHL as rookies playing the power play all the time," Savard said. "They will be better this year, and now you have a No. 1 guy who is a great passer."
More tinkering: The Patrick Kane experiment might be over at center, but Denis Savard tried something else against Dallas, pairing Brian Campbell and Duncan Keith on defense.
"The reason I'm trying Campbell and Keith together is whoever I decide to play (Jonathan) Toews with, they're going to play against the best line of the other team every night," Savard said. "So maybe by having them on defense, and they're so active offensively and the fact that they're quick, may be the best lines of the other teams will think they better watch out for them jumping into the play and be on their heels."