Brouwer's dirty work brings net gains for Blackhawks

To say Troy Brouwer had a difficult start to the season would be an understatement.

Try 1 goal in the Blackhawks' first 21 games.

Lately, however, Brouwer has been a key contributor — with 8 goals in his last 15 games — to a Hawks team finally showing serious signs of regaining its elite status.

What does Brouwer think is the big difference?

“I'm playing more physical, I think,” Brouwer said. “I'm doing what I need to do to be successful, which is finishing my checks and making sure no one gets a free pass out there. It creates space for me and it creates space for my linemates, and because of that I've had a little more success around the net.”

Brouwer has been more of a fixture in front of the net, tipping shots and screening goaltenders.

“I'm going to the hard areas that I went to last season and wasn't at the beginning of this year and that's why I wasn't getting rewarded,” Brouwer said. “Lately I feel I've been in those hard-nosed areas and creating chances for myself. That's what turned it around for me.”

Brouwer wasn't the only Hawks regular who started slowly after a short summer of Stanley Cup celebrating.

Brouwer admitted he wasn't playing hard enough earlier, which is a definite symptom of Stanley Cup hangover.

“I wasn't doing things hard enough,” Brouwer said. “I'd be in front of the net and get pushed away. I just wasn't doing things hard enough and bearing down. I wasn't battling hard enough to get in to my spots where I need to be. I feel that I'm battling more now and making sure I'm in those areas and getting those chances.

“If you want to say it was a Cup hangover or whatever, you can make what you want of it, but for us we have to, as professionals, let that season go and get ready for the next one,” Brouwer said.

Hawks coach Joel Quenneville sees Brouwer as a typical young player in that he struggles with consistency.

“I thought he had very comparable stretches last year when he was dominating games and being physical and was hard to play against, got to the front of the net, had a quick stick and had a good release,” Quenneville said. “And there were stretches where all of a sudden, whether it was confidence, being stationary or not being the physical force he can be.

“Everybody has stretches where they're playing better hockey than not. Right now he's on top of his game and I think he's excited playing with Johnny (Toews).”

Brouwer realizes that doing the dirty work in front of the net is what's going to keep him playing on the top three lines.

“When I was in junior, I had a coach tell me that if I didn't play in front of the net, I wasn't going to play,” Brouwer said. “I've been in that role and I accept it. It's fun to get in those hard areas and battle. Even the guys you're battling against, you get to know pretty well.”