Kane puts onus on Hawks players

The trade has been made to bolster the defense.

The reinforcements — including tough guy Brandon Bollig — have been called up from Rockford to add some grit to the lineup.

The front office is done dealing. The coaches have said all that's needed to be said.

With only 18 games remaining to determine their postseason future, it's up to the Blackhawks players themselves to get the job done.

“To be honest with you, it's all on us now,” said Patrick Kane, who will be at center Wednesday when the Blackhawks host Toronto. “They've done everything they can to put a good team on the ice — whether it was in the off-season or at the trade deadline.

“Collectively as a group — the team, the organization, coaches, front office — I think everyone's done everything to put the best product on the ice.

“We're happy with our team in here, happy with the guys we have. The onus is now on the players to get it done ourselves.”

That will include newly-acquired defenseman Johnny Oduya, who will make his Blackhawks debut against the Leafs.

“Johnny can be used in many ways,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “I like his experience. Like the way he moves the puck, like his quickness. He's excited. We're excited.”

Quenneville is also excited to have Andrew Shaw back, along with Bollig, whose resume includes 3 goals, 6 assists and 163 penalty minutes.

“We lost John Scott, and (Bollig) gives us some size and some toughness,” said Quenneville, who will start Corey Crawford in net against Toronto. “He's played very well down there. He can give us energy on that line with Jammer (Jamal Mayers).”

To break out of the 4-11-1 skid they've been on since January 21, at least for the short-term, they'll have to do it without captain Jonathan Toews (upper body/possible concussion), whom Quenneville termed “day to day, no progress,” and defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson (upper body/possible concussion), who skated Tuesday but won't play against the Leafs.

“We need everybody here; we've got a tough road ahead of us here,” Quenneville said. “We have to have everybody accept some ownership for this situation, whether they're leaders or new guys — we all have to move forward together and take it to the next level.”

His players have heard the message, loud and clear.

“If your management is making moves to better the team I think that's a direct message to us that we want to be better and that we're going for it,” said defenseman Brent Seabrook, who was paired with Oduya at Tuesday's practice.

“Nobody likes to lose,” defenseman Nick Leddy said. “We have all the talent in the world in here. If we play great defense, the talent will take over. Coach has been harping on that and that's what we have to do.”