Hawks' Brouwer gets new life under new coach
When a team has 14 out of a possible 18 points under a new coach, it would be an understatement to say the entire club has welcomed the change.
But no one has benefited more than Troy Brouwer since the Blackhawks put Joel Quenneville behind the bench.
The big winger was not a favorite of the previous coach and could barely get a cup of coffee - let alone any ice time - in Chicago, despite being his team's leading goal scorer in juniors and the minors the last three years.
He simply could not get an opportunity here, and it was a mystery to anyone watching the Hawks struggle with the same names, night after night.
But with former Rockford coach Mike Haviland here as an assistant, perhaps offering advice, and Quenneville noticing within hours of being hired that the Hawks lacked size, skill and scoring ability up front, Brouwer was quickly summoned to Chicago.
He has responded with 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points in seven games with nine penalty minutes after he converted the coveted Gordie Howe hat trick Sunday night in the Hawks' 6-1 pounding of Calgary.
Not only did Brouwer score a goal and add an assist, but he also fought and held his own against Brandon Prust, who leads the NHL in penalty minutes.
"I understand it's part of my job, but it's nothing new for me,'' said Brouwer, who piled up 154 penalty minutes at Rockford last season. "I've always been on a line with skill players, and part of my job is to score and part of my job is to mix it up whenever someone is messing with one of our skill guys.''
That's going to be a key going forward because it's no secret around a very physical conference that the Hawks lack some of the size and toughness that is essential for surviving a very long season.
"We may not have the undisputed heavyweight champ, but we've got team toughness,'' Brouwer said. "That goes a long way in this league. Teams see that we can mix it up and we'll have all five guys on the ice looking out for each other.''
If the Hawks are competing for a playoff spot and perhaps believing they can win a round or two, come the spring they'll probably have to address their need for an enforcer, because you certainly don't want a guy like Brouwer - who scored 49, 41 and 35 goals the last three years - breaking his hand fighting a Western Conference beast.
"Standing behind the bench, I haven't seen size as an issue for us thus far,'' Quenneville said. "It hasn't been a concern, but it's a short amount of time here and we'll continue to look at everything and evaluate.''
There was little doubt what Calgary had in mind Sunday, as the Flames pounded Patrick Sharp, Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane repeatedly, and, while not intimidated, that kind of beating can't be absorbed every night without taking a toll.
Eventually the Hawks will need a deterrent.
"So far I haven't seen us influenced by what teams try to do,'' Quenneville said. "We're a team that's together and we have team toughness.''
Defenseman Matt Walker, who played for Quenneville in St. Louis a few years ago, was inserted into the lineup Sunday and also took on Prust late in the third.
He got a very warm reception from a grateful bench while making his way to the dressing room as the Hawks were wrapping up an easy victory after five days off against a tired Flames team that had played the night before.
"This was a dangerous game for us coming in,'' Quenneville said. "It was a good strong game for us.''
As it was for Brouwer, who is making the most of a chance to play on the second line with Sharp and Martin Havlat.
"He's made it known to me that he wants me out there, and that feels good, but I have to produce, too,'' Brouwer said of Quenneville. "At the same time, I may not get an opportunity like this again, so I'm just putting my head down and I'm working hard.
"But it feels good to know he's behind me.''
Based on the Hawks' record since Quenneville got here, you have to believe it's a feeling shared by all.