Hawks' Skille plans to make most of his opportunity

Jack Skille's energetic play hasn't gone unnoticed by the Blackhawks' coaching staff.

In fact, Skille is being rewarded with a promotion to the first line.

The former No. 1 draft pick will skate at right wing with center Jonathan Toews and left winger Patrick Sharp on Wednesday night against Los Angeles at the United Center.

“This is an opportunity they're giving me,” Skille said. “They're giving me a chance to prove myself and I'm going to do everything I can with it. I'm going to try to take it and run with it.”

Skille has 2 assists in nine games playing an average of nine minutes on the fourth line. He has the chance to see considerably more ice time if he clicks with Toews and Sharp.

“I'm not going to change my game at all,” Skille said. “I'm going to keep playing hard out there and hopefully make some good plays and maybe put one in the back of the net here.

“I've got to play my game and not worry about those guys. They are obviously highly skilled players and they're going to want the puck on their stick all the time, but if I'm worried about getting them the puck all the time, then I'm not playing my game and it's going to get me demoted real quick.

“I'm going to do what I've done to get to this point and hopefully I stick up there.”

Skille and Viktor Stalberg each have earned promotions off the fourth line. Stalberg will be skating against the Kings on the third line with Dave Bolland and Patrick Kane.

“They've earned the chance with their quickness and their speed, so let's see how that goes,” coach Joel Quenneville said.

Good news:

Joel Quenneville said injured defenseman Brian Campbell might be ready to return this weekend, either Saturday at Minnesota or more likely Monday at New York against the Rangers.

Campbell, who has yet to practice, will have been sidelined four weeks Friday with a sprained right knee.

Back at it:

After two days off the ice, the Hawks returned to practice Tuesday and spent a good portion of the 45 minutes working on defensive zone coverage.

The Hawks got two days off after playing 10 games in 17 days to start the season.

“Everybody is mentally recharged and ready to play,” Patrick Sharp said.

“Sometimes when you play this many games in a short amount of time it catches up to you a little bit, so it was nice to have a few days off,” Patrick Kane said.

The Hawks are 20th in the NHL defensively having allowed 341 shots, the second most in the league.

“We just know we can be a lot better,” goalie Marty Turco said. “It's nothing earth shattering, just the little things.”