Blackhawks like their options with Versteeg

Even though he was drafted at that position and has played there on rare occasions throughout his NHL career, the recent move from wing to center has been an adjustment for Kris Versteeg.

“You don't just flow into it; it's something that takes adjusting,” said Versteeg, who centered a line between the two Patricks — Kane and Sharp — the last two Blackhawks games. “It's a different mindset. You have to think a little more defensively, be aware of your own end just as much as the offensive end.

“It's not going to be an overnight thing. It's something that you're going to have to play more than a game or two to get comfortable with.”

Sharp knows exactly what Versteeg is going through, having done the positional tango himself a few times over the years with the Blackhawks.

“Wing to center, it requires a lot more responsibility in your own zone with the way our system works,” Sharp said. “Generally the center is in the zone helping out the defensemen.

“Whether I'm there or on the wing, it's always fun to take faceoffs, to play with new players.”

Versteeg, who moved to center when Brad Richards suffered an upper body injury before Sunday's game against Toronto, admits he has found himself thinking differently on the ice.

“Yeah, you have to,” he said. “The play is coming through the center of the ice and you have to learn to be in better position in the middle of the ice, and sometimes that can come from uncomfortable places.”

Uncomfortable, maybe, but coach Joel Quenneville was more than pleased at the ease with which Versteeg slid over and did the job, even scoring in the final second of the first period in the Hawks' win over the Maple Leafs.

“Steeger made a great play to really put us in a good spot,” Quenneville said. “He did a great job at center.

“In a one-game evaluation you'd have to say it was a great start for him in the middle.”

Just how long Versteeg remains at center depends a lot on when Richards returns to the lineup. The veteran center said earlier this week he expects to be ready to go when the Hawks take on Colorado on Saturday.

Versteeg, who is third on the team in scoring with 25 points in 31 games, will be ready to slide back to wing if Richards returns, or remain at center until Richards is healthy.

Doesn't matter to him.

“Wherever I can contribute and get on the ice, and help this team — I'll play whatever position they want,” he said. “I like playing center and I like playing wing.

“When you get to play with guys like Kaner and Sharpie, it's a huge privilege ... just try to be aware and get the puck to those guys as much as possible.”

For Sharp, it's the versatility of guys like Versteeg that separates the Hawks from many teams in the league.

“That's the thing with our team — we always hear people talking about first, second, third and fourth lines,” Sharp said, “but we just have a bunch of good players that can go anywhere, and that's what makes us a good team.”

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Tonight's faceoff

Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center, 8 p.m. Saturday

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Radio: WGN 720-AM

The skinny: The Blackhawks are coming off perhaps their worst performance of the year — a 5-1 loss at home to Winnipeg. In that loss, goalie Corey Crawford was pulled in the first period after allowing 3 goals on 13 shots. Will coach Joel Quenneville go back to Crawford tonight or opt instead for Antti Raanta? The Avalanche went into the break on a high courtesy of their 5-0 home victory over the Blues on Tuesday, a result that brought them to the .500-mark for the first time this season (13-13-8). The last time the two teams met, the Hawks topped the Avs 3-2 en route to stellar 5-1 record on the circus trip.

Next: Nashville Predators at the United Center, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday

— Mike Spellman