Blackhawks' van Riemsdyk 'getting pretty close'
Trevor van Riemsdyk didn't feel too far off his peak level during back-to-back games this weekend for the Rockford IceHogs.
It was van Riemsdyk's first action since having a shot fracture his left kneecap while playing for the Blackhawks on Nov. 16 at the United Center, an injury that disrupted his rookie season after 18 games.
"It's getting there," said van Riemsdyk, who played Sunday in Rockford's 4-3 victory against the Chicago Wolves at the Allstate Arena. "It's getting pretty close. I've just got to shake off some rust and some of that, but I think it's getting pretty close."
Van Riemsdyk's first game with Rockford was Saturday in Grand Rapids. He played a little more than 13 minutes, shifted primarily at left point and was paired with Stephen Johns, another top prospect.
Johns sat out Sunday with a hand injury, so van Riemsdyk played mostly with Kirill Gotvets against the Wolves. They juggled which point they played on a per-shift basis.
"It's still the same game," van Riemsdyk said. "You've just got to trust your instincts and that will all be there. Trust in those and (don't hesitate) just because it's been a little while here. (I was) a little slow in a couple areas, but overall I felt pretty good."
That included soreness when he woke up Sunday but not in his surgically repaired kneecap. There's no residual pain there, but his muscles felt it after sitting out for three-plus months.
Now the question is whether he can return to help the Blackhawks, who have 14 games left in the regular season.
"That's always the goal, to get back to playing your best," he said. "Hopefully that means playing back up there, but I've just got to take care of stuff on my end and play my best, get back to feeling good, feeling normal, and go from there."
Raanta staying positive:
Antti Raanta started for the IceHogs on Sunday and improved to 3-0-1 in his third outing since being sent down following the Hawks' loss Feb. 22 at home to the Boston Bruins.
He's trying to keep an upbeat attitude, even though his future with the organization is somewhat up in the air after the Hawks signed Scott Darling to a contract extension.
"Everybody wants to be there, but I'd rather play a game once a week than sit three weeks in a row on the bench," Raanta said. "We want to go all the way (to the Turner Cup) in here. We have a good group of guys who are excited to be here."
Regin not bitter:
After being traded to Chicago before the deadline last season, 28-year old forward Peter Regin re-signed last July with the Hawks for one more season. It was a one-way deal, which he felt offered a little NHL job security.
He didn't make the team out of training camp and only got one four-game stint with the Blackhawks.
"I knew it was a possibility," Regin said. "Some teams don't usually put (veteran) guys in the minors, but I knew that was a possibility here and I was fully aware of that when I went into the season … it's a little disappointing, but I'm disappointed in myself too.
"I could've played better and I would've been in the NHL. That's what it comes down to at the end."