Will Patrick Sharp be a healthy scratch for Thursday's game?
Seventeen minutes into his first game back with the Chicago Blackhawks, Patrick Sharp took a pass from Artem Anisimov, zoomed into the offensive zone and wristed home a perfect shot that gave his team a 5-0 lead over the Pittsburgh Penguins.
An ecstatic Sharp pumped his fist three times, let out a primal scream and was soon mobbed by overjoyed teammates as 21,000-plus shook the United Center with earsplitting cheers.
Pat Foley's call that night: “Here comes Sharp, gonna drive the net … shoots … SCORES! Patrick Sharp joining Brandon Saad in his Blackhawks return with a lamplighter!”
You couldn't script a better homecoming for a player adored by so many in the city.
The fairy tale didn't last long, though, and Sharp — who has just 2 goals since that wild, crazy opener — may be a healthy scratch when the Hawks play Thursday at Dallas.
“I'm frustrated with how things have gone individually,” Sharp said after he didn't skate with the top four lines at practice Monday.
Joel Quenneville wouldn't definitively say that Sharp won't dress against the Stars, but the Hawks' coach seems more than willing to rotate some of his forwards for the time being.
“There are guys we can move in and out and keep everyone going,” Quenneville said.
So far that rotation has included Ryan Hartman (scratched in Games 29 and 30) and Richard Panik (scratched the last three games) and could include others going forward.
With 2 assists in the last five games, Sharp hasn't been bad and his line has generated a decent number of chances.
But he isn't scoring and knows he can be better.
“I can play faster,” Sharp said. “I can play with more pace. I can use my speed more. Find myself standing around a little bit too much.”
Father Time catches up to everyone, and that includes the 35-year-old Sharp. He battled injuries last season, playing in just 48 games while scoring 8 goals with Dallas. He also missed 14 games with a knee injury when the Hawks won the Cup in 2015.
Plenty of players — from Vinnie Hinostroza to Connor Murhpy to Hartman — all admitted last week that sitting out is no fun, but added that they feel refreshed upon returning.
Sharp didn't know if that would be the case for him, saying: “Yeah, we'll see. If I'm not playing, I'll continue to work hard and get the legs moving and get ready for when I get the call.”
Jonathan Toews has seen plenty of veterans lose a step or two late in their careers. The Hawks' captain empathized with Sharp but also commended him on staying positive and trying to work through it.
“It's definitely tough,” Toews said. “He came into the season so excited mentally and emotionally as you've ever seen to make an impact for this team. We all know what he's capable of.
“It's a huge tribute to his maturity and to his leadership in this room … just how he's able to stay with it and go out there and compete the way he has. … No doubt it's tough to keep pushing through. He's doing a great job of that so far.”
D-men update:
Cody Franson and Jan Rutta likely will be ready to play Thursday when the Hawks face the Stars in Dallas. Rutta likely draws back in, but Jordan Oesterle's play may force coach Joel Quenneville to sit Franson for now.
Franson understands the staff has tough decisions to make, but he reiterated Monday that he hopes he has done enough to earn the benefit of the doubt.
Slap shots:
Patrick Kane was named the NHL's First Star of the week. He scored 4 goals and added an assist in Blackhawks victories over Florida, Winnipeg and Minnesota. …
The Hawks assigned defenseman Ville Pokka to Rockford. He was on the roster for five days as Jan Rutta and Cody Franson recovered from injuries. … The IceHogs (15-11-1-1) have lost three straight (one in a shootout), scoring just 1 goal in each game.