Former Blackhawk Hjalmarsson expects emotional return to Chicago
From the moving tribute for Stan Mikita to the impressive ceremony for Duncan Keith to five hold-your-breath overtime games, it's been quite an emotional start to the season for the Hawks and their fans.
Well, keep the Kleenex handy because Thursday's game against Arizona features the return of three-time Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson and Bartlett native Vinnie Hinostroza.
Hjalmarsson, who played 751 games (including playoffs) for the Hawks figures to get the loudest cheers. The fearless 31-year-old Swede gave everything he had to the organization that drafted him in the fourth round in 2005. Teammates and coaches marveled at his willingness to block any shot from anywhere - many of which forced him to hobble back to the bench in utter agony.
This will be Hjalmarsson's first game against the Hawks at the United Center since he was shockingly traded to the Coyotes for Connor Murphy on June 23, 2017. He played just 48 games last year and was inactive when Arizona played at the United Center in December.
"I bet it's going to be a lot of emotions and mixed feelings," Hjalmarsson said after Arizona practiced at MB Ice Arena on Wednesday. "It was fun driving in the city yesterday. It was the first time I'm back since I got traded.
"I have such good memories from here. I spent my whole 20s (here) and didn't want to spend it anywhere else than here in Chicago. It's always going to be my second home even though I really like it down in Arizona. Chicago is always going to be a special place for me."
What follows is the rest of Hjalmarsson's Q&A with reporters:
Q: Is Thursday going to be surreal?
A: Yeah, it's going to be strange coming in as an away team and being in the other locker room. … But at the same time I had a full year (away). I was injured a lot, so I think that might be helping me out with the nerves that I've already been a Coyote for a year. Hopefully, I can enjoy the game and not be too nervous about it.
Q: What was your favorite memory with the Blackhawks?
A: I have to say the first Cup (in 2010) is always going to be very special. For the city, too, the celebration and everything we had here with the first Cup was more chaotic than the other two. After the first one they had a good practice run so everything else was so organized and so professionally done.
I kind of enjoy it when it's a little bit chaotic. Everybody was happy at the second and third one, but the first one is always be very special.
Q: What went through your mind when you found out about the trade?
A: I wasn't happy, to be honest with you. I was shocked and it took me a couple days to realize I wasn't going to play for the Hawks anymore. But at the same time I know the business side. I've been in the league for awhile. You kind of let it go after awhile.
Now I'm just hoping all the success for the guys here, except against us obviously. I see that they're off to a good start. Chicago deserves to have a team in the playoffs with the crowd; hockey is big here. So it's not that I wish them not to do well. It's the total opposite. I want them to have continued success.
Q: What did Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook mean to you during your time here?
A: Huge - even thought I might not have told them that enough. … I couldn't have had better role models coming into a team and I'm very thankful to have played on the same team with those guys and we created a lot of success together.
We're always going to be connected with the Cups and have a special bond together. So, yeah, I'm extremely thankful for the way they are as hockey players and even more how they are as persons.