Kubalik's scoring is down, but Hawks forward is finding new ways to contribute

As Dominik Kubalik began to heat up last season, I walked over to Jonathan Toews' stall to ask the Blackhawks' captain about the budding star from the Czech Republic.

Why is everything suddenly clicking for this 24-year-old rookie? Why is everything he touches turning to goals?

Toews lauded his linemate's shooting ability, of course, but also credited Kubalik for improving his overall game and becoming more aware of where his teammates are at all times.

As we know, Kubalik went on to become a Calder Trophy finalist on the strength of his 30-goal campaign.

But here's the second question I posed to Toews: How does Kubalik keep this up? How does he become a perennial 25-goal scorer and not just a flash in the pan?

"Unless you're scoring 50 goals a year, you've got to be able to do a lot of different things out there," Toews said. "He's a great skater and he's strong on the puck and becoming more aware, he's making more plays, keeping pucks alive, winning battles all over the rink. I think he's just settling into just knowing what to expect from me and what I want out of him, and how we can play together as a line."

Now, let's fast forward to present day. Kubalik's not exactly experiencing a sophomore slump, but he's certainly been more up and down than he'd like. Some believed the loss of Toews and Brandon Saad would negatively affect Kubalik.

And that's been true in many regards.

After 20 games Kubalik has 6 goals and 9 assists, a 25-goal, 62-point pace over a full season. He's posted those numbers despite an average ice time of 15:18, which ranks sixth on the team among forwards.

The concerning thing is that 3 goals and 7 assists have come on the power play. That means he's only produced 5 points at even strength. His Corsi-for (shots for and against at even strength) is also a dismal 44.7%.

"Obviously, I want to be the guy scoring goals," said Kubalik, who pumped in 22 of his 30 goals last season in the final 35 games. "(They're not going) in like it was last year, but I'm just trying to stick with the things I used to do. Shoot a lot, be in front.

"But I'm feeling good, feeling confident. The team is winning, so that's the most important thing."

Kubalik did score a big goal in a 6-5 shootout win at Columbus on Tuesday. The rocket from just inside the blue line gave the Hawks a 4-3 lead with 4:55 remaining in the second period.

"Overall he's played well," said coach Jeremy Colliton. "He hasn't scored as much, but I think he's found different ways to contribute.

"He's made some plays that have turned into goals. He's gotten more assists - he wasn't doing the playmaker thing as much last year.

"I think offensively it's finding a way to generate more zone time so that he can find that slot area."

To Colliton's first point, Kubalik is a big reason the Hawks' power play is tied for first with Toronto and Buffalo at 33.3%. He helped set up Philipp Kurashev against Carolina on Feb. 2; did the same for Mattias Janmark and Andrew Shaw two nights later against the Hurricanes; and found Janmark yet again at Dallas on February 9.

Kubalik's inconsistency during 5-on-5 play can be attributed to a number of factors. Chief among them are his revolving door of linemates. Only 20 games in and Kubalik has played five minutes or more with a dozen different combinations.

Tough to get much chemistry that way.

Kubalik's also fighting the puck at times and not winning as many 50/50 battles as he did last year.

The solution may be to shoot at every single opportunity.

"We want him to continue to be a shooter, because he's got a great shot, great release," Colliton said in January 2020. "We don't want him to defer to other players. We want him to shoot the puck."

Which is exactly what he didn't do on a 2-on-1 during the second period Tuesday. His pass to Brandon Hagel was broken up and Columbus was off the other way.

Having said that, Kubalik and Hagel are truly beginning to jell. They make a good pair - Hagel's speed, tenacity and passing ability matches nicely with Kubalik's ice awareness and lethal shot.

Colliton would also like Kubalik to get to the net more, because sometimes a deflection off the arm, leg or even the rear end can get a goal-scorer going.

"A lot of goals (last season) were just being at the net, and having tap-ins, having pucks go off him, getting deflections, things like that," Colliton said. "I think he's really settled in in that backside spot on power play. He's always a threat there. Those goals are going to come. He's had some really good looks there, and he's found a way to score, too.

"Overall, he's been solid for us. Can he find a different level? Yeah, I think he can. But that's only a positive."

Line juggling

Dominik Kubalik's 5-on-5 ice time has totaled 252½ minutes this season. Here is how much time he's spent with different players through 20 games:

Strome and Kurashev: 64:55

Strome and DeBrincat: 28:06

Strome and Hagel: 23:45

Strome and Janmark: 17:10

Kurashev and Suter: 13:43

Strome and Kane: 10:39

Strome and Suter: 9:54

Wallmark and Hagel: 6:48

Soderberg and Hagel: 5:34

Suter and Janmark: 5:27

Soderberg and Janmark: 5:19

Strome and Shaw: 5:12

Soderberg and Kurashev: 4:34

Kurashev and Janmark: 4:34

Suter and Kane: 4:04

Source: naturalstattrick.com