HAWKS GIVING SCHMALTZ TIME TO LEARN ROPES
Rookie Schmaltz still has lots to learn, but Hawks high on his skill, hockey IQ
All a young player ever hears about the jump to the NHL is that there’s no time and space on the ice. All the players are so fast, so big and so strong that there isn’t time to think out there, let alone make a play.
So in his first few NHL games, Blackhawks rookie Nick Schmaltz naturally assumed that every time the puck touched his stick, he had to get rid of it almost immediately.
As it turns out, though, he had more time than he thought.
‘‘ I was just throwing it away at times the first couple of games,’’ Schmaltz said. ‘‘ Obviously, you’re nervous your first couple of games, and you don’t want to mess up. But you’ve just got to sit back and play your game. If you’re a playmaker, make plays. If you’re a goal- scorer, score goals.’’
The Hawks have given Schmaltz time, too, offering him a long leash as he adjusts to the NHL. Whether he plays well or poorly, he has been put right back out there the next game. And he gradually is earning more responsibility, even playing on the power play while defenseman Gustav Forsling has been out the last two games.
Schmaltz called the power play his ‘‘ bread and butter,’’ and he picked up an assist on Jonathan Toews’ power- play goal Sunday against the Kings.
So when Schmaltz spouts the usual clichés about trying to get better every game, he means it. Every game is a new chance to figure something out, to learn something new.
‘‘ You can see the skill is there,’’ Hawks star Patrick Kane said. ‘‘ He’s a great skater — almost undercover, where you didn’t really know he had that much speed. And he’s confident coming through the middle of the ice with the puck. There’s a lot of good things. It’s just kind of getting adjusted to playing at this level.’’
Few players make the leap directly to the NHL. Most come up through the minor leagues or
the European pro leagues. The ones that jump straight from juniors — or college, in Schmaltz’s case — to the NHL are usually high first- round picks bound for superstardom.
Kane went straight from the Ontario Hockey League to the NHL in 2007. Of course, he was the No. 1 overall pick and went on to win the Calder Trophy after posting 21 goals and 51 assists as a rookie.
Schmaltz, the 20th pick in the 2014 draft, still has things he needs to work on. His .328 faceoff percentage is among the five lowest in the league, and he needs to be more aggressive after posting only six shots on goal through nine games. But the skill, vision and hockey IQ are there.
Schmaltz also has had to adjust to his bottom- six role with the Hawks. Like nearly every other NHL player, Schmaltz has been a top player his whole life, at every level. He’s used to big minutes and big production, but he has only one goal and one assist through nine games with the Hawks.
But the Hawks haven’t asked much more of him. The hope is that they can ask a little bit more with each game.
‘‘ You get to that next hurdle, can you develop? Are you able to withstand it?’’ coach Joel Quenneville said. ‘‘ Can you excel and be a top guy at that next level? Everybody, when they’re younger, they’re top guys. At this level, it’s a whole different level. And trying to get established is the ultimate goal.’’