Schmaltz sent down to open spot for goalie
There was hope that Nick Schmaltz eventually would grow into the all- around role Teuvo Teravainen left behind when he was traded this summer to the Carolina Hurricanes. That still might end up happening, but it hasn’t yet.
Now, the former first- round pick will have some time to regroup and find his game in the AHL. Early Sunday, the Hawks recalled goalie Lars Johansson from their Rockford affiliate to back up Scott Darling while Corey Crawford recovers. In a corresponding move, Schmaltz was assigned to the IceHogs. In 26 games, Schmaltz has four points and looks as if he needs time in the AHL.
“Young guy,” coach JoelQuenneville said. “We’ve got some guys here where we’ve got in comparable positions, and you can look at them that, hey, we want him playing, we want him, whether it’s being more productive, having the puck more and playing more and getting that side of it going.”
The newest backup
Johansson, 29, played 16 games with Rockford, going 6- 7- 1 with a 2.63 goals- against average. Before this season, Johansson spent the last three with Frolunda HC in Sweden, and in order to adjust to the smaller North American rink, he came over before training camp to get acclimated.
“I’ve been here a while and felt the rink and smaller pads and everything,” Johansson said. “It took me a couple of weeks, but now you don’t even think about it anymore. So I feel comfortable here.”
He conceded he would be nervous but excited if he gets into a game.
“If that happens, it happens,” Johansson said. “Just to make my self prepared as good as I can now if that were to happen.”
Quenneville said Darling would play “a big chunk” of the time Crawford misses and that Darling’s play would dictate how much ice time he gets. But Quenneville still believes this stint with the Hawks will be valuable for Johansson, who will get chances to face NHL shooters in practice and be in the same rink as an NHL game.
And yes, it’s possible he could even play.
“We know things change quickly in our business,” Quenneville said. “As we’ve seen over the last few years around the league, everybody’s been using three and four goalies deep over the course of the season. We’ll see with Lars, and if he gets a chance to [ play], we think he’ll be fine.”
Here to stay
Gustav Forsling’s debut has been uneven, but perhaps that’s to be expected for a 20- year- old defenseman in his first NHL season. Despite that, he’s not leaving.
Quenneville said the Hawks haven’t discussed sending Forsling back to Sweden and that he’s here to stay.
Quenneville said Forsling has had some good games and seen some progression and that his getting scratched the last two games “was not the worst thing for a young defenseman.”
“He’s got a good head on his shoulders. He’s got good reads,” Quenneville said. “He’s got good patience with the puck, as well. He’s come along all right and at this stage of his career, you just continue to expect him to be getting better.”
Forsling did return to the lineup Sunday, while Michal Rozsival and Trevor van Riemsdyk were scratched.