Kahun making push for roster spot
Forward Dominik Kahun is making a case for why he deserves to be on the Blackhawks’ openingnight roster.
Last season, Kahun posted 41 points in 42 regular-season games and 14 points in 17 playoff games for EHC München in Germany’s top pro league. He also shined for Germany at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, posting the second-most points for his country during the tournament.
Kahun’s success got the Hawks’ attention. They signed him to an entry-level deal in April.
Kahun, who had an assist on forward Alexandre Fortin’s goal in the Hawks’ preseason game Tuesday against the Blue Jackets, has been playing on a line with Dylan Sikura and Artem
Anisimov during camp. His biggest competition for the Hawks’ 13th-forward spot might be David
Kampf, who split time between the Hawks and Rockford last season.
As camp continues, Kahun is feeling confident in his ability to separate himself from other prospects.
‘‘I feel like I always have to start from zero because I have to fight for a spot here,’’ Kahun said Thursday. ‘‘It doesn’t matter if I’m good today; I have to wake up tomorrow and be even better . . . . You never can be really happy with yourself because you have to come the next day and be better.’’
One thing for the Hawks to consider is that Kahun has said he might return to Germany if he doesn’t break camp with them. The Athletic reported Kahun likely will exercise his European assignment clause and return to EHC München if he doesn’t make the Hawks’ roster.
Asked about the report, Kahun said he didn’t ‘‘really want to think about that.’’
‘‘My goal is to stay here,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m going to give everything for that.’’
Boqvist bounces back
Defenseman prospect Adam
Boqvist got a chance to redeem himself in the Hawks’ second preseason game against the Red Wings. After a rough preseason opener Tuesday, the 18-year-old — whom the Hawks drafted eighth overall in June — looked impressive in a 4-2 loss to the Red Wings.
Hawks fans also got their first taste of what the second line, which features Nick Schmaltz,
Brandon Saad and Patrick Kane, can do. In the second period, Schmaltz passed the puck to Saad, who set Kane up for a one-timer that tied the score 1-1.
The Hawks split goalie duty between Anton Forsberg and
Kevin Lankinen. Forsberg stopped 13 of 14 shots, allowing a power-play goal in the first period.
Condolences to Foley
Bob Foley, the father of Hawks play-by-play man Pat Foley, died Tuesday.
The Hawks and assistant coach Kevin Dineen offered their condolences to the Foley family during the game Thursday, which Foley called.
Injury report
Goalie Corey Crawford, who still is recovering from a concussion suffered last season, had a day off after taking part in six consecutive days of on-ice workouts.
♦ One day after the Hawks said defenseman Jan Rutta was day-to-day with a groin injury, he returned to practice. Forward Anthony Louis was also back on the ice after missing practice Wednesday for a medical appointment.
♦ Forward Henrik Samuelsson is day-to-day with a groin injury, the Hawks said.