Kane backs promoting Dach, Boqvist
But veteran isn’t looking to future: ‘You want to win now’
LOS ANGELES — At some point, the Blackhawks will emerge from the mysterious offensive slump that already is threatening their season.
Or maybe they won’t.
After all, nobody thought scoring goals would be a problem at training camp with a forward group that seemed better than last season, when the Hawks had 270 goals, eighth-most in the league.
This season? No team has scored fewer goals than the Hawks, who entered Saturday’s night game against the Kings averaging more than a goal less per game than they did last season. Something is not right, and nobody is exempt from the lack of production, including the seemingly slump-proof Patrick Kane.
Kane never went more than two games without a point last season. This season he already has had a three-game pointless drought and just two points in his last six games. If there were an obvious answer, the Hawks would have implemented it.
For now, Jeremy Colliton and his coaching staff are trying new line combinations. They made a nearly wholesale alteration of the power-play units and are hoping something can take hold. Colliton respects Kane enough to discuss the changes, but ultimately the coaching staff is putting forth what it believes will work.
“I wouldn’t say so much input, but he kind me some certain ideas he has and different things,” Kane said of his coach. “He’s a super smart hockey mind, and he wants to put you in the best position can to succeed, so it’s not like he’s just putting lines together (so) you’re just going to be be playing with these guys. There’s certain situations he wants to get you on the ice, playing with different guys too.
“So maybe that will be something we see going forward is you have your line but you’re going to get out there with other players, too, whether it’s power play or after penalty kill.”
As bad as the power play has been — three goals in 32 opportunities entering Saturday — the Hawks also have struggled in five-on-five situations. One thing they have been working on over the last few days is getting the puck in clean during transitions.
Kane is one of the best players in the league at controlling the puck, but that aspect of his game has been maddeningly inconsistent this season. Poor transitions have prevented him from taking that extra second or two that can spread out the defense and help him find an open teammate.
“That’s why we were successful at times last year,” Kane said. “We had such a good transition game. Played well defensively, created a turnover and then, boom, we’re up the ice going the other way. So that’s an aspect of our game we can get better in, and it’ll probably create better entries.”
The introduction of teenagers Kirby Dach and Adam Boqvist into the Hawks ecosystem appears to be an effort to get their high-end prospects as much experience as possible so they can begin contributing.
“You want to win now for sure, that’s definite,” Kane said. “But one of the things about today’s game is it is a young man’s game, and these guys can come in the league for two to three years and all of a sudden become dominant players. You can see flashes of it with Kirby for sure. He hangs on to the puck well, he skates well with the puck and to be honest with you I really like getting out there with him. I like playing with a guy like that because he’s looking to make plays, to hang onto it and create. He’s going to be special.
“And I think Boqvist too. I really liked playing with him in preseason a couple years ago, and this year he had a good camp too. He just keeps playing his game and keeps getting better at some areas, defensively and stuff. He’s going to be special.”
Of course, Kane already is special, even if he isn’t producing like it yet. He had three goals and six assists in the first 11 games, and the Hawks aren’t going anywhere except to the draft lottery for a third straight season unless he gets on track.
“When (Kane) gets a point early, usually he gets energy from that and he’s lights out the rest of the game,” Colliton said. “He had three (points) in the first game (of the season), and then it’s been a little bit drier for him since. He feeds off getting early success, and then he can kind of build off it and often he dominates the game.”
Kane’s linemates against the Kings were Dominik Kubalik and David Kampf. But with double-shifting and Colliton making in-game changes, Kane will play with nearly every forward during the course of a game. Changing the lines is fine with him.
“It can keep it fresh,” Kane said. “You’re going to play with everyone throughout the year. Right now there really hasn’t been much production offensively, so might as well tinker with it and see what works.”