Stepping into the spotlight early in ’21
Lankinen, Hagel, Murphy taking on new roles, responsibilities in a transition year
The Blackhawks likely will see more contributions from young players and imports such as Mattias Janmark and Ian Mitchell as the season progresses.
Meanwhile, the veterans have the dual task of doing much of the heavy lifting while also guiding the next generation.
With five games in the books, including three since Sunday, three Hawks take their turn in the spotlight.
Goalie Kevin Lankinen is confident he can take on the net.
Key stats: A win and an overtime loss; .902 save percentage and 2.94 goals-against average in two starts.
If there’s an operative word to describe the goaltending situation, it’s “confidence.”
Would the coaching staff have confidence to put any of the three contenders between the pipes in a situation with high stakes and not just for a rebuilding team?
Do the skaters have confidence the man behind them can keep them in a game?
Heck, does the goaltender have confidence in himself?
The early results, particularly with Collin Delia and Malcolm Subban, have been mixed. Lankinen, who started the last two games, has found himself on more solid footing.
At least, he certainly doesn’t lack for confidence.
“Oh, yeah, way more comfortable,” Lankinen said after Friday’s 4-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, a career first for him and the Hawks’ first win of the season.
“I was lucky I got the start today. I was so happy about that. I’ve been really feeling good the last few weeks here. I feel calm. I feel like my game is right there where it needs to be.
“Obviously we’re going to work on some things with (goalie coach) Jimmy (Waite). All in all, I feel confident, I feel great.”
He has been solid, coach Jeremy Colliton said.
“He was under control. He never looked out of position,” Colliton said. “I thought there was less scrambles around the net, certainly on the penalty kill he stabilized things for us.
“It’s a good performance for him and hopefully he can build confidence from it.”
Forward Brandon Hagel is hoping to develop into an everyday player.
Key stats: Has averaged 10:25 ice time in two games.
Hagel hasn’t been used much yet as he’s a developmental player finding his spots to contribute.
He has taken a total of six shots in two games, and the winger has blocked shots on defense. Still, Hagel might see plenty of days when he floats between the active roster and the taxi squad.
“It’s been good,” Hagel said. “Being able to get in the first one, obviously the second one is nice. “Getting into a little bit of a rhythm and a feeling a little bit more comfortable, especially around the guys.”
Hagel played one game last season on the eve of the COVID-19 pause, robbing him of a potential audition to finish out the schedule.
“Definitely frustrating, but there’s not much I could’ve done or anyone could’ve done,” he said. “I just had to wait it out and finally got my opportunity. And I’ve just got to run with it.”
He’s far from the only young face among the forwards group but he welcomes the competition.
“I’ve just got to stick to my game and what makes me really good,” Hagel said. “It’s not too much pressure.
“For myself, it’s just consistency, keep playing and working hard every single night and I think I’ll be rewarded for it.”
Colliton has liked Hagel’s skating, energy and play away from the puck.
“His forechecking game, his back pressure has been outstanding,” Colliton said. “He’s shown up on clips we’ve shown to the team. He’s shown up multiple times as a guy doing really good things and creating turnovers and offensive chances and zone time.”
Though, as Colliton noted, it’s only two games.
“The challenge typically for young guys is to sustain it over a longer period of time,” he said. “We’re going to try to help him through that.”
Defenseman Connor Murphy is learning to lead with his voice.
Key stats: A goal and two assists; averaging 22:28 ice time and no penalty minutes.
The Hawks have made just five even-strength goals through five games, and defenseman Murphy has one of them. But he’s trying to become more of a facilitator in that department.
“In the offseason I did work a lot the last couple of years we’ve had (consultant) Brian Keane here, (and) we do what we call ‘skills on the ice,’ ” Murphy said. “It covers a lot of different things based on your position.
“My goal is to work on passing, to have cleaner exits, whether it’s something as simple as passing the puck flat and putting it on your forward’s tape up the middle of the ice, or skate and draw guys to you to make a play to absorb pressure.”
Murphy said it makes a big difference in his game.
For teams that forecheck well, “you have to make sure you’re able to read pressure, use your partner and center and then wing options to be able to exit and make clean plays,” he said.
Part of that development with a partner is ensuring you’re making common reads. And sometimes if you’re paired with a young defensemen, that’s not going to happen consistently.
Murphy was named one of the team’s alternate captains this season but he prefers leading through example.
“However, maybe there are times when you try to read the day or read the room in some ways, if certain guys are maybe feeling like you need to communicate a little more,” he said. “Maybe there’s more day-to-day, just trying to hold yourself to being aware of situations on the team.
“But I wouldn’t say that there’s much that you try to change. That’s when it can start affecting your game, too, when you’re worried so much about how you’re behaving differently.”
But if something just needs to be said among the players, does wearing the “A” on your sweater burden you with being more vocal?
“I don’t know it’s necessarily having the ‘A,’ but a younger team in general, I think it would,” Murphy said. “Just the guys we do have, if we’ve been on a team a few years, been around a little bit, that it’s kind of expected to maybe speak up at certain times to try to, I guess, to echo things that are being said around the room, to provide clarity and motivation for each other.
“That’s just a part of anyone that’s been around for a few years.”