Anisimov joining Kane, Schmaltz
The Alexandre Fortin experiment has hit a speed bump.
It appears the lightning-fast rookie forward has lost his spot on the Blackhawks' second line with Patrick Kane and Nick Schmaltz after only two games in the role. Artem Anisimov, who has been centering the third line, will move up and push Schmaltz over to wing.
When the Hawks called up Fortin last week just three games into the season, it wasn't because he had been a scoring whiz at Rockford. He had no goals in two games with the IceHogs this season and only four in 53 games last season. He has no points in three games with theHawks.
One game after Fortin was called up, coach Joel Quenneville wanted to seehowhis speedwould translate with Kane and Schmaltz — in part because of Fortin's speed but also because he wasn't happy with Brandon Saad's play.
Fortin has displayed a maddening inability to convert golden opportunities into goals. During Thursday night's 4-1 loss to the Coyotes, Kane twice set up Fortin near the net. On the first one, Fortinwas alone less than 10 feet in front of goalie Antti Raanta but shot wide left.
On the second, Kane and Fortin had a two-on-one, but Fortin wasn't able to get a stick on a slick Kane pass that did have some bounce to it.
Whether or not Anisimov is a long-term answer to complete the line, it shouldn't escape Hawks fans that his first game in the role will come Saturday against the Blue Jackets and former Hawks winger Artemi Panarin. Kane, Anisimov and Panarin formed a productive line for two seasons before the Hawks traded Panarin for Saad in June 2017. Panarin had 82 points (27 goals, 55 assists) during his first season inColumbus and has three goals and six assists in six games this season.
Quenneville is comfortable with Schmaltz at center or wing, and with Anisimov joining the line, he didn't have a choice but to move Schmaltz.
“I like (Schmaltz's) speed in the middle, like him with the puck,” Quenneville said. “But Arty with that line is effective with net presence, purpose defensively, effective in both ends.”
During practice Friday, Saad skated with the third line, which was centered byDavidKampfwith Chris Kunitz on the left wing. The fourth line had AndreasMartinsen joining John Hayden and Marcus Kruger, which makes Fortin the likely oddmanout against the Blue Jackets.
If Anisimov doesn'twork out on the second line, Quenneville might have to return to Saad because there aren't any obvious options at Rockford.