Dickinson trusting his body, while young players can expand leadership roles

The Chicago Blackhawks were back on the practice ice Monday morning. They are riding a five-game point streak into tomorrow night’s game against the Calgary Flames. This current run started by beating the Flames in Calgary 4-0 on Nov. 7.

Recent practices have focused on who will be on the ice and who won’t, as the Blackhawks navigate the bumps and bruises of an NHL season. Captain Nick Foligno is out for roughly a month after blocking a shot with his arm on Saturday night. Tyler Bertuzzi, who missed the victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs, was absent from today’s workout.

Head coach Jeff Blashill knows that injuries are a part of the game and that his guys need to be ready to step up when the opportunity arises. He’s rather proud of how his group has responded to the recent injuries.

“I think we’ve done a pretty good job,” he said. “Different guys have been given different responsibilities depending on who’s in the lineup.”

Jason Dickinson is Trusting His Body

It has been a rough go of it for veteran forward Jason Dickinson. When he’s been on the ice, he’s been a valuable two-way player for this team. However, staying on the ice has been his biggest challenge, as he has dealt with three different injuries in the last calendar year.

“In the last eight months, it feels like I come back for a few games, then I’m out for a few more,” Dickinson said. “It’s definitely frustrating, but I’ll stay with it. I know that eventually it’s going to stop, but it’s taking a toll.”

Dickinson was a full participant in practice today, but Blashill said he will not play against the Flames tomorrow night. He’s learned to trust his body to tell him when he’s ready to play instead of rushing himself back again. He admitted that he came back too early and won’t make that mistake again.

“I probably shouldn’t have played in hindsight, if being honest, but I hate just sitting here and watching,” he said. “If I feel like I can compete, I want to go out there. Looking back on it now, with the way I feel currently, it's definitely something I should have been a little more cautious with.”

Dickinson will remain out, but he certainly appears to be on the verge of a return soon. Meanwhile, Bertuzzi wasn’t ruled out of tomorrow's game, despite not practicing today. Blashill said there will not be any call-ups from the Rockford IceHogs, as a return to the seven defensemen/11 forward lineup is likely.

Life Without Your Captain

Some fans may look at the stat sheet and think that missing Foligno for at least four weeks is not a big deal. But the reality of it is that he brings a lot to this team that you don’t see in the numbers. However, the way this current group is coming together, they can handle missing their captain while continuing to grow.

“There’s nobody who can’t handle this,” Dickinson said. “Vlasic gets a chance to step up as the leader that he is. Bedard gets a chance to step up as a leader. Frank, as well. There are a lot of guys in here who can take that responsibility. This gives them the chance to step in with two of us hurt. But I would love to be out there to give a sense of calmness. Somebody that the coaches can look to when things aren’t going right.”

It's not even about leadership in terms of speaking up and being vocal. They’re being leaders in their game. Taking control. Demanding the plays. Frank has taken a big step, and Connor too. They’ve taken it on their shoulders to say, ‘I’m going to win games for us’ night after night.”

Blashill echoed Dickinson’s thoughts. While missing Foligno for an extended period is not ideal, they have plenty of guys who can fill in the void on and off the ice.

“The best way to be a leader is to lead by example, which they are already doing,” he said of his young group. “At some point, they might have to say something. It will be a good chance for them to grow into those leadership roles.”

A Surprise Guest

I don’t think anyone expected to see Laurent Brossoit on the Fifth Third Arena ice today, but he made a very rare appearance. He was on the ice in full gear, working with goaltending coach Jimmy Waite, before the rest of the team took to the ice. He has yet to play a game with the Blackhawks since signing during the 2024 offseason.

“He says he feels good,” Blashill said. “He’s excited to be back and have the opportunity to face shooters. He’s starting to get from a controlled environment to a little less controlled environment. He’ll work his way into practice. It’s good.”

It’s anybody’s guess what happens with the veteran goaltender at this point. If he can prove that he’s ready to play, you’d imagine teams would be calling about his availability. However, we are still a long way away from that being realized.