Foligno nears return as Blackhawks get back to work

The last two Saturdays dealt major blows to the Chicago Blackhawks' chances of playing meaningful games after the Olympic break. After losing Connor Bedard in the final second of Dec. 12’s game against the St. Louis Blues, Frank Nazar was taken out of action against the Ottawa Senators this past Saturday. There is no set timetable for either’s return. Bedard will be re-evaluated after the new year, and Nazar was given a diagnosis of “at least four weeks” by Jeff Blashill.

The Blackhawks took to the ice at Fifth Third Arena this morning for their last practice before the Christmas break. They are a team searching for answers after losing their last five games, in which they scored only nine goals. They will host the Philadelphia Flyers tomorrow night before getting three days off for the holiday break.

Teuvo Teravainen & Jeff Blashill Miss Practice

While we were hoping to get a look at the new lines this morning, everyone we expected to be on the ice today wasn’t there. Teuvo Teravainen, who blocked a shot off his foot in Ottawa, was absent. Mike Vellucci confirmed it was just a maintenance day for the veteran forward, and he’ll be good to go for tomorrow’s game against the Flyers.

Vellucci met the media today because head coach Jeff Blashill was not at practice. He was in Michigan to attend the funeral of Rob Facca’s father. Facca is a member of the amateur scouting staff and a long-time friend of Blashill.

Nick Foligno Nearing a Return

With Teravainen out, captain Nick Foligno took his spot on the third line with Jason Dickinson and Ilya Mikheyev. He was out of the non-contact jersey he wore before the Blackhawks headed out of town and was a full participant this morning. However, Vellucci wouldn’t confirm if Foligno was returning to the lineup tomorrow. No matter if he’s back against Philadelphia or after the holiday break, he will be a welcome addition back.

“He’s a good influence on our team,” Vellucci said.” That’s what we miss the most. When things get a little hairy on the bench, he can stand up and calm people down. He’s been through it a lot in this league for a long time. He’s very helpful with the young guys, and he’s a calming influence for sure.”

Kid Line Reunited

After one game apart, the “Kid Line” of Nick Lardis, Ryan Greene, and Oliver Moore was back together this morning. Personally, I’d rather see Lardis with a great facilitator like Teravainen, but this line has shown flashes of being dynamic. Hopefully, they are given the runway to create chances and get the offense going.

“He’s gotten a lot of opportunities on the power plays,” Vellucci said of Lardis. “He’s been put in a really good offensive situation. He made the most of it last game by scoring his first goal. Hopefully, that’ll open him up a little bit. I don’t just look at goals, I look at opportunities. If you saw his first game, I think he had 6-7 attempts for sure. He’s getting the opportunities, now it went in, and hopefully it continues.”

Trying to find offense without Bedard and Nazar will not be easy, but it is the cards the Blackhawks have been dealt. They need both the young players to take a step forward and their veterans to do what they are being paid for. Let’s see who makes the most of the opportunity ahead.