In this Friday edition of Hawks Headlines, we take a look at how the newest member of the Blackhawks is adjusting to his new team, one player who is trying to adjust to a new line, and another who’s just focusing on thriving in his current role.
-We start out with an interesting comparison that Chicago Cubs GM Jed Hoyer made about the Blackhawks. He compared the Hawks to the Boston Red Sox, saying that both teams feel like every game is a “must-win” when there’s a championship to defend. [CSN Chicago]
-David Rundblad, whom the Blackhawks acquired from the Phoenix Coyotes earlier this week, considers himself an offensive defenseman, and he is looking forward to getting into his first game action with the Hawks. That will likely occur on Sunday when the team travels to Buffalo to take on the Sabres. [Daily Herald]
-Ben Smith, an impending restricted free agent, hasn’t had any contract talks with the Blackhawks yet, and has watched linemates Marcus Kruger and Brandon Bollig get multi-year extensions. Even still, he is just focused on taking care of his business on the ice, and is hopeful that the rest will take care of itself. [ESPN Chicago]
-Andrew Shaw got into a great offensive groove with the Hawks’ top line on Thursday, scoring twice in the Hawks’ 6-1 victory over the Blue Jackets, and he’s hoping that’s just the beginning of some increased production. [Chicago Sun-Times]
-It took him a little while to get back in the swing of things, but after winning a silver medal with Sweden in Sochi, defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson finally feels like he’s back on track. [Chicago Tribune]
-Finally, Kim Wrona checks in with her weekly Pigs in Zen column, updating fans on the happenings around the Rockford IceHogs. [Real Fans Program]
