Mark Bell found a home when he was moved from center to wing early last season.
But after Igor Korolev strained his groin at the end of Tuesday night’s 3-1 loss in Edmonton, Bell found himself back at his old position Wednesday night against Vancouver, and he’ll center a line again Saturday night against the Calgary Flames.
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“His asset on the wing is that he’s big and strong,” Blackhawks coach Brian Sutter said of the 6-foot-3-inch, 205-pound Bell. “Big centermen look intimidating too. If he keeps his feet moving, he can be an intimidating force on the ice.”
Continuing to skate and move their feet is a constant reminder from Sutter to his players, especially bigger players like Bell, Eric Daze and Chris Simon.
“When [Bell] moves his feet, he’s a physical presence,” Sutter said. “When he moves his feet, he’s a threat to shoot the puck.”
So why do players have to be reminded constantly? Bell tapped his head as an answer.
“That’s what I tell myself every time I’m on the ice–`Move your feet, move your feet,'” Bell said. If he fails to do that, he says, “You’re not flying, you’re reacting, and you get all frustrated.”
Staying together
Sutter will keep the unit of Tyler Arnason, Steve Thomas and Daze together against the Flames. One reason Sutter put them together in Vancouver, aside from the injury to Korolev, was that all three needed a bit of a boost and Sutter believed they could provide it for each other.
Daze scored his first goal since returning from back surgery. Thomas assisted on Daze’s goal, and Daze set up Arnason’s goal.
Sutter said Arnason had been a bit “stale” for a couple of weeks until Wednesday. This is Arnason’s first full season in the NHL, and he may be feeling the effects of the daily grind.
“Every kid has to go through it and understand it,” Sutter said. “That’s part of playing in the NHL.”
Blame game
Sutter didn’t come right out and pin Wednesday’s 5-3 loss on goalie Steve Passmore, at least not in so many words. Sutter did say the Hawks played well enough to earn at least a point.
“Both goalies were called on to make good saves, and one guy was making them and the puck was going in at the other end,” Sutter said. “That gets your team in a hole.”
Of the first 19 games, Passmore has played just three. He’s 0-2-1 with a 4.22 goals-against average and an .875 save percentage. Worse, in his last two starts he has allowed goals 10 seconds and 14 seconds into the game.
General manager Mike Smith said at the start of the season he didn’t think No. 1 goalie Jocelyn Thibault could play 67 games this season, as he did last year, which may mean the Hawks have to address their backup situation if they don’t think Passmore can handle the role.
In his last two starts, the Hawks haven’t had a morning skate. For someone playing regularly that might not matter, but it could be a factor for someone who plays as infrequently as Passmore. Still, that’s part of life for a backup goalie.
“No excuses,” Passmore said. “That’s my job–come in when I’m called on and try to win. We scored three goals. That’s usually enough to get the win.”