Welcome to the latest edition of Blackhawks Bytes, a series featuring quotes and comments from players, coaches, management, journalists and fans alike concerning everything Chicago Blackhawks. The purpose of this ongoing column is to capture a slice of the existing outlook, attitudes and culture surrounding the team. Please join me as we have some fun with the everyday, albeit fascinating aspect of human nature; the power of words.
The Chicago Blackhawks are getting their feet wet with their first few games on the 2024-25 season. They’re a respectable 1-1-1 in their first three contests, all on the road and against worthy opponents (Utah Hockey Club, Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers).
In the last edition of Blackhawks Bytes, we learned a little more about the club’s promising prospect group. But today, let’s delve into the players we’ll be watching for the next 79 games with the big club. All the below players have done their part to get the Blackhawks off to a promising start.
Foligno Defies Age
We start with the new Blackhawks’ captain, Nick Foligno. Now, we all know from last season Foligno likes to talk. As a matter of fact, he talks a really good game. He’s the ideal candidate to be a cheerleader for the team, saying all the right things and motivating the younger players.
Related – Blackhawks Name Nick Foligno 35th Captain in Franchise History
But believe it or not, this 36-year-old (he’ll be 37 on Oct. 31) still happens to be an asset on the ice. Last season, Foligno contributed 17 goals and 37 points, often-times playing on the top line mentoring Connor Bedard. As is turns out, he also raised his average ice time to 17:46 minutes, versus 12:22 minutes the season before when he played with the Boston Bruins.
Foligno’s longtime trainer, Cal McGibbon, has been logging Foligno’s workouts and training since he was 16 years old. With all this data, they noticed an interesting thing. Foligno’s test scores keep getting better!
As an example, this past summer the two focused on maximizing Foligno’s lower-body output. They crafted a new workout, but based it on exercises he’d done before. When McGibbon logged them in and compared them to former results, the data showed he’d actually gotten faster! This information backs up what you can see on the ice. Said McGibbon, “Nick last year, you could visually see he hasn’t changed. He was faster than he was the year before. And I’m sure you’ll see it again this year. [It’s] like, ‘Jesus, this guy is not aging.’”
Obviously, Foligno is happy with these results.
Think about it: You know whether you’re actually getting better or not. That’s the thing that has encouraged me all these years. You see improvements in real-time data.
It’s neat to see how I’ve improved every year. That’s still exciting for me, even at my age, that [I’m] getting faster and stronger. I don’t really give in to the whole ‘Father Time’ thing. [If] you train the right way and you take care of your body, you can still compete at the highest level. And I genuinely enjoy training.
Fun fact! Foligno is currently playing on the Blackhawks’ top line with Bedard. His ice time in the most recent tilt against the Oilers (Oct. 12) was a team-high among forwards (19:25 minutes). Not bad for an old man!
Deceptive Dickinson
Another veteran player that’s integral to this season’s upward trajectory is Jason Dickinson. He’s more of a defensive forward by trade, and has taken on the role of third line center on the Blackhawks’ checking line so far this season.
But the Ontario native had a breakout offensive campaign last season, tying Bedard for the team-high 22 goals. He’s working on taking his game to the next level, using his intelligence to be a better player. Said Dickinson,
[I’m using] more deception, more scanning the ice. [I’m] looking where I don’t want the defender to be to try to make him think something else.
Another area of focus for Dickinson is stick manipulation.
You can open your blade a certain way, so a guy is expecting you to throw [the puck] one way, and then you snap it the other way. Things like that [are what] I’ve tried to focus on intentionally.
These tricks of the trade are practiced by many, but it’s great to see Dickinson attempting to improve his game, especially on the offensive side. Head coach Luke Richardson is impressed with Dickinson’s efforts, complimenting him on his commitment.
If he matches his game from last year, that’s awesome. And if he can take it another step, that’s great. I’m glad to see a player that individually has the drive because I know he’s going to do everything that we, as coaches, ask him to play [in] the team system. He just executes his own game plan within that.
Reaching 22 goals again is a tall order for the 29-year-old, considering there’s a lot more offensive talent on the team this season. Dickinson’s role can go back to what he’s most comfortable with, that of being a defensive forward. But everyone likes to score! Having a third line with a threat to score (he’s currently being deployed with the speedy Ilya Mikheyev and the gritty Joey Anderson) is an added bonus for the Blackhawks.
Hall Hopes to Make an Impact
Forward Taylor Hall is more than ready to start making contributions to the team this season. He only participated in 10 games in 2023-24 before his season was ended due to needing ACL surgery. After successful rehabilitation, Hall tested himself this offseason by training in Vail, Colorado with some other high-end players, including Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby. He felt this would be a good measuring stick for him.
It’s the highest elevated hockey rink in North America, so that’s about as tough of skates as you can get. But it was fun…I just wanted to go and test myself against some of the best players in the League and at that altitude, so that was a time of fun and really was a measuring stick for how my knee felt, how my cardio was and how I felt as a hockey player. Hopefully that can give me a good push coming into this year.
Even so, the 32-year-old divulged he needs to be on a bit of a load management program this season. He and the coaching staff determined he won’t be on the ice for more than four consecutive days. This could mean some missed practices due to maintenance, but hopefully he won’t have to miss any games.
He admitted “that at my age, injury rates go up when guys are tired and overworked.” But Hall is super happy to be back out on the ice again and playing games.
It’s special for me and it really brings a lot of things to light. It makes me be appreciative to be out here because I missed so much time. If there’s any positives I can take, it’s just the clarity and gratitude that I have to just be playing hockey again because I love it and I think it’s kind of what I was born to do. So to be back out here again is just a blast.
The Alberta native is currently playing on a second line with Philipp Kurashev and Tyler Bertuzzi. Hall earned his first point of the season when he recorded the primary assist on Kurashev’s goal against the Oilers this past Saturday. It was actually Hall’s snipe from the point that Kurashev then deflected in.
Related – Kurashev Remains Blackhawks’ Major Driving Force for 2024-25 Season
This trio has developed some immediate chemistry. They are the only line for the Blackhawks that has stayed the same since the beginning of the season.
Bedard Plays Coy
It’s no secret Bedard is the new centerpiece for this Blackhawks’ franchise. Where Bedard goes, the team goes. This isn’t exactly a fair expectation to put on a 19-year-old kid in his second season in the league. But who said life was fair?
Bedard has taken the attention and the responsibility seriously, but also with a grain of salt. He’s likely harder on himself than anyone else, so what does the outside noise really matter anyway? I love that this kid can joke around with the best of them. Which is why this comment on his expectations for himself was so noteworthy.
“I’d never tell you, but I have stuff in my head, for sure.”
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) September 20, 2024
—Connor Bedard when @MarkLazerus asked if he has statistical goals in mind pic.twitter.com/75Jlf7Lwz9
Sure, the kid has goals. Of course he does! He wouldn’t be here if he wasn’t driven. But he also seems to have the ability to put all this limelight into perspective. His comment above reminds me of the famous quote from the movie Top Gun. “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
Nobody knows exactly what Bedard’s goals are. But we’ll all be here to watch what he accomplishes. I have a feeling we’re not going to be disappointed.
Note: Through the first three games, Bedard leads the team in assists (4) and is tied with linemate Teuvo Teravainen in points (5).
Teravainen the Youngster
Ah, what a perfect segue to my final section! I always like to end on a fun note, and this quote made me laugh. It’s well known that Teravainen doesn’t like to do interviews. This is something that’s just out of his comfort zone. But unfortunately, it comes with the job. It’s one thing to be in the center of a media scrum with a bunch of microphones and cameras in your face. But the camera caught the Finnish forward in a little bit more of a laid-back environment in this next clip.
"It feels like I'm back in my rookie days"🥹
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 9, 2024
🎥 ➡︎ https://t.co/3fAVdvbpty pic.twitter.com/ozFaWvFBvY
“I feel young again”. Well Teuvo, we all feel young again watching you! Teravainen currently leads the team with three goals. In the most recent contest against the Oilers, he was credited with two goals and two helpers. Teravainen and Bedard look to be the next dynamic duo for the Blackhawks.
I remember when Teravainen started with the Hawks as a rookie in the 2013-14 season. He only appeared in three contests, but the next year he played in 34 regular season games, along with 18 playoff games. At the end of it all he raised the Stanley Cup. Not a bad way to start one’s career!
At the time, I dubbed Teravainen as “Baby TT”. He was only 20 years old then, not even old enough to drink. We all joked the players were giving him fruit juice in the locker room while the rest of them celebrated with champagne and beer. Well, they wouldn’t have that problem this year, would they? Poor Teravainen is an old man at the ripe old age of 30!
But hey, he’s come full circle back to his roots, and he already appears to be a great addition to the team.
Related – Blackhawks: 5 Things to Look Forward to in 2024-25
The Blackhawks are off to a good start, but they also have a long way to go. The idea is to improve every game, and keep building on their accomplishments. All of the above players are working to contribute to the team in their own special way. Stay tuned for more Blackhawks Bytes! I aim to provide some entertaining quotes from every player as the season goes along.
