BLOG: Young Players, Returning Lafferty Provide Support for Blackhawks

Ahead of the Blackhawks third matchup against the Winnipeg Jets this season, Chicago plans to play a physical game and employ the roster's younger players.

Lafferty is Back

Forward Sam Lafferty will return to the ice tonight after a back injury two weeks ago.
"[I've] been on the ice the last few days and feeling good," said Lafferty. "I want to be flying and I want to be physical when I come back. Those are the keys to my game, so I'd say those are my goals when I get back."
Before suffering the back injury, Lafferty played a key role on the team's penalty kill and scored two shorthanded goals.
"He was one of our top penalty kill guys, so to get him back is huge for us," said forward Colin Blackwell. "He brings so much speed and an element that is hard to replace. He's one of the key pieces to the puzzle for us."
Tyler Johnson - the other injured forward on the Blackhawks injury reserve - joined Friday's morning skate and practiced with the rest of the team. The team placed him on the injured reserve in late October after Johnson suffered a high ankle sprain in a game against the Florida Panthers.
"He's kind of back to where he was close last time [he played]," said head coach Luke Richardson. "But he's got to try [playing with] contact again, which is the hard part. [With] the ankle, you never know when you're gonna get hit and you got to flex it. That's what hurt him last time [and] it set him back. So we got to try it again."

Let's Get Physical

Richardson pushed the importance of aggressive-yet-disciplined play against the Jets in tonight's matchup. The Blackhawks plan according to the defensive-minded coach is to meet the Jets skilled play using physical tactics.
"So how do you do that? We got to make sure we're really skating and playing - not a perfect game," said Richardson, "but as close to it as we can by staying out of the [penalty] box. Skating physical again, but physical within the rules."
The Blackhawks have prided themselves on their physical game this season, believing playing the body will translate to offensive opportunities.
"You saw in that Rangers game when we're playing physical, playing for each other," said Lafferty. "That's when we're really effective, so hopefully we can replicate that tonight."

Young Guns

With an average age on the roster at 27.5 years, the Blackhawks continue to lean on and utilize their younger players. Petr Mrazek and Alex Stalock are still out with injuries, meaning the team will continue rolling with their goaltending tandem of Arvid Soderblom and Jaxson Stauber - both 23 years old. Soderblom is the team leader for the Blackhawks for starts in goal; tonight's start will mark the 13th game he's played in this season.
"It's about opportunity and timing," said Stauber on getting called up from Rockford. The young netminder signed with the team out of Providence College earlier this year. "You just got to stay patient and keep working."
On the blue line, Richardson plans to pair 23-year-old Ian Mitchell with Jake McCabe to bring out their strengths.
"Jake's a hard guy in the zone," said Richardson. "When he goes into a corner, he generally hits and pins his guy. It settles things down [so] you're not running and switching a lot [defensively]. [That] will help a guy like Mitchell that can scoop those pucks."