BLOG: Cohen's Three Takeaways to Start Week Two of Camp

Coming off the first off day of training camp, the intensity is picking up at Fifth Third Arena as week two gets underway.
Hockey comes fast and furious this week with a full-team scrimmage on Tuesday (beginning at 10 a.m. and open to the public!), a preseason tilt against the Red Wings on Wednesday night at the United Center and wrapping up with a home-and-home preseason series agaisnt the Blues on Friday and Saturday nights.
Before things get going, let's set the stage with three takeaways to start the week:

A NEW WEEK BEGINS

Finally, off-ice testing is done (always my favorite part of camp), the first few skates are done, you're settled into your spot in the dressing room, you start having lunch with the guys -- the smaller details that no one really thinks about aside from players start to become a little more familiar and a little more comfortable.
Obviously for guys like Patrick Kane and Jonathon Toews, it's slightly different than a newly-drafted Nolan Allan but at the end of the day, the guys are all human. They all get sore from conditioning tests, they have competitive natures that demand them to perform off ice physical testing at the highest level and once they all get through the first week of camp healthy and feeling ok, it's a relief.

SPECIAL TEAMS FOCUS

The Blackhawks were split into three groups on Monday with a majority of the team's NHL core in Group A and Group B at Fifth Third Arena. Once practice was underway and the team went through some warmup drills, select players swapped sheets of ice to work extensively on the power play.
The first power play group had a couple familiar names: Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Alex Debrincat, plus a pair of new faces in Tyler Johnson and Seth Jones. This is fun. This is why you come watch the NHL, to see guys of this skill level zip the puck around and finish it into the back of the net. Watching these star players on the power play is similar to ordering 7-layer chocolate cake at the end of dinner. When your server puts it down on the table, it's just a thing beauty (now you see why I sweated the off-ice testing in training camp so much).
I was impressed with the puck movement today, and the chemistry between Kane and Jone at the top of zone this year will be incredibly important. Now you have Kane and DeBrincat, who are both shooting and passing threats, working with Jones at the top of the power play -- whose heavy shot gives everyone on the penalty kill something to worry about. I am a big believer that you have to have a big shooting threat somewhere out at the top of the zone which gives more room to a guy like Kane or DeBrincat to operate from the circles down.
A lethal power play can win you a lot of hockey games and as we move through the preseason, Jeremy Colliton will be sure to have the Hawks emphasizing work on the man advantage.

UNDER THE RADAR

1. MacKenzie Entwistle's speed has caught my eye multiple times in camp. He looks comfortable and confident on the ice -- and for good reason after getting a two-year, one-way contract extension (which starts after this season) over the summer. When the team signs you to an extension like this It can really aid your confidence. Now it's up to him to continue his progression, but he looks comfortable making plays on both sides of the puck through a week of camp. Don't sleep on his ability to be a very effective two-way NHL forward for this team as he continues compete for an opening night roster spot.
2. Reese Johnson deservedly received high praise from Jeremy Colliton today for the way he has started camp. His ability to make his presence felt using his speed and physical play has allowed him to stand out not only in the scrimmages, but in the different practice drills that have mirrored game-like situations. He will get a chance to scrimmage on Tuesday with most of the NHL core, so another step forward showing he can be effective at this level will be something the coaching staff is looking for.
3. Nolan Allan, the team's most recent first-round pick has been exactly what the Blackhawks thought when they drafted him. He's a big guy who moves well and can end plays defensively. His ability to defend, but also make the first pass and push the pace to get up the ice has been very noticeable to me. For an 18-year-old defenseman to have this type of first NHL training camp showing? Color me impressed. I'm looking forward to seeing him in preseason as the dial gets turned up a little higher with speed, strength and skill.