VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Jonathan Toews’ Sunday morning, after he played his first game back in the Blackhawks’ lineup, was “pretty rough.”
But that, Toews assumed, was a “given,” considering how long it had been. Then Wednesday morning, after he played his second game, was better than Sunday morning. And both mornings were better than his mornings had been back in January and February.
“I’m happy with the way I’m responding,” Toews said Thursday. “Even coming to morning skate today, I feel good and excited. It’s definitely a different feeling for myself than I had a couple months ago, before I came out of the lineup.”
Toews will make his third consecutive Hawks appearance Thursday against the Canucks, handling the first-line center duties between Lukas Reichel and Andreas Athanasiou for a second consecutive game. He plans to play in each of the Hawks’ four remaining games, too.
“Given how things have progressed in a positive manner, I’d much rather continue on this path and close out the season, spending time with the guys and playing hard these last handful of games with the guys, rather than being on the shelf again,” he said. “Obviously, that’s no fun for anybody.”
It has helped that the Hawks’ coaching staff has encouraged Toews to wave to the bench whenever he needs a change, even if that happens before his linemates wrap up their own shifts.
The Hawks know to have someone ready to sub on for him if they see he got caught “down low in the corner” and think he might not “quite have the juice to make the full back-check [over] 200 feet.”
Meanwhile, Toews is noticing his body acting more the way he wants. He’s able to withstand exerting “peak energy” for longer, then recover faster afterward. His breathing has also improved.
Raddysh pleased
Taylor Raddysh first got to know Tyler Johnson during the no-fans 2021 season, when Raddysh was called up to the Lightning’s NHL roster as a COVID extra but never made it into a game.
This season, however, Raddysh and Johnson have not only become closer friends but have also played a ton together: 541 minutes entering Thursday. Those two wingers flanking center Jason Dickinson has formed the Hawks’ second line for a long time now.
“When you play with guys for a while, you start building chemistry,” Raddysh said. “I’ve been with Tyler most of the year, so he’s been a nice guy to be with and feel comfortable with.”
Coach Luke Richardson said that trio has earned the right to stay together.
Raddysh entered Thursday having tallied four assists in his last three games, bringing his season assist total up to 17 — just a bit shy of his 20-goal total. That’s a solid stat line for his second year as a full-time NHL forward.
“From last year to this year, coming to Chicago, I took a big step from Tampa,” he said. “It comes off opportunity, as well, but I feel like I’ve taken a big step and I’m pretty happy with the way it went.”
But no veggies
Despite his overall positivity, Raddysh nonetheless shook the hockey world Thursday with shocking news: he has never actually eaten a radish.
“I’ve had a thin one on a salad, but I’ve never went out of my way to eat one,” he admitted. “I’m kind of a picky eater.”
Urged to buy some at the grocery store this offseason and try them, he hesitantly and unconvincingly agreed to do so.
