Smolenak brings no baggage to Hawks
ZURICH. -- For somebody living through a nightmare that keeps many Europpean travelers awake in a cold sweat,
Radek Smolenak sure had a big smile on his face Saturday.
Smolenak arrived with the Blackhawks in Chicago, but all of his personal belongings remained behind in the United States. He says his luggage will catch up with him eventually, but he's not going to spend too much time worrying about it.
"I'll just wash the clothes I have," Smolenak told NHL.com.
A little laundry, after all, is a small price to pay for a new lease on his hockey life. You see, the 22-year-old left wing was claimed off waivers from the
Tampa Bay Lightning by Chicago Friday.
Unfortunately, at the time, Smolenak was in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where the Lightning had just finished an exhibition game. Smolenak was pulled off the plane just before it took off, being told he had been claimed by Chicago. So he trudged back into the airport -- without most of his clothes or any of his hockey equipment -- and headed for Chicago. He arrived at the United Center a few hours before Friday night's exhibition game and was told he would be joining his new team on its eight-day trip to Europe, which began Friday night with an eight-hour flight to Zurich.
As the team boarded the plane at O'Hare, Smolenak was still introducing himself to his new teammates.
"It's awesome that, right off the hop, I'm with my new team going to Europe and being around the guys 24/7," Smolenak told NHL.com after Saturday's practice in Zurich.
Oh yeah, the practice. It seems the big Czech winger made his first in-person impression on the Hawks staff in borrowed equipment.
"He didn't even have his own skates today," Quenneville said, a touch of incredulity seeping into his voice. Still, borrowed equipment and all, the coach likes what the big winger brings to the table.
"He's one of those young players that can do everything," Quenneville told NHL.com.
On Chicago's radar after a big season last year in the AHL -- 24 goals and 49 points with Norfolk -- and was claimed after the Blackhawks lost power forward
Adam Burish to a serious knee injury earlier this week.
"He gives us some depth," said Quenneville, who plans to play his new acquisition in Monday's exhibition game against HC Davos and, perhaps, Tuesday's Victoria Cup game against ZSC Zurich.
It's little wonder Smolenak -- Tampa Bay's second pick, No. 73, in the 2005 Entry Draft -- couldn't stop smiling Saturday.
"It's a huge, huge chance for me," Smolenak said.
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Shawn P. Roarke
ZURICH -- Talk about hitting the ground running.
Less than two hours after the Blackhawks completed an eight-hour post-game flight from Chicago to this picturesque European capital, the team was on the ice, going through a spirited practice that featured a lively scrimmage and some drills.
"It was just getting the bus legs out a little bit, so to speak," Hawks captain Jonathon Toews said.
Despite the rigors of flying overnight to Europe and arriving in Zurich in the late afternoon Saturday, the Blackhawks welcomed the opportunity to hit the ice for an hour -- even if many of them were slipping on equipment that was still slightly damp from Friday night's 4-3 win against Minnesota at the United Center.
"I definitely felt a little tired," said
Patrick Kane, who had two goals Friday night. "It was a good practice, though, to get the kinks out."
Chicago coach
Joel Quenneville was on the ice for practice, but he spent most of the time watching the team compete in a high-tempo, 12-on-12 scrimmage before running through a set of drills that kept the players' feet moving throughout the second half of the practice.
"It was great getting in a fun practice today," Quenneville said. "We'll get a little more intense tomorrow and get ready for some games.
The Blackhawks have a traditional practice day Sunday before playing HC Davos, the first-place team in the Swiss league, in a Monday night exhibition at the Hallenstadion. Tuesday, the Hawks play ZSC Zurich in the Victoria Cup at the Hallenstadion. Then, it is a Wednesday departure for Helsinki and a two-game 2009 NHL Compuware Premiere matchup against the
Florida Panthers that will open the 2009-10 NHL regular season.
With the regular season looming just six days away, Quenneville needs all the practice time he can get for his team. The Hawks still have a few roster decisions to make -- including who will be the backup goalie to
Cristobal Huet -- and are nursing several players back to health. Needless to say, Quenneville was exceptionally pleased to see most of his walking wounded --
Jack Skille,
Kris Versteeg and
Dustin Byfuglien -- on the ice at the Eisbarn Oerlikon.
"It's nice to see everyone practice," Quenville said. "Skille practiced today and he looked fine and 'Steegs' was out there. It was great to see to see Byfuglien out there, too."
Byfuglien is recovering from a groin injury, while Skille is dealing with an unspecified lower-body injury picked up in Wednesday's exhibition game. Versteeg is on his way back from an upper-body injury picked up in the team's first exhibition game.
Huet, Chicago's undisputed No. 1 entering the season, spent four seasons in Switzerland, playing for Lugano, before he made the move to North America in 2002 to play for the
Los Angeles Kings' minor-league affiliate in Manchester, N.H. So, he was excited to be back in the country that really kick-started his career. Yet, even he understood that this was a business trip and he would have to wait before he could visit with friends and family.
"It was a good to have practice," Huet said. "We had a good sweat and got used to the time (difference) and saw a little bit of (day) light. Now, we'll have a good night's sleep tonight. You want to be tired when you get to bed tonight."
It's a safe bet that most of the Hawks will be tired Saturday night, hitting the pillow hard before waking up to begin intense preparations for the season with a Sunday afternoon practice.