Down the stretch, the Blackhawks will likely start to work in some of their top prospects from Rockford into a game or two at the NHL level -- both as a barometer to their development and as a reward for the improvement done.
Lukas Reichel's three-game second stint with the big club ended on Saturday as he and Jakub Galvas were assigned -- the third brief stint for Galvas now totaling seven games.
"We don't want to rush them. We don't want to ruin them, either. Give them a little taste of the show," King said of the young prospects as a whole. "It's a process. I think they're in a good spot down there. Anders has that team playing well, they're a playoff team right now and we want to keep that because I think the playoffs will be good for these kids."
On the flip side of the move, Isaak Phillips and Josiah Slavin returned to Chicago, Phillips for the first time since a three-game stay in late October and Slavin for his third major stay, playing in his 15th game of the season on Sunday afternoon. Both were brought up in part for their physical play and size -- each listed at 6-foot-3 and around 190 pounds -- against a big, physical Blues team.
"He showed alright," King said of Phillips' first NHL taste early in the year. "He's a big body, can skate. His biggest thing is his first pass had to be a little more direct. Don't hesitate. Sometimes these guys think there's something better than what their first instinct is and there wasn't… He's been doing a good job down there (in Rockford). He's been one of their better D and real steady."
Phillips had two shots, two hits, one takeaway and 16:23 of ice time in his NHL return, drawing two of Chicago's three power plays on the afternoon as well. Slavin had a shot, a hit and went 3-for-7 on the faceoff dot.
"I thought he was good tonight, did some good things," said Jones, who was paired with Phillips most of the game. "He made a couple great breakout passes, one to Kaner for a 3-on-2 chance. He was physical, had a big hit in the third period. Drew two penalties I think. He was good."
Drawing back out of the lineup to make way for Phillips and the return of Jake McCabe (lower back) was Erik Gustafsson, healthy scratched for the fifth time in the last eight games.
"I've had a history with Gus and I love Gus, just sometimes he's his own worst nightmare -- a couple turnovers when we don't need it," King said, referencing the veteran's play Friday night. "There's a time and a place. He could easily be back in the lineup, (but) we wanted to bring Isaak up and give him a shot."
