Igor Korolev, whom the Blackhawks have put on waivers and twice have sent to the minors, has gone from Norfolk to the first power-play unit in the span of two weeks.
“The one thing Iggy can do is handle the puck, and in the last two or three games, all of a sudden we’ve been getting point shots [on the power play],” Hawks coach Brian Sutter said.
Sutter said Korolev is able to set up other players for shots, specifically from the blue line, so players such as Tuomo Ruutu and Brett McLean can get rebound chances.
Whether that has worked is debatable. In Tuesday’s 5-2 loss to Edmonton, Korolev, McLean and Ruutu had a total of three shots despite each playing 3 minutes 34 seconds of the power play.
When not playing on the first power-play unit, Korolev is centering what has to be considered the fourth line with Ryan VandenBussche and Ville Nieminen. In four games, Korolev has yet to register a point. . . .
In the last seven games, the Hawks’ power play has two goals in 34 chances. In those same seven games, they have given up three short-handed goals. Only Buffalo and Pittsburgh have allowed more than the four short-handed goals the Hawks have allowed this season. . . . For the third straight day, Eric Daze skated on his own at the Hawks’ practice facility in Bensonville. “He’s going a few minutes more every day,” Sutter said. “You want to keep building him up.” Sutter said he hopes Daze can begin practicing with the team when it returns home. . . . No word on when center Alex Zhamnov, recovering from back surgery, will begin skating again.
