Toronto @ Chicago preview
United Center
Last Meeting ( Oct 16, 2023 ) Chicago 4, Toronto 1
Toronto's William Nylander and his Maple Leafs teammates have returned from Sweden with a pair of wins following the Global Series -- a productive trip that had the young Swede leaving a stamp on his homeland in the process.
The smooth-skating Nylander will be back at it on Black Friday as he leads his team into Chicago as Toronto finishes its two-game season series with the Blackhawks.
But what a week it's been for Nylander.
In the Scandinavian country's capital of Stockholm, fans of the 27-year-old right wing lined up for two city blocks to get the star's autograph and left thrilled having met him.
On the ice, Nylander was even more engaging.
In Toronto's victories, Nylander worked his way through the defenses of the Detroit Red Wings and Minnesota Wild, weaving by defenders and coolly keeping the puck on his stick.
Against the Wild in overtime, he slashed around fellow countryman Marcus Johansson and slipped his 12th tally by goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for a 4-3 win -- the Leafs' fourth consecutive triumph.
Nylander had five points (two goals, three assists) in Sweden and stretched his franchise-record, season-opening point streak to 17 games.
"The guys have come back with a lot of energy and more like themselves," said fifth-year coach Sheldon Keefe after Wednesday's practice. "The recovery has gone well if today's practice is any indication ... . Just two days away and a mental break recharges them. Today was really good."
That may not be good news for the Blackhawks, who managed to shock the Leafs 4-1 in the first meeting in Toronto Oct. 16.
In Columbus on Wednesday, the Blue Jackets demolished Chicago coach Luke Richardson's young squad, leading them 7-1 after a four-goal second period that put the match away for good.
Rookie sensation Connor Bedard scored in the first period, and Jason Dickinson and Reese Johnson scored the only goals in the third as the Blackhawks were routed 7-3 in their worst defeat since losing 8-1 at the Arizona Coyotes Oct. 30.
The worst part was losing to the hapless Blue Jackets. Columbus is the Eastern Conference's worst team with only 14 points and five victories in 20 matches.
With just five wins on their ledger in 17 games, the Blackhawks expected to play much more competitively in Ohio.
"Not a fun one, that's for sure," Richardson said. "For whatever reason, I thought we just didn't move our feet well early in the game, and (Columbus) was motivated."
After the poor start, the Blackhawks fell apart in the middle frame.
"A couple of weird bounces on the goals, that didn't help, in the first period, but the second period, there was really no excuse for that," Richardson said.
"We collapsed and we started chasing around and were on the wrong side of the puck. Pretty much everything that we're not supposed to do, we fell into the trap of doing."
Making matters worse, the Blackhawks announced in a statement Thursday that left winger Taylor Hall will undergo surgery on his right knee and likely miss the remainder of the campaign.
The 2010 No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft and 2018 recipient of the Hart Memorial Trophy, Hall, 32, has two goals and two assists in 10 games.
Chicago also recalled forwards Joey Anderson and Cole Guttman from the AHL's Rockford Ice Hogs.
--Field Level Media