As a team, the Chicago Blackhawks are not where they want to be. They lost 11 of their first 15 games and head into their southern road trip on a three-game losing streak.
Things are getting bleak for the Hawks, but there are some silver linings on the roster. The rookies have been given an abundance of responsibility to begin the season.
Forwards Anton Frondell , 19, and Roman Kantserov , 22, are both playing in their first full NHL seasons. They're getting comfy, too — Kantserov's six goals are tied for the NHL rookie lead, while Frondell is eighth among rookies in points.
They've made their rounds across coach Jeff Blashill's lineups, including both playing at center. Kantserov is now on the wing while Frondell remains a center, but Blashill explained his thought process behind a deep center tandem.
"It's given us (some) pretty dynamic lines in their own way, so I think offensively, it's been a positive," Blashill said on Monday. "We still have to shore up giving chances against away, so we still have to shore up the D side of it.
"Frondell is the easiest to play either way, but he's really coming into his own as a center. I think that's a huge asset to have in this league is a guy with that kind of mass and size and to play center in the league."
Blashill and general manager Kyle Davidson have stated that they wanted the 6-foot-1, 198-pound forward as a center in the NHL. Frondell, however, found more success in the Swedish Hockey League as a wing.
Regardless, he's been ready to play wherever his coach puts him.
"(I) knew it over summer that I was going to start as center," Frondell said. "I love to play offense, but you need to have at least good defense to win games, and keep trying to get better at it."
He started as a wing in his first games last season, mainly on the top line with Connor Bedard. Now, he's a full-time center, though he could've been the answer to the team captain's still-rotating wings.
Frondell's season has been up-and-down. He's scored eight points (three goals, five assists), sent 31 shots on goal, and has a faceoff percentage of 40.4% through 15 games.
"A 19-year-old centerman, that's pretty damn good in the league, he's probably played three (games) that weren't good enough," Blashill said. "It's hard to be great every night, it just is. The best players in the world have a hard time having their A-game every night. Certainly, with him in particular, playing center, playing in a top-two line role, the spotlight's high.
"When he doesn't have his best game, you know it and it's hard to hide. He's got good size, he's got good hands, he can skate. He obviously got a lot of shots off (versus Boston), he had a mentality to shoot the puck, but it's more than that. He wins battles, he just does a lot of good things. Again, I think for the most part, he's been that player."
Frondell recently followed arguably his lowest-quality game with his highest. Versus the Detroit Red Wings, there were zeros across his stat sheet in 11 minutes, 44 seconds of ice time. In Boston, he scored two goals and sent nine shots on goal (13 shot attempts) in 19 minutes, 15 seconds of ice time.
The Boston game was easily the best game of his career, but even when he doesn't score points, he feels he's performed well overall.
"It's always nice to have a goal or two, but really some of those games before, I felt good," Frondell said. "I don't feel like points tells everything."
The Hawks have played multiple tough games already. How important is that for a rookie's development?
"For myself, it's been a fun experience playing against the best players," Frondell said. "We as a team (have) to play our best game, so it's good for us to go up against those teams and see where we're at, and (try) to take wins away from those teams."
Kantserov may or may not have been aware of being in the rookie lead for goals in the NHL. Either way, the 22-year-old took the humble approach regarding the information.
"I (don't) make my scores alone, hockey is a team game, and my mates make great chance for (me to) score," Kantserov said. "(The) season only started, and we need (to) focus on our game. Scoring and points is good, but we need (to start winning)."
The winger out of Russia has scored eight points (six goals, two assists) through 15 games. He's also taken 24 shots on goal (47 total attempts) with a shooting percentage of 25%.
The Hawks, through all the lineup changes, have found a connection with Bedard and Kantserov. The winger is a goal scorer, and the captain has put him in position to play to his roots. Bedard, 21, has assisted on four of Kantserov's six goals, while both of Kantserov's assists have come on Bedard goals.
The 22-year-old seemed pretty excited to begin his NHL career before the season. He said he's indeed enjoying himself, and it will be exciting for the fans soon enough.
"It's (a) different game, and physicality is absolutely harder," Kantserov said. "Like everyone has fast skating … it's interesting. Everyone is so hard here, so strong, and I like this.
"It's awesome, everybody wait for us, everybody wait when we (start) winning. First five, seven games was not my best, but now just every game focus and (play) harder."
