Between the Circles

Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman claimed it was partly a business decision to keep Antti Niemi as the backup goalie instead of Corey Crawford.
But Niemi showed Saturday it was more than that with a 4-0 shutout of the Florida Panthers in his first start. Niemi had a slightly better camp than Crawford, a former second-round draft pick who now has to wonder if there’s much of a future for him in Chicago.
Little was said about Niemi winning the backup job, although Bowman told the Sun-Times some of what went into the decision.
“They came into camp neck-and-neck and had similar camps,” Bowman said. “It came down to Corey being exempt from re-entry waivers, so if a player is injured, we can bring Corey up. Antti wouldn't have been exempt.

Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville apparently has settled on his lines for Friday’s season opener against Florida, and it includes Dustin Byfuglien playing left wing on the top line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane.
These were the lines at practice on Thursday in Helsinki:

Byfuglien-Toews-Kane
Sharp-Bolland-Versteeg
Ladd-Madden-Brouwer
Smolenak-Fraser-Kopecky.

Smolenak will be in the lineup a week after being claimed on waivers from Tampa Bay, an acquisition that likely bumped Jack Skille back to the minors.
"Obviously, I’m more than happy to be part of the team and I’ll do my best to stay here,” Smolenak told chicagoblackhawks.com. “It’s up to me if I stay all season or just a couple games.”

We may have got a peek at coach Joel Quenneville’s opening day roster in the Blackhawks’ 2-1 loss to the Zurich Lions on Tuesday.
Kris Versteeg (upper body) and Dustin Byfuglien (groin) returned to the lineup for the final preseason game, although Versteeg skated mostly on the fourth line.
Quenneville was allowed to dress 21 players, including goalies Cristobal Huet and Antti Niemi.
Here’s how the lines and defense pairings broke down:

Brouwer-Toews-Kane
Ladd-Bolland-Sharp
Eager-Kopecky-Byfuglien
Versteeg-Fraser-Skille/Smolenak

Keith-Seabrook
Hjalmarsson-Campbell
Barker-Sopel

Sitting out Tuesday’s game were Evan Brophey, Jake Dowell, Rob Klinkhammer, Jordan Hendry, Aaron Johnson and Corey Crawford.

Newly acquired Radek Smolanek and Patrick Kane each scored 2 goals Monday as the Blackhawks routed HC Davos 9-2 in an exhibition game in Zurich, Switzerland.
Goalies Antti Niemi and Corey Crawford split the game and each allowed 1 goal in their battle for the Hawks' backup job. Neither goalie faced any kind of significant test in what coach Joel Quenneville said would be their final game of the preseason.
Also scoring goals for the Hawks were Troy Brouwer, Brian Campbell, Evan Brophey, Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith.
Smolenak, picked up on waivers from Tampa Bay last Friday, could have taken a giant step towards making the opening day roster. A winger with some scoring pop and toughness, Smolanek could be in line to fill Adam Burish's spot on the fourth line.

Notes from Friday’s morning skate…

Kris Versteeg took part in the skate but won't be in the lineup for Friday night’s game against Minnesota.
Versteeg, who suffered an upper body injury in the preseason opener against Washington, is hoping to be ready for the regular-season opener next Friday, but that's no guarantee.
"We're aiming, obviously, for the start of the season, but it all depends on how it comes along," Versteeg said.
Speculation is Versteeg suffered a mild concussion in the Sept. 19 game against the Caps.

Dustin Byfuglien (groin) and Jack Skille (lower body) didn't practice Friday but are expected to be ready to play next week, according to coach Joel Quenneville.

Here is how the lines and defense pairings looked at the morning skate:
Brouwer-Toews-Kane

Add Jack Skille's name to the Blackhawks’ list of walking wounded.
Skille, who is having a strong training camp, suffered a lower body injury in the first period of Wednesday’s 6-2 loss at Washington and won’t play Friday against Minnesota at the United Center.
Kris Versteeg (upper body) skated Thursday but won’t play either. Dustin Byfuglien (groin) remains out as well.
Coach Joel Quenneville said he expected Versteeg, Byfuglien and Skille to be on Friday night’s late flight to Europe.
Wingers Bryan Bickell and Rob Klinkhammer were recalled from Rockford in case they are needed to play against the Wild.
Dave Bolland practiced again Thursday and will be in the lineup against Minnesota, Quenneville said.

With ownership issues still unsolved, Wayne Gretzky has resigned as head coach of the Phoenix Coyotes after four seasons.
"We all hoped there would be a resolution earlier this month to the Coyotes ownership situation, but the decision is taking longer than expected,” Gretzky said Thursday in a statement. “Since both remaining bidders have made it clear that I don't fit into their future plans, I approached general manger Don Maloney and suggested he begin looking for someone to replace me as coach.”
Gretzky coached the Coyotes since 2005 and had a 143-161-24 record.
Meanwhile, a judge in Arizona continues to mull over a decision on the fate of the financially troubled team.

For purely personal reasons, I am going to miss Adam Burish terribly for the next five or six months. He's the best quote in the Blackhawks' dressing room.
Seriously, though, the Hawks are going to miss Burish even more.
The fourth line was one of the Hawks' strengths last season and the leader of the group was Burish. He's a sandpaper guy, an agitating shift disturber who can't be replaced unless the Hawks go out and trade for a guy who does the same thing.
Burish was a difference maker in the playoffs, partly because of his strong play and penalty killing, and partly because he got under the skin of guys like Jarome Iginla and Rene Bourque of the Flames, helping to either take them off their game, or out of their game, in Bourque's case.

The Blackhawks will honor the recently retired Jeremy Roenick on Sunday, Nov. 15, prior to the game against the San Jose Sharks.
It will be Jeremy Roenick Heritage Night, with the former Hawks star dropping the ceremonial first puck. Roenick also will be honored with video and in-game salutes.
"Today is a proud day for my family and me to be recognized in such a way by the team that drafted me as an 18-year-old," Roenick said. "Many of my greatest hockey memories are from my playing days in Chicago."
Roenick spent the first eight of his 20 NHL seasons with the Hawks and was one of the most popular players in team history before late owner Bill Wirtz and former general manager Bob Pulford traded him to Phoenix because of a contract dispute.

The Washington Capitals did not bring superstar winger Alex Ovechkin with them for tonight’s exhibition game against the Blackhawks at the United Center.
While the Hawks will go with most of their regulars in their preseason debut, Mike Green, Mike Knuble, Brooks Laich, Chris Clark and Tom Poti are among the only veterans to come with the Capitals.
Jack Skille, Kyle Beach, Bryan Bickell and Danny Bois are those rookies potentially in the Hawks’ lineup. Coach Joel Quenneville planned to settle on a lineup after dressing 25 players for the morning skate.
The 26-year-old Bois was signed as a free agent last summer after racking up 149 penalty minutes in 66 games in the American Hockey League last season at Binghamton.
Bois was the 97th player taken in the 2001 draft by Colorado.