Blackhawks’ youngsters learning how to play competently even when not feeling their best

LOS ANGELES — Blackhawks defenseman Alex Vlasic wishes he felt physically the same in every game, but he does not.

“I’ll do the same thing every single game, preparation-wise,” Vlasic said Thursday. “But then there’s a random game where you feel unbelievable and your legs feel so good. And then the next game, you do the same thing and you just feel exhausted. It’s a weird thing I’m still trying to figure out.”

That phenomenon of “not having your legs” is experienced by basically every NHL player. It’s usually not evident until a few shifts into the game, either. Vlasic said he’ll have sluggish warmups followed by energetic games and vice versa.

In some cases, however, it can be anticipated. Maybe the player is battling through a minor injury or illness. Maybe he didn’t sleep soundly the night before, is on a long road trip across multiple time zones or is enduring a set of back-to-back games.

Learning how to surf those waves and still play consistent, competent hockey despite fluctuations in energy levels and mental sharpness is one of any NHL player’s most difficult — and most important — responsibilities.

“If I’m really tired, I might say, ‘Hey, I’m going to take some shorter shifts until I feel into the game a little bit more,'” Vlasic said. “But it doesn’t affect me to the point where I’m going to say, ‘Hey, I’m not going to be good tonight.’ Because I might not feel great, but I can still have an opportunity to play well.”

Many Hawks young players haven’t been around long enough to nail down exactly how to do that. Nearly half their roster boasts fewer than 100 games of NHL experience.

Rookie forward Oliver Moore, who made his 24th career appearance in the Hawks’ 2-1 win Thursday against the Kings, firmly falls in that boat.

“There’s going to be nights in the schedule where you don’t have your legs,” Moore said. “For me, that just means my mind has to be sharp every night. I have to be committed to the details of the game and [doing] the little things. Sometimes that [means] going out there and tying a shift. You’re not trying to win the game every shift.”

Moore’s last comment echoes precisely what coach Jeff Blashill has preached. Blashill frequently cites a mantra he attributes to former Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg: “It’s OK going out there and having nothing happen.”

“If you don’t have an advantageous position, don’t try to force it,” Blashill added. “Just play efficient hockey. It might mean putting the puck in behind and defending a little bit, and then you get off the ice. And that’s OK. When you’re young, you want to try to force it to happen. In life, whenever you try to force things, things usually don’t work out great.

“The second [key is]…if you’re going to make mistakes in those games when you don’t feel great, don’t chase them. Don’t compound one mistake with another mistake.”

As the Hawks prepare for their second back-to-back of the season this weekend, that advice is especially pertinent. The Kings will seek revenge Saturday before the Ducks seek the same Sunday.

The Hawks were cumulatively outscored 12-5 by the Kraken and Sabres in two ugly losses in their first back-to-back set. They’re determined to fare better this time.

“If you feel like you’re sucking wind a little bit, and the guys around you look like they have more energy on their own home ice, you start to sometimes feel panicked,” veteran defenseman Connor Murphy said. “You think you need to be at your best that you usually have. But you don’t need to be. You can win with your ‘B-game.’

“That’s just the nature of the game, realizing you can win and play well with whatever your body is showing that day.”