The Chicago Blackhawks are hoping that Andreas Athanasiou can complete a healthy season and be a contributor in 2024-25. Head coach Luke Richardson knows it’s not going to be easy, but he has confidence in the Blackhawks forward.
Richardson said, “He (Athanasiou) didn’t play a lot of hockey last year and I think he was probably frustrated and looking for a good start. I know he spent a lot of time here this summer working on his body and his conditioning and he looks like he is in great shape. Now it’s just to get him confident and using that speed.”
Athanasiou is going to be on the team, and while some initially thought that he would compete for the role of second line center, the Blackhawks appear to be going a different direction with him.
Richardson continued by saying, “I think he always looks good in the middle, so that’s not a bad spot where you got two veteran guys…a line that you can count on to not make mistakes, and that’s something where he has to obviously be more consistent at and use his speed, because when he has the puck and he’s moving, he’s very dangerous out there.”
Athanasiou is a former 30 goal scorer in the NHL before injuries and before he left Detroit. He is only five years removed from that, but he has also played for four different organizations since scoring that many goals in a season.
“I know he didn’t score out there, but he had a couple of really good chances (in the first pre-season game for the Blackhawks).” Richardson goes on to talk about Athanasiou’s linemates so far in Pat Maroon and Craig Smith. The Blackhawks’ head coach noted that although Maroon is a rugged player, he has great hands and can make very good plays. Richardson also explained that Smith is a veteran that can shoot and has energy.
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The coach said that “You put those three together and there’s a lot of experience. Who knows if they’ll stay together, but right now it looks like there is a good bit of chemistry there and we’ll see how it grows.”
This would be the fourth line of the Blackhawks. Maroon will play no higher than the fourth line because of the type of game he plays. While Smith has the potential to play on the third line, he fits in on the fourth as well. It should be a lot better having some established veterans who know their role in the NHL to make up a bottom-6 line unlike last season when it was a mixed bag of younger players and less experienced players.
Even though Athanasiou is not going to be a 30 goal scorer again from the fourth line, he needs to get his confidence back and his speed working like it can. He will play a role in the success of the Blackhawks, likely from the fourth line to start. There is chemistry there and other options for the second and third lines. With some time, he may get better looks higher up in the lineup too. Competition is what the Blackhawks need, but roles will be more specified this season as well.
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