Takeaways from Blackhawks exit interviews: Summer training schedules could overlap in Chicago

Exit interviews Thursday marked the Blackhawks' last official event of the season, so every player is free to go wherever they want starting Friday. For most, that means going home.

But the team expects to still see a lot of each other this summer — more than in years past. For one thing, a bunch of Hawks are planning to spend at least part of the summer training in Chicago.

"It's been me and [Connor] Murphy the last couple summers [in Chicago], just us two," Alex Vlasic said. "I'm really pumped to get some more guys in here. It builds good team camaraderie. We're all going to have a good time training together. It pushes each other."

There's also a golf trip — starting right away — that a handful of guys, including Ryan Greene, are going on. And Oliver Moore and Connor Bedard are taking a trip to Florida. The calendar is already crowded.

"I’ll be like, 'You've got to come to [Vancouver],'" Bedard said. "And then someone from Toronto will be like, 'You've got to come to Toronto.' It’s like we've got 10 trips lined up to see everyone. I don’t know if we’ll make all of them.

"It’s a special group. I don’t think there was a day this year where just left the rink and chilled alone. Guys would always be getting together. Me and Moore live in the same building, so I think he’s got an imprint on my couch for the all the time he’s spent there."

Bound for Worlds

Moore is the only Hawk confirmed so far for the upcoming world championships. He will play for Team USA in the tournament May 15-31 in Switzerland.

When Frank Nazar did that last year — in a similar position as Moore, coming off his first NHL season — he led the team in scoring and led them to a gold medal. It substantially elevated his status. The best-case scenario for Moore would be following in Nazar's footsteps.

Swedish media reported Anton Frondell will be selected for their team, too, but Frondell said he didn't know yet.

Levshunov’s outlook

There's no mystery about what coach Jeff Blashill and enigmatic defenseman Artyom Levshunov discussed in their exit meeting.

Said Blashill: "He’s almost a freak athlete, body-wise. He’s really strong, really powerful. I think there’s another level of learning to push [yourself] and not pace himself. Things like that that can be done through summer training and learning how to just push yourself to the max at all times."

Said Levshunov: "The coach said, 'Push myself to maximum every shift. I shouldn't be afraid to [get] tired. Push myself to maximum full game, every shift, every period.' That's important aspect for my improvement."

The Belarusian will travel back and forth between Chicago and Florida, where he works his longtime trainer Kirill Metlyuk, throughout this summer.

In about two weeks, he should be recovered from the fracture in his left hand, which ended his season March 28 and which he still wore a brace on Thursday.

Blashill mentioned wanting Levshunov to also work on improving his shooting technique (something the Hawks have been working on since January) and his hip flexibility (which affects his skating motion).

"[Arty has] a choice to make: He can make it a great summer, a good summer or an OK summer," Blashill said. "If he makes it either of the last two, it’s not good enough. We need a great summer out of him, just like everybody else."

Mikheyev’s limbo

General manager Kyle Davidson said he still hopes to re-sign Ilya Mikheyev, a pending unrestricted free agent, but there haven't been substantial talks since the trade deadline.

"His motor and his compete and drive, it’s all something I want to be and a player I want to be like, for sure," Oliver Moore said. "Anytime you can have Ilya Mikheyev on your team, your team’s going to be better. He was our best penalty killer all season. I don’t know how many stick-on-pucks he had, but it was ridiculous."

Mikheyev's presence would have the added bonus of giving Levshunov and incoming Russian prospect Roman Kantserov a friend who can speak their native language.

"I like him as a player, like him as a human," Levshunov said. "I can't say that I wouldn't like to see him. But it's not my decision. It's his decision, and the organization's."

Knight’s musings

Spencer Knight made 55 starts this season, tied for seventh-most among NHL goalies, after making 36 last season. Aside from few illnesses during the second half, he felt like his body handled the increased workload well.

"I feel like I could've played more," Knight said. "And I'm going to have to play more at some point, right? If you play 50-60 [games] in the regular season, you're going to have to play 70-80 if you play playoffs, which is what we're going to try to do at some point."

When he's in a philosophical mood, his musings can be fascinating, which was the case during a 13-minute interview Thursday.

"It doesn't get easier, you know?" he said. "Once you make the NHL, OK. You're backup, all right. Then you establish yourself as an NHL-er, and become a starter, and become a good starter and a great starter. Then you've got to be someone who can succeed. Even if you're good, if the team doesn't have success, it might wear on you.

"It's always going to get harder, so I'm always preparing for more. But I do feel like doing it is nice, knowing I have a little more experience in that department. It'll help me going forward."

Notes

Davidson mentioned Vaclav Nestrasil, the 25th overall pick in last year's draft, as a prospect who especially impressed him this season. Nestrasil racked up 31 points in 34 games as a freshman at UMass.

The Panthers finished eighth-to-last in the NHL standings due to the Blues and Sharks' wins Thursday. That means the Panthers' first-round draft pick is guaranteed to fall in the top 10 and won't be transferred to the Hawks, who will instead receive the Panthers' unprotected 2027 first-round pick.