Nobody on the Blackhawks has more pressure on them following Artem Anisimov’s injury than Nick Schmaltz. The 20-year-old is expected to fill Anisimov’s role as the No. 2 center during his absence, which is expected to take 3-4 weeks, more or less running through the end of the regular season.
For Schmaltz, this is a big moment. He’s often impressed during his rookie season, but never quite in a role like this. After showing he could capably fill top six minutes during a stint at left wing with Jonathan Toews and Richard Panik, he’s being asked to center a line with two of the most talented scorers in hockey.