March 27--Joel Quenneville offered a "We'll see," when asked about Patrick Kane returning from a broken collarbone sooner than expected.
"I always hope that," the Blackhawks coach said Friday morning.
The sooner Kane is able, the better for the Blackhawks. As the plan stands, Kane would return around the conference finals -- if the Hawks make it that far.
He suffered the injury Feb. 24 during a 3-2 shootout victory against the Panthers.
"I think it's the same timetable," Quenneville said. "But I think how well he's skating and how well he's doing, he feels really good about where he's at.
"It's just a matter of when he can get that green light. Doing a lot of things out there he wants to do or is able to do. That's a good sign."
For now, the light is stuck on yellow. Kane has been skating before practices, "flying out there," according to Quenneville.
The team will follow doctor's orders, despite the progress Kane has shown.
"The first hurdle is you've got to be comfortable with the doctors," Quenneville said. "From there, we'll make decisions."
The Blackhawks are 8-3-1 since Kane's injury, breathing down the necks of Predators and the Blues in the Central Division. As much as the Hawks are looking up in the standings, where they are six points out of first, they also have their eyes glued to the rearview mirror, where the Wild (three points behind) and Sunday's opponent, the Jets (four points), linger.
First come the Blue Jackets, winners of four in a row as playoff spoilers, Friday night at the United Center, a game the Hawks said they will approach like a playoff game.
"It's the type of mindset we've got to put ourselves into, even though we're maybe not in the same boat as Columbus right now," Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews said. "Every night is big points for them and for us. We have to play with that same type of desperation."
The new guy(s) in town: Newly acquired defenseman Michael Paliotta was at the United Center on Friday. Quenneville said he expects Paliotta and Kyle Baun to join the team next week, possibly Wednesday.
The Hawks agreed to terms on two-year, entry-level deals with both Thursday. Paliotta was picked in the third round of the 2011 NHL draft before playing with the University of Vermont. Baun, a forward, was a free agent out of Colgate.
"It's crazy it was four years ago," Paliotta said. "I'm really excited to get started here. You look forward to a day like this. Now that it's here, it's surreal.
"I didn't follow (the Blackhawks) when I was younger, but it's one of the best organizations in the league. It was cool to see them have so much success."
pskrbina@tribpub.com
