Trevor Daley appreciates brief stint with Blackhawks

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PITTSBURGH – Trevor Daley’s adjustment to the Pittsburgh Penguins was a lot quicker than with the Blackhawks.

It could be because his game suits the Penguins more. But he also didn’t have much choice than to adapt fast this time.

“It was a lot different because it was the next day,” said Daley, who was traded to the Penguins for Rob Scuderi on Dec. 14. “With Chicago I had a couple months, a whole training camp. Here, the next day I was playing with a new team. It was different but it was pretty good. It worked out better because it was jump in and play hockey. I didn’t have to worry about the off-ice stuff so much; I could leave that to the wife. I showed up with my skates and my gloves and I was ready go.”

Daley’s stint with the Blackhawks was brief – from September-to-December brief. Despite that, Daley said he appreciated his time with Chicago.

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“I wish I had bad things to say about that team, but I don’t,” Daley said with a laugh. “The guys were unbelievable. I enjoyed my time there and I learned a lot. I went in there with an open mind, figure out what these guys have been doing right all these years. I think I took a lot out of it for the short time I was there. But the biggest thing I took out was I met a lot ofreally good people there.”

Daley’s back to playing bigger minutes with the Penguins. After playing anywhere from 8-13 minutes in his final games with the Blackhawks, Daley is now playing 17 minutes or more per game. Considering how things were going in Chicago, the defenseman said he went to the Blackhawks some time ago and asked if it was best they part ways.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t. I asked them a while ago if it wasn’t going to work out here, it maybe in my and their best interest to move me. They were really good about it,” Daley said. “Again, I wish I had bad things to say about those guys but they all, right from management down to the training staff, were awesome. I really enjoyed my time there.”

BRIEFLY

- Richard Panik has not joined the Blackhawks yet. Coach Joel Quenneville said it’s a visa issue and he doesn’t know when Panik will join the team – “hopefully soon,” he added. When Panik does get to Chicago, Quenneville said, “we’ll probably give him a start in a pretty good spot and see how he handles it.”

- Scuderi will play tonight against the Penguins. Michal Rozsival looks to be the healthy scratch on defense.

- Corey Crawford will start tonight.

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