TAMPA, Fla. — Jarred Tinordi arrived at FLA Live Arena before the Blackhawks-Panthers game Friday and saw something new on his sweater: an “A.”
With Connor Murphy missing both weekend games to attend to a family matter, coach Luke Richardson awarded Tinordi the vacant alternate captain title.
Ten years since he entered the league, it marked the first time the veteran defenseman had worn a letter in an NHL game, with Saturday against the Lightning marking the second.
“It’s a huge honor,” Tinordi said. “I don’t think anything really changes. I just try to be myself in the room, be myself on the ice. They gave it to me for a reason, and you don’t really change your approach when something like that happens. I just want to keep staying true to myself.”
Tinordi does have experience as the Milwaukee Admirals’ captain in the AHL in 2018-19 and 2019-20, but this achievement — temporary as it might be — also feels significant.
That he has ascended this high in the Hawks’ leadership hierarchy in just five months with the team is remarkable.
It’s easy to forget he was a waiver claim from the Rangers the first week of the regular season; he wasn’t even around during training camp. Bouncing around has been the story of his career, too. The Hawks are his seventh NHL organization. But although his future remains uncertain as a pending unrestricted free agent, he has carved out a niche.
“Sometimes it just takes players a little time and the right opportunity to find their way to this league,” Richardson said. “A lot of players would probably give up on it by now. That shows the perseverance and the character that he has, so we’re lucky to have him.”
The Hawks’ heavy in-season roster turnover has wreaked havoc on their captaincy titles. They started the year with Jonathan Toews as captain, Patrick Kane as alternate captain and Murphy and Seth Jones sharing the other alternate captaincy.
This weekend, they had no one wearing the “C” (since Toews remains sidelined) and Jones, Tinordi and Tyler Johnson wearing “A”s.
“[Jarred] plays physical,” Richardson added. “He’s in the greatest condition. He’s just a true pro. He’s a guy that’s been around in the league and paid his dues. [He and Johnson] really drive both ends of the bench vocally and keep everybody in check. Whether they have an ‘A’ or not, they are leaders on this team, so it’s great to give them that opportunity.”
Poorly timed injury
The Hawks aren’t sure yet how much time new forward Anders Bjork will miss after leaving Friday’s game unable to put weight on his right leg. Luke Philp was called up to replace him Saturday.
But regardless, it’s a poorly timed injury for Bjork. The Milwaukee native and Notre Dame product had played very well in his first three Hawks games after being acquired from the Sabres, where he had been stuck in the AHL and craving a change of scenery.
“It’s an amazing, incredible opportunity for me,” Bjork said March 4 after the trade. “I get a chance to show that I can play in the NHL and reinvent myself, redefine myself. Every player wants that once their career hasn’t gone the way that they’d like.”
He’ll be a restricted free agent at season’s end.
The sooner he can return to the lineup and prove his three-assist game Monday wasn’t a fluke, the better his chances of getting another contract will be.
