Teuvo Teravainen has emerged as a steadying force for the Chicago Blackhawks during his return season with the team.
Linemate Jason Dickinson points to Teravainen’s composure on the ice.
“I feel I try to bring a level of calmness out there, but he brings another level that like once he gets it, I’m like ‘Ah, OK, he’ll make a play. We’ll be OK,'” Dickinson said.
After a slow start, Teravainen has recorded four goals and 16 assists in his last 16 games. The 30-year-old winger added two assists in Chicago’s 5-3 win over Vegas on Saturday night.
Teravainen faces his former team, the Carolina Hurricanes, on Monday night. He spent eight seasons with Carolina before signing a three-year, $16.2 million contract with Chicago in free agency. Finland recently named him to its roster for next month’s 4 Nations Face-Off.
“Just a lot of good memories,” Teravainen said about his Carolina tenure. “We had the same group of guys there I feel like for a long time, so I get to know them really good. A lot of Finns over there at the time, too, so it was fun.”
The Blackhawks drafted Teravainen in the first round in 2012. He made his NHL debut with Chicago in 2014 and won the Stanley Cup with the team in 2015. Chicago traded him to Carolina in June 2016 as part of a salary cap move involving Bryan Bickell’s contract.
In Carolina, Teravainen developed into a reliable forward. He posted a career-high 25 goals and 28 assists in his final season there. His best playmaking season came in 2018-19 with 55 assists.
“They’re trying to make the other team make some mistakes,” he said of Carolina’s style. “And whenever they get those turnovers, they’re going to make you pay. When you do it over and over, it’s going to be tough to play against.”
Teravainen’s Chicago return started slowly with just three goals and three assists in his first 25 games. His recent success coincides with joining linemates Dickinson and Ilya Mikheyev.
The Blackhawks have struggled, going 7-16-1 in their last 24 games before facing Carolina.
Interim coach Anders Sorensen values Teravainen’s influence beyond statistics.
“His poise stands out. … Yeah, he’s really good there and can handle pressure,” Sorensen said. “He’s assertive and knows where pressure’s coming from and he puts his body into good spots, so he’s able to control the puck in those situations. Yeah, he’s a good example for young guys to learn how to kind of deal with those situations.”
