The five-game trek through the northeast didn’t particularly go the Checkers’ way when it comes to the standings - they finished with a 1-2-1-1 record - but, as always, there were lessons to be pulled from the trip.
“We learned a lot about what winning hockey needs to look like,” said head coach Geordie Kinnear.
Those five games took the Checkers on a tour of the division, facing Hartford and Springfield twice each and Bridgeport once. All three of those teams currently sit in the bottom half of the Atlantic standings, illustrating the level of competition Charlotte is facing this season.
“The first thing you can take from it is that this is an unbelievable division,” said Kinnear. “It’s hard to win every single night. We have to make sure we’re focused and the work ethic and energy is there. I think we took that from it.”
The trip also took the Checkers away from the comforts of home - something that can help solidify a group that is still in the early stages of playing together.
“Those road trips are important because you’re together all the time,” said Kinnear. “Twelve days with your teammates, you get to learn alot about them - away from the rink too.”
Getting the pieces of his team to gel is an integral part of the blueprint that Kinnear wants his squad to follow.
“Ultimately for me the team building and team bonding comes on the ice,” said Kinnear. “That’s where you start playing hard for the guy beside you and blocking shots for the guy beside you. You can only do that when you really care about the individual. We’re still in the building phase of all that stuff.”
As the Checkers emerge from that challenging stretch, the plan appears to be on track.
“That’s getting better,” said defenseman Tobias Bjornfot of the team’s chemistry. “We were on a roll at the start of the season and then we faced some adversity this trip, but we’re getting really close.”
In terms of the on-ice product, the Checkers battled throughout the trip. After dropping the first two contests in regulation - both of which saw either a tie game or a Charlotte lead in the third period - the Checkers dropped the next two in a shootout and overtime, respectively, before earning a shootout win in Bridgeport to close things out and send them home with four of a possible 10 standings points.
“I think we played some good hockey and maybe didn’t get the bounces that we wanted,” said Bjornfot. “It’s some good teams that we played too. You’re not going to win every game, but I think we were playing some good hockey and just didn’t get the wins. It’s good to be back home now.”
While the results didn’t fall entirely in Charlotte’s favor, this road trip provided plenty of opportunities to grow, and the coaching staff is intent on making those lessons stick.
“I thought it was a step in the right direction,” said Kinnear. “We want to make sure that we play good hockey, winning hockey, and learn those lessons.”
BJORNFOT SETTLES IN
The 2023-24 season was a nomadic one for Bjornfot.The 23-year-old started the season with the Los Angeles organization, where he played one game for the Kings and nine for their AHL affiliate in Ontario while on a conditioning stint. He was eventually put on waivers in January and claimed by Vegas, where he played two games for the Golden Knights and five more in the AHL with Henderson - again on a conditioning stint. Bjornfot went back on waivers in March and was claimed once again - this time by the Panthers. The blue liner appeared in one regular season contest and then took the ride with Florida to a Stanley Cup title.
Altogether Bjornfot logged 18 games spread between five teams across two leagues - all while keeping a positive attitude.
“It was a good experience,” said Bjornfot. “It was fun to be in new places.”
Even so, the stability that the defenseman has with his newest organization is a welcome change.
“Now it feels good to be here,” said Bjornfot. “It’s much better for my development. I think this is what I need right now.”
The 22nd overall pick in 2019, Bjornfot has become a key piece of Charlotte’s back end. The Swedish blue liner has logged 12 games thus far - a number that is already approaching his total across all of last season - and is ramping up his game as he goes.
“I think it’s been getting better and better as we’ve been going,” said Bjornfot. “In the beginning I felt like it was a long time since I was playing and now I’m getting more into the rhythm and it feels good.”
SOPHOMORE LEAP
Charlotte’s offensive attack has been a standout early on this season, and one key contributor in that area is Ryan McAllister.The 22-year-old forward has taken a big step production-wise in his sophomore campaign, posting a statline (14 points in 15 games) that is already nearing his rookie totals (19 points in 37 games).
That jump coincides with a summer’s worth of work put in by the young forward.
“I think the biggest thing for me was my skating and my speed,” said McAllister earlier in the season. “I think I’ve come back this year definitely faster and I think that’s helped on the ice.”
While McAllister found himself in and out of the lineup last season, he looks to have solidified himself in this year’s group - a trajectory that is a testament to pushing through challenges.
“Looking at last year, we all get worried when it gets hard for individuals,” said Kinnear. “But if you have the right environment and it’s hard and you continue to get better every single day, the positives come out of it. He’s taken some steps in the right direction.”
Early on this season, McAllister is thriving in that environment the staff has built.
“All the coaches and the staff have been working with me pretty closely and with some one-on-one stuff,” said McAllister. “They’ve helped my game a lot and I’m looking forward to working with them all year.”
A key point that the coaching staff pointed to last season was making sure that McAllister was developing into a fully-rounded player. While his offensive abilities have always been on display, McAllister’s recent performance has shown that he’s taken those lessons to heart.
“Ultimately he’s going to be a guy who needs to be on the scoresheet,” said Kinnear. “But it’s the other stuff that he’s doing to get on the scoresheet that’s important for his sustainability and our sustainability to continue moving forward.”
The strides that McAllister has made in year two have been noticeable and have positioned him as a difference maker on this Checkers squad. The next step is to keep that progression going as the season wears on.
“I’m proud of the work he’s put in,” said Kinnear. “But we still have a lot of work to do.”
INJURY UPDATES
The Checkers saw a big piece return on Saturday, as MacKenzie Entwistle suited up for the first time since Oct. 13. A third-round pick by Arizona in 2017, Entwistle brings plenty of NHL pedigree to the lineup, having spent the last two seasons with Chicago.“He’s a big, right-shot centerman and he brings a lot to the table,” said Kinnear of the 6-foot-3 forward. “We’re excited to have him, excited for him to build individually and for him to be a part of the collective.”
Entwistle played the first two games of the season before being forced to the sidelines with an injury. After returning to practice as a no-contact participant just before the road swing, he ramped up his recovery and jumped into the trip’s finale for his first action in well over a month.
“We got him back for a game after he had been out for a long time, so he’s not up to speed with regards to his own personal speed that we want to get him to,” said Kinnear. “But there’s no better way than going into games and getting acclimated and building chemistry with guys.”
Also on the trip was Justin Sourdif, who missed the first eight games of the season with an injury before returning during the two-game home set against Toronto just before the team hit the road. The young forward is still working his way back to full health, coming out of the lineup for two of the five road contests.
“He’s day-to-day for sure,” said Kinnear. “He wants to be 100 percent, especially early on in the year. He has a certain skill set that we’re excited about but he needs to be 100 percent to be able to do that all the time. He’s a big part for us but he’s got to get healthy.”
The other two big names on the injury list are Zac Dalpe and Will Lockwood. The former continues to participate in practice with a yellow no-contact jersey, though his journey back to full strength is still ongoing.
“Just the eye test today, I think Dalps had a really good day,” said Kinnear. “He brought a lot of energy to the group and showed some leadership there. He’s edging closer I would say, but moving in the right direction. It was nice to see him, we hadn’t seen him in a little bit.”
Lockwood also took the ice this week in a yellow jersey ahead of practice, and while he hasn’t joined the team just yet, his presence was a positive for the whole group.
“Seeing Willy’s face today was nice,” said Kinnear. “I know he’s a big part of our leadership group and he’s played some really good hockey for us.”