Bryan Bickell hoping to recapture past postseason glory

For the past three months, Bryan Bickell — who three times has been on the ice to celebrate winning the Stanley Cup — has been living out of a hotel in Rockford, shuttling back and forth to Chicago to see his family on off nights, and playing against teams like the Lake Erie Monsters and Manitoba Moose.

Puts things in perspective a bit.

“I remember those old days — seven-hour trips on a bus,” Bickell said. “Maybe when I was 21, it was easier on the body. But I just turned 30, so it was tough. It’s nice to get back, and hopefully I won’t have to do that again.”

That, of course, is up to Bickell, who is getting a third chance in Chicago this season thanks to the Blackhawks’ litany of injuries. With Andrew Shaw likely out for the last two games of the regular season, and Marian Hossa and Artem Anisimov out tonight against St. Louis and questionable at best for Saturday’s finale in Columbus, the Hawks turned to Bickell to help fill the void. Bickell finished without a shot on goal in 9 minutes, 11 seconds in the Hawks’ 2-1 overtime loss to the Blues. Joel Quenneville deemed his play “OK.”

And after spending most of this season sparking memories of the old-old days in the minors, Bickell now hopes to rekindle memories of the good-old days when he was a goal-scoring wrecking ball in the 2013 and 2014 playoffs, totaling 16 goals. Bickell, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith all used the word “force” to describe Bickell in past postseasons. The question, after two disappointing seasons marked by poor play and injuries, is whether that force still exists.

“I believe I have it, I know they believe it, and that’s why they brought me back here,” Bickell said. “I’m excited to get this train back on track and be a force. I know I’ve got a lot of games left in me, and I want to play every game like it’s my last.”

Every game could be Bickell’s last. At least, in Chicago. The Hawks have been trying to unload his $4-million salary for more than a year, and came close during this past trade deadline. With Hossa, Shaw and Anisimov all expected back for Game 1 of the playoffs next week, Bickell’s window to prove he can be the player he once was might not be open for long.

“We all love Bicks as a guy, and I think we’re all hoping that he can recapture the player he was and the player he can be,” Kane said. “He can be one of those guys that comes in and plays well right away and is a big force in the playoffs, like he has been in the past. He’s got that big body, plays that physical type of game, and he can also chip in with scoring goals. Great to see him back up here. Hopefully he does well.”

Bickell hasn’t played for the Hawks since Jan. 8, and has no goals and two assists in just 23 games. In Rockford, he had 15 goals and 16 assists in 44 games. In 2013, he had nine goals and eight assists in 23 playoff games, earning the four-year, $16-million contract that has become something of an albatross for the Hawks. The following postseason, Bickell had seven goals and three assists in 19 games. Last spring, he had just five assists in 18 games, and missed five of the six Stanley Cup Final games as he battled vertigo.

“At this time of the year, his play seems to rise to the challenge of playing important games,” Quenneville said. “He brings an element — he has all the tools to help our team and had some good games in the minors. I’m sure he’s really excited about getting the opportunity today, and we’ll see how it goes going into next week.”

Bickell, an uncommonly introspective player, always has dealt with confidence issues. But he said positivity was the key to enduring the disappointment and humiliation of being demoted for most of the season.

“Being positive is the biggest thing,” he said. “Going down there, I didn’t want to be a sore thumb. Have a positive attitude and work hard. I’m happy to be back up here for a couple games going into one of the times I like the most, the playoffs. I’m looking forward to it.”

Email: mlazerus@suntimes.com

Twitter: @marklazerus