Tyler Motte scored 15 goals in 36 games in his first season with the United States National Development Team. He was an instant contributor as a freshman at Michigan. In his first — and only — five games in the AHL with Rockford late last season, he had two goals and three assists. And he quickly established himself as the most NHL-ready rookie in the lineup in the early days of this season.
In other words, Motte’s not a guy who’s accustomed to being a healthy scratch. So watching from the press box in Brooklyn and St. Louis was an eye-opening experience for the 21-year-old winger.
“Honestly, I think that might be one of the first times,” Motte said. “But it’s a good learning experience. You’ve got to take it, stay positive with it, use it to its advantages.”
Motte said many of the same things that Vinnie Hinostroza and Ryan Hartman said when they were healthy scratches earlier in the season — that it’s helpful and instructive to see the game from up above, that it only serves as motivation, that it’s all part of the process as a first-year player.
Motte was the most impressive of the Hawks’ six rookies in the early going, with three goals in the first 10 games, and a regular role on the penalty kill. He saw time on the top line with Jonathan Toews, and he was playing nearly 15 minutes a night.
But he hasn’t been the same since a lower-body injury cost him five games in November. In 13 games since, Motte hasn’t had a point, and has been playing 8-11 minutes most nights.
“[He] hadn’t produced since his injury at the same rate, or at all,” Joel Quenneville said.
Motte’s focus is his defensive game, and though he scored 32 goals in 38 games at Michigan last year, he knows that being reliable in his own end is his best bet to stay in the lineup. But Quenneville wants him to “put it all together” by regaining his offensive touch.
Quenneville wasn’t too worried about hurting Motte’s confidence with the benching.
“With young guys, you’re always trying to get yourself established, and you’re trying to take advantage of the opportunity that’s there, and move ahead and enhance it,” Quenneville said. “You’re trying to break through in the NHL, and it’s always a challenge. And getting yourself established is the next step. … He’s in the process of trying to prove he can play. We feel he can help us and so I think that’s what we’re looking for because he showed some great signs prior to getting injured.”
Motte admitted that his confidence had waned since the injury, but said the injury itself hasn’t affected him. And even star players such as Toews and Marian Hossa frequently talk about confidence as something that comes and goes throughout a season. Motte hopes he’ll be on an upswing soon.
“Confidence always goes up and down, no matter if you’re a superstar in the league or just a first-year guy,” Motte said. “That’s just the type of game that we play. You’ve just got to do what you can to keep the confidence up, and believe in yourself. You know the team and the staff and teammates believe in you. Just go out, work hard, and contribute any time you can.”
Email: mlazerus@suntimes.com
Twitter: @marklazerus
