Eddie Olczyk returns to the broadcast booth for Hawks-Blues

By Mark Lazerus

Eddie Olczyk was diagnosed with colon cancer in August. (Sun-Times file)

ST. LOUIS — Everywhere Eddie Olczyk turned Wednesday morning at Scottrade Center, there was a handshake or a fist-bump or a hug waiting. A few nice words, a few jokes. It wasn’t exactly a normal morning skate in that regard, but it was more normal than usual because Olczyk was there.

“Guys busting chops, just a lot of well-wishes,” Olczyk said. “I’m overwhelmed with everybody. It’s the best medicine that I’ve had in a long time, and it feels really good.”

Olczyk served as the color analyst alongside longtime partner Doc Emrick for Wednesday night’s Blackhawks-Blues game on NBC Sports Network, his first game since he was diagnosed with colon cancer in August. He’ll also do Thursday’s home game against the Oilers for WGN. Beyond that, both the national and local networks have told Olczyk that whenever he feels up to do a game, he’s welcome to drop in.

Olczyk has popped by the United Center a few times since training camp began, but his every-other-week chemotherapy sessions have made for some very difficult stretches.

“If I’m feeling good on a Saturday night and there’s a Hawk game on Sunday, [they said] if you want to come in, you do the game,” Olczyk said. “The next two weeks are probably going to be rough, but maybe the Montreal game [on Nov. 5] would be another one that would be on the calendar.”

Olczyk has spent much of his post-playing days in support of youth hockey. But he has a new focus now.

“People are concerned, they want to know, they want to learn,” Olczyk said. “My goal for this, not just tonight but for the rest of my life, is to help just one person recognize that, hey, if you feel something, say something. Whatever it is. Inspire somebody that way.”

No Arty party

Artem Anisimov had one of the best jobs in hockey the last two years, centering Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin (and virtually nobody else) every night. But with Panarin in Columbus, Anisimov has been bouncing around the lineup, and his game has suffered.

In the nearly five games Nick Schmaltz missed, Anisimov played on the second, third and fourth lines, and had one goal and no assists to show for it. With Schmaltz returning to the lineup, Anisimov was back on the third line with Patrick Sharp and Alex DeBrincat.

“It was a little bit hard,” Anisimov said. “Because you get used to playing with one line in training camp, and then you move to a different line and it’s a little bit different. You need to make adjustments.”

Sharp and DeBrincat aren’t exactly Panarin and Kane, but they are two skilled players. So Anisimov is hoping to rekindle some of the magic that saw him match his career high with 22 goals last season.

“We have to work on that, how to play together as the three of us,” Anisimov said. “We just need to make it work.”

Coach Joel Quenneville, who took the scuffling Anisimov off the power play ahead of Wednesday’s game, doesn’t think Anisimov’s game should change now that he doesn’t have two of the league’s top 10 scorers on his line.

“Whether [Kane] is there or not, that shouldn’t change how you approach it,” Quenneville said. “I think he can make a contribution to our team game, having a big centerman there, and we expect that line to be productive at both ends.”

Oesterle waits

Jordan Oesterle was a healthy scratch for the seventh time in as many games.

“Can’t say exactly when, but we’d love to get him in,” Quenneville said. “We like the way he’s working and practicing and keeping himself ready to go.”

Follow me on Twitter @MarkLazerus.

Email: mlazerus@suntimes.com