Chicago Sports

CLEVELAND – There is a lot more defiance surrounding Zach LaVine these days.

It’s not malicious, it’s not even done purposely. The Bulls guard has just reached a point in his life where he’d not only rather walk to the beat of his own drum, but also be the one supplying the drumsticks and the music.

So when asked on Saturday about the idea that some Bulls fans felt he should have sat out the All-Star Weekend to rest a left knee that cost him the last three games going into the break, his reply came with no hesitation.

“That’s their opinion,” LaVine said with a classic “yeah right” laugh. “You know this All-Star Game means a lot to a lot of us. We put in a lot of hard work and dedication to this. If I’m healthy to play then I’m going to play. It means a lot to me.”

One problem with that statement? LaVine should have said “If I’m healthy enough …” because healthy isn’t happening for him the rest of this season.

A sore left knee that sometimes swells up after games is just his reality.

That’s what the trip out to Los Angeles last week to see a specialist reiterated to him. Sure, they did some maintenance on the knee with some PRP [Platelet-Rich Plasma] and cortisone injections to try getting him through the remainder of the season, but LaVine admitted that in the offseason he may have to “take care of it.” Whether that means a scope or just rest, LaVine didn’t say, but he’s just going to do things on his own terms and his own schedule.

Until then he’s going to have some painful nights, with the hope of coming up with a plan to make sure he can answer the bell for the playoffs being as close to full strength as possible. The idea of his pending free agency and the max contract he feels he’s due, that’s on the backburner in his decision making.

“This season has been incredible for me obviously for many reasons,” LaVine said, when asked about protecting himself for that big contract that awaits. “I hate missing games personally. I try and play through as much as I can, but if I’m able to go out there and still be myself, contribute at the high level that I expect myself to, I’m going to do that.”

What falls in LaVine’s favor is the condensed schedule throughout the first half is behind him and his teammates. There’s more off days and less back-to-backs for him to have to deal with moving forward.

Even so, his teammates know what LaVine’s willing to endure and have his back no matter what games he can play in or needs a rest.

“That’s another sacrifice,” veteran Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan said of LaVine’s knee. “That’s why we go back to making sacrifices. Just Zach alone on the court changes the dynamic of our team whatever form or fashion he’s out there. He knows himself better than anybody, and the one thing I would stress to him is if he can play, play. But when it comes to being 100%? I haven’t been 100% in 13 years, so we just gotta figure out a way.

“We’re going to help him through it. He doesn’t have to be the Zach of the last few years. We just gotta figure out a way where we don’t put too much load on him so it can’t be affecting him down the line.”

As long as LaVine gets through Sunday night’s game for Team Durant with no setbacks, the plan was to ease back into it with three off days, and then resume play when the Bulls host Atlanta on Thursday. After that just take it “day by day.”

And for those that take issue with that?

There’s a very good chance LaVine likely doesn’t care.

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IHSA STATE TOURNAMENT – 4A

(Regional)

PROVISO WEST SECTIONAL

Young

Juarez at Argo, 2:00

THORNWOOD SECTIONAL

Oak Lawn

Reavis at Hubbard, 10:00

BARRINGTON SECTIONAL

Buffalo Grove

Round Lake at Waukegan, 1:00

GLENBROOK SOUTH SECTIONAL

Maine South

Von Steuben at Maine East, 3:00

OSWEGO SECTIONAL

Joliet Central

Joliet Central at Oswego, 3:00

Plainfield North

Plainfield East at Plainfield North, 5:00

BARTLETT SECTIONAL

Glenbard West

West Chicago at Wheaton North, 2:00

HUNTLEY SECTIONAL

Larkin

Streamwood at Elgin, 12:00

Jefferson

Jefferson at Harlem, 6:00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IHSA STATE TOURNAMENT – 3A

(Regional)

DANVILLE SECTIONAL

Sacred Heart-Griffin

Rochester at Springfield, 4:00

Morton (IL)

Rantoul at Bloomington, 6:00

Mahomet-Seymour

Urbana at Champaign Central, 3:00

MacArthur

Eisenhower (Decatur) at Mattoon, 1:00

HIGHLAND SECTIONAL

Centralia

Carbondale at Waterloo, 3:00

Cahokia

Cahokia at Triad, 5:00

KING SECTIONAL

St. Ignatius

ITW-Speer at Foreman, 5:00

Payton

ASPIRA-Bus&Fin at Elmwood Park, 1:00

NORTH CHICAGO SECTIONAL

Antioch

North Chicago at Ridgewood, 2:00

Vernon Hills

Mather at Northtown, 2:30

MARIAN CATHOLIC SECTIONAL

Hillcrest

Thornridge at Thornton Fr. North, 3:30

HINSDALE SOUTH SECTIONAL

St. Laurence

Johnson at Kennedy, 5:00

Glenbard South

Mansueto at Comer, 2:00

CRYSTAL LAKE SOUTH SECTIONAL

Boylan

Belvidere at Harvard, 4:00

Prairie Ridge

Crystal Lake Central at Woodstock, 1:00

Marmion

IMSA at Plano, 6:30

PEORIA (BRADLEY UNIV) SECTIONAL

Rochelle

LaSalle-Peru at Streator, 4:00

Limestone

Limestone at East Peoria, 6:00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IHSA STATE TOURNAMENT – 2A

(Regional – Chicago Area)

MARENGO SECTIONAL

Aurora Christian

Aurora Central at Wheaton Academy, 7:30

Sandwich at Genoa-Kingston, 7:00

Marian Central

Richmond-Burton at Marian Central, 3:00

North Boone at Marengo, 6:00

IC Catholic

Intrinsic-Belmont at Chicago Academy, 1:00

MENDOTA SECTIONAL

Oregon

Oregon at Byron, 6:00

Riverdale

Orion at Rock Falls, 6:00

CLIFTON CENTRAL

Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley

Clifton Central at Paxton-Buckley-Loda, 1:00

McNamara

Manteno at Beecher, 2:00

Peotone at Herscher, 3:00

Wilmington

Wilmington at Reed-Custer, 4:00

Coal City at Pontiac, 1:00

Fieldcrest at Seneca, 1:00

JULIAN SECTIONAL

Dunbar

ACERO-Soto at Farragut, 2:00

ACERO-Garcia at Urban Prep-Bronzeville, 1:00

Carver

South Shore at EPIC, 1:00

Butler at Carver, 5:00

Chicago Christian

Hansberry at Harlan, 6:30

Chicago Christian at Joliet Catholic, 5:00

University High

DuSable at King, 5:00

Catalyst-Maria at Dyett, 1:00

Gage Park at UC-Woodlawn, 3:30

NORTH LAWNDALE SECTIONAL

DePaul

Disney at Marine, 1:00

Orr

Rauner at Ogden, 6:00

Intrinsic-Downtown at Raby, 1:00

Christ the King

Phoenix at Legal Prep, 1:00

Cristo Rey at Crane, 5:00

Wells

Clemente at Holy Trinity, 2:30

Golder at Noble Street, 1:00

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

IHSA STATE TOURNAMENT – 1A

(Regional – Chicago Area)

WOODLAND SECTIONAL

Serena

Morgan Park Academy at Yorkville Christian, 6:00

Grant Park at Serena, 5:00

Universal at Marquette, 5:00

Illinois Lutheran at Newark, 1:30

Horizon-Southhwest

Excel-Englewood at Tilden, 1:00

ACE Amandla at Ellison, 3:00

Urban Prep-Englewood at Richards (Chgo), 1:00

Fenger

St. Francis de Sales at Fenger, 1:00

Corliss at Excel-South Shore, 1:00

Hirsch vs. Horizon-McKinley, at H-SW, 1:00

Chicago Collegiate at Bowen, 4:00

St. Bede

DePue at Midland, 6:00

Gardner-So. Wilmington at St. Bede, 1:30

Woodland at Putnam County, 6:00

Henry-Senachwine at Dwight, 6:00

WATSEKA SECTIONAL

Roanoke-Benson

Lowpoint-Washburn at Flanagan-Cornell, 1:00

Roanoke-Benson at Lexington, 1:00

Milford

Grace Christian at Milford, 1:00

St. Anne at Cissna Park, 3:30

Donovan at Leroy, 1:00

Tri-Point at Watseka, 7:00

MARSHALL

Rochelle Zell

Waldorf at Christian Hertiage, 3:30

Beacon d. Roycemore, FFT

Walther Christian

Lycee Francais at Providence-St. Mel, 1:00

Douglass at Walther Christian, 1:00

Mooseheart at CPSA, 2:00

Collins

Manley at Wolcott, 6:00

Spry at Marshall, 1:00

Air Force at Collins, 5:30

Harvest Christian

Westminster Christian at Schaumburg Christian, 1

Elgin Academy at Fasman Yeshiva, 7:30

PECATONICA SECTIONAL

Indian Creek

LaMoille at Somonauk, 1:00

Amboy at Indian Creek, 3:00

Leland at Pecatonica, 3:00

Ashton-Franklin Center at Earlville, 6:00

Alden-Hebron

Hiawatha at South Beloit, 4:00

Alden-Hebron at Hinckley-Big Rock, 3:00

Christian Life at Durand, 1:00

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As long as Rick Hahn and Ken Williams are in charge, starting pitching will be priority No. 1 in shaping the White Sox’ roster.

It was so when Mark Buehrle, Jose Contreras, Jon Garland, Freddy Garcia and Orlando Hernandez powered the Sox to their 2005 World Series championship. And it was the case when Sox starters, with a major-league-best 3.57 ERA, were the backbone of the Sox’ division-winning team that won 93 games last season.

The Sox will count on more of the same in 2022, but likely without a major piece — Carlos Rodon, who was signed before last season to compete for a fifth starter’s spot but emerged as the most dominant pitcher in the American League in the first half.

The All-Star left-hander is a free agent, though, and seemingly will find a new team when the lockout concludes, leaving a hole in the Sox’ rotation as large as Rodon’s thick 6-3, 245-pound frame. But Michael Kopech is moving in from the bullpen, probably capable of equaling the 134 innings Rodon contributed in a season hampered by shoulder fatigue. Kopech has never pitched more than the 134 innings he logged in 2017 and has pitched a slim total of 82? innings over the last three seasons. So he will be watched closely.

“With Michael in his first year in the rotation, we’re going to have to be creative,” Hahn said at the general managers meetings in November, “whether it’s skipping a start or throwing an inning out of the pen on his start day, conserve those bullets and keep him strong. We’re going to rely on him and how he looks and reports as the summer goes on.”

Returning are All-Star righty Lance Lynn, who signed a two-year, $38 million extension in July; 2020 All-Star Lucas Giolito; and Dylan Cease, who featured the best stuff of the lot. Cease took a big leap forward and was seventh in the majors with 226 strikeouts. He has the look of a 26-year-old who is one adjustment away from being an All-Star himself.

Then there’s soft-tossing lefty Dallas Keuchel, a two-time All-Star and one-time Cy Young winner who had the worst year of his career in 2021 with a 5.28 ERA one year after posting a 1.99 ERA. Keuchel was left off the playoff roster, something Hahn wouldn’t have envisioned when he signed the veteran to a three-year, $55 million deal two offseasons ago.

“There is reason to be optimistic that he can come back and be closer to the guy who was fifth in the Cy Young [in the 60-game 2020 season] than the guy we saw last year,” Hahn said.

Keuchel couldn’t have done much worse than Lynn (3? innings, five runs), Giolito (4,, innings, four runs), Rodon (third-inning KO) and Cease (second-inning KO), though, during the Astros’ 3-1 trouncing of the Sox in the AL Division Series. It was an ending that left a sour taste and has the Sox processing the possible fatigue impact of ranking fourth in the majors in innings pitched on the heels of a shortened season.

In any event, a team with World Series goals should bolster its top five with a back-end type starter who can also provide long innings in relief when needed, even with Reynaldo Lopez in the mix after an encouraging turnaround season that saw him post a 3.43 ERA. Hahn has prospects such as Jimmy Lambert and Jonathan Stiever on the 40-man roster, but he figures to add a proven pitcher before Opening Day, whenever that is.

With more emphasis on workloads and bullpens in today’s game, perhaps the dependence on starting pitching isn’t what it was when Hahn and Williams were running the show in 2005. But it’s close, and the adage of “momentum in baseball is tomorrow’s starting pitcher” still holds true.

Hahn wasn’t seeing a red flag when Sox starters were seeing red in the playoffs.

“We came off a 60-game season asking guys to be strong and pitch at their max in month 7, or 8 if you include spring training,” he said. “That’s a lot to ask. So just because a fair amount of starters potentially ran out of gas or hit walls in October in 2021 doesn’t mean we’re going to get a repeat of that in ’22.”

Pitchers have been throwing on their own but away from the off-limits Sox complex in Glendale, Arizona, and having had no contact with coaches or staff, it’s not known what kind of shape the rotation will be in whenever major-league camp opens. Whenever it does, an abbreviated spring training — not unlike the three-week July camp leading to the 2020 season that opened on July 23 — is expected.

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“Knock, knock.”

“Who’s there?”

“Baseball.”

“Oh, baseball! We love baseball! Come in!”

“We can’t we’re locked out! Now stop screwing around and let us in. It’s cold out here!”

Good luck on the quiz this week. It’s better than that stupid Knock-Knock joke.

1. Super Bowl LVI is in the books, and the Rams are champions. In Chicago, who’s the player who wore uniform LVI with great success?

a. Bobby Thigpen

b. Aroldis Chapman

c. Mark Buehrle

d. Steve Trachsel

2. The Rams beat the Bengals 23-20 in the Super Bowl. It was L.A.’s first title since 1983 (Raiders). In 1983, the White Sox reached the ALCS before losing to the Orioles in four games. The team was managed by Tony La Russa. Who hit the most home runs for the Sox that season?

a. Ron Kittle

b. Greg Luzinski

c. Carlton Fisk

d. Harold Baines

3. For the eighth straight Super Bowl, the team that lost the coin toss won the game. Winning after a loss is the best way to stop or prevent a losing streak. In 2021, which Chicago pitcher had the most wins after his team lost?

a. Lucas Giolito

b. Dylan Cease

c. Kyle Hendricks

d. Dallas Keuchel

4. Which MLBer was the Little League teammate of Super Bowl champion QB Matthew Stafford?

a. Clayton Kershaw

b. Lance Lynn

c. Michael Brantley

d. J.A. Happ

5. Moving on from the Super Bowl, Monday is Presidents’ Day. Which of these Chicago players were named after U.S. presidents (first or middle names)?

a. Cal McLish

b. Ted Lilly

c. Pete Alexander

d. Sweetbread Bailey

6. David Ortiz is the newest member of the Hall of Fame. “Big Papi” homered in 29 MLB ballparks. In which one of these four did he not go deep?

a. Wrigley Field

b. Busch Stadium

c. Dodger Stadium

d. Citi Field

7. Buck O’Neil was a first baseman and manager in the Negro American League, mostly with the Kansas City Monarchs. He will join David Ortiz in being inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. In 1962, O’Neil became the first Black coach in the major leagues. For which team did he coach?

a. White Sox

b. Royals

c. Cubs

d. Cardinals

8. Amy Schneider’s “Jeopardy!” history-making 40-show winning streak recently ended. It’s the second-longest streak of all time. Which Chicago team picked up the most wins in any 40-game span in a season? (Give yourself extra credit for the win total, and if you also know the year, go on “Jeopardy!”)

a. White Sox

b. Cubs

c. The same

9. This Cubs manager took over for a fired manager, managed a full season and then was fired midway through the next season. Who was he?

a. Leo Durocher

b. Jim Marshall

c. Whitey Lockman

d. Herman Franks

Be healthy, stay warm and be kind. I love your tweets (@BillyBall) and emails. You can reach me at [email protected].

ANSWERS

1. Mark Buehrle’s No. 56 was retired by the White Sox on June 24, 2017.

2. Rookie of the Year Ron Kittle hit a career-high 35 homers, drove in a career-high 100 runs and struck out a career-high 150 times.

3. While Dylan Cease was 8-3 for the Sox after a South Side loss, Kyle Hendricks went 9-3 after a Cubs defeat.

4. Kershaw and Stafford grew up together in Texas and played on the same football team at Highland Park High School. Kershaw was Stafford’s center in youth football, and Stafford was Kershaw’s catcher in Little League. Kershaw revealed that Stafford beat him in a pitching contest in elementary school.

5. They all were. McLish’s full name is Calvin Coolidge Julius Caesar Tuskahoma McLish. He pitched for the Cubs and the Sox. Former Cubs pitcher Ted Lilly’s full name is Theodore Roosevelt Lilly. HOFer and Cubs pitcher Pete Alexander’s full name is Grover Cleveland Alexander. Sweetbread Bailey, the pride of Joliet, pitched for the Cubs from 1919-21. His real name is Abraham Lincoln Bailey. (Tip of the hat to Joe Posnanski and his great book, “The Baseball 100.”)

6. Ortiz was 0-for-6 with a walk at Dodger Stadium. He homered three times at Wrigley Field, including two on June 10, 2005, in a 14-6 Cubs win. He homered 18 times at the Sox’ park.

7. Although Buck was a Cubs coach through the 1965 season, he wasn’t allowed to coach on the baselines during games and wasn’t a member of the Cubs’ College of Coaches.

8. The White Sox went 32-8 in 1983, but the Cubs, all the way back in 1906, went 37-3.

9. Leo Durocher was fired in 1972. Jim Marshall took over in 1974. Herman Franks took the reins in 1977. The answer to our question, in honor of the lockout, is Whitey Lockman.

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Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina meditates every morning. He does it to block out potential distractions and make sure he’s present and focused so he can perform his best athletically.

With all the chatter swirling around him and pressure on his shoulders, it’s a good thing Slonina has that regimen.

Still 17 years old, Slonina has been ordained the Fire’s starting goalie after a strong finish last season. Since the end of the 2021 campaign, the Addison native has become a face of the Fire, has been called up to the U.S. men’s national team for World Cup qualifiers and has been linked with transfer rumors connecting him to European heavyweights. Oh, he’s also eligible to play for the Polish national team and might have to decide relatively soon whether to commit to them or the U.S., a choice that would dictate his path in major international competitions.

Yet when he was asked about a timeline for making a move to Europe and also when he’d pick the U.S. or Poland, Slonina displayed the kind of poise that’s made him one of the world’s most coveted goalkeeping prospects.

“I think I can answer both those questions in one,” Slonina said. “I think right now, the main focus is about this preseason and finishing preseason strong. I’m not the type of player to look too much into the future. I want to be here, present now because obviously that’s what’s most important. But we never know what the future holds, so I think I’m just going to continue to give my all every single day in training, making sure that I’m helping guys on and off the field to have the most successful season that we can for this club.”

Steadiness like that is one reason the Fire — and apparently clubs in Europe — think so highly of Slonina, who will wear the No. 1 jersey this season, which is synonymous with a club’s first-choice goalie. That burgeoning reputation, plus the expectations that come with it, could be a detriment to many young players, especially ones suiting up for their hometown team.

It doesn’t seem like that’s the case for Slonina. Clearly, he has found ways to isolate himself from outside noise and stay honed in on the next shot coming his way, not which European team will sign him to a deal.

“And just all the routines I’ve established to make sure I’m keeping my body fit, healthy and doing everything to the best of my ability,” Slonina said. “So yeah, I think the routine you establish for yourself is how you can stay in the moment and just continue to work and give your all because it will keep you humble and it will keep your ego down low. . . . I’m not going to think I’m too big of a player and I’m not going to think I’m too little of a player.

“I’m going to have that perfect balance of just working and giving my all every single day.”

NOTE: The Fire and WGN-TV announced Friday that the channel will broadcast 29 of the team’s 34 games this season. Tyler Terens will serve as the primary play-by-play voice and Tony Meola will be the analyst. Arlo White is slated to call a select number of games this summer.

Fire games have aired on WGN since 2020.

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One person was dead after being struck by gunfire while in a car Friday evening in Calumet Heights on the Far South Side.

The male, whose age wasn’t immediately known, was in a car about 6:30 p.m. in the 9300 block of South Harper Avenue when he was struck in the head by gunfire, Chicago police said.

He was taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center initially in critical condition, but succumbed to his injuries, police and the Cook County medical examiner’s office said.

No one was in custody.

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It has been more than a month since the Bears took a sledgehammer to their organization after going 6-11, and mostly all they’ve done since then is talk.

Chairman George McCaskey talked about new general manager Ryan Poles and coach Matt Eberflus embodying everything he wants the Bears to be: “tough, gritty, smart, opportunistic, winners.”

Poles vowed to rip the NFC North from the Packers’ grip and never give it back.

Eberflus advised players to “get your track shoes on” because they’ll run like they’ve never run in their careers once they take the field with him.

It all sounds nice, but now the talking fades, and the doing starts. And the moves Poles and Eberflus make with this roster the next two months will reveal far more about their intentions than anything they’ve said since joining the Bears.

They are already underway with their first major personnel-related task. This is the window when teams decide which players they want to move on from.

The Bears have some obvious candidates to be released, starting with linebacker -Danny Trevathan.

Former general manager Ryan Pace chose Trevathan, now approaching 32, over the younger Nick Kwiatkoski and signed him to a three-year, $21.8 million contract that has mostly been problematic amid his decline.

The Bears can save $3.3 million in salary-cap space by cutting Trevathan and $4 million more by parting with running back Tarik Cohen.

Those two and defensive tackle Eddie Goldman are in line to carry three of the Bears’ top nine cap hits for 2022.

Goldman is a curious case, and a fresh evaluation by the new administration could go either way. Poles and Eberflus won’t be overly loyal because they aren’t the ones who drafted him No. 39 overall in 2015, but they also might not hold last season’s underperformance against him if they’re convinced he’s committed to rebounding.

They’ll save $8.9 million in cap space over the next two seasons by letting Goldman go.

There are other in-house decisions to make on quarterback Nick Foles ($10.7 million cap hit next season), defensive end Robert Quinn ($52.6 million over the next three seasons) and safety Eddie Jackson ($51.9 million over the next three seasons).

Several key contributors are about to become free agents, too, including wide receiver Allen Robinson, defensive lineman Akiem Hicks, guard James Daniels and Pro Bowl return man Jakeem Grant.

The way Poles and Eberflus handle those decisions combined with how they attack free agency will give a clear indication of how long they think the rebuild will take.

Quinn is the truth serum.

If the Bears believe they can win now, they should keep him. He set the franchise record for sacks last season with 18.5, was healthy and should only improve as the team moves to his preferred 4-3 defensive front.

But if Poles and Eberflus see this as a multiyear process, they can save cap space and add draft capital by trading Quinn.

Even if they prioritize the future, however, the Bears can’t go into a full-blown fire sale. That’s too dangerous for unproven quarterback Justin Fields. It’s fine to be realistic and set a multiyear timetable, but not in a way that subverts his development in the slightest.

That means Poles must find him help, and Fields needs it in virtually every department.

Poles’ only significant draft picks this year are in the second and third round, but he also has options in free agency when it opens March 14. OverTheCap has the Bears at $28.6 million in space, 11th-most in the NFL, before they make any of the aforementioned potential cuts.

The offensive line gave up a league-worst 58 sacks last season, and Poles seemed personally offended by what he saw on tape. There are top-tier free agents available at tackle, guard and center. They’ll be wildly expensive, but the investment is worth it for Fields — and no one at Halas Hall will have a greater effect on new management’s success or failure than him.

The new staff won’t have any bias toward players the old group discovered or drafted. They’ll be cold and calculating, which is necessary.

Poles is sure to size up the Bears’ inadequacies at the skill positions, too. Tight end Cole Kmet simply hasn’t been a game-changer, so unless there’s clear evidence that suggests he’ll get there next season, that position goes on the shopping list along with wide receiver and running back.

Darnell Mooney is the only wide receiver under contract for next season, and he’s good. He’s not a true No. 1 receiver, but he’s a solid piece. If they aren’t bringing back Robinson, they can join the bidding war for Davante Adams, Chris Godwin, Mike Williams and others.

The Bears’ draft assets took a hit when Pace traded the upcoming first- and fourth-rounders for Fields last year, leaving his successor with only two picks in the first four rounds, then two in the fifth and one in the sixth.

Poles will be judged largely on the Eberflus hire and his draft choices. It’s imperative that he finds quality starters in the second and third rounds, and that effort ramps up when the combine begins March 1.

By April, the Bears should have a sharper picture of whom they’ll target in the draft, and they’ll already be through the pivotal portion of free agency. From there, they’re allowed to open offseason workouts April 4 — a two-week head start because they have a new head coach.

So while Poles and Eberflus haven’t actually laid out their strategy to the public, it’ll come into view soon enough. Whether they get it right won’t be known until the games start, but we won’t have to wait until then to at least find out what the plan is.

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In the six months since he arrived in Illinois, Lukas Reichel — blessed with understated but unshakable confidence — has grown comfortable with most aspects of living in North America.

But there’s one thing Reichel dearly misses: German food.

“It’s more like Bavarian food like my mom or my grandma cooks,” he clarified Friday.

And the few German restaurants in Chicago are just “not the same.”

Fortunately, Reichel has proved he doesn’t need authentic bratwurst or schnitzel to maintain his rapid development curve on the ice.

The Blackhawks’ unquestioned top prospect has absolutely dominated the AHL this season to the tune of 33 points in 33 games, with at least one point in 12 of 15 games since New Year’s Day.

And with the Hawks looking for a spark and turning one and a half eyes toward the future, Reichel was rewarded Friday with his second NHL call-up of the season.

He centered the first line in the Hawks’ bizarre 1-0 sixth-round shootout defeat against the Stars, which made Marc-Andre Fleury — who made 29 saves, several of them spectacular — the first goalie in Hawks history to record a shutout and a loss in the same game.

“I really liked how Reichel played,” interim coach Derek King said. “He wasn’t shying away; he was strong on pucks. Maybe he lost a battle with just one puck, but he stays in the fight. The kid is going to be a special player.”

Earlier in the day, Reichel had left the Rockford apartment he shares with Nicolas Beaudin, who has helped him get acclimated, and arrived in Chicago for the morning skate with his signature bright smile and some swagger.

“I know what’s coming at me,” he said. “It’s not like everything is new, like the first call-up. I have more confidence now, and I feel great. I’m happy to be here.”

Two lessons he learned last time involved defensive positioning and shooting more frequently, Reichel said, and both of those were on his mind Friday. King also wanted him to hold onto pucks longer and not be “such a rush” to pass them to his more established teammates.

Reichel ultimately logged 17:41 of ice time between Patrick Kane and Brandon Hagel, with shot attempts favoring the Hawks 19-13 but scoring chances favoring the Stars 9-5 during his even-strength minutes. He won four of seven faceoffs and recorded two shots on goal and one takeaway.

Off the box score, he looked as confident and poised as he said he’d be, even bouncing up quickly from one huge hit that catapulted him into the Stars’ bench. He didn’t have as many puck touches as one might’ve hoped and didn’t generate a ton of offense, but neither did his teammates. He looked trustworthy defensively, too, which is often more of a question mark for rookie forwards.

“I wasn’t worried about him being out of position in the ‘D’-zone,” King said. “He’s a pretty smart player. He’s responsible. He plays both sides of the puck already. He’s only going to get bigger and stronger, and that’ll just add to what type of player he is.”

This second stint for Reichel doesn’t sound like it’ll last much longer than his first. Unless he gets a hat trick Sunday against the Panthers — “Maybe that would make us keep him,” King said slyly — he might be headed back to Rockford on Monday, having doubled his career NHL experience from two to four games.

Ten NHL appearances would burn the first year of his three-year entry-level contract, so the Hawks will be mindful of that threshold. But extending his entry-level contract also will give him more time to break out and command a huge salary for his second contract. Deciding which objective to prioritize will be a decision for the Hawks’ presumably soon-to-be-named permanent general manager.

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CLEVELAND – A jammed right thumb and a loss wasn’t exactly how Ayo Dosunmu wanted his All-Star Weekend experience to end, but unfortunately for the rookie a driving layup by Jae’Sean Tate knocked Dosunmu’s Team Payton out of the Rising Stars Tournament on Friday.

“It was fun to get out there and play, but thinking about it we should have taken it a little bit more serious early on, but it’s cool,” Dosunmu said. “Last 10 points I think we played, toward the end it was fun, competing like that.”

The Morgan Park High School standout can at least say he was part of a first, with the Rising Stars Game changing the format this year, going with a four-team tournament. The first two games were at the set score of 50, while the finals between Team Isiah and Team Barry was 25.

Dosunmu played on Team Payton – Gary Payton was the honorary coach – facing Team Barry, and losing 50-48 on Tate’s layup.

Not that Dosunmu didn’t represent himself well, scoring five points, handing out two assists and grabbing a steal.

Team Payton was led by Jaden McDaniels and his 12 points, as well as Bones Hyland scoring 10. Evan Mobley and Cade Cunningham each had 13 for Team Barry.

Dosunmu did have one small setback, explaining that he jammed the thumb on the rim, “and it bent back.” Considering all the injuries that have hit the Bulls this season, not exactly exciting news, but Dosunmu wasn’t acting overly concerned.

What was also nice for the rookie was seeing a few of his teammates there to support him, with All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine sitting courtside for the game at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Dosunmu planned to return the favor, both wanting to be there for LaVine in Saturday’s Three-Point Contest, as well as in attendance for Sunday’s game between Team Durant and Team LeBron, where DeRozan and LaVine will actually be on opposing teams.

“Definitely. I’m going to be there to support them just like they support me,” Dosunmu said of his two veteran teammates. “They look out for me, I look out for them.”

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CLEVELAND – It should have been the highlight of Ayo Dosunmu’s rookie campaign.

After all, it isn’t often that second-round picks are front and center in the All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars Game.

If only the former Morgan Park High School standout was wired that way.

In Dosunmu’s world his “glass [is] half empty,” and he wants to keep a close eye on who’s trying to get a sip out of it.

“First, this is a blessing, and I’m honored to be a part of this situation, be a part of this event, but I also come into this knowing I’ve got a long ways to go,” Dosunmu told the Sun-Times on Friday. “I know there’s a lot more for me to accomplish, and I want more.

“I also know there’s some people at home right now that didn’t make the Rising Stars Game, who were drafted higher than me or even felt like I did on draft night, and they’re going to come back for more, come at me for more, so I always try and treat myself with the glass half empty. You have to motivate yourself to be better. I know how this game goes, and I still know I have to prove things to people. I need to show them that they made a mistake leaving me to the second round.”

And there it was.

The Bulls guard was 345 miles from Chicago, but Chicago made the trip. It always does with Dosunmu. That’s who he is, and that’s likely how he’s going to go about his career.

Chip on the shoulder, head on a swivel, always looking to compete.

“That’s what Chicago means to me,” Dosunmu said. “It means you better bring that competitive spirit. I always want to win. That was the goal coming into this weekend, and that’s the goal for bigger things after this – to win. That’s all that needs to be said.”

No wonder Dosunmu’s teammates embraced the 38th overall pick so quickly in training camp.

All-Stars DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine were not only impressed with Dosunmu’s grit, but his desire to get better by asking questions about everything and anything.

Now the secret is out nationally.

Last week, fellow Chicagoan Dwyane Wade was discussing Dosunmu on national television, and said, “He can come in right away, he can take charges and he can defend the other team’s best player. Some nights you see him scoring in the 20s. This kid right here is one of those guys, he’s like a Kawhi Leonard, like you got somebody that’s a diamond in the rough. If you continue to add to his game, he can be a featured guy, like a Jimmy Butler once became.”

That meant a lot coming from Wade.

“I heard that, and coming from Dwyane Wade a basketball legend, I was blessed to hear that,” Dosunmu said. “It’s true because I want to continue to get better, I want to work. I’m not a finished product, I’m nowhere near being a finished product. I have so many more skills to dip into. It’s about coming to work every day, hard hat on, and knock down this game brick by brick, unlock different levels of my game.”

That mentality is how bench minutes here and there turned into a regular rotation spot off the bench, and eventually the starting point guard when the Bulls were suddenly short-handed last month.

All Dosunmu has done since the start of the month? How about 11 points, 7.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game, but what mattered to the former Illini great was the seven wins in the last 10 games.

A climb that coach Billy Donovan hasn’t second guessed for one moment.

“To me, it’s all about his makeup,” Donovan recently said of Dosunmu. “You can watch a guy play for 10 minutes and figure out if he can play or not. It takes a long time to figure out that ‘it’ factor. He’s got the ‘it’ factor.

“He’s incredibly motivated. He balances really well that line of being confident but not coming across as arrogant. He’s a fearless competitor. He can’t lose that because, to me, that’s gotta be his identity.”

No concerns there. It’s hard to lose something that is the very fabric of his DNA.

So what’s next for Dosunmu after the All-Star Weekend? Unfinished business.

Even though the Bulls went into the break tied with Miami atop the Eastern Conference, Dosunmu won’t be satisfied until there’s another Larry O’Brien Trophy in the glass case at the United Center.

“I always want Chicago to accomplish the best it can accomplish, go as far as possible,” Dosunmu said. “I saw those [Derrick Rose teams] get close, and now that I’m playing for Chicago, that edge I’ve always had watching the game, I’m in this to help us reach the top.”

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