CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks forward Viktor Tikhonov sat in front of his locker stall and smiled.
He was being asked about Artemi Panarin, his friend and teammate. Questions about Panarin have been frequent for Tikhonov since he and Panarin decided to leave SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League and join the defending Stanley Cup champions.
Is Tikhonov surprised by how smoothly Panarin, a 5-foot-11, 170 pound left wing, has transitioned to the NHL?
"No," said Tikhonov, the grandson of the legendary former Russia national team coach of the same name.