Cumiskey's career comes full-circle with Game 2 start
Tonight could mark a career milestone for one Blackhawks defenseman.
Drafted in the seventh round by the Colorado Avalanche in 2005, 20-year old defenseman Kyle Cumiskey possessed a ton of promise. In his early years in the NHL, Cumiskey enjoyed a few decently productive seasons accumulating 135 games of NHL experience over five years, but a couple of concussions he suffered in 2010-11 left his future in question.
Upon being traded to the Anaheim Ducks, Cumiskey was never able to return to his old self, and was unable to break free of the AHL during his entire time in Anaheim.
Left battered and broken, Cumiskey decided that going to play in Europe might be his best option, so he moved to Sweden and signed with MODO Hockey in Ornskoldsvik prior to the 2012-13 season.
There, team GM and NHL veteran Markus Naslund worked hard to return Cumiskey’s game to the levels he knew he was capable of. “I think the biggest key for us was trying to build his confidence and kind of let him get the feeling of knowing that he’s a good player” Naslund told ESPN reporter Scott Powers.
And the plan worked to perfection. The ensuing season saw Cumiskey’s confidence return as he flourished on the larger ice surface, “That was one of the successful outcomes that came out of going to Sweden,” Cumiskey said. “A big thing was I thought my confidence was definitely down for a bit. Going over there definitely helped me regain that.”
So after a couple of solid seasons, Cumiskey decided that he would be open to considering a return to the NHL, and signed a one-year contract with the Blackhawks last July.
But that isn’t where the adversity ended.
After being the last defenseman cut from the Blackhawks’ roster, Cumiskey went to play in the AHL for the Rockfrod IceHogs, and worked hard to simplify his game under head coach Ted Dent, becoming the IceHogs defenseman of the year in the process.
And tonight he will have the opportunity to show the world how far he’s come.
Reports have indicated that Cumiskey will get the start in Game 2 in place of David Runblad on the Blackhawks’ blue line, and who knows what a good performance tonight could mean for the future of Cumiskey’s roller coaster career.
