CHICAGO – Kenny McCudden is a hockey lifer, and so perhaps it seems strange he was following Tiger Woods around Medinah Country Club when his phone rang, opening a door with the Blackhawks.

Locked-out NHL players were seeking someone to oversee their on-ice individual workouts, hoping to remain in as good of hockey shape as possible during a work stoppage that dragged on for 113 days before finally ending Sunday.

McCudden – a Crystal Lake resident since 1997 – has worked as the Chicago Wolves’ skating and skills coach for almost 20 years, blending physical conditioning with situational drills, preparing American Hockey League players for the sport’s biggest stage.