J.T. Compher opened the scoring for the Red Wings, who scored a shorthanded goal 19 seconds into the Blackhawks power play. 61 seconds later, Lukas Reichel answered, scoring his second goal of the season after Connor Bedard centered a puck from behind the net. Robby Fabbri made it 2-1 after walking around Wyatt Kaiser for a highlight-reel goal.

In the second period, the Red Wings broke things open. Ben Chairot and Compher scored a pair of goals 47 seconds apart. On Chairot’s goal, Kaiser slid across the crease predicting a cross-ice pass that never came. Instead, Kaiser impeded Mrazek’s ability to make a save. Reichel took a hooking penalty 15 seconds later. Once on that power play, it only took Compher 32 seconds to put the Wings up 4-1 with yet another backdoor goal…a play that has been killing the Hawks over their last stretch of games. Robby Fabbri would add a power play goal in the third and that was all she wrote.

Jay: Has Isaac Phillips leap-frogged Wyatt Kaiser?

Since Isaac Phillips was recalled on November 11th, replacing the injured Jarred Tinordi, he’s looked better and better every game. On the other hand, Wyatt Kaiser, who was the darling of training camp,, consistency has been an issue. With Tinodi’s return imminent, does Phillips have a chance of sticking in Chicago over Kaiser, or will he head back to the IceHogs? As of Tuesday, it sure seemed like he was Rockford-bound.

“I think the best thing for him, if he has to come in and out of the lineup…he’s better off to be playing in Rockford,” Luke Richardson said after Tuesday’s win over Seattle. “That was our whole message to [Alex] Vlasic last year. I think he came out of that fine and great. That’s what it’s there for. Isaak has played well. I think he’s had a couple little hiccups on the ice…little stumbles in the game…we have to clear that up. That’s just a young guy.”

Richardson was asked about Phillips again before Thursday’s game. “We’ll evaluate what we’ve seen so far, but also tonight counts. Sometimes you don’t have to make those decisions because…we don’t think too far ahead in case someone takes one off the foot. Hopefully not.”

In Phillips’ possible last rehearsal, he outperformed Kaiser. While Phillips did take a double-minor high-sticking penalty, Kaiser was a minus-two on a pair of goals you could argue were his fault. He was also on the ice for Fabbri’s third period power play goal. Phillips also finished -2, but he was Kaiser’s partner. He finished the game with five shots, seven shot attempts, and three hits in 17:13. Kaiser ended with one shot and four shot attempts in 16:33.

This isn’t to say that Kaiser is a bust or won’t eventually end up the better of the two defensemen. I’m also only making this “Kaiser v Phillips” because that is the decision the team is making. That said, a reset in Rockford might be good for Kaiser’s game. The eye-test and the metrics give the edge to Phillips. The argument Kyle Davidson and Richardson would likely give in keeping Kaiser in Chicago is that Phillips and Tinordi are similar players, in that they’re both large human beings. I think that’s underselling Phillips, though. He’s a strong skater, has shown a willingness to put the puck on net and is willing to clear a crease when necessary. My vote is to keep Phillips here. We’ll see what happens.

Greg: Petr Mrazek Continues to Struggle in Consecutive Games

For the most part, Richardson has been alternating his goaltenders, with Petr Mrazek and Arvid Soderblom starting every other game this season. However, when he gave Mrazek starts in consecutive games, the results have not been great.

Mrazek, the veteran of the duo, entered tonight’s game with a .906 save percentage (SV%), which is right in line with his .907 career SV%. His first start in back-to-back games came against the Vegas Golden Knights on Oct. 27. You may remember that game got off to a rough start with a couple of goals allowed early before Mrazek settled down and helped the Blackhawks win in overtime. He finished the game with a .857 SV%.

His other start in a second straight game came last Wednesday at the Columbus Blue Jackets, where he allowed five goals on 18 shots for a season-low .722 SV%. Tonight wasn’t great either, with five goals on 28 shots for a .828 SV%. His three lowest SV% outputs have come on the three times when he’s started a second straight game. This is a strange phenomenon for a guy who has been a true number-one goaltender at the level in the past.

Mario: Frustrations Showing From Bedard

Sometimes showing frustrations in games isn’t a good thing. It can sometimes show that things are getting under your skin about how things are likely not going your way. On Thursday night, following yet another unsuccessful powerplay opportunity, Blackhawks rookie Connor Bedard showed his frustrations against the Detroit Red Wings by slamming his stick into the boards a few times and then punching the bench a few more times for good measure. 

The frustrations for Bedard could be mounting as this might be the most unsuccessful season he has experienced, maybe ever, in his young playing career. But it’s not for a lack of trying. Bedard did all he could tonight to try to keep the Blackhawks in the game as he put up 11 shot attempts, created eight scoring chances, had seven shots on goal, the most in a game this season, in the losing effort. 

The good thing is that by letting these frustrations out, it shows that Bedard is holding himself and the team to higher standards than they are achieving. If there wasn’t frustrations being shown about unsuccessful power plays or anything of the like, you’d worry that the G.A.F meter was low in the locker room, or specifically with the most important player on the team right now.

But the great players in hockey hold themselves to those high standards. They hold their teammates to those standards too. For the kind of effort he put in tonight, to not be rewarded with a better result or at least a better team-wide effort, I’d be extremely frustrated too. It sounds weird, but hopefully the G.A.F. that an 18-year-old Bedard is showing can resonate with the locker room and pull the rest of the team into the battle with him. 

We’re back with another edition of the Blackhawks Beat. Let’s see if the Hawks can make it two in a row tonight against Patrick Kane’s Red Wings.

Typically, these weekly Blackhawks Beat columns are locked for CHGO Diehards only, but because of the breadth of the news this week, this one will be unlocked. Regardless, please consider becoming a Diehard. It comes with great perks, discounts and access to all of our great written content, including Greg Boysen and Mario Tirabassi’s weekly Rebuild Report.

I typically try to keep these things light-hearted, but with such an insane week with so many twists and turns, it will get slightly more serious than usual.

Here we go, and thanks for reading…

The Timeline

Tuesday, November 21: The Blackhawks promote Kevin Korchinski to the top power play unit at practice. Corey Perry is also on PP1 when practice concludes. After practice, Perry is seen interacting with kids, signing autographs and greeting each of them for approximately 5-10 minutes. The team then heads to Columbus for the next day’s game.

Wednesday, November 22: The Blackhawks make Perry a healthy scratch at the last minute ahead of their game against the Blue Jackets. The Hawks lose the game 7-3. After the game, head coach Luke Richardson calls the scratch an “organizational decision.” He offers no further details.

Thursday, November 23: The Blackhawks hold practice at Fifth Third Arena. Before practice, they announce that winger Taylor Hall will miss the remainder of the season with an ACL injury. Perry misses practice again. After practice, Richardson is once again vague on the details of Perry’s absence. “I know you have questions about Corey Perry not playing last night and attending practice today but we’re going to keep that internal in the organization right now. I’m not going to be able to answer any more questions on that.”

Friday, November 24: The Blackhawks hold a morning skate ahead of their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Perry is not on the ice. After the skate, Richardson gives another non-update update. “It’s just going to be kept internal for now in the organization. Hopefully we’ll be able to give updates soon but we can’t give a timeline on that.” The Hawks beat the Maple Leafs 4-3 on the back of Jason Dickinson’s hat-trick.

Saturday, November 25: Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson breaks his silence, meeting the media before practice at Fifth Third Arena. “It’s been a team decision so far to hold him out and that’s all I’m able to provide,” Davidson says. “I’m just going to not comment on any possible outcome of this.” Later that afternoon, Perry’s agent, Pat Morris, provided the following statement: “Corey Perry has stepped away from the Chicago Blackhawks to attend to personal matters. Corey and his family appreciate privacy at this time.”

Sunday, November 26: The Blackhawks lay an egg vs the St. Louis Blues. Perry is again out of the lineup. Nick Foligno sounds off on the team’s commitment after the game.

Monday, November 27: A salacious rumor begins to surface regarding Perry and a teammate’s mother. The rumor catches fire, and is even ‘winked at’ by ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski.

Members of the Blackhawks beat, and national NHL media immediately debunk the rumor, but it seems too late, as it’s become the talk of the internet.

Tuesday, November 28: News breaks that Patrick Kane will be signing with the Detroit Red Wings.

At 2 pm, the Blackhawks announced they are placing Perry on unconditional waivers, and will terminate his contract as soon as he clears. At 4 pm, Davidson meets the media and give as much info as he possibly can, calling the situation a “workplace matter.”

In a story marked 2:38pm ET, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reports, “Perry indeed traveled with the team to Columbus last Tuesday, a day before the game, and an incident occurred that day involving a team employee.”

Before the game, the Blackhawks announce they have traded for Vancouver winger Anthony Beauvillier.

The Blackhawks defeat the Kraken 4-3, and many Blackhawks are asked about Perry’s dismissal after the game. “It’s a hard day,” Foligno says. “It doesn’t make it any easier because we care about Corey a ton and we’re gonna wish him well. But the group in here has to galvanize around this and make sure we’re holding ourselves to a high standard, and how serious the Chicago Blackhawks are about that and the culture they want to build here. We’re lucky to be a part of it.”

“He’s a brother and we care about everyone in this room,” Seth Jones adds. “We don’t have any details of what happened, but I know the organization wants to keep a (level of) conduct here, and a place where we hold each other to a standard. I guess that was broken.”

Wednesday, November 29: The Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli advances the story. “According to sources, an alcohol-fueled incident involving Perry was alleged to have occurred during an event that included corporate partners and team employees in attendance,” Seravalli wrote. “It remains unclear what allegedly took place, who witnessed it, and who reported it to the team.”

Thursday, November 30th: Corey Perry issues a statement, taking full responsibility for his actions.

OK. Now you’re all caught up. I will try to tackle these things one-by-one, and if you’ve made it this far, thanks for sticking with me.

On the handling of the Corey Perry situation

Initially, I was critical of how the Blackhawks handled their messaging around Perry. In my mind, it was too vague, and left the door open for wild speculation. After talking to some sources inside the organization, I came to a realization that there were things that couldn’t be revealed, and backed off my statement, holding judgment until the story played out. Now that Davidson has shared as much as he is able, I think the Blackhawks handled the situation fairly well.

Kaplan’s report, which I mentioned above, lines up with the info I was given over the last few days. I wasn’t confident enough in the info to report it on my own, but in my mind, anything Kaplan reports is as good as gold. With this in mind, it’s clear to see why Davidson and the organization handled things the way they did. There is a victim on the other side of this story. That victim deserves privacy and protection.

Davidson is feeling personally responsible for the reprehensible rumor from earlier this week.

“What’s gone on over the last 24 hours has been very disturbing, and I feeling like I’m wearing it,” Davidson said Tuesday. “I’m carrying that.”

Perhaps more immediate clarity could have prevented crazy rumors from spreading, but with all the info we have now, it just wasn’t possible to share more or give more. It’s also unfair for Davidson to hold himself responsible for the world’s lack of media literacy. In 2023, people should be able to decipher between a random person’s tweet and actual sourced news.

I would like to hear from Danny Wirtz over the next few days. Since he’s taken the reigns (officially and unofficially) there have been a pair of controversies. The Perry situation, and last year’s decision to not wear Pride Night jerseys. That news was given to the media via sources, and wasn’t directly addressed by the organization until the damage had been done. Now, with the Perry situation, I think it would be meaningful for Wirtz to show his support for Davidson’s decision. It would also give him the opportunity to let people know that the policies the Blackhawks have put in place for their employees worked in this circumstance, and the Perry outcome is proof.

On Taylor Hall’s injury

Mainly, I just feel awful for Hall. The ACL was his third injury (that we know of) of this season. He did everything he could to remain in the lineup, including skating on a torn ACL. He’s been labeled as injury-prone for a couple of years now, and his brief 2023-24 experience with the Blackhawks won’t do anything to change that. Fortunately for Hall, he has another year remaining on his contract, so he has 2024-25 with the Blackhawks to shake that reputation and earn his next contract, be it with the Blackhawks or elsewhere in the NHL.

On Patrick Kane joining the Red Wings

Twenty years ago, I think this one would have hurt a lot more. It took me decades to get over Chris Chelios’ move to Detroit, but when I got the news that Kane had chosen the Red Wings, I met it with a big “meh.” And I wasn’t alone.

47% of Blackhawks fans we polled (which is undeniable scientific fact) also said, “Meh.” Maybe it’s a coping mechanism. Maybe it’s because fans had the chance to say goodbye to Kane all of last season. Maybe it’s the fact that the Red Wings rivalry is as dead as dead can be these days. Whatever it is, this move feels just like it would feel had Kane jumped to the Islanders or Panthers. It’s going to look weird, and that’s about it.

On the Anthony Beauvillier trade

With Hall and Perry gone, Davidson had to do something to address the offense, and while Beauvillier isn’t exactly the second coming of Mario Lemieux, he will help Richardson with scoring depth and flexibility. Beauvillier is good enough to play on the top-six in Chicago, but is versatile enough to move up and down the lineup. “He’s definitely a little spitfire out there,” Richardson said after Tuesday’s game. “He can skate, he can shoot, he brings energy. Hopefully, he brings some consistency and some extra scoring, which we could use right now.”

Beauvillier, 26, has eight points in 22 games played with Vancouver this season, and 237 points over 512 NHL games. He was drafted 28th overall by the New York Islanders in 2015, and carries a $4.15 million cap hit that expires after this season when he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Also, Beauvillier is fun to say. Bo-VILL-e-ay! Bo-VILL-e-ay!

The Week Ahead

Tonight – at Detroit Red Wings

I know what you’re thinking, and it would be amazing, but Patrick Kane won’t play in this game. He did appear at Wednesday’s morning skate, which gave us the first glimpse of Kane in a Red Wings uniform, but the expectation, according to Kane, is he’ll begin playing for Detroit next week.

Saturday – at Winnipeg Jets

The Jets, who have beaten the Blackhawks in all five of their last matchups, are off to a better start than many expected (currently third in the central division with 26 points). After last season’s first-round playoff exit to Vegas, head coach Rick Bowness called out his team. “We had no pushback,” Bowness said. “Their better players were so much better than ours tonight. They deserve to win. They were the better team in the regular season. They were the better team in this series.” So what’s changed for the Jets this season? “I think the room’s tighter, I think the culture here is outstanding because of the players,” Bowness said on Tuesday. “It starts with that off the ice. That’s where it all starts, you’ve gotta have that chemistry, you’ve gotta have that culture off the ice. This team is a tighter team off the ice and it’s shown itself on the ice.”

Sunday – at Minnesota Wild

The Wild just made a change at head coach, firing Dean Evason for John Hynes. Something had to give in Minnesota. They’re 5-10-4 start was way below expectations. The Wild beat the Blues 3-1 on Tuesday night, so we’ll see what difference Hynes makes, but this feels like a change for the sake of change. I guess you can’t fire the players, right Jay Woodcroft?

Tuesday – vs Nashville Predators

Believe it or not, the Nashville Mid-ators have won six games in a row. I don’t know how and I still think they’re average as hell. There. There’s your game analysis.

Thanks for making it all the way to the end. Hopefully, next week’s Blackhawks Beat will be about friggin’ hockey!

Beauvillier, 26, has eight points in 22 games played with Vancouver this season, and 237 points over 512 NHL games. He was drafted 28th overall by the New York Islanders in 2015, and carries a $4.15 million cap hit that expires after this season when he becomes an unrestricted free agent. The Canucks are not expected to retain any of Beauvillier’s salary.

With Perry gone, and Taylor Hall out for the season, it would have been negligent for Davidson to leave all of the offensive burden on Connor Bedard, Lukas Reichel and Philipp Kurashev. The addition of Beauvillier gives head coach Luke Richardson both roster flexibility and scoring depth…two things he badly needed with the loss of two of his top forwards.

Philipp Kurashev took a puck from behind the Tampa net, walked out in front, and fed the puck over to Connor Bedard, who scored his first of two goals on the night.

Nikita Kucherov put the Lightning up 2-1 just under seven minutes later with his 11th (!) goal of the season, but that would be it for Tampa until late in the third. The Hawks got three consecutive goals from Kevin Korchinski, Tyler Johnson and another from Bedard before the first period ended. For Korchinski, it was the first goal of his NHL career.

Corey Perry, who was honored by the Lighting for his time in Tampa, scored the lone-goal of the second period. Perry redirected what looked like a hat-trick goal for Bedard. Some fans even threw hats onto the ice thinking it was Bedard’s goal.

In the third period, Steven Stamkos cut the Hawks lead to 5-3, but that’s the last goal Tampa would score, as the Hawks held on, improving to 5-7-0 on the season.

In the win, Petr Mrazek stopped 30 of 33 Lighting shots, with 16 of them counting as “high danger.”

Injury-wise, Taylor Hall, Andrea Athanasiou, and Jarred Tinordi all left the game. While there was no official injury update, Luke Richardson said Hall’s injury probably looked worse than it was, while Andreas Athanasiou was also ambulatory after the game. We’ll know more over the weekend.

Mario: Keeping their Foot Down

It was refreshing to see the Blackhawks not only respond to allowing the first goal of the game, but respond emphatically. After the Lightning took an early 1-0 lead, it was the Blackhawks coming back to tie the game and then eventually come back to take a 3-2 lead and later a 4-2 lead after the first period.

If you told me before the game that there would be six goals split in the first period, I would have assumed the Blackhawks would have been down 5-1. This hasn’t been a normal thing for the Blackhawks this season, playing with a lead. Tonight was their fifth win of the season, but just the second time they’ve come out of a first period with a lead. In both of those games, they’ve won.

Chicago has to learn these lessons when they can about keeping their foot on the pedal when they get the chance to have a lead in a game. They are not a team good enough to get out the a two or three-goal lead and coast. Even tonight, when the game was 5-2, it wasn’t a fully safe feeling against a high-powered Lightning team. But the more this team can build confidence with performances like tonight and make the most of them by coming away with wins and examples of how to play with leads, the more it will become commonplace.

Jay’s Hit: First of Many for Korchinski

Lost in Connor Bedard-mania has been the steady and impressive play of 19-year-old defenseman Kevin Korchinski. Korchinski, selected seventh overall in the 2022 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut this season and has shown very few signs of struggling. Of course, as with any young defensemen, there have been learning moments, but any thoughts that Korchinski might have to head back to the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds were erased quickly.

Korchinski is second on the team in average ice-time behind only Seth Jones. Jones, who played over 31 minutes in Thursday’s win, averages 25:25 per game. Korchinski is already playing an impressive 19:40, and that’s with very little penalty kill time.

Years ago, a scout told me that with young defensemen, it might look like they’re holding their own, but below the surface, they’re floundering. This has not been the case with Korchinski. He’s looked NHL ready from jump, and his combination of speed, size, vision and skating ability make him a fascinating prospect. Luke Richardson raves about his game, and when in envision him filled out into his full NHL size, the sky is the limit. Korchinski has the potential to be a multi-time All Star, but first things first. He’s in a great situation, with Bedard taking so much of the spotlight off of him. While his great moments, like tonight, might get lost in a great Bedard performance, his down moments will as well.

Greg: Connor Bedard Explodes for First Multi-Point Game

Nobody in the right mind would call Bedard’s start in the NHL disappointing, with five goals and seven points in his first 11 games. However, we have all been waiting for him to have one of those games where he just dominates. Maybe it was because of all the moms in the crowd.  Maybe it was playing Hulk Hogan’s favorite team. Maybe it was because Tanner Jeannot made him bleed his own blood. Whatever the reason was, tonight was the first game where Bedard took thinks over and showed the hockey world what he can do.

The first of the rookie phenom’s four points came by going to the net, getting inside position on Victor Heman and tapping in a great feed from Kurashev. We talked on Wednesday’s podcast that the younger players need to recognize when to go to the net and Bedard picked his spot perfectly. After assisting on the Johnson goal, Bedard showed off his mits and became the youngest player in Blackhawks history to have a multi-goal game.

For a split second, we thought Bedard scored a hat trick on a second-period power play, however, his slap pass was knocked home by Perry. He was set up by Kurashev later in the frame for another scoring chance, but he couldn’t bury the puck.
Bedard finished with two goals, two assists, five shots on goal, nine shot attempts, a hit, and a takeaway. He had a 55.0 CF% at 5v5 and had the highest game score of any Blackhawk this season. A heck of a game. Now let’s roll it over to Sunday.

Want to make sure you get them all year? You can become a Diehard today and not only get all my newsletters, but access to Mario and Greg’s weekly “Rebuild Report” and a free Hawks-inspired t-shirt as well!

Now, onto this week’s Blackhawks Beat.

You may have missed this piece of news last week, but the NHL is likely doing away with one of their coolest and most unique events … the centralized NHL Draft.

Centralized? What the hell does that mean, Jay?

Every year, when the NHL holds its entry draft, each team gathers in front of the stage at designated team tables. GMs, assistant GMs, scouts, owners, and other executives all gather together to draft. Every team, every exec, all within 100 feet of each other for the entirety of the draft. Fans and media in the arena can watch, in real time, if a GM gets up to talk to another GM. They can see teams interacting with each other and reacting to the draft as picks happen.

Two weeks ago, the league sent a survey to NHL teams asking if they supported the decision to decentralize the draft. The vast majority voted yes, so it looks like 2024 will be our last chance to experience the draft in its current format.

So why is the NHL doing this?

The bottom line is money. It’s expensive for teams to fly, board, feed, and accommodate their staff for a week in a road city. Some teams have also expressed concerns over the proximity of the draft to free agency, which usually happens the week after the draft.

Fine … but here’s the thing. Does it have to be all or nothing? Couldn’t teams send fewer people? Couldn’t the league move free agency back a week? Why does it have to be a complete elimination of one of the NHL’s coolest features? Now the NHL will be like the NBA and NFL with all picks being made remotely.

From a personal and somewhat selfish standpoint, 2023 was my first time covering the draft in person. It allowed all of us at CHGO a unique networking opportunity. We got to work around some of the biggest names in hockey media and interact with some of the biggest executives in the game. I know that doesn’t matter to the average NHL fan, but it makes everyone wearing an NHL credential a better and more informed journalist.

I implore the NHL and their teams to think of the fans. The current format leads to so much more intrigue for the viewer and fans. Get creative and find a way to make this work. It’s so rare that the NHL has an entertainment edge on the other big leagues in sports. Why take away something so unique to the game we love? I hope they reconsider.

The Week Ahead

Saturday – vs Florida Panthers

The Panthers are currently sixth in the eight-team Atlantic Division, and they have a winning 4-3-1 record. That’s how stacked the Atlantic is this year. The defending Eastern Conference Champs aren’t off to the start they expected, but should still be in strong position for a playoff spot when the season wraps up. Last year, they proved they can make a deep run in spite of a low playoff spot. They’ve been without defensive stalwarts Brandon Montour and Aaron Ekblad so far this season, but both are expected to be back in the lineup by Saturday. Oliver Ekman-Larsson has been an unexpectedly solid addition in their absence.

Sunday – vs New Jersey Devils

The Devils are the NHL’s next big thing. They’re young, fast, and ready to win. They’re off to a 5-2-1 start, led by the offensive fireworks of 2019 No. 1 overall pick Jack Hughes. In eight games this season, Hughes has 5 goals and 13 assists for 18 points. You read that correctly … 18 points in 8 games. And he’s 22 years old. Hughes is hardly a one-man show, though. Jesper Bratt, Timo Meier, Dougie Hamilton and rookie Luke Hughes (Jack’s brother) are just a few of the names that make up a stacked Devils roster. To me, they are the most exciting team in hockey, right up there with the Colorado Avalanche. Their biggest question is in goal. Both Vitek Vanecek and Akira Schmid have sub-.900 save percentages and goals against averages of 3.24 and 4.07 respectively.

If the Devils can get their goaltending even up to league average, they’re going to be very dangerous.

Have a great week, Blackhawks fans. We’ll see you back here next Tuesday.

Headline Photo Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Welcome to another edition of my weekly Blackhawks Beat. Each Tuesday, I share my thoughts on the Blackhawks topic that’s taken up most of my head space over the week. These first few are unlocked to everyone, then we’ll make them a Diehard-only perk, similar to Adam Hoge’s “Bears Things” newsletter.

Want to make sure you get them all year? You can become a Diehard today and not only get all my newsletters, but access to Mario and Greg’s weekly “Rebuild Report” and a free Hawks-inspired t-shirt as well!

We’re six games into the Blackhawks’ season and Connor Bedard’s NHL career. The young center has two goals and two assists in those games, and despite not filling the net with goals just yet, he’s been one of the best Blackhawks players. Maybe the best. The now-injured Taylor Hall, Ryan Donato and Taylor Raddysh have been his most consistent linemates so far.

Are they enough, or is it time for GM Kyle Davidson to bring in some scoring help for Bedard?

When the Blackhawks won the draft lottery, Davidson made it clear the Hawks wouldn’t stray from the rebuild plan.

“The rebuild was never based on first overall,” Davidson told CHGO. “We have to build a team. You look at any Cup team … it’s not just one guy. They all rise and play important roles in important moments. It’s never one person. (Getting Bedard) is just a bonus. That’s all it is. It doesn’t change the path. It doesn’t change what we’re doing.”

I agree with Davidson. They shouldn’t just throw the rebuild to the wind and go sign a bunch of free agents just to get a playoff spot.

However, if there is a player who makes sense for the team in the context of the rebuild, why not use some of the team’s many assets to find some help for Bedard?

Taylor Hall, whom the Hawks traded for this summer, will be one of those players for Bedard this season, but on Monday, coach Luke Richardson called Hall week-to-week with an upper-body injury. Even with Hall, I thought it might be a good idea to bring in some support. Now that he’s out, I really think it’s time as long as the move fits the long-term plan. This should not be a rental situation.

So what options does Davidson have in that regard?

NOTE: It’s important to keep in mind that NHL transactions don’t usually happen until Thanksgiving, thus limiting the Hawks’ options at the time.

Connor Garland – Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver winger Connor Garland has requested a trade from the cap-strapped Canucks. He also hired a new agent right before the season began. Garland wants out, and while a 27-year-old right winger doesn’t seem to make a ton of sense as we look three, four or five years into the future, his presence could help ease the offensive burden for Bedard, while still being an important piece when the Hawks are ready to compete for a playoff spot again.

Garland has three years left (including this season) on his contract and carries a $4.95 million cap hit. Vancouver needs to move this salary and has shown a willingness to eat some of the cap hit in order to make it work. The Hawks could be a tempting trade partner, as they’d likely be willing to eat the entire cap hit, especially if the trade piece going back to Vancouver is a low draft pick, a mid-level prospect, or everyone’s favorite journeyman player, F. Considerations.

In 327 NHL games, Garland has 84 goals and 112 assists. He’s not exactly Pavel Bure in terms of speed, but has some finish to his shot and is a bona fide top-six winger.

Shane Pinto – Ottawa Senators

This would be a dream scenario for the Blackhawks but is also the least likely. Pinto, 22, is a center and a restricted free agent. While he wouldn’t play on a line with Bedard, it would free up Lukas Reichel to move to Bedard’s line, should the Hawks decide the Reichel-at-center experiment is over.

The only reason Ottawa hasn’t re-signed Pinto is because of their cap situation. They certainly want him back, and are trying to make it work. If the Blackhawks, or any team, is going to pry Pinto away from Ottawa, it’s going to take a king’s ransom.

Would Davidson be willing to part with the latter of his first-round picks in the 2023 Draft? Would that be enough for Ottawa?

Probably not, however, the Hawks could look to help Ottawa get some cap space with a different trade, but that would be down the road.

Find a team loaded with forward prospects or NHL defensive issues

The Blackhawks have a glut of defensive prospects. Aside from current Blackhawks Kevin Korchinski (untouchable), Alex Vlasic (close to untouchable) and Wyatt Kaiser, the likes of Ethan Del Mastro, Isaak Phillips, Nolan Allan are working their way to the NHL via Rockford. Sam Rinzel and Taige Harding are on the radar, as well, but are still years away.

The Blackhawks have defensemen to move.

Toronto has cap issues and needs help on defense. None of the “in-the-system” prospects will appeal to the Leafs right now, as they’re looking to win a Cup…not develop a kid. The Hawks could move a veteran defenseman, like Connor Murphy, but that doesn’t solve the Leafs’ cap issues.

Buffalo is short on the defensive end, but seek a right-handed shot player, and like Toronto, Buffalo is in win now…or at least win soon…mode. The Hawks’ defensive prospects close to NHL time are all left-handed shots.

Sign Phil Kessel

This is just a nod to Mario Tirabassi, who’s been stumping for Kessel for a couple of years now. I mean, I wouldn’t be mad about it, but I’m not sure how much it actually helps.

This is the dilemma. Teams with cap issues are trying to win now, so a defensive prospect doesn’t help. Teams in situations like the Blackhawks, with young talent building towards their next generation, aren’t looking to deal.

If I’m Kyle Davidson, I’m making calls to Vancouver about Garland. It makes sense for both teams, and the Hawks have an advantage in that they can accommodate all of Garland’s cap hit. Removing that $4.95 million helps them out big time, and they could make him available to the Hawks for very little in return. Plus, you’d have to assume that Garland would be very excited about the opportunity to hop over the boards with Connor Bedard and Taylor Hall this season.

Chicago Blackhawks Upcoming Schedule

Tuesday – vs Boston Bruins

This will be the first “normal” game the Blackhawks will play this season. It’s not a home opener. It’s not a centennial celebration. It’s just a game, and I think the Hawks are very much looking forward to a normal game.

The Bruins, who beat the Hawks 3-1 in Boston on October 11, is 5-0 on the season. David Pastrnak (5 G, 3 A) and Brad Marchand (4 G, 3 A) lead the team in scoring, while the goaltending tandem of Linus Ullmark and Jeremy Swayman have been absolutely lights out. It’s another big challenge in a season full of nothing but big challenges so far.

Friday – at Vegas Golden Knights

Holy crap the Golden Knights are steamrolling the league. Not only are they (also) undefeated, they have outscored their opponents 25-11 in their six games. They have a bigger goal differential than goals allowed. The Knights have six players averaging a point per game, including leading scorer Chandler Stephenson and William Karlsson (aka Great Value William Nylander).

Speaking of Friday, we’re hosting a watch party, presented by our friends at Goose Island, at Legends Grill and Bar, located at 9710 191st St. in Mokena. The puck drops at 5 pm, and we’ll host a postgame afterward. Come hang out!

Monday – at Arizona Coyotes

Oh, the Hawks are allowed to play a team with a loss? Who knew?

I’m really looking forward to this game. The Coyotes are 3-2 to start the season, and have a much better roster than they did last season. In addition to rookie phenom Logan Cooley, Arizona added Matt Dumba, Sean Durzi, Nick Bjugstad, and Jason Zucker.

Keep a close eye on Cooley, though. He will be one of Bedard’s top challengers for the Calder Trophy.

We’ll be back here next Tuesday. See you then.

Jay Zawaski

Want to make sure you get them all year? You can become a Diehard today and not only get all my newsletters, but access to Mario and Greg’s weekly “Rebuild Report” and a free Hawks-inspired t-shirt as well!

Before I begin Blackhawks Beat 2.1, a couple of important qualifiers for this one.

• I’m not worried .0001% about Connor Bedard’s on-ice play
  
• I’m not worried .0001% about Connor Bedard’s ability to handle the pressure he’s been faced with off the ice so far this season
  
• I don’t think Connor Bedard’s media responsibilities have diminished his game at all

Now that that’s out of the way…

If you take a look around Hockey Twitter these days, you’ll see fans of the 31 other NHL teams upset at just how much coverage Connor Bedard is getting. It’s understandable from their perspectives. They all wanted Bedard and didn’t get him, and every highlight, Reel, TikTok, Tweet (or Xeet) in a Blackhawks uniform is a reminder of that fact.

The coverage of Bedard is justified, of course. He’s been on hockey’s radar since he was 13 years old and has been the unquestioned top prospect for at least two seasons now. Had he been draft-eligible in 2022, he would have gone first overall in that draft at age 16.

Hockey fans should be pleased to see the NHL properly promoting one of their new faces of the game (for once). The NHL is in a second “Golden Age.” The talent in the league right now is better and deeper than ever. Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby are two of the best ever to play the game. At some point, Alex Ovechkin will break Wayne Gretzky’s seemingly unbreakable all-time goals record. Auston Matthews started his 2023-24 campaign with two consecutive hat-tricks. Now, you add Bedard to the mix, in a market like Chicago and it’s a perfect recipe for the NHL. Bedard’s first two games broke regular season ratings records for ESPN and TNT.

Wherever Bedard goes, there is a throng of media waiting for him, and he’s handled the spotlight with an impressive amount of grace, poise and humor.

When we were in Pittsburgh and the smoke of the morning skate media crush calmed, I wondered to myself, “When does this end for him? When does Bedard get a break?” I spoke with a source close to the team about the demands and how Bedard was handling everything and was told he’s doing great and understands that this attention comes with the territory.

Then Monday morning, in our CHGO Blackhawks group chat, Mario Tirabassi sent a video of Taylor Hall talking about this very topic.

“I think he’s handling it really well,” Hall said. “He does way too many in-game interviews and stuff. They need to find a way to just let him play. I think he understands his role as a major ambassador for the game of hockey. He’s handling it so well. He doesn’t seem to be fazed by it, but I think that it can be a little much for him at times. He doesn’t say that, but it feels like it is.”

The text here probably gives a different context than the video does, so if you didn’t click ‘play’ I’d suggest you do. I don’t think Hall is criticizing Bedard AT ALL. I think he feels for him. As a former No. 1 overall pick himself, Hall understands the pressures that come with that honor, but Hall was drafted in 2010. There wasn’t the constant social media attention, and Edmonton isn’t quite Chicago in terms of coverage.

So I ask again, when does Bedard get a break? All we’ve heard from him, from the second he pulled that Blackhawks sweater over his head in Nashville, is that he just wants to play hockey. He’s been great so far. The best Blackhawk by a significant margin. At some point, the break will come for him…likely when the Blackhawks have an extended home stand. Until then, we can expect Bedard to face the media with a smile on his face, even if he just wants to get back on the damn ice.

Free Money*

*not actually free

If you’re a sports wagerer, one bet we’ve been hammering this season is Connor Bedard shots on goal. Most books, including our friends at Draft Kings (use code CHGO when you sign up), have set the over/under line at 3.5 shots per game. The over has hit every … single … time. That’s right…4/4 times the over has hit. Until that number adjusts, bet it. Yes, the wager comes with minus odds, but even small wins are wins. I will be playing this every game until the number hits 5.5, and even then I’ll be tempted.

The Week Ahead

Things don’t get easier for the Blackhawks, who have started the season with an absolutely loaded schedule of quality opponents on the road.

Thursday — at Colorado Avalanche

The 2022 Stanley Cup Champions are off to a 2-0 start after beating the LA Kings 5-2 and the San Jose Sharks 3-2 in the shootout. This team, as you know, is absolutely loaded with talent. Cale Makar, Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen and Devon Toews (still the ‘other Toews’ to me) will provide a nice measuring stick to see where the Blackhawks are in comparison to the best teams in the league. The Hawks must be ready at puck-drop for this game. Hopefully they learned their lesson in Montreal.

Saturday — Vegas Golden Knights (Home Opener)

Back-to-back games against the last two Stanley Cup Champions. Welcome home, Hawks! Vegas is 3-0, and has outscored its opponents (Seattle, San Jose, Anaheim) 12-3 in those games. They’re an absolute wagon and will be a Cup favorite again this season, barring disastrous injures. NOTE: Mark Stone missing the last half of the season with an exaggerated/made up injury so they can fit another stud player under the cap does NOT count as “disastrous.” That’s just cap manipulation.

Enjoy the rest of week everyone and we’ll see you back here next Tuesday,

Boston opened the scoring when Trent Frederic redirected a Brandon Carlo point shot past Blackhawks goalie Arvid Söderblom. Five minutes later, Bedard would tie the game, tucking an impressive wrap-around goal past the outstretched heel of a late-arriving Linus Ullmark.

Early in the second period, Taylor Hall took a blindside hit from Carlo and disappeared to the Blackhawks locker room favoring his arm. He came out later in the period for a single power-play shift, but quickly retreated back to the Hawks dressing room. He would not return to the game. After the game, Luke Richardson expressed his frustration with the hit. “I know exactly what it was,” Richardson said. “I used to do it all the time. But that’s out of the league now.”

David Pastrnak gave the Bruins the 2-1 lead after converting on a two-on-one with Milan Lucic. Wyatt Kaiser, who struggled in this game, laid out to break up the pass back, but Pastrnak had too much room and didn’t miss. The Hawks would be outshoot 10-5 in the period.

Pastrnak potted the empty netter for Boston with 00:56 to go in the third to seal the win for the Bruins.

Here are our three takeaways from the game:

Jay Zawaski: Lukas Reichel failing to produce early

Lost in the excitement of Tuesday’s thrilling win over the Penguins was the performance from Lukas Reichel. He finished the game with two shots on goal and won only 20 percent of his faceoffs. Analytically, he was decent, but failed to create much offense while on the ice.

Wednesday wasn’t much different. Despite a nice scoring chance in the second period, Reichel was mostly a non-factor until the third period, when he was paired with Bedard mid-way through the frame. More on that in a bit. He finished the game with two shots on goal and one more shot attempt and won two of his 10 faceoffs.

With Reichel starting at center for the first time in his NHL career, some struggles are to be expected, so I’m not panicked about his performance yet. With the apparent injury to Hall, one has to wonder if Luke Richardson might consider switching Reichel to Bedard’s left wing beyond this loss. He did get some time with Bedard during the third period, but the Hawks were down Hall and Jason Dickinson, who was in the box serving a 10-minute misconduct penalty. Richardson was also loading up the top line as the team was trailing by a goal. As you’d expect, Reichel looked like a different player when skating with Bedard and Andrea Athanasiou, which is a good sign.

Could Reichel see that as the Hawks giving up on him at center? Possibly, but this staff does a good job of communicating with their players. Perhaps experiencing some success offensively could get him jump-started.

I’m confident Reichel will eventually figure things out, but had the Hawks not drafted Bedard, Reichel would have been this season’s top story. For the first time in his career, he’s playing with legitimate expectations to produce.

It’s something to keep an eye on.

Greg Boysen: Taylor Hall injured after fast start

Hall spent two and a half seasons in a Bruins uniform before he was traded to Chicago in the offseason. He was very productive in Bean Town, with 44 goals and 111 points in 158 games.

You could tell early that he was playing with a chip on his shoulder against his former mates. Hall had the Blackhawks’ first shot on goal and then picked up his first point with the primary assist on Bedard’s goal. He had two shots on goal and a blocked shot during a very active first period.

Hall’s night turned for the worse on his first shift of the middle frame. Bruins’ defenseman Brandon Carlo lined him up in the neutral zone and hit him up high. The former Hart Trophy winner went right to the visiting locker room in obvious discomfort. He came back for one shift on a power play halfway through the period but went right back down the tunnel when it concluded. The team announced before the start of the third period that he would not return to the game.

Luke Richardson told reporters that Hall is “week-to-week” with an upper-body injury and added that he did not like the hit by Carlo.

Andreas Athanasiou stepped up to the Bedard line in Hall’s absence. That line, with and without Hall, was the only one to produce much of anything at 5v5. As a team at full strength, the Blackhawks had 39 shot attempts to Boston’s 64.

Mario Tirabassi: Blackhawks netminders off to solid starts

I know it’s just two games into the season and just one performance each for Arvid Söderblom and Petr Mrazek, but the Blackhawks are going to win, or at the very least be competitive in a lot of games if they get the kinds of games we saw from those two to begin this season. After Mrazek made 38 saves on 40 shots last night, Söderblom came out with a 30-save performance tonight in the 3-1 loss.

The Blackhawks believe in Söderblom as one of, if not, the goaltender of the organization’s future. He’s been good in the AHL leading up to this opportunity in the NHL, and behind him are Drew Commesso and to a lesser extent Adam Gajan. Söderblom has time to grab ahold of the reins of the starter job and giving more performances like tonight will allow him to do that.

On the other side is Mrazek, a goaltender who is not signed beyond this season with the Blackhawks and likely is playing this season with his career in the NHL on the line. Injuries have been his biggest pitfall, leading to him not being able to string together long stints of quality play. But if his body can cooperate with him this season, we could see Mrazek potentially become a trade chip at the deadline, or at the very least be a reliable starter for this Blackhawks team as Söderblom continues to grow his game at the NHL level. Either way, the early impressions in net should give Blackhawks fans some optimism for this season.

Watch the CHGO Blackhawks postgame on YouTube!

The term “generational talent” is throw around far too often, but Bedard is a generational talent. That’s not just my opinion, either. The folks who get paid to analyze prospects have been saying this about Bedard for years. Had he been draft-eligible in 2022, he would have been the number-one overall pick in that draft, as well.

All of this to say; if I read one more damn, “Temper Your Expectations on Connor Bedard” column, I’m going to lose my mind.

Chicago, it is okay to be excited about Connor Bedard.

It is okay to expect him to be great. Everyone has expected him to be great since he was 13. There is a reason several teams, including the Blackhawks, decided to completely punt on the 2022-23 season for the slightest chance to land Bedard.

Bedard is going to be great. It’s just a matter of how great he will be, and how quickly it will happen. He may not score a hat-trick tonight in Pittsburgh. He might not light up the league in his first season. It takes even the top players in history some time to reach their full potential, and that’s okay, but please don’t let these hot-take curmudgeons rain on your parade. Don’t let these writers and columnists who have watched and followed the Blackhawks for all of 25 seconds chime-in with their predictably tempered takes because their editors told them Bedard is today’s hot story.

“Oh, but Jay, the pressure! How will he handle the pressure?” Bedard has passed every test thrown his way, and with flying colors. The “pressure” angle was there when he entered the 2022 World Junior Championships at age 16. He responded with eight points in seven games. Bedard would find himself with more pressure in the 2023 World Juniors. Surely, the intensified spotlight would be too much for the kid to handle. Bedard ended the tournament with 23 points in seven WJC games. He is now Canada’s all-time U20 WJC scoring leader, five points ahead of Eric Lindros in five fewer games (with two more years of WJC eligibility).

“I’ve had a gradual growth of exposure and pressure for the last five, six years,” Bedard said at the draft. “That’s been good for me. It wasn’t an overnight thing. I’m not focused on outside expectations. I’ll be focused on my teammates, coaches, family, everyone there, the staff, trying to win hockey games and be the best player I can be.”

Optimism is a form of rebellion.

– Nikki Giovanni

Let Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson say all the right and safe things. “It’s up to us to temper expectations a little bit. This isn’t junior hockey anymore; there’s going to be a transition phase,” Davidson told ESPN. “I think he gets that. He’s not walking in here expecting to put up the same amount of points or goals as junior hockey. But he also holds himself up to a high standard and you also don’t want to take that intensity away from a player because that’s what makes him great.”

Ok, Kyle. We’ll leave the tempering up to you. We’re going to encourage Hawks fans to be as passionate and meatbally (meatballish?) about Bedard as their hearts desire. Negativity is the easiest and laziest route to take. Soak this moment in and look forward with optimism. After all, generational talents only come around once in a generation, right?

Petr Mrazek got the start in goal and stopped 18 of 23 Blues shots.

The Blackhawks and Connor Bedard open their regular season Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, and CHGO Blackhawks will be there. Make sure to join us as soon as that game ends.

For this edition of Hawks Hits, we’re going to offer our evaluations of the Blackhawks players looking to make the final roster spot. Reese Johnson is another bubble player, but it seems pretty obvious he’s Rockford-bound. That leaves Joey Anderson, MacKenzie Entwistle, and Boris Katchouk.

Greg: Boris Katchouk Puts in Another Solid Effort

Katchouk’s first full season with the Blackhawks certainly had its highs and lows. He missed the first three weeks of the season due to an ankle injury suffered in training camp. It took him 12 games before picking up a point and only had two goals and six points in his first 40 games. Then, all of sudden, things clicked for him down the stretch. He had three goals and 10 points over his final 18 games.With all the offseason additions, Katchouk was going to need to be that confident player we saw down the stretch if he wanted to make the roster out of camp. For the most part, we’ve seen that guy. He’s been very effective on the penalty kill and picked up two assists at the Minnesota Wild early in the preseason.

I think Katchouk cemented his spot on the opening night roster with his performance in St. Louis. He picked up a primary assist when Joey Anderson redirected his shot attempt into the net.

In 17:25 of ice time, Katchouk had an assist, a shot on goal, one takeaway and was a minus-1. He also played 2:24 on the penalty kill, the most among of the forwards. He gives the team more on a nightly basis than Johnson does. He has more versatility and offensive ability, while playing well on the penalty kill.

Mario: Reese Johnson likely on wrong side of cut-line

There’s nothing wrong with being a more one-dimensional NHL player when it comes to being tough, physical, and willing to stand up for teammates. Those are all commendable traits for an NHL player to have. Reese Johnson has all of those. But unfortunately for him, the Blackhawks are at a point now where just being able to do those things are likely not enough to stick around on the NHL roster.

Chicago needs their fourth-liners to be able to play tough, play responsible, and be able to threaten to chip-in offensively from time to time. Other players who were on the cut-line for the Blackhawks like Boris Katchouk and MacKenzie Entwistle can do all those things and Reese Johnson just isn’t there. Entwistle scored his second goal of the preseason tonight and Katchouk tallied his third assist of the preseason, while Johnson’s last effort of the preseason saw him with two shots on goal, no hits, and 13:12 minutes of ice-time. He rang a shot off the post in the third period, probably would have been his last-ditch effort to make the team.

Johnson’s a nice guy and a hard player, he’ll likely be one of the first players considered by the Blackhawks if/when they need a gritty call-up from the Rockford IceHogs. But ultimately, he’ll be coming from the Rockford IceHogs.

Jay: MacKenzie Entwistle makes his case

Tuesday night, MacKenzie Entwistle had a moment to forget. He had a two-on-zero breakaway with Boris Katchouk and blew a tire.

Entwistle flat fell down.

Most young players would have let the moment crush them…especially a player as “on the bubble” as Entwistle has been this preseason. He was asked about the incident after Friday’s practice. “I’m glad everyone got a laugh out of it. I got a couple of texts after the game,” Entwistle said. “Kaner texted me and said ‘Get Jimmy (Heintzelman) to sharpen your skates.’ That was embarrassing. I’d love to bury that and have that chance back.”

Saturday, he had his chance for redemption and didn’t miss. Late in the second period with the Hawks trailing 4-2, Entwistle took the puck from his own blue line, dangled the Blues defenseman, and tucked the puck past Blues goalie Jordan Binnington.

In my mind, Entwistle is the bubble player most worthy of making the final roster. While Katchouk brings more offense, and Joey Anderson brings more experience, Entwistle’s game-to-game compete level and positional versatility make him the best option. He finished the preseason with 2 goals and an even rating in four games. We’ll find out a Sunday morning who is headed back to Rockford, but here’s hoping #58 stays in Chicago.

The Red Wings jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, with Daniel Sprong and Michael Rasmussen beating Stauber in the first period. After Bedard opened the second with a glorious scoring chance, Elmer Söderblom (yes, he’s Arvid’s brother) capitalized on a Paul Ludwinski turnover to make it 3-0 Detroit. Moments later, Antti Tuomisto beat a partially screened Stauber from the right point. After a chaotic shift for the Blackhawks, the Wings, and Rasmussen, scored again. 5-0.

With 7:00 left in the second, the Blackhawks put goaltender Drew Commesso in net, replacing Stauber. Late in the second, the Blackhawks had a five-on-three powerplay for over 90 seconds but failed to convert.

Early in the third period, defenseman Louis Crevier scored his first goal of the preseason with a point shot through a Bedard screen. Jason Dickinson picked up the assist. Moments later, Alex Vlasic got and five-minute major and was ejected from the game for a knee-to-knee hit on Söderblom. JT Compher scored on the penalty almost immediately, making it 6-1 Detroit.

Take this game, ball it up, and throw it in the trash. Most of the guys on this team won’t be in Chicago when the season begins. This is what the preseason is for. It was ugly, but ultimately meaningless.

The Hawks are back at it Tuesday night, where they face these same Red Wings at the United Center. We’ll have your postgame as soon as the game ends.

Mario: Be More Assertive, Connor

While Connor Bedard didn’t have a bad game tonight, nor was he the reason for the poor result, but there were times tonight where you’d want to see him be more assertive. He clearly has the talent to do so, I think he just needs to believe that he can have the leash to do so.

On a powerplay that went from five-on-four to a five-on-three in the second period, I found myself yelling at the TV (for a preseason game) for someone, anyone to shoot the puck. Then I realized I was yelling at Bedard of all people to shoot the puck. We know he has the capability to put the puck on the stick of his teammates from spaces and angles that most other NHL players can’t, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but i want to see him use his shot way more than i wanna see him try to setup a perfect sauce pass across the ice to Taylor Raddysh. No offense to Taylor Raddysh.

We’ve heard from Elite Prospects’ Cam Robinson and Flo Hockey’s Chris Peters that Bedard scoring fifty or even sixty goals in a season isn’t out of the realm of possibility. He doesn’t need to do that this season, but in a setting where he’s the most dangerous player on the ice, especially in a five-on-three setting, I’ll let the meatball in me take over and I’ll be yelling for Bedard to SHOOT THE PUCK!

Jay: Wyatt Kaiser Gives the Right Side a Try

For the opening of camp and the first couple of preseason games, Nolan Allan was playing on the right side. Sunday, Allan was sent to Rockford, so Wyatt Kaiser got the shot. 

If you haven’t been keeping up, the Blackhawks have many solid defensive prospects, but all of them are left-handed shots / left-side defensemen. Their right handed defensemen are Seth Jones, Connor Murphy and Nikita Zaitsev. They’d love for somoone to emerge and claim thath third right side spot from Zaitsev.

Darren Pang interviewed Kaiser during the first intermission of Sunday’s loss, and asked what kind of adjustments he’s made to play on his off side. 

“It’s different,” Kaiser said. “In the neutral zone, you’re catching it on your forehand, not really facing the ice as much. If you’re trying to attack you’re on your backhand. You have to recognize spots you’re in. Sometimes you have to punt the puck off the glass and play for another day.”

Last week, I asked Luke Richardson about what factors he’d consider when deciding who to try on the right side. 

“There’s advantages and disadvantages. I think physical guys get more benefit out of that. When you turn and pivot to the wall, your stick, as a lefty on that side, can cover more ground if a guy is going wide on you. If someone turns back, you can flush the puck up the wall. Even pucks coming up the wall in the offensive zone, you can pull that off your backhand (and) you’re automatically in good shooting position off the wall.” 

Kaiser doesn’t fit the “physical defenseman” description, but the offensive element of the role serves him very well. He’s a solid puck mover with skilled hands and a good shot. Despite the game’s ugly final score, Kaiser had a solid game handling his off side for the first time. He ended the night -2 with three shots on goal and led all Blackhawks with 23:10 of ice time.

Connor Bedard Gets New Linemates

The Blackhawks took their shiny new toy out on the road for the first time tonight as Bedard made the trip to the Motor City. For the first time since training camp began, he centered a new pair of linemates in Andreas Athanasiou and Taylor Raddysh.

“I think it was good to maybe give AA and Raddysh a try with Connor tonight, and I thought we saw a nice goal in overtime the other night with them,” Luke Richardson said Sunday morning. “I thought Rads played well last night and he’s a heavy shooter. so it makes sense to try that and see what goes from that. And then it gives Reichel an opportunity to play center with maybe two less experienced guys than he’s used to and see if he can take one more step in trying to drive that line.”

According to Natural Stat Trick, the trio spent 6:58 of ice time on the ice together at 5v5. Detroit did a very good job defensively as there seemed to be very little space on the ice and they kept the scoring chances at a minimum. The Bedard line had six shot attempts to the Red Wings’ 10.

Bedard looked like he was going to score his first goal of the preseason early in the second period when he undressed Detroit defenseman Simon Edvisson but was denied by veteran goaltender James Reimer.

Richardson shuffled the lines for the third period and put Raddysh with Jason Dickinson and Lukas Reichel. Colton Dach was moved up to the line with Athanasiou and Bedard. They didn’t get a ton of ice time, thanks in part to Alex Vlasic getting a bogus major penalty for kneeing. Dach and Bedard produced a give-and-go scoring chance late in regulation, but this time Alex Lyon denied No. 98. Bedard finished his night with no points, four shots on goal and a hit. He finished as an even in game where his team surrendered six goals.

Over the course of the week, the media was allowed to chat with Oliver Moore, Samuel Savoie, Ryan Greene, Frank Nazar, and Colton Dach, among others. When given the opportunity, many prospects took time to rave about Bedard as a leader and as a person person…not just a hockey player.

“The one thing that I really liked when I first met him…he was really humble and just a nice guy. I didn’t realize how honest and humble he was. That’s even better than getting the first pick,” Frank Nazar said.

Colton Dach, who was a teammate of Bedard’s at the 2022 World Junior Championships, was also impressed with his off-ice demeanor. “Just the way he carries himself off the ice is something I took away from that tournament. Everything he does on the ice…he’s 10 times better off the ice. He’s such a good kid. He wants to get better. He wants to prove to everyone that he can be the best player.” When asked if Bedard’s teammates fed off of his work ethic, Dach said, “Oh yeah. For sure. Everyone wanted to show him up or try to get better than him, but he was always right there knocking on the door, letting you know that he was going to compete with you each night.”

Kevin Korchinski was also Bedard’s teammate at the WJCs and shared a similar experience to Dach’s. “The thing you don’t get to see is him off the ice. Just him as a friend…whether it’s just after games…having a conversation with him, or just talking to him as a guy. Great guy off the ice. He was a great leader for us there.”

Fellow first-round pick Oliver Moore offered praise of his own. “When I talk to him, you can’t really tell (that) he just got drafted first overall, and he’s a generational talent. He’s a normal kid. The way he carries himself…right after the draft, we were already talking about getting in the gym and getting ready to work. He wants to get better and that’s why he’s so special.”

On Saturday, I asked Bedard how he can be “just one of the guys,” with so much spotlight on him. “I think I’m a pretty normal guy,” Bedard responded. “For me, that’s really important. I don’t see myself as any different just because there’s maybe a little more attention on the outside. I just want to be a good teammate and fit in with the locker room. That’s something I find really important.”

After hearing his teammates rave about him, I wanted to follow up. On Thursday, I asked Bedard how he approached leadership and how he felt hearing that his teammates have gone out of their way to praise him. “I’m just being myself,” Bedard said. “It’s a great thing to hear from people if they think you’re being a good leader. I just try to be a good person. I just come in and work as hard as I can every day and just be nice to everyone around you. That’s kind of my approach to life in general. Hopefully, people look at that and see a leader. That’s something I take a lot of pride in.”

So what does Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson make of all of this? He had the chance to address Bedard’s leadership, as well. “We’re definitely seeing (Bedard’s leadership). I was reading Oliver Moore’s comments about how Connor carries himself has already rubbed off on him. That’s what you want. That’s culture.” 

“I’m a normal person, in the end,” Bedard added later. “You have a little more noise around you…I think people might forget that a little bit. I’m a human being. I’m still a 17-year-old kid, but there are responsibilities that come with noise and attention and I’m aware of that, but in the room, I’m just one of the guys. In life and in family, I’m just a normal person.”

We all knew Bedard was going to be very good on the ice, but it speaks volumes to his character that the biggest impression he’s made so far has been off the ice. This is the culture Davidson and head coach Luke Richardson are trying to cultivate. It looks like they’ve already found their next captain in Bedard.

8:15 am | On the Road Again, Again

With rounds two through seven of the NHL Draft taking place on Thursday, the CHGO crew had to wake up early to make it in time. We tried to take a detour to Starbucks, but it was one of those weird hotel Starbucks and we couldn’t park anywhere, so we just went straight to Bridgestone Arena. Day Two was much less crowded, but more stressful than Day One.

9:48 am | Boot Scootin’ Bailey

Moments before the second round began, the Hawks announced that they had acquired Islander forward Josh Bailey and a 2026 second-round pick for future considerations. This made all the sense in the world, considering we all knew the Blackhawks were looking to take on expensive deals to reach the cap floor and gain more draft capital. But it wasn’t to be. The Blackhawks placed Bailey on unconditional waivers for the purposes of a buyout.

The Blackhawks will carry Bailey’s $2.67 million cap hit this year, and a $1.67 million hit next. A small price to pay for a second-round pick.

“I have great respect for Josh’s career,” Davidson said. “I didn’t necessarily see a clear path to a role for us, so better to give him the opportunity to find that elsewhere than be in-and-out and not have a true role with us.” Thanks for the memories, Josh Bailey. We’ll always have those 30 minutes in Nashville.

10:15 am | Crazy

At 10:15 am, the Blackhawks made their first pick of the second round, selecting goaltender Adam Gajan of the Chippewa Steel of the NAHL. Moments, later, I was summoned to the media center, which is a five minute walk from the media riser on the draft floor. By the time I got down to the floor, Gajan had begun speaking.

By the time Gajan had finished speaking, the Blackhawks had selected Russian winger Roman Kantserov at 44 and Martin Mišiak at 55. Moments later, Misiak was speaking to the media.

To be honest, I can’t remember what happened next, but I do know I looked up, and another Blackhawk was speaking. I began filming the interview, not having a clue who this person was, where they came from, what position they played, etc. but I just let the tape roll. I leaned over to one of my colleagues on the Hawks beat and said, “Who is this?”

It was Nick Lardis, who the Hawks had chosen at 67.

Things got back to normal after that pick, but I’ve never felt so discombobulated in my life. How could I ask a question to a prospect when I didn’t know his name?

11:22 am | (New) Friends (from) Low Places

Charlie Roumeliotis had it first as far as I can tell. Corey…Perry…was…a…Blackhawk.

I mean…this guy was public enemy number one, not just in Chicago, but for pretty much every team he ever played against. Blackhawks fans were upset, stunned and making their feelings known on social media.

To be honest, I didn’t love it either. But then I was reminded that Luke Richardson knew Perry well from their time together in Montreal. I was also reminded that the Max Domi signing last year left me feeling kind of the same way, but it was his relationship with Richardson that drew him here. At this point, if Richardson thinks it’s good for the team, then I’m good with it. There’s nothing in his makeup that suggests he’d do anything to sabotage the culture he’s built. Perry’s teammates adore him, and if he was the pudwhack most NHL fanbases think he is, he wouldn’t still be getting contracts at age 38.

“Amazing veteran presence. Knows what it takes to win. (Luke) saw how he worked with some of their young players and saw a great benefit in what Corey did.”

Oddly enough, Greg Boysen teased this idea on our show last Friday. We all kind of laughed and thought “no,” but the more I think about it, the more I like the move. He can be flipped at the deadline, and slash the knees of anyone that gets in Connor Bedard’s grill. Win win!

1:15 pm | The Party’s Over

I have to say, Day Two of the draft flew by. We were out the door and on our way home by 2:30, but we had to hear from Kyle Davidson and Mike Doneghey first. As both men were speaking, we received word that the weather was so bad outside, that we wouldn’t be allowed to leave Bridgestone until we had the all clear. A chaotic end to a chaotic draft day.

2:30 pm | Take Me Home, Country Roads

The weather cleared and we headed back to our AirBNB studios to do the post draft show. It was good. You should watch/listen.

4:45 pm | The Hunger

Aside from some muffins and bacon, none of us had eaten all day. It was time to remedy that situation with some Nashville Bar-B-Que. Our pal Charlie the Bacon Guy tipped us off to Pegleg Porker.

The ribs were absolutely killer. They weren’t all fall-off-the-bone wet and slippery, but they weren’t tough at all. They were perfect. The Pegleg Porker dry rub is really what made the whole thing, and I’m kicking myself for not taking a bottle home. If you’re in Nashville, don’t miss this place.

8:15 am | Love Story

I think the non-hockey highlight of the trip was Greg, Mario, Stephen, and DNVR’s Meghan Angley helping Kacy with her dating app matches. Kacy cast her phone to our TV, and we went man-by-man, trying to help her find her true love. All we found were pudwhacks, mostly.

I love these people. I haven’t laughed this hard in some time. If you know someone for Kacy, let us know. No pudwhacks allowed.

8:45 pm | One More Night

As tired as we were, the strip was just an Uber ride away, so we had to head down one more time. First stop was The Stage, which became a bit of an ALLCITY Network headquarters. The place smells like new cowboy boots, the beer is cold, and the bathrooms are much cleaner than any honky tonk’s bathroom has any business being. We shifted over to Tootsie’s, as it has somehow become the NHL’s drinking headquarters.

There wasn’t as much “star power” on Thursday night at Tootsie’s as there was Monday night, but there was still an impressive amount of NHL staff and media enjoying the festivities. In fact, five minutes after our Uber picked us up to bring us home, Elliotte Friedman tweeted from the exact spot we were standing.

Guess we’ll catch you next time, Friedge.

Bailey, 33, a veteran of 1,057 games, he has scored 184 goals and 396 assists, including eight goals and 17 assists in 64 games for the Islanders last season. He carries a $5 million cap hit and will be a free agent after this season.

Initially, this move felt like another fortifying of the forward group and some veteran help to ease Connor Bedard’s NHL transition, but it appears the Blackhawks will place Bailey on unconditional waivers for the purpose of a buyout.

10:00 am | You Took Me By Surprise

We had very little notice, but Blackhawks CEO Danny Wirtz and President of Business Operations Jaime Faulkner stopped by our AirBNB on Thursday morning.

We had limited time with the duo but covered myriad topics. Be sure to check out the interview below or on your favorite podcast app.

12:00 pm | Feels Like Home

Even though were in Nashville, we were craving a taste of home. Our Social Media Coordinator Kacy Standohar found us the 312 Pizza Company in Germantown, and it did NOT disappoint. Deep dish, tavern style, Chicago dogs, beefs, fries…all of it was incredible. Greg Boysen even said, “If this place was in my neighborhood, it would be my go-to beef sandwich.”

4:00 pm | Tonight’s the Night

At long last, it was time to head to the Bridgestone Arena for the NHL Draft. It was the first time covering the draft, so we wanted to get there early to get the lay of the land, but first, we needed to hit up the official Blackhawks Draft Party in Nashville.

The Hawks, seemingly very intentionally, posted up right in sight of Bridgestone. They were impossible to miss if you were in the area, and the petty Predators responded via their mascot Gnash’s Twitter account.

It’s good to see the Blackhawks are still living rent-free in the minds of the Predators and their fans.

5:00 pm | There You Are

We finally got into the Bridgestone Arena, and the atmosphere was electric. It didn’t take long for Connor Bedard to make his first appearance.

It was my first time seeing Bedard in person, and two things struck me. One, he’s a child. I think we lose sight of how young these dudes are. Two, he’s poised, polished, and mature beyond his years. The pressure never gets to him, on or off the ice.

6:15 pm | Stand By Your Man

Kyle Davidson stepped to the podium and didn’t overthink it (like the Anaheim Ducks did). “With the first overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks are very proud to select, from the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League, Connor Bedard.”

The moment we’ve all been waiting for since CHGO’s inception in March of 2022 was finally real. The celebration was on in Nashville, in Chicago, and all over Blackhawks Nation.

7:15 pm | The Man Comes Around

After a whirlwind media tour after being selected, Bedard finally headed down to the press conference area and met the media. As he has been every time he’s spoken, he was impressive and confident.

Bedard talked about how he plans on living up to the massive expectations that come with being the number one overall pick.

Bedard also discussed his memories of the Hawks dynasty run of the 2010s.

I can’t wait to start covering this kid full-time. Drop the puck on the season already.

8:20 pm | Speed

Oh yeah. The Blackhawks have another pick.

As we were watching the draft unfold as we were preparing video pieces for social and the post-draft show, it was becoming apparent that the Blackhawks were going to get a very good player at 19. Several teams, especially our friends in Arizona, made some massive leaps with their picks. Meanwhile, a couple of prospects the Hawks really liked kept slipping. When the 19th pick came up, both Oliver Moore and Gabe Perreault were available. Davidson ended up selecting Moore, who is hands down the best skater in the draft.

Later, we got the chance to talk to Moore, who seems like he’ll be great to cover. The kid seemed thrilled to be chosen by the Blackhawks, and after discussing his skill set, talked about how excited he was to play with Bedard and Frank Nazar.

Blackhawks Director of Amateur Scouting, Mike Doneghey, spoke to the media once the draft began to wrap up. He mentioned how shocked he was that Moore fell to 19.

Davidson also mentioned that he spent all of the first round making calls, looking to trade up to draft Moore. When that didn’t happen, he was thrilled to get him at 19.

Thursday, the Blackhawks have nine more picks, and while there were no trades at all during round one, there’s a belief that day two will have much more action.

Whatever happens, we’ll be all over it, just like we were on Wednesday. CHGO is the ONLY place you need to be for Blackhawks draft coverage. Round two begins at 10 am.

9:00 am | It’s Only Make Believe

After weeks of planning, then non-planning, then planning again, somehow, the ALLCITY Network Mock Draft came together.

Greg Boysen, Mario Tirabassi, Leah Merrall, Craig Morgan, Steve Peters, Shawn Depaz, Jesse Montano, Meghan Angley, AJ Haefele, Nathan Rudolph and myself all took part, each selecting a number of picks. When the smoke cleared, the 32 picks had been made. Here’s a look at the results.

1. Chicago: Jay: Connor Bedard

2. Anaheim: Rudo: Adam Fantilli

3. Columbus: Greg: Will Smith

4. San José: Leah: Leo Carlsson

5. Montréal: Petey: Matvei Mitchkov

6. Arizona: Craig: Dalibor Dvorsky

7. Philadelphia: Shawn: Ryan Leonard

8. Washington: Jesse: David Reinbacher

9. Detroit: Mario: Oliver Moore 

10. St. Louis: Meghan: Dmitry Simashev

11. Vancouver: Rudo: Zach Benson

12. Arizona: Leah: Matthew Wood 

13. Buffalo : Shawn: Tom Wallinder 

14. Pittsburgh: Jay: Brayden Yager

15. Nashville: AJ: Nate Danielson 

16. Calgary: Jesse: Gabe Perreault

17. Detroit: Mario: Axel Sandin Pellikka

18. Winnipeg: AJ: Samuel Honzek

19. Chicago: Greg: Colby Barlow

20. Seattle: Jesse: Otto Stenberg 

21. Minnesota: Petey: Cal Ritchie

22. Philadelphia: Shawn: Quentin Musty 

23. NY Rangers: Greg: Oliver Bonk

24. Nashville: AJ: Mikael Gulyavev

25. St. Louis: Craig: Daniil But 

26. San Jose: Leah: Eduard Sale

27. Colorado: Meghan: Gavin Brindley

28. Toronto: Mario: Andrew Cristall

29. St. Louis: Craig: Etienne Morin

30. Carolina: Jay: Bradly Nadeau 

31. Montréal: Petey: Ethan Gauthier

32.Vegas: Meghan: Beau Akey

11:00 am | Hello Hall

At long last, we were finally ready to sit down and do a podcast. It was our first time sharing our long-form thoughts on the Taylor Hall/Nick Foligno trade, and it was nice to chat about some hockey stuff instead of speculative stuff for the first time in a while.

1:00 pm | A Little More Chicken Fried

It was time for our CHGO Blackhawks party at Hopsmith Nashville, and it was awesome. Giant mozzarella sticks, killer wings, oh, and the company was pretty great as well.

We had guests from Toronto, Pennsylvania, Florida, and of course, Chicago at our get-together. It was an awesome time, and we’re so grateful for your support and for the opportunity to put some faces to some names.

6:00 pm | Meat and Potatoes, Man

I had to put on a button-down shirt and long pants, which typically would be unacceptable, but for the dinner we had at Luogo, it was worth it. We had the opportunity to dine with some members of the Blackhawks Beat and talk about things other than hockey, which was nice. If you’re looking for a classy meal in Nashville, Luogo (not Luongo) is the spot. It was excellent.

9:00 pm | Night Life

We finally got a chance to hit the strip, and as you’d expect, we had some encounters with some hockey luminaries, including Luke Richardson, John Buccigross, Meghan Hunter, Pete DeBoer, Cam Robinson and many more. Broadway was hopping, and I got to hear my favorite 90s country song, Chattahoochee, while at Tootsie’s.

Long-time Blackhawks fans might remember Tootsie’s as the spot where former coach Brian Sutter put forward Tyler Arnason up against the bar room wall.

12:30 am | Much Too Young (to Feel This Damn Old)

While the more youthful members of the ALLCITY Network decided to stay out and tear up Broadway, the old men in the party, Greg and I, decided to call it a night. Wednesday is Bedard Day, and we want to be rested.

Talk to you tomorrow after what will be one of the biggest days in Blackhawks’ history.

Blackhawks Preseason Schedule

Thu. Sept. 28 7:30 PM St. Louis
Sat. Sept. 30 6:00 PM @ Minnesota
Sun. Oct. 1 6:00 PM @ Detroit
Tues. Oct. 3 7:30 PM Detroit
Thu. Oct. 5 7:30 PM Minnesota
Sat. Oct. 7 7:30 PM @ St. Louis

Blackhawks Regular Season Schedule

Tue. Oct. 10 7:00 PM at Pittsburgh 
Wed. Oct. 11 6:30 PM at Boston
Sat. Oct. 14 6:00 PM at Montreal
Mon. Oct. 16 6:00 PM at Toronto
Thu. Oct. 19 9:30 PM at Colorado
Sat. Oct. 21 7:00 PM Vegas 
Tue. Oct. 24 7:30 PM Boston
Fri. Oct. 27 5:00 PM at Vegas
Mon. Oct. 30 9:00 PM at Arizona
Sat. Nov. 4 7:00 PM Florida
Sun. Nov. 5 6:00 PM New Jersey
Thu. Nov. 9 6:00 PM at Tampa Bay
Sun. Nov. 12 12:00 PM at Florida
Thu. Nov. 16 7:30 PM Tampa Bay
Sat. Nov. 18 1:00 PM at Nashville
Sun. Nov. 19 6:00 PM Buffalo
Wed. Nov. 22 6:00 PM at Columbus
Fri. Nov. 24 1:00 PM Toronto
Sun. Nov. 26 1:00 PM St. Louis
Tue. Nov. 28 7:30 PM Seattle
Thu. Nov. 30 6:00 PM at Detroit
Sat. Dec. 2 2:00 PM at Winnipeg
Sun. Dec. 3 1:00 PM at Minnesota
Tue. Dec. 5 7:30 PM Nashville
Thu. Dec. 7 7:30 PM Anaheim
Sat. Dec. 9 7:00 PM St. Louis
Sun. Dec. 10 6:00 PM Washington
Tue. Dec. 12 9:00 PM at Edmonton
Thu. Dec. 14 9:00 PM at Seattle
Sun. Dec. 17 2:00 PM Vancouver
Tue. Dec. 19 7:30 PM Colorado
Fri. Dec. 22 7:30 PM Montreal
Sat. Dec. 23 7:00 PM at St. Louis
Wed. Dec. 27 8:00 PM Winnipeg
Fri. Dec. 29 7:00 PM at Dallas
Sun. Dec. 31 7:00 PM at Dallas
Tue. Jan. 2 7:00 PM at Nashville
Thu. Jan. 4 6:00 PM at N.Y. Rangers
Fri. Jan. 5 6:00 PM at New Jersey
Sun. Jan. 7 2:00 PM Calgary
Tue. Jan. 9 7:30 PM Edmonton
Thu. Jan. 11 7:00 PM at Winnipeg
Sat. Jan. 13 7:00 PM Dallas
Tue. Jan. 16 7:30 PM San Jose
Wed. Jan. 17 6:30 PM at Buffalo
Fri. Jan. 19 7:30 PM N.Y. Islanders 
Mon. Jan. 22 9:00 PM at Vancouver
Wed. Jan. 24 9:00 PM at Seattle
Thu. Jan. 25 8:00 PM at Edmonton
Sat. Jan. 27 9:00 PM at Calgary
Wed. Feb. 7 8:30 PM Minnesota
Fri. Feb. 9 7:30 PM N.Y. Rangers
Tue. Feb. 13 7:30 PM Vancouver
Thu. Feb. 15 7:30 PM Pittsburgh
Sat. Feb. 17 2:00 PM Ottawa
Mon. Feb. 19 6:00 PM at Carolina
Wed. Feb. 21 6:30 PM Philadelphia
Fri. Feb. 23 7:30 PM Winnipeg
Sun. Feb. 25 5:00 PM Detroit
Thu. Feb. 29 8:00 PM Colorado
Sat. Mar. 2 7:00 PM Columbus
Mon. Mar. 4 8:00 PM at Colorado
Tue. Mar. 5 8:00 PM at Arizona
Sat. Mar. 9 6:00 PM at Washington
Sun. Mar. 10 5:00 PM Arizona
Tue. Mar. 12 7:30 PM Anaheim
Fri. Mar. 15 7:30 PM Los Angeles
Sun. Mar. 17 5:00 PM San Jose
Tue. Mar. 19 9:00 PM at Los Angeles
Thu. Mar. 21 9:00 PM at Anaheim
Sat. Mar. 23 9:30 PM at San Jose
Tue. Mar. 26 7:30 PM Calgary
Thu. Mar. 28 6:00 PM at Ottawa
Sat. Mar. 30 6:00 PM at Philadelphia
Tue. Apr. 2 6:30 PM at N.Y. Islanders
Sat. Apr. 6 3:30 PM Dallas
Sun. Apr. 7 2:30 PM Minnesota
Wed. Apr. 10 7:00 PM at St. Louis
Fri. Apr. 12 7:30 PM Nashville
Sun. Apr 14 5:00 PM Carolina
Tue. Apr. 16 8:30 PM at Vegas
Thu. Apr. 18 9:30 PM at Los Angeles

Blackhawks schedule highlights

According to the team’s press release, single-game tickets are expected to be made available in late August, with a full promotional schedule coming at a later date.

8:15 am | On the Road Again

The day started with Mario Tirabassi, Greg Boysen, producer Stephen Nicholas and our social media coordinator Kacy Standohar meeting at my house in Homewood. For once, living in the far south burbs paid off. We piled into the official CHGO Chrysler Pacifica and hit the road.

It took five minutes for our first animated discussion to begin. I mentioned I had motion sickness pills in the car for anyone who gets car sick. See, I can’t handle vomit in any form. I would have tuck and rolled out of the moving car if someone got sick. This brought us to a conversation about the movie Stand By Me, in which Lard Ass triggers a town-wide vomit outbreak.

Kacy had never seen the movie, so the old guys in the car (Greg and me) politely informed her it was time to give it a first watch.

10:48 am | The Hunger

Unlike Mario, the rest of us basically forgot to have breakfast, so we made a stop at McDonald’s in Lafayette, IN. It was fine.

1:01 pm | Something to Talk About

As we predicted, news broke while we were on the road. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman was the first “credentialed” media member to hint at the Taylor Hall/Nick Foligno trade, but NHL Youtuber DontBeSaad20 was the person who truly broke the story at 12:47 p.m.

This is a trade that made almost too much sense for both sides. The Bruins shed cap space getting rid of Hall and Foligno, while the Blackhawks get some veteran help for soon-to-be Blackhawk Connor Bedard. Meanwhile, Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula, two defensemen who had been passed up in the Hawks system, get a fresh start with the Bruins organization.

We pulled over the the BP in Elizabethtown, KY for a quick reaction.

2:51 pm | I Wonder

Coldplay. Oasis. Dave Matthews Band. Radiohead. Extreme. All of these bands, and more, came up in conversation. Mario wondered what qualifies you as a “fan” of a band?

Was it a count of how many songs you had to like for it to count? Greg had a great response. “Would you pay money to see this band? If so, you’re a fan.”

What do you think? Respond to the tweet above.

3:00 pm | Chicken Fried

All this “hard work” called for a lunch break. We stopped at Against the Grain Public House in Louisville, KY. Their menu advertised “The World’s Greatest Chicken Tendies,” and as a fat guy, I owed it to myself (and the I’m Fat Podcast listeners) to give them a try.

Best in the world? I’m not sure about that, but they were excellent. I struggle to find a better tendie off the top of my head.

Against the Grain had a photobooth, and Kacy thought it was a good idea to take a pic, so we did.

Nailed it…

4:19 pm | Nashville Skyline

Our long journey was finally over. We had arrived in Nashville.

Once we arrived at our AirBnB, we were greeted by PHNX’s Steve Peters and Craig Morgan. We got a grand tour, unpacked, and pondered whether or not to go to the NHL Awards. We decided against it, as we smelled like feet and would only have had access to the media room, so we decided to hit up the Publix, get some supplies and watch the NHL Awards Show.

7:00 pm | Hurt

Why…why…why are the NHL Awards always so damn awkward? Awkward jokes. Terrible bits. A disinterested crowd. An apathetic audience.

Here’s the thing…NHL players hate the spotlight. As cliche as it sounds, hockey culture dictates, or demands, a “team-first” approach. An NHL Awards show is antithetical to that mindset. The players don’t want to be there in the first place. Then, when they win, they feel awkward and embarrassed to make a speech focused on themselves.

The bits are horribly written. The main floor audience doesn’t even react, let alone chuckle.

How can the NHL fix this? Greg suggested having the winners awarded during an intermission of the Stanley Cup Final. They can all be announced, hold their awards on the ice, and then walk off. They can even spread this throughout the series, giving a pair of awards out per game. There are plenty of ideas that would be better than their current format. It’s a valiant effort, but it’s just not working.

Also, Gary Bettman is dyeing his eyebrows.

The real fun begins on Tuesday. At 9 a.m. we’ll do the AllCity mock draft with our pals from DNVR and PHNX, then at 11 a.m., we’ll do our first of three podcasts live from Nashville. At 1 p.m., we’re hosting our pre-draft party at Hopsmith in Nashville (for which a few tickets still remain).

Kyle Davidson talks at 3:30 p.m., then it’s off to dinner then bed before an historic day in Blackhawks history begins.

Today we’re looking at the large and skilled Anton Wahlberg of the SHL’s Malmö Redhawks.

Anton Wahlberg Measurables

Position: Center
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 195

Rankings

The Athletic (Scott Wheeler): #70
Flo Hockey (Chris Peters): #42
NHL Central Scouting: #30 EU Skaters
Elite Prospects: #60

Quotables

“He has many facets to his game and competes hard. He is smart, has a good hockey sense and an understanding of the game. He has so many elements to his game that it’s hard to pinpoint just one. He’s big, explosive and strong on the puck. He can take it himself, beat his man and put it top shelf, but he can also set up his teammates. He has played some games in the SHL with great success. What stands out about him is his technical skills combined with hard work.” – Malmö J20 head coach Serhan Cicek, February 2023

“Wahlberg is 6-3 and has some rawness to his game, but he battles and wins his share of pucks. With some additional development time, the ceiling on him is immense, especially with the hand skills he possesses to go along with that imposing frame.” – Chris Peters, FloHockey

“Wahlberg’s a big kid with really good hands and above-average skating for a player his size (though he can lack coordination when he’s in a hurry). He can dance defenders and make plays in and out of traffic with uncharacteristic comfort for a bigger player. He also possesses a quick release, protects the puck well and utilizes his size effectively. The sum of those things make him interesting by default. Add in that he has a summer birthday, can play centre or the wing, and has already shown he can hang in the SHL, and there’s reason for optimism that he has NHL prospects. Questions I have about his sense and problem-solving kept him out of my second-round tier but he’s a legit prospect who likely becomes a good AHL/SHL player at minimum and may have a decent NHL career if developed properly.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

“His size, skating, and hard-nosed game intrigue, and he feels like a late-riser. He’s got the smarts and the right attitude, but is he a center or a winger in the NHL?” – The Hockey News Draft Preview

Video Highlights

Why Anton Wahlberg Fits the Chicago Blackhawks

With the arrival of Connor Bedard and the continued development of Frank Nazar and Lukas Reichel, the Blackhawks are high in skill but lacking in size up front. Wahlberg, who projects as a second-round pick, could solve that problem.

Already 6’3″ and 192 lbs, the 17-year-old Wahlberg still has time and room to grow physically. Physical size aside, Wahlberg could be a bit of a project for the Blackhawks. He has very raw skill, but would need substantial development to become an every day NHL player. Chicago has the resources to truly invest in his development, and with Bedard, have no need to rush his NHL arrival. He is expected to play another year in Sweden, then could move to the Rockford Ice Hogs, where he could spend more time developing under the close watch of the organization.

The more I read about Wahlberg, the more I think about “Blackhawks legend” Carl Söderberg. While we like to joke about his brief stint in Chicago, the Swede had a very solid NHL career, with 297 points in 597 games. He also had the skill to fill in on the top six when injuries hit his teams over the years. If the Blackhawks select Wahlberg in the second round and he pans out to be a player like Söderberg, that’s a huge win for the Hawks. That’s the kind of depth forward that can make a huge impact in a long playoff run.

Our next profile is on forward Oliver Moore, who played for the US National Team Development Program last season, and will head to the University of Minnesota for the 2023-24 season.

Oliver Moore Measurables

Position: Center
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 180

Rankings

The Athletic (Scott Wheeler): #9
Flo Hockey (Chris Peters): #12
NHL Central Scouting: #8 NA Skaters
Elite Prospects: #8

Quotables

“We’ve never scouted a faster, more agile skater than Oliver Moore in our time covering the draft in an editorial capacity at Elite Prospects. Full stop.

The way he outraces opponents to loose pucks, explodes past them in space, and covers ground on the backcheck – it would strain credibility to describe it in text. You almost have to see it for yourself to believe it.” – Elite Prospects Draft Guide

“His commitment to defending and competitive nature has made him a gifted two-way center with the ability to play in any situation. Moore has a good shot and can get to the middle well, while also possessing the ability to get pucks behind the defense and make plays on the rush. There’s a lot of projecting and a lot of “if this, then that” kind of discussions with Moore, especially when it comes to the rest of his game catching up to his speed, but you bet on the athlete and work with him to develop more elements to his game.” – Chris Peters, FloHockey

“He just has a unique ability to impose his will on the game. And while his game is tenacious, he also has surprising soft skill. I’m not sure he has the star power of the names in front of him here, but he’s got some unique attributes in this class and he’s going to make a heck of an NHL player.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

“While the biggest numbers on the USNTDP came from the top line, Moore finished fourth in scoring without regularly playing with elite linemates. On top of that, the University of Minnesota commit has a very specific skill that makes him appealing to NHL teams. ‘I’d be hard pressed to find anyone that skates better than him in the draft,’ said one scout.” – The Hockey News Draft Preview

Video Highlights

Why Oliver Moore Fits on the Blackhawks

Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson and his staff have made no secrets about their prioritization of speed, and Moore is one of the fastest prospects in this loaded draft. While he’s still on the small side, Moore shows a willingness to play in all areas of the ice, especially in the transition game. As the Blackhawks roster takes shape, especially with a puck moving defenseman like Kevin Korchinski leading the breakout, Chicago will be generating a lot of their scoring chances from their defensive zone breakouts. Moore’s motor gets high praise, as well. That’s another area of emphasis for the Blackhawks front office. Speed loses value if it’s only used on the perimeter. Moore is willing and able to get to the difficult areas to score. He’s a very tempting prospect, especially envisioning him playing with Connor Bedard.

Our next profile is on forward Andrew Cristall of the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets.

Andrew Cristall Measurables

Position: Left Wing
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 170
Rankings
The Athletic (Scott Wheeler): #13
Flo Hockey (Chris Peters): #24
NHL Central Scouting: #15 NA Skaters
Elite Prospects: #19

Quotables

“As creative as any player in the draft, Cristall simply knows how to score. His ability to anticipate and read the defense to find the right spot to put himself is next level. The legitimate concern beyond his below-average size is that he is also a below-average skater. Despite thinking the game at a high level, he can sometimes be behind the play and may not have the pace to be a driver. Still, the rare commodity of high-end to elite offensive sense gives me some belief he can overcome some limitations. There is a real boom-bust potential with drafting a player like Cristall this high, but the hockey sense wins the day here for me.” – Chris Peters, FloHockey

“He is an absolute magician with the puck, with a seemingly bottomless bag full of tricks and surprises. However, as entertaining as it is to watch Cristall pull off Harlem Globetrotters-like shenanigans in the WHL, there are reasonable concerns about how much of this kind of stuff will work in the NHL, as well as what else he can offer with his game. For a guy of his small stature, he isn’t a high-end skater, which is a one-two punch that keeps many big-time point producers at the junior level out of the NHL altogether. There are barely any players in the NHL like Cristall stylistically, but there is one big name, who faced many of the same criticisms coming up the ranks: Kirill Kaprizov. That’s a lofty comparison, but it’s not an impossible one. How comfortable will teams be with making that kind of gamble?” – Derek Neumeier, McKeen’s Hockey

“Cristall paced to 119 points in 68 games in his draft year. Certainly the skating, as it stands right now, is an issue. He knows that. His camp knows that. But I know he’s committed to working on it with Barb Aidelbaum all summer, there’s belief that his physical maturity is a step behind and will come, and I won’t be the least bit surprised if he leads the WHL in scoring next year and gets an NHL contract in short order.” – Scott Wheeler, The Athletic

‘‘He’s probably the smartest hockey player I’ve gotten to play with and watch this year. The things he’s able to do out there with the puck and how well he creates offense is some of the best I’ve ever seen. He’s a special player, and he’s going to make a team really happy.’’ – Connor Bedard

Video Highlights

Why Andrew Cristall Fits with the Blackhawks

Simply labeling Cristall “Connor Bedard’s best-friend” is unfair to him. If that were his only asset, he’d be a late-round nod to the future Blackhawks star. Instead, it would be an added bonus.

Cristall’s numbers last season with Kelowna were astronomical. The forward picked up 95 points (39 goals, 56 assists) in 54 games. He can stickhandle. He can pass and shoot. He can pile up stats. His hockey sense is also off the charts. Some players know where to find the soft areas of the ice (like Alex Ovechkin and Alex Debrincat) to put themselves in the best position to score. Cristall is one of those players, and every NHL team has a pick for a player who has lit things up like Cristall has.

Is that enough to make up for his lack of skating? Director of Scouting Mike Doneghey has said that if you can’t skate, you can’t be a Blackhawk. As tempting as Cristall’s counting stats might be, are they enough to overcome the team’s emphasis on skating?

Should the Hawks start signing free agents to help Bedard right away? Probably not, but maybe they could take on some bad contracts.

Which veteran leaders should Chicago bring in to mentor and help Bedard’s transition? No one. They’re already here.

Yeah, you heard me. All the veteran leadership Connor Bedard needs is already on the Blackhawks roster.

But Jay, isn’t jumping from Junior hockey right to the NHL a tough transition for a kid? Yes, it is. Which is why it’s a good thing Seth Jones, who was drafted fourth overall in the 2013 Draft, is on the team. Jones joined the Nashville Predators immediately, jumping from the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks for his rookie season. He finished the year with 77 games played, six goals and 19 assists. Jones knows exactly what it’s like to be a hyped prospect with massive expectations jumping from juniors to the NHL right away.

But Jay, Connor Bedard is small, and needs a veteran leader to show him how to adapt to the NHL game. Yes, that’s true. Which is why it’s a good thing that two-time Stanley Cup Champion Tyler Johnson is on the roster. Johnson, who is 5-8 185 lbs (compared to the 5-10 185 lb Bedard), has made a career of playing bigger than his size. He never shies away from a puck battle, thrives in the area around the net, and can play center or wing.

But Jay, Chicago can be big and scary for a kid from Vancouver. How will he adjust to life in the big city and its hard-hitting big-market media? Ooh…that’s a good point, which is why it’s a good thing that Connor Murphy, the longest-tenured Blackhawk, has been here since 2017. He knows the city well, and has shown great leadership skills on and off the ice. He’s the most media-savvy Blackhawk by a mile, and is the perfect guy to guide Bedard into his inevitable captaincy without having to surrender “control” of the locker room, as Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane would have.

Okay, but Jay…teams are going to be taking runs at Bedard left and right? Who is going to stand up to opponents taking liberties with Chicago’s young star? I think Bedard is skilled enough to avoid most big hits, but in the case he’s not, yeah it might be smart to have some physical players on the team, which is why it’s a good thing that the Blackhawks currently employ Murphy, Jarred Tinordi and Reese Johnson. Murphy led the team with 69 nice penalty minutes, while Tinordi and Johnson each added 40 of their own over their injury-shortened seasons.

Sometimes, the answer is right there, right? Take the familiarity of the names out of the mix, and Murphy, Johnson and Jones check every box you’d want checked when looking at vets to bring in to help mentor Bedard. Add in the physical presences of Tinordi and Reese Johnson, and the Blackhawks are in pretty good shape. Now, General Manager Kyle Davidson can begin focusing on adding draft assets or taking on bad contracts to strengthen the roster, get to the cap floor and move up in the draft. He’s in complete control of this offseason…just like he drew it up.

Eastern Conference Final

Greg: The Eastern Conference Final has a fun storyline with the Staal family civil war, but it also features quite the match-up on the ice and behind the bench. The Hurricanes have the best defensive core left in the playoffs. Not only are dominating in their own end of the ice, but they are driving the offense when they have the puck too. They shut down the high-speed offense of the New Jersey Devils in the second round and have experience beating a physical team like the Panthers when they beat the New York Islanders in the opening round.

Now the Panthers have a better offense than the Islanders and they have Matthew Tkachuk, the best player left in the postseason. They seem to be a team of destiny after upsetting the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs in back-to-back rounds. The most impressive thing they have done over the past month has been their six straight road wins.

Florida has the edge in goaltending, but I wonder if the layoff between series will affect Sergei Bobrovsky. However, the Carolina defense has made life easy for all three of their goaltenders by allowing just 27.8 shots per game, by far the fewest in the playoffs.

The Hurricanes have an edge in defense, overall team depth, and in coaching. All these advantages will give them the edge during a seven-game series, no matter what destiny thinks. Hurricanes in 7.

Mario: The Florida Panthers dispatched the Boston Bruins in historic fashion, then. proceeded to oust the Toronto Maple Leafs after they finally made it past the first round off the postseason since the early 2000’s. Both as the heavy underdog. You can no longer underestimate this team that is making the most of squeaking into the postseason with a little help from the Blackhawks. Pick against them at your own risk.

Carolina is a deep team and have progressed through the Islanders and Devils, two teams with polar opposite styles of play. They’ve done so without the likes of Max Pacioretty, Teuvo Teräväinen, and Andrei Svechnikov. They are a team built with depth and strong defensive play, and have benefitted from strong play from Frederik Andersen in net.

I picked the Bruins to beat the Panthers, and the Maple Leafs to beat the Panthers. Fool me once, shame on…on you. Fool me…you can’t get fooled again. Panthers in six.

Jay: It’s crazy to think that if the Blackhawks hadn’t beaten the Penguins in Game 81 of the season, the Florida Panthers wouldn’t even be in the playoffs, let alone the Conference Final. That’s why hockey is both stupid and awesome at the same time.

I’m going to pick with my head, and not my heart here, which is weird to say because most years, I’d never want my beloved adult son Teuvo Teräväinen to lose, but I’d love to see my favorite player in the league, Matthew Tkachuk, and the Panthers pull it off. That said, I think their luck runs out here. Carolina is too deep, too good defensively, and too well coached to stop now. With the East juggernauts of Boston, Tampa and (allegedly) Toronto out of the way, this is the Canes’ best chance to capture a Cup.

Sergei Bobrovsky has been great for Florida, and could certainly be the Wild Card in this series, but even a slight return to form will be enough for Carolina to win. It’s going to be one hell of a series. Hurricanes in seven.

Western Conference Final

Greg: Pete DeBoer facing the team that fired him about a year ago might be the most delicious storyline of the Western Conference Final. It seems most people are giving the nod to the Golden Knights, but the Stars are for real. They have the right mix of dynamic young talent and battle-tested veterans who are starving to win a Stanley Cup.

On the other side of the rink, the Golden Knights have plenty of playoff experience, with many of their key contributors from the 2018 Stanley Cup Final run are coming big again. Jack Eichel has been terrific this postseason, playing a complete 200-foot game. They are a disciplined team who won’t give Dallas a ton of looks on the power play and force them to win the series at 5v5.

I have doubted the Vegas goaltending all season long, but they keep proving me wrong. Sean Burke deserves a ton of credit for what he’s done this season with the netminders, but the magic has to wear off at some point, right? Jake Oettinger can win this series for Dallas. When he’s been good, he’s been fantastic. But, when he’s been bad, he’s been really bad.

The true wild card in this series is Jason Robertson. If he can recapture his scoring touch from the regular season, Dallas is moving on to the Stanley Cup Final for the second time in four seasons. They are a team that seems to get better the longer a series goes, and I think that trend continues. Stars in 7.

Mario: This is a tough series to handicap between the Stars and Golden Knights. Much like the Panthers, people haven’t had the faith in this Golden Knights group to get this far, but their depth of star power have pushed them this far. Pair that with unexpected goaltending performances from both Laurent Brossiot and Adin Hill, their third and fourth goaltenders, and Vegas is a team hard to pick against.

Then there are the Stars who have all my rooting interest left in the postseason. Again, depth of young star power is propelling this team with Roope Hintz, Miro Heiskanen, Jake Oettinger, and Jason Robertson, as well as veteran poise and production from Jaime Benn, Tyler Sequin, Max Domi, and Joe Pavelski. Those last two names are why I am making my pick.

I want Joe Pavelski to win a Stanley Cup, gosh darn it. Stars in Seven.

Jay: This one is really tough to pick. The Golden Knights have the depth and work ethic that every playoff team needs this time of year, but they’re so far down on their goaltending depth chart, I can’t make them my pick.

I’ve loved what I’ve seen from Dallas this year. Jason Robertson is one of the best young players in hockey, Joe Pavelski has had a storybook playoff after returning from a concussion suffered in the first round, and Jake Oettinger might be the next big thing in goal, if he’s not already. The addition of old (and potentially future) friend Max Domi, the rising profiles of Roope Hintz and Miro Heiskanen, and the fact that Jamie Been and Tyler Seguin still have some magic in those skates will prove to be too much for the Knight. Stars in six.

Greg, Mario, and I thought we’d use this space to summarize our thoughts on the night, and what Bedard will mean to the team, to the fanbase, and to us.

Greg Boysen

Waking up this morning, I needed to check my phone to make sure last night actually happened. Even though my dreams were full of goal horns, I was relieved to find out that the Blackhawks winning the Draft Lottery was not just a figment of my imagination.

Being able to see that moment for this franchise sitting between Jay and Mario and live in front of a record audience for CHGO Blackhawks made it something I won’t forget. Of course, the internet has been full of outrage and conspiracy theories, but none of that matters because Bedard will officially be a Blackhawk in 50 days.

Winning the Draft Lottery doesn’t mean the rebuild is over. There is still plenty of pain ahead, but having Bedard on the roster makes things a little easier. Factor in that the Blackhawks have seven more picks in the first three rounds of this historically deep draft, and this rebuild is off to a tremendous start.

Winning the Draft Lottery was the huge payoff we all hoped for. Blackhawks fans had to endure a lot over the past 12 months. Players like Brandon Hagel, Alex DeBrincat, and Kirby Dach were all moved for draft picks. Then, during a season full of losses, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews played their last games for the franchise. That is a lot to take, but all the hand-wringing and anxiety was worth it…..No. 98 is on his way. And he has Luke Richardson as his first NHL head coach. I’m glad we hopped on the ride.

Mario Tirabassi

After losing my voice shouting in anxious anticipation and then again in celebration during the NHL Draft Lottery, I’ve come down a bit for the high of the Blackhawks winning the top overall pick and the opportunity to select Connor Bedard.

Ok, one last scream, AHHHHHHH!

Ok, so Connor Bedard, the generational talent and undisputed best player in the 2023 draft class for the past two years, will be a Chicago Blackhawk. After going through the tank season that was 2022-23, saying goodbye to Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, and having endured what felt like endless piles of shit in the news over the past two+ years, Blackhawks fans have reached the light at the end of the tunnel.

Before I go on, I still feel it is necessary to acknowledge the atrocious events that occurred during 2010 and the cover-up that former Blackhawks management proceeded with. The outrage, anger, and disgust that 31 other NHL fan bases feel with Chicago landing No. 1 is right. The cries of “RIGGED!” are as expected as the rising and setting of the sun. If I wasn’t a Blackhawks fan, I’d probably feel the same way. But the ping pong balls came up in Chicago’s favor and no one who had anything to do with the incidents revolving around Brad Aldrich’s sexual assault of Kyle Beach and the cover-up get to be a part of it.

Moving forward, the Blackhawks get the cheat code, the shortcut, the cornerstone to their rebuild. The term generational talent is thrown around a lot in hockey. Not every top overall prospect is one. That’s not the case with Bedard. He is as much of a sure thing in the NHL as a Draft prospect since Connor McDavid. He is a player built in the mold of Patrick Kane, but with the shooting ability of Auston Matthews. The hype surrounding him is warranted and Blackhawks fans should be over the moon that they get to see him become the next face of their franchise.

Jay Zawaski

Monday night, Greg made the comparison of the Blackhawks winning the NHL Draft Lottery to the Chicago Cubs winning the World Series, and for me personally, that was spot on. It was a relief as much as it was a joy, at least at first. As time went on, and I got to visit the chalked-up Wrigley Field, reality set in. The beauty, and the difference, between the Cubs winning the World Series and the Blackhawks winning Connor Bedard is the fact that the fun STARTS now. We haven’t even seen Bedard in a Blackhawks sweater yet, despite some killer work from our guy Joey Spathis.

Bedard’s statistics speak for themselves. In 57 games with the Regina Pats, Bedard tallied 71 goals and 72 assists. That’s 143 points in 57 games. That’s 2.51 points per game! Even more impressive was his performance in the 2023 World Junior Championships. In seven games with Team Canada, Bedard had nine goals and 14 assists. 23 points in seven games against the best his age group has to offer.

This kid is going to be a hockey star.

For his teammates and fellow prospects, you can’t help but feel happy for them. Guys like Seth Jones and Connor Murphy, who have been consummate pros since joining the organization, have to feel a bit of relief today. Other prospects in the system, like Lukas Reichel, have to be licking their chops to play with Bedard.

For Blackhawks fans, the last few years have been difficult. We must acknowledge the organizational failure around Kyle Beach. There are many hockey fans around the country who feel the Blackhawks shouldn’t even have had the opportunity to make this pick and should have been sanctioned with draft capital being taken away, and perhaps they have a point. It didn’t happen, though. Everyone (with the exception of Rocky Wirtz) who was involved in the organization then is gone. Hopefully those now at the top can promise a better and safer environment for their prospects.

For us in the media, it is thrilling to be able to cover a player of this caliber. I wasn’t in the locker room for the ascent of the dynasty Blackhawks. Hopefully, I’ll be there for the next dynasty.

Adding Connor Bedard is indeed, “The Short Cut.”

“I don’t know if it’s necessarily putting the past behind us,” Davidson began. “It’s more so clearing the deck to allow the organic growth for young players in the leadership roles and offer this new era of Blackhawks player the same opportunity that Toews, Kane, [Duncan] Keith, [Brent] Seabrook were all offered when they came into the league. When there’s a player like Jonathan or Patrick in your locker room, you defer to them, you just let them handle the leadership and there’s not a lot of development opportunity there.”

On Monday, we had the chance to interview Blackhawks and IceHogs defenseman Alex Vlasic ahead of Rockford’s series vs Iowa. Greg Boysen asked about the differences in his experience in 2022 vs 2023.

“It was a lot more chill, I’d say,” Vlasic said. “I remember at the start of last year, I felt like I was kinda walking around on eggshells, which I feel like is pretty normal, especially when you got some big names in the locker room like Toewser and Kaner. I feel like this year was a lot easier for me to make the transition and not really worry about that stuff … not really worry about the different atmosphere. I just kind of jumped right in and started playing hockey.”

Now, before we continue, I want to be clear that these quotes come off much worse in print than they did on video/audio, so I encourage everyone to check out the show (or the clip above) for themselves.

As the interview went on, I wanted to circle back to those comments. I asked Vlasic if the different feelings he felt this season were because Kane and Toews weren’t present.

“Right away, you’re playing with Patrick Kane … you’re not going to feel comfortable being your same self that you would be around somebody that you’re playing with … one of your best buddies on the team. It’s just impossible. I look up to this guy. I’ve looked up to him for so long. He’s such a good player, so you’re going to defer him, whether that be off the ice, but on the ice as well,” Vlasic said. “This season, to the games that I’ve played now, it felt a lot different in the locker room. Just a younger vibe. A lot of new players as well, so I felt a little bit more comfortable, and just even being around those guys [Kane and Toews] last year, and in training camp gave me a lot more confidence and more [comfort] around them.”

The CHGO Blackhawks crew has believed in this philosophy long before Kyle Davidson brought it up on Thursday. It’s not a knock on Kane or Toews in any way, shape, or form, but any time two icons of an iconic franchise are in the room, those in their presence will have some level of awe and intimidation. Without those presences, young and different players will feel emboldened to take on leadership like never before.

Now the Band-Aid is torn off. The page has been turned. I’m excited to see this next generation of Blackhawks truly take hold. Let’s see if any of them can hold a candle to Kane or Toews.

Oh Captain, My Captain!

Celebrate one of Chicago’s greatest careers with our new release from the CHGO Locker!

Here’s what we learned.

Jonathan Toews will not be back next season.

We’ll start with the day’s biggest news. Captain Jonathan Toews will not be back as a Blackhawk.

“Tonight will be the final game in a Blackhawks jersey for Jonathan Toews, because we will not be re-signing him this summer,” Davidson began. “Words fail to adequately summarize everything that Jonathan has done for the organization … the amazing memories he’s provided. He’ll forever be known as Chicago’s captain.”

“He’s one of the greatest players in team history…of his generation, and some of his milestones and accomplishments will be extremely difficult to match.” Davidson continued. “We can’t thank him enough for everything he’s done. The Blackhawks organization and the City of Chicago will be forever indebted to him for the amazing ride that he took us on.”

Kyle Davidson doesn’t think Jonathan Toews is retiring

As jarring as the Toews news is, it’s not unexpected. However, I was caught off guard a couple of times, as Davidson seemed pretty convinced Toews’ playing career isn’t over.

“Wherever he plays next, he’ll be a Blackhawk forever,” Davidson said.

Sure, maybe that’s a throwaway line, but later in the presser, Davidson doubled down.

NHL.com’s Tracey Myers asked if Toews might have a front-office role with the Blackhawks at some point. “As far as I’m concerned, we believe he’s going to play,” Davidson said. “That door [to join the front office] is not going to be closed if and when that time comes.”

Toews meets the media after Thursday night’s game vs the Flyers. Perhaps he’ll have more insight on his future then.

Moving on from Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews opens the door for new leadership voices

The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus asked Davidson, “Why were you so determined to put the past behind you and start without those guys?’

“I don’t think it’s putting the past behind us,” Davidson responded. “It’s more so clearing the deck to allow the organic growth for young players into leadership roles, and offer this new era of Blackhawks player the same opportunity that Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook … they were all offered when they came into the league. When there’s a player like Jonathan or Patrick in your locker room, you defer to them. There’s not a lot of development opportunity there.”

I agree with Davidson on this. One could argue that when Kane and Toews were rookies, they looked around and saw Martin Havlat, Nikolai Khabibulin, Robert Lang, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook, and they were able to grow into those leadership roles, but none of those veterans carry the weight of Kane or Toews, and Keith and Seabrook were far from established NHLers at that point.

“This is about us trying to get back to where we want to be,” Davidson said. “I don’t know if resting on sentimentality or the past does us any good in the future.”

Bingo …

Kyle Davidson made the right hire in Luke Richardson

Davidson went out of his way to praise head coach Luke Richardson.

“I couldn’t be happier with the job that Luke has done. Him and his staff have created a positive culture in the locker room … cultivated a team identity the city and fans can be proud of. We’re really excited to have him, as well as his whole staff, returning next season.”

When asked specifically what stood out about Richardson, Davidson identified structure and development.

“It’s just that consistency,” Davidson said. “It was something that we saw all year long. I don’t think he’s had a misstep all year.”

Next year’s Blackhawks team will be younger, but not all kids

All season on the CHGO Blackhawks Podcast, we’ve wondered if 2023-24 will be a carbon copy of this season … made up of mostly veteran players on short-term contracts with a Rockford piece sprinkled here or there. On Thursday, Davidson painted a similar, if somewhat younger picture.

“I see the infusion of some of the more talent that you’ve seen on an up-down basis from Rockford more full time, and supporting those young players with some new players in the organization, whether it be free agency or trade,” Davidson said. “We’re going to prioritize flexibility. We’re going to prioritize keeping our salary position advantageous. So that doesn’t mean we’re going out and signing long-term deals. That’s now where we’re at. This is a rebuild. They take time. You can’t take any short cuts.”

So if you’re playing armchair GM, Lukas Reichel will be a full-time NHL player. More on him later, by the way. Cole Guttman seems like an NHL lock. Isaak Phillips will be more of a regular, if not full-time, NHL player. One has to wonder what this means for Wyatt Kaiser and Alex Vlasic. If I had to guess, I think Vlasic moves to the NHL full-time, while Kaiser gets the same assignment Vlasic got this season, playing the vast majority of his games in Rockford before making the full-time jump in 2024-25.

I think more free agents on the same level as Max Domi and Andreas Athanasiou might be in the cards, as well. Maybe even specifically Domi.

Lukas Reichel is in Chicago to stay

I had Reichel penciled in for 82 games in Chicago this season, but that wasn’t part of Davidson’s plan. He wanted to see more from Reichel in all areas. Yes, he probably had the ability to come to the NHL and contribute, but there was no need to rush, and that patience has paid off. Anyone who watched this Hawks season saw a different player from Reichel’s first call up to his latest call up.

“Playing center, playing big minutes…every situation…leadership role. As the season went on, he came up and looked really good,” Davidson said. “The plan was for him to go back down, so we stuck to the plan. A huge credit to Lukas, who, after that stint, could have said, ‘You know what, I’m an NHL player…’ that didn’t happen. That speaks to the character of the player and his growth mindset. And then he came up and showed again he was ready for the NHL. He left no doubt.”

Drafting Matvei Michkov is not off the table

If Russian prospect Matvei Michkov’s name was Gordie O’Sullivan, he’d very likely be the second pick in this draft. He has high-end talent, and if he makes the jump to the NHL, could be one of the game’s best players. However, Michkov is under contract in the KHL through the 2025-26 season. It’s also important to remember that it can never be assumed that Russian players will make the jump. Drafting Michkov would be a huge risk for any GM, let alone Davidson, who has been targeting this draft as the true jumping-off point of the rebuild. Would Michkov’s status and uncertainty be too risky for Davidson?

“There’s a lot of information that needs to be gained from here to the draft. As we sit right now, we’ve got a full board. We’re not taking anyone off. We’re looking for the best players. We can’t pass up on talent.”

Yes, this draft is loaded

Davidson continued (vaguely) talking about the talent at the top of the draft. “The top of the draft is good,” Davidson chuckled. “It’s a special top of the draft. The greatness of this draft class is in its depth, as well. There are players down the board that we are really excited about…that we really like.”

“Statistically, every team should [get] a player per team that comes out of a draft, roughly. Let’s beat those odds. Let’s get more than what is traditional. We’ve got the capital to do it. We’ve got the information and the process that we can uncover those players. There are some special players [at the top of the draft], and a really strong down the board group, too.”

Expect Philipp Kurashev to be back

Davidson told the media that their message entering this season was to work on his consistency, and he delivered. “He did that. I thought he had a really strong year,” Davidson said. “For me, at the end of last year, it was kind of ‘We’ll see.’ Now, to me, he’s certainly a bonafide contributor at the NHL level.”

It’s going to be a busy night at CHGO Blackhawks. All three of us will be at the United Center covering the game, Jonathan Toews’ post-game press conference, and more. Join us on the postgame show as soon as things wrap up.

Now that we know tonight will be your last game as a Chicago Blackhawk, I wanted to share a note. 

If it wasn’t for you, I probably wouldn’t be doing the job I’m doing now. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t have half of my happy Chicago sports memories. For that, thanks. 

It’s funny, your career has run parallel to the best parts of my life, which I don’t think is a coincidence. My daughter was born right after Big Buff’s OT winner during Game 3 vs San Jose. She was there (asleep) for the banner raising, and she enjoyed reading to her beloved Toews doll before bed. 

She’s nearly 13 now. She looks like an adult, and as I look at your career as a parallel to your career, it’s making me feel old. I remember those pictures from your rookie year, and I used to think, “I wonder what Toews will look like when he’s an old NHL veteran,” just as I used to look at my daughter and wonder, “What is she going to look like when she’s older?”

I still remember your first NHL game. You scored on your first NHL shot and we all knew you were going to be special.

Four games later, you scored the most incredible goal of your career. 

Avalanche analyst Peter McNab summed the goal up beautifully. “This is the kind of talent that can bring a franchise back from the dead.”

“He’s 19 years old,” then head coach Denis Savard said. “But don’t let that fool you. There’s no big step from the University of North Dakota to the NHL for this kid. He’s 19, but he already displays all of the cool and experience of a 30-year-old veteran. He’s definitely captain material.”

Savard was on to something.

Now and forever, you’re “The Captain.” One of the game’s all-time great Captains, despite a misstep here or there. 

It’s hard to imagine what you’ve been through over the last few years. Long COVID, chronic immune response syndrome, your body betraying your mind and desire to keep playing the game you love. But you have nothing more to prove. You’ve won everything there is to win. Whatever happens from today forward, you will be a Chicago legend. 

When things were going so great during the 2010s, it felt like it was never going to end. The team seemed invincible. You guys didn’t lose … you just ran out of time. Even as the wins began to dwindle, we still had our highlight moments from you, Patrick Kane, Brent Seabrook and Duncan Keith. It was easy to feel connected to those days, and it still is. I think that’s why there are a lot of Hawks fans imagining a return for you and Kane this summer. 

Selfishly, I don’t want you to play for another organization. If there’s one member of the dynasty Blackhawks who should only play for one franchise, it’s you. The fact that you may not be able to go out on your own terms is unfair, though. Regardless of what you decide, you will always be a Blackhawk. I can’t wait to see No. 19 up in the rafters with Nos. 1, 3, 9, 18, 21, 35 and 81.

With more to follow, of course …

It’s already strange to see a Blackhawks game without No. 88. I can’t imagine what it will be like to see this next generation grow without you. Your name is synonymous with the Blackhawks, with Chicago and with winning and leadership. Whatever you decide, Chicago has your back forever.  

Thank you for your dedication. Thank you for giving everything you had every shift. Thank you for giving more than you had over the last few years. 

Thanks for Everything,

Jay

Reichel, drafted 17th overall in the 2020 draft, didn’t experience the immediate success Blackhawks fans had come to expect from higher draft picks. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Brandon Saad and Alex DeBrincat experienced immediate success. Kirby Dach, drafted third overall in 2019, came to the NHL right away. With Reichel, the jump didn’t happen as quickly, and the organization’s patience is paying off.

After putting up one assist in 11 games with the Blackhawks in 2021-22, Reichel, somewhat unexpectedly, started this season in Rockford with the IceHogs, where he dominated. After two brief call-ups earlier this season, Reichel is finally on the roster full-time. During this current 17-game stretch*, the longest call-up of his NHL career, Reichel has looked like a different player. He has 10 points (4G – 6A) in those games, and is playing at a 48-point pace if extrapolated over an 82-game season. Those numbers would have him in the Calder Trophy conversation with Seattle’s Matty Beniers and Anaheim’s Mason McTavish.

Reichel’s offensive ability is apparent. He’s fast, has great hands, and can easily maneuver between defenders, so why didn’t the goals and assists come sooner? My main concern (if you can call it that) with Reichel early-on was his decision-making. He struggled to realize that plays he could make in the AHL and in Germany wouldn’t work in the NHL. He also had obvious shortcomings in his defensive game, and while it would have been really easy for GM Kyle Davidson to start the season with Reichel in Chicago and live with the growing pains, he allowed him to develop at the AHL level, and it has paid off.

What we’ve seen in the last seventeen games is a complete player. Reichel will never be Patrice Bergeron defensively, but he’s shown growth and understanding in all zones, and Luke Richardson has noticed.

After Thursday’s loss to the Blues, Richardson talked about Reichel’s growth. “He’s still learning. We saw some clips today about looking when to strike and when not to strike, and I could see [that growth] already. The longer he’s here…the more he understands that…the better he’ll get.”

Honestly, you could go through any postgame video of Richardson and find him saying something similar about Reichel’s game, and he’s getting the message. He’s played the best hockey of his young career and looks better and more dangerous every game.

“He’s been very explosive for us,” Richardson said after the loss to the Canucks. “He’s not afraid of going to those hard areas [around the net]. He’s just going to get bigger and stronger and be more dominant when he does that. He’s doing the right things. He’s got lots of intelligence. He sees things out there. He’s got to see danger, too and put pucks behind the other team.”

Richardson’s tone has changed around Reichel as the season has gone on. He’s seeing the growth he wants to see and is seeing a player respond to coaching. Reichel has been awarded with the opportunity to finish out the regular season in Chicago before re-joining the IceHogs for their playoff run. Those will likely be the last games he ever plays in Rockford.

The Week Ahead

Tuesday, April 4 @ Calgary Flames

8:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The Flames should be better than they are. I had such high hopes for them and they’ve annoyed me all season. That said, with a 6-2-2 record over their last 10 games, they’re two points out of a Wild Card spot and have a roster #BuiltForThePlayoffs. While all of the Flames offensive stars have underperformed, their biggest issue has been in goal. Jacob Markstrom, once considered one of the league’s upper-tier tenders, has been flat out bad this season. Last season, he was 37-15-9 with a 2.22 goals against, a .922 save percentage and had nine shutouts. This season, he’s 22-20-10 with a 2.98 goals against, a .890 save percentage with one shutout.

Thursday, April 6 @ Vancouver Canucks

9:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

For all of the offense on this Vancouver team, you figure they’d be better than they are. Elisa Pettersson is approaching the 100-point mark for the first time in his career. JT Miller and Quinn Hughes are scoring over a point per game. However, they’re bottom ten in nearly every important defensive category, including the league’s worst penalty kill. Their goaltending has been pretty brutal, as well. Thatcher Demko, Collin Delia and Spencer Martin have shared the net this year. None of them have a save percentage over 90%. None of them have a goals against average below Delia’s team leading 3.26. Yikes.

Saturday, April 8 @ Seattle Kraken

9:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The Kraken have a firm grasp on the top Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, with 92 points. They’ve been fun to watch this season. Rookie and future superstar Matty Beniers is a shoo-in for the Calder Trophy and is their player to watch. What the Kraken lack in superstar talent (for now) they make up for in depth. The Blackhawks leading scorer is Tyler Raddysh. He has 37 points in 36 games. That would be good for ninth on the Kraken.

*Stats have been updated to reflect Tuesday’s win over Calgary.

However, the players were not wearing their Pride jerseys in warm-ups, as they have in years past. Blackhawks fans, both in and out of the LGBTQIA+ community were upset, hurt, and confused. Sources close to the team told reporters the decision was made based on concerns over the safety of Russian players and their families, but our colleagues at The Athletic put in a call to the NHL’s deputy commissioner Bill Daly, who said, “We have no information that would suggest there is any material threat that would exist (in Russia or otherwise) related to a Russian player participating in a club’s Pride activities.” It should also be noted that Russian hockey players have worn pride jerseys both before and after the Blackhawks’ decision, with no retribution.

All of this leads to confusion, frustration, and mistrust, for everyone.

I’m not going to pretend that I have a full understanding of Russian politics. Any time there is a dictator in charge, things can change quickly and without warning, so despite Daly’s comment, I believe there are Russian players who have legitimate concerns about their and their families’ safety. I also acknowledge that I will never fully understand the daily struggle the LGBTQIA+ community goes through, though I do my best to listen, learn, grow, sympathize, and support, even though I will often fall short (as I admittedly did the other night when the news broke), and while Russian players deserve respect for their concerns over what’s happening in their country, there are LGBTQIA+ people living in America, dealing with their rights being stripped away on a daily basis. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, there are currently 450 bills targeting the LGBTQ community in the United States.

450.

Let that sink in.

What frustrates me most, aside from seeing friends and fans feeling hurt by the decision, is the Blackhawks leadership group’s silence on this topic. CEO Danny Wirtz and President Jaime Faulkner have used the term “transparency” over and over again. Right now, the fans need, and deserve, transparency.

The Blackhawks have (another) crisis on their hands. Now is not the time for the leadership to go silent. Fans deserve an explanation. The media deserves the chance to ask questions and get answers. Instead, Luke Richardson, Connor Murphy and Seth Jones are taxed with facing the media with no support behind them. They’re in a no-win situation.

Overall, I had been pleased with how Wirtz and Faulkner have handled things since they took the reigns, but they’ve both dropped the ball, here. It’s never too late to step up and do the right thing and show some accountability, but it feels like they’re just going to let the news cycle pass instead, which is a shame. It feels like for every step forward the organization makes, they take several steps back.

The Week Ahead

Tuesday, March 28 vs Dallas Stars

7:30 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

Every time the Blackhawks play the Stars, I write about Jason Robertson, and I’m not going to stop now. He is one of the game’s brightest Stars, and the league has completely dropped the ball on promoting him. The Stars are a good team, in a large market, with some very marketable players. In his 73 games this season, Robertson has 41 goals and 50 assists and is currently tied for ninth in the NHL in scoring. At 23 years old, he’s only going to get better.

Meanwhile, the Stars, who have led the Central Division for the bulk of the season, have fallen to third. This sounds a lot worse than it is, as first-place Minnesota only has one more point than the Stars. The race for the central title should be fun to watch, but expect a fully-motivated Stars team at the United Center Tuesday night.

Thursday, March 30 vs St. Louis Blues

7:30 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The Blues are right in the middle of hockey hell. Not bad enough to land a great draft pick, not good enough to make the playoffs. While they have their young stars, Jordan Kyrou and Robert Thomas, locked up long-term, there is also a significant portion of their cap space tied up in older defensemen. Could the Blues be in line for a rebuild? They probably should, but probably won’t. I’d imaging if you’re reading this you wouldn’t mind seeing the Blues sink into obscurity for the next decade, right?

Saturday, April 1 vs New Jersey Devils

7:00 pm on ESPN2 & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The Devils are really damn good. They’re young. They’re fast. They’re going to be young and fast for a long-time. If you’re looking for hope for the rebuild, the Devils could be a team to look to. I’m excited about getting to see them live. I’m also excited to see how they fare in the playoffs. The East is loaded and experienced, so it might be a couple more years before the Devils can take down the big dogs, but we’ll see. I’m rooting for them.

At Richardson’s introductory press conference on June 29, Davidson remarked, “We wanted someone who could lead with authority and who would hold players accountable. In addition, we were looking for someone who could develop and coach young talent, while also connecting with our veteran players.”

This season, Davidson has checked every one of those boxes.

The Blackhawks’ roster was built to lose. Davidson has been honest about what this season is about, and hasn’t tried to hide the fact that wins are not ideal in the chase for the team’s next franchise player. That hasn’t stopped the Hawks from competing and keeping games respectable all season long. In the 70 games Chicago has played, 38 of them have been decided by two goals or fewer. In those games, the Hawks’ record is 17-15-6. Despite last night’s 5-0 loss to Colorado, the Hawks don’t get blown often out, despite the cavernous talent gap between themselves and their opponents most nights.

For a team that’s been one of the NHL’s punchlines all season, they’ve been much more respectable than they get credit for, and I think Richardson deserves the bulk of the credit for that respectability.

When we had the chance to interview Richardson back in June, he gave some insight into how he would handle things when the chips were down.

“We want to create a family atmosphere. I don’t like talking about my hockey playing career with the players. I’m here to take the experiences I’ve learned and help them. They know that I’ve been though everything … disappointment … put on waivers …[being sent] to the minors … I’ve seen it all. I want them to know that I’m with them. There are some nights I might have to be hard on a player, but I’m still with them the next morning. I think that will lead to a better environment.”

While the 2022-23 season has been less tumultuous than the season prior, it hasn’t been without its distractions. The team went through a stretch where it lost 21 of 23 games. The Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews trade rumors were the main story and a distraction, for most of the season. By the time the deadline passed, they had traded Kane, Jake McCabe, Max Domi, Sam Lafferty, and Jack Johnson. This team had every opportunity to mail in the season, and to this point, with 13 games to go, they haven’t.

Of course, the “try-hard, hustle, never-say-die” thing isn’t really quantifiable on paper.

No one was talking about it during the streak of 21 losses in 23 games, right?

The other part of Richardson’s coaching that makes me optimistic for the team’s future is his ability to explain the game. In all my years watching and covering hockey, I’ve never heard a head coach offer so much detail into specific plays, moments, and strategies.

Watch this clip from December 15. Richardson is talking about the Blackhawks’ defensive woes at the time. He explains it with such clarity, even we morons in the media understand.

If he can make us understand, just think of the impact he’s having on the young hockey minds that are or soon will be on the Blackhawks roster.

“He’s constantly reinforcing every little detail that we need to focus on because, obviously, we’re not Boston,” center Jason Dickinson told The Athletic.

“It all starts now, coming together as a team,” MacKenzie Entwistle said. “Not everybody’s going to score 40 goals, but how are you going to contribute every night? That’s what a lot of guys are figuring out, and it’s been working for us. A lot of it has to do with Luke.”

After Monday’s tough oss, Richardson was as pointed as he’s ever been, specifically about Ian Mitchell’s performance.

“It’s always tough coming in and out of the lineup, but that’s just pro hockey,” Richardson said. “You have to be ready when you get your chance. He was a little tentative and stepped back on a couple goals where he’s close to his man. He’s just got to step into that man and play the body.”

As you can read, even when a player has possibly his worst game of the season, Richardson offers a bit of understanding before the criticism. Mitchell can rest assured he’ll likely have a clean slate with Richardson on Tuesday.

The Blackhawks’ future is uncertain. There are many boxes to check before they can contend again, but they can already check the “Head Coach” box in permanent marker.

The Week Ahead

Thursday, March 23 @ Washington Capitals

6:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

For the next few seasons, the main goal for the Washington Capitals will be getting Alex Ovechkin to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal record (894). Ovechkin is at 819 and counting. Somehow, the 37-year old winger is still scoring with regularity. He doesn’t play with the reckless abandon of his early career anymore but leave him in that left circle and you’re screwed. Barring catastrophic injury, Ovechkin will pass Gretzky. The Caps will keep him around until it happens, which might feel a little gross, but far be it from anyone around the Blackhawks to criticize an organizational lack of focus on winning games. Meanwhile, Old Friend Dylan Strome has had a nice season with the Caps. His 52 points are good for second on the team, and his play this season has earned him a new five-year, $25 million contract extension.

Saturday, March 25 @ Minnesota Wild

4:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

On March 8, Wild leading scorer Karill Kaprizov’s body bent the wrong way, which is never good. The winger hasn’t played since, and isn’t expected back for 2-3 weeks. Surely, this injury has sunk the Wild, right? Nope. Since his injury, the Wild are 3-1-1. 21-year old winger Matt Boldy has nine points in those five games. The Wild are 12-1-3 in their last 16 games, and are currently second in the Central Division standings, one point behind the Dallas Stars. Doesn’t this game somehow feel like a Blackhawks win, though?

Sunday, March 26 v Vancouver Canucks

5:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The Canucks, who looked like a threat to challenge the Blackhawks in the tank standings, have won eight of their last 10 games. JT Miller has 12 points over those 10 games. Vancouver has been playing just well enough to finish this season firmly in hockey hell…without a shot at the playoffs or Connor Bedard.

This game will also be the Blackhawks annual Pride Night. This season, the NHL has experienced myriad Pride Night controversies, and while we don’t expect to see any push-back from any current Blackhawks, these things tend to pop up quickly. There’s nothing I’d rather do than celebrate how wonderfully and seamlessly Pride Night goes for the Blackhawks that night. Let’s hope our optimism is justified.

Forward Cole Guttman is a great example.

Before being ruled out for the season with a shoulder injury on Monday, Guttman had made an impressive impact in his short time with the Blackhawks. In his 14 games with Chicago since his February 15 debut, he had four goals and two assists. Maybe six points don’t look impressive on paper, but that’s a 20.5 goal and 32-point pace over 82 games. Before his promotion, Guttman registered 30 points in 39 games with Rockford. This is from a player who has been nursing his injury since November … an injury so severe he has decided to shut down his season and get surgery.

Statistics aside, what impressed me most about Guttman’s stint in Chicago was his hockey awareness. He doesn’t have blazing speed. At 5-foot-9, no one would describe him as a power forward. His shot won’t get him any comparisons to Brett Hull, but there’s something to be said for a player who has a knack for finding the right place to be at the right time.

“We knew he was a smart hockey player,” Richardson said.

Guttman, who the Blackhawks signed in August 2022 after leading his University of Denver Pioneers to their record ninth National Championship, was a sixth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Lighting in the 2017 NHL Draft. After failing to get an opportunity with Tampa Bay, he decided to sign with Chicago, likely knowing he’d get an opportunity sooner than later.

As I wrote about for last week’s Blackhawks Beat, it may seem strange to see a player choose a team with less of a chance of winning, but there’s something to be said for an opportunity. That’s what Guttman, and others, have gotten playing for the Blackhawks this season.

This decision to end his season sheds some clarity on why Guttman wasn’t made playoff eligible for the Rockford Ice Hogs at the trade deadline. The league requires teams to “send down” any player they want to be eligible on trade deadline day. It’s typically just a paper transaction, but eyebrows were raised when Guttman’s name wasn’t on that list. Now it’s clear that the playoffs were never in the cards for the 23-year-old rookie.

“He wanted to keep playing, but the decision was the right thing to do it now, to get ready for next year,” head coach Luke Richardson said. “He has shown he can play here.”

He has indeed, and while the CHGO Blackhawks Crew continues to project next year’s roster, all three of us have Guttman penciled in the lineup … maybe even centering Connor Bedard.

The Week Ahead

Tuesday, March 14 vs Boston Bruins

7:30 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

Bottom line, the Bruins are the best team in hockey. When Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci decided to come back for one more bite at the apple, there were big expectations. The Bruins have blown those expectations out of the water. On Saturday, the B’s became the fastest team in NHL history to reach 50 wins. It only took 64 games. On March 3, they became the fastest team in NHL history to reach 100 points. Whether or not their regular season success translates to another Stanley Cup remains to be seen. The Eastern Conference is absolutely loaded with great teams and Cup contenders, which makes the Bruins’ feat even more impressive.

Thursday, March 16 @ Nashville Predators

7:00 pm on ESPN+ / Hulu & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

On the CHGO Blackhawks Podcast, we often use the Nashville Predators as the team you DON’T want to be. Never rebuilding … never fully going for it …'”halving” it to keep fans invested and to maintain playoff revenue. With this method of managing a hockey team, the Stanley Cup is never actually a realistic outcome. Sure, you might get lucky and win a round or two, but it never ends in hockey’s ultimate prize. Well, it seems like the Preds have started to lean toward a rebuild. Before this year’s deadline, they traded Tanner Jeannot (for a damned haul), Nino Niederreiter, Mattias Ekholm, and Mikael Granlund. They still have some expensive veterans like Roman Josi, Matt Duchene, Filip Forsberg, Ryan Johansen, and Ryan McDonough signed long-term, but it’s a start. With David Poile stepping down after running the Preds since their inception, they’re long overdue for a new approach and a fresh set of eyes. His replacement, Barry Trotz, has his work cut out for him, but we know the ownership group in Nashville is patient.

Saturday, March 19 @ Arizona Coyotes

9:30 pm on NBC Sports Chicago Plus & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

Tank Off! The Coyotes are currently sixth in the #TankStandings, and are probably too talented to finish with the league’s worst record, thus securing themselves the best odds at Bedard. Conspiracy theorists will suggest that Gary Bettman is going to rig the draft to help his beloved, but ever-floundering, Coyotes, but who believes in that stuff? I actually think the Coyotes are fun to watch and will be even more fun next year when their top prospect Logan Cooley arrives. Old friend Nick Schmaltz is having a very solid season, with 46 points in 50 games. Proof that even higher-end prospects don’t find their stride right away. At age 27, he’s finally been able to put together impressive back-to-back scoring seasons. Health has played a big role in his delayed development, but it looks like Schmaltz has finally become the player he was expected to become.

The first period ended scoreless with Tampa outshooting the Hawks 7-4. The Hawks actually ended the frame ahead in high-danger scoring chances (3-1), but the Lighting turned things on in the second. Tampa outshot the Hawks 15-9 and had nine high-dangers chances to the Blackhawks one. Brayden Point scored his 42nd goal of the season, and the period ended with Tampa up 1-0.

Five minutes into the second period, Blackhawks leading goal scorer Taylor Raddysh bit the hand that once fed him, tying the game at one. Rookie Cole Guttman corralled the puck behind the net and centered a pass to Raddysh, who quickly snapped it behind Tampa Bay goalie Brian Elliott for his 17th goal of the season. For those rooting for the tank, Point came through again, this time potting the game winner for the Lightning with :59.7 seconds to go in the third. Old-friend Brandon Hagel added the empty netter, his 23rd of the season, with :02 left.

“It’s heartbreaking because I feel like our guys really put it all out there,” coach Luke Richardson said after the game.

“They’re a little bit deflated after giving two nights of great effort against two strong teams. But we’re just going to reassure [them] that they did so many things right…that we’re going in the right direction. We’ll learn from this.”

Jay’s Hit: Petr Mrazek playing all-star level hockey

Effort and coaching praise aside, another big reason the Blackhawks have been in these games lately is the play of Petr Mrazek. Saturday, he stopped 34 Lightning shots in the loss and lately has been playing his best hockey of the season. He’s only allowed nine goals in his last five games, stopping 123 of 132 shots on goal…good for a .931 save percentage.

“He’s been great…both nights,” Richardson said of Mrazek. “He gave us a chance both nights. Tonight, they had some point-blankers…and not just one…multiple in a row. That just gives us even more confidence as we’re playing offense and through the neutral zone that we know that he just gave us a big lift. We have to go get him something at the other end.”

Remember, the Maple Leafs were so desperate to get rid of Mrazek at last year’s draft, they gave the Blackhawks a first-round pick just to take him off their hands. Overall, Mrazek hasn’t been great, but like many of his teammates, he’s played his best hockey since the trade deadline.

Mario’s Hit: Could Joey Anderson be Taylor Raddysh 2.0?

Joey Anderson came to the Blackhawks after being buried on the Toronto Maple Leafs roster. He’s not a very assuming player, but there are small things he does that can build up and make a big difference. He has an opportunity with these Blackhawks to make waves and solidify some NHL time in the final stretch of the season and into next year.

Sound familiar? 

Anderson has a chance to be this year’s version of Taylor Raddysh. 

I know in the grand scheme of the NHL, that’s not the highest bar to reach, but for a player who was between the AHL and NHL on a team looking to contend for the Stanley Cup, that’s a big deal. Tonight was another solid performance for Anderson in a fourth-line role with Chicago. He finished the night with 11:19 of ice-time, but was one of the top effective Blackhawks with a 0.26 individual expected goals rate, three individual chances created and two individual scoring chances created. All of those rates were in the top-five of Blackhawks tonight.

Anderson is an arbitration-eligible restricted free agent at the end of this season and the Blackhawks won’t be hard-pressed on money to spend this summer. There’s no harm in giving a player like Anderson a shot again next season on a very affordable deal. They’ll have to sign someone in free agency, why not stick with a guy who has already looked decent in a limited sample size with your organization? 

Greg’s Hit: Low Shot Totals Contribute to Tank Standings

Getting pucks to the net has been an issue for the Blackhawks all season long. They entered tonight’s tilt in Tampa, averaging 26.7 shots per game. They are one of only nine teams in the NHL averaging less than 30 shots per game, and only the Arizona Coyotes have a lower average on the season. We knew things would get worse after the trade deadline when Patrick Kane and Max Domi and their 325 shots on goal were shipped out of town.

Since March 2, the first game without both Kane and Domi, the Blackhawks are 1-4-1 while being outscored 16-14. While they haven’t been blown out in any of their recent losses, they were outshot 217-134 in those six games. The third period has been particularly rough during this stretch, as the Blackhawks averaged just 8.5 shots in the final frame.

Tonight’s game wasn’t much different as the Blackhawks were outshot 37-24 overall and 15-10 in the third period when their lone goal came. It will be challenging for the Blackhawks to steal many points down the stretch if they can’t get the puck on net. Luke Richardson already has a fairly simple system, so it will be up to the players to make the extra effort. The final 16 games of the season are a chance for many guys to make an impression and stay in the NHL beyond this year. Let’s see who makes the most of the opportunity. 

The moves haven’t worked out as planned. The Panthers have underachieved under Maurice and entered tonight’s tilt with the Chicago Blackhawks four points out of a wild card spot. Even with the desperation of fighting for their postseason lives, Florida had trouble solving the mystery that was Petr Mrazek in net.

A pair of Blackhawks scored their third goal of the season to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage in the first period. First, defenseman Caleb Jones joined the rush and beat Sergei Bobrovsky upstairs.

Late in the opening frame, Boris Katchouk finished off a nice passing play with a redirect to double the Blackhawks’ lead.

It looked like Mrazek was going to steal one in South Beach and make us itchy about the tank standings. However, the Panthers had different ideas and stormed back in the third period. The two Sams, Bennett and Reinhart, scored 29 seconds apart to even things up. Less than four minutes later, Eetu Luostarinen blasted one past Mrazek to give the Panthers a 3-2. The Blackhawks weren’t dead yet, as Cole Guttman tied the game with 45 seconds left in regulation as Mrazek watched from the bench for the extra attacker. In overtime, defenseman Brandon Montour earned the extra point for the Panthers with a sweet shot and celebration.

For the second straight game, the Blackhawks blew a 2-0 lead after the first period. The game in Detroit wasn’t as lopsided as the final 40 minutes were tonight. After the first period, the Blackhawks were outshot 34-17, but Mrazek kept them in it.

Jay’s Hit: One for the ‘Remember When’ File

We’ve discussed it on the podcast a few times now, and we’re here to let you know it is a real, living, breathing thing. Of course, I’m talking about our running ‘Remember When’ Google Doc file. If you’re not hip to the concept, it’s the way Greg, Mario, and I keep track of some of the crazy things we want to look back on once the Blackhawks are good again. 

Friday’s lineup was an automatic entry. With Patrick Kane, Max Domi, Jake McCabe, and Sam Laffery traded, and Jonathan Toews still out, the lineup was a bit comical. Friday, it went to another level. With Connor Murphy missing the next two games as he tends to a personal issue and Alex Stalock out after #AirplaneSushi…well…just take a look for yourself. 

Lukas Reichel-Philipp Kurashev-Andreas Athanasiou

Tyler Johnson (A)-Cole Guttman-Taylor Raddysh

Bjork-Dickinson-Entwistle

Boris Katchouk-Jujhar Khaira-Joey Anderson

Caleb Jones-Seth Jones (A)

Jarred Tinordi (A)-Nikita Zaitsev

Filip Roos-Ian Mitchell

Petr Mrazek

Zach Andrews (the EBUG)

Yep…Zach Andrews. He’s the 31-year-old emergency backup goalie the team was forced to sign before today’s game. Yep…that’s alternate captain Jarred Tinordi. Yep…that’s the almost-forgotten Filip Roos, who saved a goal with a tremendous swat at a puck that was headed to the net. 

The craziest part of this? The Blackhawks had a lead for most of this game.

Hockey is weird.

Mario’s Hit: Lukas Reichel continues to show his NHL readiness

There was a portion of Blackhawks fans that started to worry about Lukas Reichel when he started his NHL career with the organization slow out of the gate. It wasn’t until his two most recent stints with the club that he has started to show his progression from last season.

While he didn’t register a point tonight, there were still flashes of that offensive skill and awareness in his own zone that make you excited for his future. The pace of the game is not above his head. He’s making the effort in the hard areas of the ice and, to my surprise, is coming away winning more puck battles than he is losing them. While he continues to make his body more NHL-ready physically, his mind is there.

Greg’s Hit: Joey Anderson, Next Man Up

When the Blackhawks traded Jake McCabe and Sam Lafferty to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the two draft picks acquired got fans excited. However, Joey Anderson is another player looking to take full advantage of the situation in Chicago and, so far, that is exactly what he’s doing. He is following the lead of guys like Lafferty, Max Domi, and Taylor Raddysh by making the most of the opportunity the Blackhawks are giving him.

Anderson had three goals and an assist in his 20 games with the Maple Leafs before the trade. On Wednesday, he scored his first goal with the Blackhawks in his sixth game with the team. He made it back-to-back games with points by setting up Katchouk’s first-period goal.

The 24-year-old winger has fit in nicely on the fourth line as the chemistry between him, Katchouk, and Jujhar Khaira was evident on the goal. In addition to his assist, he had one shot on goal on three shot attempts. He is getting a chance to be a bigger contributor here than he ever would have gotten on the far-superior Maple Leafs roster. Anderson will be on the NHL roster for the rest of the season, let’s see what he does with the opportunity.

Monday night’s 5-0 win over Ottawa was a good example. Anders Bjork, acquired at the deadline from Buffalo for future considerations, had five goals and three assists for the Sabres last season. He picked up three primary assists in the second period on Monday. Small sample size, sure. But after averaging 12:02 of ice time in Buffalo, he’s jumped to 15:16 in his two games in Chicago so far. Granted, it’s a very small sample size, and anyone can luck into a three-assist night, but if you watched Monday’s game, you say a guy making a difference when he was on the ice.

“Confidence is such a huge thing in sports,” Bjork said after the game. “It’s nice to get some offensive production. But I think for me personally, I’m trying to have a complete game and play the right way and do the little things right and be a two-way forward.”

Opportunity breeds confidence. Before the trade, Bjork spent all but one game this season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans. Just the vote of confidence from the Blackhawks organization to take a flyer and give him an opportunity can make a world of difference.

I caught up with Bjork after practice on Tuesday. Here’s what he had to say:

It’s really the opportunity of a lifetime for me. I’m trying to take full advantage of it and do all I can to make the most of this. For me, this is the one team I really wanted to go to. There is some opportunity here. That’s extremely exciting for me and for where I am in my career right now.

Anders Bjork

Bjork isn’t the only example on this Blackhawks team.

Jason Dickinson, acquired from the Vancouver Canucks (along with a second-round pick) for defenseman Riley Stillman, has been one of the Blackhawks’ most consistent players all season. He has a career-high 23 points this season, and has averaged 15:22 of ice time in Chicago, the most since his 2021-22 season with the Dallas Stars.

Max Domi, who was traded at the deadline to Dallas, is a higher-profile example. As an unrestricted free agent last summer, Domi wasn’t getting the attention he felt he deserved from contenders. When Chicago came calling, he jumped at the opportunity.

“Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are two of my favorite guys growing up,” Domi said weeks after the signing. “A chance to play with those two guys, wear that jersey, and to play for Luke (Richardson) were the biggest reasons why I chose Chicago.”

Domi knew he’d get a shot in the top six all year, and he was right. He left Chicago as the team’s leading scorer…something very few would have predicted on July 1 when he signed.

Kyle Davidson’s first acquisition as general manager was Sam Lafferty. Davidson traded former Buffalo first-round pick Alex Nylander to the Penguins for the gritty forward. Lafferty, who averaged less than 10 minutes of ice time during his tenure in Pittsburgh suddenly jumped up to over 14 minutes in Chicago. This season, Lafferty averaged over 15 minutes a game with the Blackhawks. Since his trade to Toronto on February 27 his average has slid to 12:50 per game.

How about defenseman Jarred Tinordi? Despite myriad injuries this season, Tinordi has played a career-high 32 games with Chicago this season and has averaged 16:09 per game. He’s become one of the team’s on-ice leaders, often taking on the task of dropping the gloves when an opponent comes calling. He averages 1.56 blocked shots per game. From a waiver claim toiling in the AHL to a top-four NHL defenseman (on a rebuilding team), Tinordi suddenly looks to be in line for another NHL contract next season.

Aside from Domi, the players listed here would not have the opportunity they’re getting in Chicago on a better or deeper team. Whether they are part of things when the Blackhawks are contenders again remains to be seen, but rebuilding teams are scouted teams. If their futures aren’t in Chicago, the chance they got here might help them land their next NHL deal.

The Week Ahead

Wednesday, March 8 @ Detroit Red Wings

6:30 pm on TNT & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

It’s always special when the Blackhawks and Red Wings get together, and while Detroit’s move to the Eastern Conference has taken some of the starch out of the rivalry, it’s always great to rekindle those memories of the past. This season hasn’t gone the way the Wings GM Steve Yzerman expected. Detroit was one of the teams projected to take a step into the playoffs. Instead, they were sellers at the deadline, moving Tyler Bertuzzi to Bosto, Filip Hronek to Vancouver, Jakub Vrána to St. Louis, and Oskar Sundqvist to Minnesota. After the deadline passed, Yzerman quipped, “I Was Not Going to Be a Buyer Under Any Circumstances.” OK then. At least he’s a realist.

Friday, March 10 @ Florida Panthers

6:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

Two Tkachuks in one week? The Blackhawks better keep their heads up. Monday, it was Brady Tkachuk, was was thrown out of the game for acting a fool as the game was winding down. To his credit, he was the one player in a Senators jersey showing any fight. Now, the Blackhawks face his brother Matthew. He leads the Panthers with 81 points in 61 games, and is one of my favorite players in the league. Like his father, Tkachuk is a pain in the ass to play against and can adapt his game to any situation. He’s a true power forward with the hands and finesse of a sniper. As a whole, the Panthers have been a huge disappointment. They were a Cup favorite last year, and expectations were high coming into the 2022-23 season. They’re currently three points out of the last Wild Card spot, but would have to leapfrog three other teams.

Saturday, March 11 @ Tampa Bay Lightning

6:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The Lightning have become one of those teams that are so good, so consistent, that they’re almost boring. You’ll hear pundits break down the Eastern Conference race talking about Toronto, Boston, New Jersey and others. As the conversation winds down, someone will say, “Well yeah and there’s always Tampa.” Yep. There is always Tampa. The Lightning are headed to a first-round matchup with their division rival Maple Leafs. The two teams battled in the first-round last season, with Tampa winning the series in seven games. This sets up to be another war.

Checking in on our old friend Brandon Hagel, he’s been everything the Lightning hoped he’d be when they traded for him. His 22 goals and 27 assists have him fourth on the Lightning in scoring, behind the big three of Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, and Steven Stamkos. If the two first-round picks the Blackhawks received in return pan out, this could be one of those rare trades where both teams feel like the deal was a win.

That was 5,730 days ago.

My career covering the Blackhawks has run parallel with Patrick Kane’s, and while I’ve flapped my gums about the trade itself, I wanted to spend some time reflecting on my time covering Kane.

What’s amazing to me, thinking back to draft night, was that there was some question whether or not Kane should be the pick. James Van Riemsdyk and Kyle Turris were also in the conversation, as silly as that seems now. The Hawks knew, though, that Kane was special. “As soon as we won the lottery we knew who we would be taking,” said Mark Kelley, then director of scouting for the Blackhawks.

Kane was special from the moment he made his NHL debut in 2007. He started his career with 10 points in his first 10 games and ended his rookie season with 72 points in 82 games and the Calder Trophy for rookie of the year.

While he was electric on the ice, off the ice, concerns were beginning. In August of 2009, Kane and his cousin James Kane were arrested after an altercation with a Buffalo cab driver over 20 cents. Five months later, Kane and his teammates John Madden and Kris Versteeg were photographed shirtless and drinking with women in a Vancouver limo. There was a drunken weekend in Madison, WI, in May of 2012, from which some very ugly stories surfaced.

The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup in June 2015. At the rally at Soldier Field, Kane warned, “I know (Pat Foley) said I’ve been growing up, but watch out for me the next week.”

Later that August, the Buffalo News reported Kane was being investigated for rape. The case was eventually dismissed. “The totality of the credible evidence—the proof—does not sufficiently substantiate the complainant’s allegation that she was raped by Patrick Kane and this so-called ‘case’ is rife with reasonable doubt,” Erie County District Attorney Frank A. Sedita III said in a statement. “Accordingly, the Office of the Erie County District Attorney will not present this matter to an Erie County Grand Jury.”

We’ll never know what happened that night, but it certainly impacted how many fans felt about Kane. Some moved on from the Blackhawks. Some never thought of him the same way again. Some just moved on.

I’m not here to pile on Kane or dig up old dirt on him, but his story can’t be told without mentioning his past.

Since 2015, Kane has been well-behaved as far as we can tell. Covering these stores from my unique “fan-alyst” was incredibly challenging. I didn’t want any of it to be true. It was making me feel not-so-great about the most electrifying Blackhawks player I’ve seen in my lifetime.

And he was…

When I think of Patrick Kane the player, I think of the individual moments. The heartbreaker celebration after his overtime winner vs the Kings, the Stanley Cup clincher in Philly, and my favorite moment…Kane v Marchand in 2013. During one of the Cup Final games, Marchand and Kane were chirping at each other. Marchand quipped, ” You’re not doing a whole lot of anything,” to Kane. “You should have kept your mouth shut,” Kane said back to Marchand after scoring a goal moments later. Kane went on to win the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP.

That’s one thing I loved about Kane. Whenever he’d go through a period of struggle and someone would call him out about it, he’d respond. Just take a look at his stretch of games before the trade. In his last four games for Chicago, Kane had seven goals and three assists.

Swagger. It’s something we hadn’t really seen in Chicago since the days of Chris Chelios, Jeremy Roenick, and Tony Amonte, but Kane had more of it than anyone.

Just as my career covering the Blackhawks has run parallel to Kane’s career in the NHL, there are thousands of Hawks fans whose journey began with Kane. Think about this…that 10-year-old kid watching Chicago win the Cup in Philly is now 23. There are die-hard Blackhawks fans that have never seen a team without Kane. Think about that. We all just got to witness the greatest Blackhawk in franchise history. We’re lucky. We shouldn’t lose sight of that.

Without Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, and their dynasty mates, Greg, Mario, and I probably aren’t doing this job we all love so much. All of those legends pulled a dead franchise from complete obscurity to the league’s coolest and best team. We are forever grateful.

Now that the trade we’ve been talking about for over a year has finally happened, it’s a weird feeling. I’m not sure if it’s hit me just yet. I’m writing this during the intermission of the Blackhawks v Coyotes game, and it just feels like another game. Maybe it will take seeing Kane on the ice for another team. I’m not sure, but it will hit me at some point.

The Blackhawks without Patrick Kane. It’s hard to imagine.

The Week Ahead

Thursday, March 2 vs Dallas Stars

7:30 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The Stars still lead Central Division with 75 points, with Colorado and Minnesota right on their heels. Minnesota has been active ahead of Friday’s trade deadline, acquiring Gustav Nyquist from Columbus. The Stars made a small trade, sending Denis Gurianov to Montreal for Evgenii Dadonov. but nothing major just yet. They’re looking to add to the middle six of their forward line. Whether or not they add someone in time for Thursday’s game remains to be seen. Meanwhile, watch Jason Robertson. The kid is a stud.

Saturday, March 4 v Nashville Predators

7:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

A month ago, the Predators didn’t know if they should be buyers or sellers. Everyone else knew they should sell, and the Preds finally figured it out for themselves. Tuesday, they traded defenseman Mattias Ekholm to the Oilers in exchange for Tyson Barrie, Reid Schaefer, a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 fourth-round pick. On Sunday, they got a King’s random for Tanner Jeannot, who was dealt to Tampa Bay for Cal Foote and a colossal package of draft picks. I’d bet a few more Predators will have new homes by puck drop on Saturday.

Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane was traded to the New York Rangers on Tuesday as part of a three-team trade, according to several reports.

Along with Kane, the Blackhawks sent defenseman Cooper Zech to the Rangers. In return, the Blackhawks receive a 2023 second-round pick (that can become a first-round pick) and a fourth-round pick. The second-round pick becomes a first-round pick in 2024 or 2025 if the Rangers win two rounds in this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs. They also received defenseman Andy Welinski.

The Rangers had to pull off some significant salary cap gymnastics to make the deal happen. First, the Blackhawks had to eat one half of Kane’s salary, then the Arizona Coyotes received a 2025 third-round pick from the Rangers to absorb the remainder of his contract. The Blackhawks also received defenseman Vili Saarijarvi from the Coyotes in the deal.

Kane had a no-movement clause as part of the eight-year, $84 million extension he signed back in 2014. Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said before the season that he would not approach Kane with a trade unless the winger wanted to move. Kane made that decision, and with the help of Kane’s agent Pat Brisson, the sides were able to hammer out a deal and make things work.

The 34-year-old Kane leaves Chicago as the franchise’s second-all-time leading scorer with 1,225 points over 16 seasons. Only Stan Mikita, who scored 1,467 points over his 22-year career, has more for the Blackhawks franchise.

He is also the third-leading goal scorer in Blackhawks history with 446 regular season goals, trailing only Bobby Hull (604) and Stan Mikita (541).

Scoring aside, let’s take a look at Kane’s career accomplishments:

• Three-time Stanley Cup Champion
• 2006 World Junior U18 Champion
• 2007 World Junior Championship Bronze Medalist
• 2010 Olympic Silver Medalist
• 2018 World Championships Bronze Medalist
• Calder Trophy (2008)
• Conn Smythe Trophy Winner (2013)
• 9x All Star
• 3x First Team All Star (2010, 2016, 2017)
• Art Ross Trophy (2016)
• Hart Trophy (2016)
• Ted Lindsay Award (2016)

Kane exits Chicago as arguably the greatest player in franchise history. His legacy is cemented forever, regardless of how the rest of his career goes. He will have his number retired and should have a statue outside of the United Center for as long as the building stands.

Watch our latest podcast:

Davidson traded defenseman Jake McCabe (50% retained), forward Sam Lafferty, a 2024 fifth-round pick (conditional) and a 2025 fifth-round pick (conditional) to Toronto on Monday afternoon for forwards Joey Anderson, Pavel Gogolev, a 2025 first-round pick (Top 10 protected, moves to a 2026 1st) and a 2026 second-round pick.

Here are the conditions of the picks, according to NBC Sports Chicago’s Charlie Roumeliotis.

• The Blackhawks will transfer the latest of any 2024 fifth-round picks in their possession to the Maple Leafs.

• In the event that McCabe plays in fewer than 50 percent of his team’s playoffs games in 2022-23 or fewer than 25 percent of his team’s games in the 2023-24 regular season, the Blackhawks will transfer their own third-round pick in 2025 instead of their fifth-round pick in 2025.

Anderson, 24, has three points (2G, 1A) in 14 games with the Leafs this season. With the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, he’s registered 14G, 13A in 30 games.

Gogolev, 23, will report to the Rockford IceHogs. The Moscow-native has played in one AHL game with the Marlies this season and has 48 points (21G, 27A) in 33 games with the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL.

With this trade, the Blackhawks now have six first-round and six second-round picks over the next three seasons, with likely more to come.

In case you missed it, the Blackhawks sent defenseman Jack Johnson back to the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night in exchange for defenseman Andreas Englund, who is with the team in Anaheim for Monday night’s game.

But it’s never that simple. Sunday afternoon, the Blackhawks announced that team captain Jonathan Toews, who has not played a game since January 28, would be shutting down his season indefinitely due to the effects of long COVID and the Chronic Immune Response Syndrome that cost him the entire 2021 season.

Toews, who is in the last year of his contract with Chicago, was spending most of this season considering his future. Would he waive his no-trade clause for a chance at a Stanley Cup run? Would he opt to stay through the end of the year and test the free agent waters? Would he re-sign in Chicago? Would he retire? Whichever of those outcomes he would have chosen, it would have been on his own terms.

Instead, Toews is the victim of something he cannot control. One of the game’s most legendary and decorated (though imperfect) captains has to sit at home hoping things get better, and it sucks. It’s not fair to him and it’s not fair to the Blackhawk fans who want to send him off in style, whether that’s this year or two or three years from now.

“It has been really challenging to play through these symptoms,” Toews said in a statement. “In the last few weeks, it has reached the point where I had no choice but to step back and concentrate on getting healthy.”

“I had no choice.”

Talk about unfair.

There is a chance that Toews does return for the end of the season. “We’ll take it day by day, but the hope is that he can still play some games here down the stretch,” Davidson said.

I hope that happens.

Toews deserves a night like Patrick Kane had after his hat trick Sunday night, where for 60 minutes, the clock was turned back and everyone remembered the glory days again. Even if he can’t put together a four-point night like Kane did, the acknowledgement would be enough. The Blackhawks fans went out of their way to make Kane feel the love before he even scored Sunday night. Blackhawks fans know what might be coming in a couple of weeks, and they wanted to make sure Kane knew how they felt about him. Toews may never get that chance.

If this is truly the end for Toews, either in Chicago or in the NHL, I hope Blackhawks fans remind themselves how great he was.

Take a look at this image from The Athletic, illustrating Toews’ greatness from 2009-2014.

There was a five-year period where he was one of the game’s all-time greats. Even when the dominance dropped off, he remained one of hockey’s finest all-around forwards. In 2017, he was named to the NHL’s Top 100 all-time list.

Jonathan Toews will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer. He will have his number retired and a statue at the United Center, but he deserves better than the hand he’s been dealt.

Get well soon, Captain.

The Week Ahead

Tuesday, February 21 vs Vegas Golden Knights

7:30 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The next two games for the Blackhawks feature two of the teams that could end up being destinations for Patrick Kane, should he agree to waive his no-movement clause. With Mark Stone on long-term injured reserve, the Knights find themselves with $9.5 million in cap space. Remember, once the playoffs begin, there is no salary cap.

Winners of five in a row, Vegas is now clinging to the top spot in the Pacific Division with 72 points. L.A. and Seattle are right on their heels with 71 and 70, respectively. Like most Stanley Cup contenders, they are deep, but might lack the firepower to contend against some of the league’s true elite teams. If they could bring in a weapon like Kane, or even a lesser forward like Detroit’s Tyler Bertuzzi, it could be enough for them to pull off a long playoff run. Vegas always likes to make a deadline splash. I’m thinking this year will be no exception.

Wednesday, February 22 @ Dallas Stars

8:30 pm on TNT & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

Like Vegas, the Dallas Stars are clinging to first place in the Central Division. Also like Vegas, the Stars are a much-rumored destination for Patrick Kane. In fact, The Athletic called the potential trade a “perfect fit.” I’m not sure I’d agree with that, as Dallas doesn’t have a first-round pick in the loaded 2023 draft, and that will surely be Davidson’s primary focus as it pertains to trade returns. That said, if Kane says he wants to be traded to only one or two teams, the Blackhawks’ options will be limited and they may have to accept a less-than-ideal return.

As for the Stars as currently constructed, it’s the Jason Robertson show. Yes, Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn and all the Stars of yore are still there and playing well, but Robertson is one of the league’s brightest young stars. Unfortunately, due to the NHL’s inability to promote anyone aside from Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and the Bruins, he’s not the household name he deserves to be. He has 71 points in 57 games this season. He has 71 more shots on goal than his closest Stars teammate. Watch No. 21 on Wednesday. He’s going to be great for a long time.

Saturday, February 25 @ San Jose Sharks

9:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The above graphic is correct. Erik Karlsson does indeed have 76 points in 58 games. His resurgence this year has been remarkable. Unfortunately for the Sharks, it hasn’t done much for their season. They have the fourth-worst points percentage in the league, behind only the Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets and your Chicago Blackhawks.

I’m sure the Sharks would love to sell high on Karlsson at the deadline, but his contract is trade-prohibitive. After this season, the 32-year-old still has four more years at an astronomical $11.5 million AAV. The Sharks can trade him and eat half of his salary, but do they want $5.75 million of cap space tied up in an empty roster spot? Further, which contender is in a position to take on that kind of a deal? To get this done, the Sharks and their trade partner would need a third-party facilitator. Someone to take on more of Karlsson’s salary for a big asset in return. Could the Blackhawks get involved? Perhaps.

The real name to watch at the deadline is Timo Meier. The 26-year-old forward’s $6 million deal ends after this year. After that, he will be an arbitration-eligible restricted-free agent. With Ryan O’Reilly off the market, Meier is likely the biggest offensive piece available at the deadline, and that includes Kane. He is currently day-to-day with an upper body injury, but is still expected to be dealt ahead of the deadline.

William Nylander opened the scoring just nine seconds into the game, as it looked like the Blackhawks’ defense controller died.

Sam Lafferty answered right back for the Blackhawks, tying the game 1:02 into the first period.

Seven minutes later, the Leafs would strike again, when Rasmus Sandin’s harmless shot deflected off of Connor Murphy’s stick and behind Petr Mrazek. 3:07 later, the Leafs would strike yet again. Auston Matthews scored his 26th goal of the season after Nylander walked around Patrick Kane, feeding the puck to Matthews who quickly got off a wicked wrister.

The Blackhawks opened the scoring in the second period, as Philipp Kurashev buried a pass from Max Domi just 46 seconds into the frame, cutting Toronto’s lead to 3-2.

Leafs captain John Tavares scored his 24th of the season seven minutes later after Mrazek mishandled a puck behind the net. Alex Kerfoot centered the puck to Tavares, who didn’t miss.

16:40 into the second period, Conor Timmins made it 5-2 Toronto with a beautiful and perfectly placed point shot through traffic and past Mrazek’s stick.

Let’s hope you took the over

When I saw DraftKings’ over-under of 6.5, I thought it was the biggest no-brainer bet ever. Turns out, I was right.

The game had four goals 11 minutes into the game, and the over was hit 16:40 into the second period. The Blackhawks were playing shorthanded, on the end of a back-to-back, against one of the highest powered teams in the NHL. They entered tonight’s game in Toronto as massive underdogs, as the Maple Leafs were statistically the biggest favorite in NHL history tonight. DraftKings had the Leafs at -575. Lesser sportsbooks not worth mentioning had their number as high as -610.

Paging Patrick Kane…

As we watch Blackhawks games at the CHGO Sports studios, I’m constantly checking in on the live box score/event summary. I gave it a look 15 minutes into the second period, and Patrick Kane was a minus-one with zero shots, zero shot attempts, zero missed shots, zero giveaways, zero takeaways and zero blocked shots. Not exactly the showcase performance some trade-hungry Maple Leafs fans and media were hoping for. When the game ended, things didn’t look much better. Kane ended with four shots, one more shot attempt, and two giveaways.

Jonathan Toews, Alex Stalock, Jarred Tinordi head to IR

Before the puck dropped on Wednesday night, the Blackhawks announced that Jonathan Toews, Alex Stalock and Jarred Tinordi were placed on injured reserve. Toews and Stalock, as their IR dates are retroactive to February 7 and January 16, respectively, can return as soon as Friday. Per the NHL’s rule, Tinordi would first be eligible to return on February 22.

As if there wasn’t enough concern around Toews’ future with the team, and IR stint because of a “non-COVID illness” has to be a massive red flag for teams interested in trading for the Blackhawks’ captain. It would be irresponsible to credit this long illness to Toews’ chronic immune response syndrome that forced him to miss the entire 2020-2021 season, but it has to be on the mind of general managers around the league.

Sam Lafferty

Lafferty’s name has popped up as a trade target for contenders over the last few weeks.

While Lafferty isn’t the kind of player who is going to become a superstar or really damage your roster by leaving, he provides everything a rebuilding team wants. He’s fast; he’s versatile; he’s physical, and plays with character. The only issue with his game is his lack of scoring ability, though he does have six points over his last eight games and 19 points overall. There is room for offensive growth. With his wheels and compete level, he could turn into a 40-50 point player in short order. He’s already on pace for 35 points this season. I’m setting my minimum to a second-round pick primarily because any team trading for him would be a team in contention, and their pick would likely fall into the bottom of the second round. This is where Davidson could get creative with “conditions.”

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE RETURN: 2023 second-round pick

POTENTIAL SUITORS: Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Boston Bruins

Jake McCabe

More than Jonathan Toews …more than Patrick Kane. I think Jake McCabe has the most trade value of any Blackhawk. The combination of his defensive ability, recently blossoming offensive growth, leadership qualities, palatable contract, and all-around badassery makes McCabe desirable for any NHL contender. He’s a +4 on a team that’s a collective -61. That speaks for itself.

I flat-out do not want the Blackhawks to trade McCabe. At the same time, I don’t believe in the word “untouchable.” If a team wants to give Davidson a first-round pick for McCabe, I’d at least hear them out. No conditions. No, “it becomes a first if he leads the team to a Cup” or anything like that. The conversation begins with a 2023 first-round pick, and even that might not be enough. The Blackhawks should be in no hurry to move McCabe, but if a team is going to get stupid, let them.

Keep an eye on the rumored and potentially imminent Jakob Chychrun trade. McCabe could be a good backup plan if things fall apart between the Kings and Coyotes. If the trade goes through, it will set the market for defensemen at the deadline.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE RETURN: 2023 first-round pick

POTENTIAL SUITORS: Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings

Connor Murphy

Murphy’s name has been conspicuously absent from the trade rumors this season. Like McCabe, he’s reliable defensively. Like McCabe, he has a very reasonable contract, but he’s not been on the rumor radar for whatever reason. Davidson has been pretty good about playing his cards close to his vest during his short tenure, so we can only guess what conversations are being had behind closed doors.

Murphy does have a history of back issues, which could be a deterrent for some teams, but any contender looking to solidify their defense at a reasonable price could find a steal in Murphy. If the Hawks move him, they’d likely land a second or third-round pick. This could be a situation in which Davidson could also look to bring a prospect back.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE RETURN: 2023 third-round pick, plus

POTENTIAL SUITORS: Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings

Max Domi

Domi signed his one-year deal with the Blackhawks for two reasons. One, he wanted to play for Luke Richardson. Two, he wanted a chance to hold a permanent top-six role and show that he could still score at a high level to get a better contract this summer.

The Blackhawks signed Domi for two reasons. They needed someone to put the puck in the net, and they needed someone they could easily trade to a contender at the deadline.

Recently, Domi has talked about his desire to stay in Chicago long-term, and while I don’t think the Blackhawks hate the idea, they brought him here to move him. I’d imagine Davidson has the price set in his head. For me, it’s a third-round pick in this year’s draft. With Domi headed to unrestricted free agency this summer, the Blackhawks could easily opt to bring him back should both parties desire a reunion. I’d welcome it.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE RETURN: 2023 third-round pick

POTENTIAL SUITORS: Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Winnipeg Jets

Andrea Athanasiou

Much like Domi, Athanasiou was brought to Chicago to be traded. He’s everything we thought he would be this year and maybe a little more. He’s very fast. He can make dazzling plays. He also struggles with consistency and will sometimes skate faster than his hands can move. He’s an imperfect player who could bring depth scoring to a contender.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE RETURN: Fourth-round pick

POTENTIAL SUITORS: Teams that miss out on top trade targets

Jonathan Toews & Patrick Kane

I don’t think I need to tell you why NHL teams might want Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane on their team. Toews brings the leadership, the experience, the faceoff dominance, the clutch factor, and the ability to have big moments in big games. Kane has the silky mitts, the vision, the ability to make something out of nothing, and like Toews, the huge goals in the biggest moments. The only issue is that we have no idea whether or not either player wants to be traded.

This is an interesting conundrum for Davidson. Let’s just assume (which can be dangerous) that both Kane and Toews tell Davidson they’re willing to be traded. He’s not going to give away either player. At last year’s deadline, he clearly set a “minimum acceptable return” on many of his pieces, including Dylan Strome, Calvin de Haan, and Dominik Kubalik. Those returns weren’t met. As a result, none of them were traded. And as a result of that, all three walked away, leaving the Blackhawks with nothing. Can Davidson let that happen with these two legends? It will be much tougher to sell to the fans, but the Chicago GM hasn’t shied away from unpopular decisions so far.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE RETURN FOR KANE: 2023 first-round pick, plus a second-round pick or one of the trading team’s top 5 prospects

POTENTIAL SUITORS: Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE RETURN FOR TOEWS: 2023 second-round pick, plus one of the trading team’s B-level prospects

POTENTIAL SUITORS: Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, Boston Bruins, Washington Capitals

The Week Ahead

Tuesday, February 14 @ Montréal Canadiens

6:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

Montréal is near the bottom of the Eastern Conference, and while they’re not quite in the “tank standings” just yet, losing young star Cole Caufield for the season doesn’t help.

Call this the “Kirby Dach Revenge Game Revenge Game.” When the two clubs met back in November, Dach’s shootout goal won the game for the Habs. The former Chicago first-round pick has experienced a very solid season in Montréal. Whether or not the Blackhawks live to regret that trade (that brought them Frank Nazar and Gavin Hayes in the draft) remains to be seen, but it’s good to see Dach start his career in Montreal so well.

Wednesday, November 15 @ Toronto Maple Leafs

6:00 pm on TNT & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

This one could get really, really ugly. Domi and Kane, who lead the Blackhawks with 35 points each, wouldn’t crack the Leafs’ top five scorers. Mitchell Marner, William Nylander, and Auston Matthews are all point-per-game or better scorers. John Tavares has 53 points in 54 games. This team can flat-out score and is a Cup contender and, depending on what they do at the deadline, a potential Cup favorite.

Matthews has been dealing with a knee injury and may miss Wednesday’s game vs. the Blackhawks.

Friday, February 17 @ Ottawa Senators

6:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

Old friend alert! Alex DeBrincat is having a nice season with the Ottawa Senators, but why hasn’t he signed a new deal yet? On the latest episode of the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Elliotte Friedman speculated that DeBrincat might be waiting to see what Ottawa’s new ownership group will look like and what their plan for the team’s short-term future will be. The Sens have fallen way short of expectations this season, and while they do have some young talent to complement DeBrincat, named Tim Stützle and Jake Sanderson, it remains to be seen whether or not the Cat will want back in Ottawa. DeBrincat will be a restricted free agent this summer. If the Sens get signals that he may not re-sign, could they look to move him at the deadline?

As the Blackhawks rebuild, we’ve been finding ourselves asking, “Who on this team will be here when they win again?” Seth Jones will be here, due to his massive and lengthy contract. Philipp Kurashev? Perhaps. MacKenzie Entwistle? Maybe. Ian Mitchell? Less likely, but who knows?

On Saturday, Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote a piece about Kurashev and his development. In the piece, he mentioned how Kurashev, a fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft, was one of three players, along with Paul Cotter of the Golden Knights, and Jasper Weatherby, drafted by the Sharks, now with the Red Wings, from that round to play more than six NHL games.

That brings me to current Blackhawks Taylor Raddysh and Sam Lafferty. Raddysh is tied for the team lead with 14 goals on the season. Lafferty, despite a scoring slump and injury earlier in the season, has come on as of late. Both players have shown the ability to contribute at the NHL level.

Since being acquired in the Brandon Hagel trade last March 18, Raddysh has scored 20 goals … the most by any Blackhawk, including Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, since that date.

Lafferty, since being acquired last January, has 28 points in his 88 games with the Blackhawks. Seventeen of those points have come this season. Offense isn’t Lafferty’s game, but with his skating ability there is some hope that he can make a bit of a scoring jump. He’s on a 15 goal pace as it is. Could that jump to 20? 25? It’s not out of the realm of possibility.

While 2023 draft capital is every GM’s priority right now, the Hawks would be wise to not just trade players for the sake of lottery tickets. If a team is offering a first or second-round pick for your Raddysh/Lafferty types, you have to listen, but what are the odds your fourth-round pick becomes as good as Raddysh or Lafferty?

Of course, there are always those late-round surprises. Blackhawks great Niklas Hjalmarsson was a fourth-round pick (108th overall). Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov was a fifth-round pick (135th overall). Red Wings legend Pavel Datsyuk was a sixth-round pick (171st overall). These diamonds in the rough exist, for sure. With the depth of this year’s draft, they might be more common than Kurashev’s 2018 draft, but is the devil you know better than the devil you don’t? Or the lottery ticket you don’t?

There’s no reason to trade Lafferty or Raddysh just to trade them. The Hawks need some players to fill out the NHL roster next season, and I’d like to see Raddysh and Lafferty as part of the team for the next few years… that is … unless some other GM gives you an offer you can’t refuse.

Bobby Hull dies at 84

When I saw the news that Bobby Hull died on Monday morning, my heart sank a little. Partly because a Blackhawks legend died, and no matter my feelings on the person, a lot of people I know and respect are hurting in the wake of the news. I also felt that way because I was dreading the conversation.

There is no way to discuss Hull’s legacy without mentioning his myriad off-ice issues, including well-documented incidents of spousal abuse as well as anti-Semitic and anti-black comments.

Off-ice issues acknowledged, Hull was one of the game’s greats. He is the Blackhawks’ all-time leading goalscorers. Had he not shifted to the WHA for seven seasons, he may very well be the NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer. As I said on Monday’s CHGO Blackhawks Podcast, if Doc Brown pulled up in the DeLorean and asked where I’d like to go, I’d still say, “Chicago Stadium…1961.”

The Week Ahead:

The Blackhawks are off until Tuesday, February 7 due to the All-Star break.

Canucks begin Rick Tocchet era vs. Blackhawks

If you haven’t been paying attention to the Vancouver Canucks, first-of-all, good for you. They’ve had an underachieving season this year, and as a result, fired coach Bruce Boudreau on Sunday. The firing comes after jerking him around for weeks. He knew his days were numbered, but stood in there, head held high and acted like a pro.

Canucks fans were unhappy with the move, so Boudreau’s replacement, Rick Tocchet, didn’t exactly get the hero’s welcome most new coaches get. Three minutes into the game, a Canucks fan threw their jersey onto the ice in protest. Tocchet was welcomed with a mix of boos and polite claps.

Regardless of how Canucks fans feel about the hire, they have to be please with how their team played in this game. They completely dominated in all aspects of the game, and Elias Pettersson, who Tocchet challenged in his opening presser, was great. He ended the night with two points and even leveled Blackhawks defenseman Caleb Jones with a big open-ice hit.

Whether or not Tocchet takes Vancouver back to their “glory” days (of the Blackhawks dynasty) remains to be seen, but he’s got his back against the wall, at least in the eyes of the fans, from jump.

Time to give Petr Mrazek some credit

We’ve been really tough on goaltender Petr Mrazek this season, and frankly, it’s been justified. Coming in to Tuesday’s game vs Vancouver, he was 5-11-1 with a 3.87 goals against average and a .886 save percentage with a -9.1 goals saved above expected.

Those are bad by any measure.

However, since his brutal start vs the Kraken, in which he gave up four goals in five shots, he’s been much better, giving up only six goals in the three starts since. He’s also been our Draft Kings ‘King of the Game’ in back-to-back games.

Tuesday, he was under siege in the first period.

The Blackhawks spent 6:00 of the first 8:31 of the game shorthanded. When the smoke cleared, the Canucks had peppered Mrazek with 13 shots. He stopped all of them.

When the Canucks scored their third, and game-winning goal in the third period, Max Domi cross-checked Dakota Joshua on top of Mrazek. The goaltender was slow to get up but remained in the game.

Max Domi loses his cool

Max Domi has been the Blackhawks’ best and most consistent forward all year. He leads the team in scoring and has played every game this season. He’s been a positive presence in the room and has even hinted and wanting to return beyond this season, but this was one of his more forgettable games.

In the first period, Vancouver forward Dakota Joshua put a hard, but clean hit on Patrick Kane.

Domi responded by dropping the gloves with Joshua. As a result, he received five minutes for fighting, two minutes for instigating, and a 10-minute misconduct. The Blackhawks were forced to play 17 minutes without their top forward. I thought it was dumb, but I know others might disagree. It’s a star player. Clean or not, you can’t put a hit like that on a star player.

Okay. Fair enough.

Fast-forward to the third period. Vancouver took a 3-2 lead on a goal by Joshua. Domi responded by rushing to the front of the net, and cross-checking Joshua on top of Mrazek, who was slow to get up.

That’s dumb. That’s selfish. It can’t happen, especially considering the fragile nature of the Blackhawks’ goaltenders. Domi has to be better.

BONUS HIT: Why wasn’t Lukas Reichel called up?

It’s the move we all wanted, and all expected, but it didn’t happen. When Tyler Johnson was placed on IR earlier this week, it wasn’t Lukas Reichel who got the call up. It was Luke Philp.

Wait, what? Who?

When Reichel was sent down, general manager Kyle Davidson mentioned wanting to get some other Rockford players an opportunity to play in Chicago, and Philp was certainly among the IceHogs who deserved that chance. He has 30 points in 31 games in Rockford. “It’s a pretty big accomplishment to get here,” Philp said after the morning skate. “I’m excited and ready to go.”

After Reichel’s demotion, Davidson also mentioned how playing in Rockford would give the young forward a chance to develop as a leader. “Moving forward, I think it’s valuable for him to go down, play center, be a go-to guy…a leader…on a team that’s going to play meaningful hockey down the stretch,” Davidson said. It would be hyperbole to say Reichel has failed the assignment, but in his five games since getting sent down, he’s a minus-3, has one assist and has only mustered six shots on goal.

My biggest concern about his demotion wasn’t the wins or losses. It was the mental toll it might take on him. Reichel was the best Blackhawk on the ice in those three games. He belongs in the NHL and he showed it. Davidson acknowledged that element, but emphasized how he’s been clear in communicating his plan to Reichel. That doesn’t change how it feels for the kid who has done everything the organization has asked and more. That said, it’s up to Reichel to return to his form and no sulk over the demotion. That’s how he can show Davidson his maturity.

Topping the list on the Blackhawks Trade Deadline Big Board are Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Both are in the final year of their eight-year, $84 million contracts and will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Both Chicago icons have no movement clauses in their contracts, and will need to agree to be moved before any deal is made — but the expectation is that one, or both, will be moved by the deadline.

Take a look at the schedule above. The Blackhawks’ next home game is February 7 vs the Ducks. They’ll also host Arizona, Toronto, Vegas, and Dallas between now and March 3. That means that there is a significant chance that Kane and Toews have only five more games at the United Center.

The Blackhawks without Kane and Toews. It’s almost impossible to imagine.

The CHGO Blackhawks show has been (rightfully) critical of the duo’s play lately. Kane has failed to register a shot on goal in two consecutive games for the first time in his career. Toews is losing battles to players like Mikey Anderson. They’ve been shadows of themselves, but with Monday’s off day, I found myself with some time to zoom out, and look at things for the perspective of two franchise legends.

Let’s start with Kane, who has been plagued by a nagging injury for a few seasons now. He’s also coming off of a leg injury that forced him to miss three games earlier this month. Despite what head coach Luke Richardson says, there is zero chance Kane is anywhere close to 100 percent. He still leads the team with 143 shots (second is Max Domi with 104), but his shooting percentage is a paltry 5.6 percent, 5.8 percent below his 11.4 career average. The puck luck hasn’t been there for Kane at all this season. He’s also lost Alex DeBrincat on his wing. The two had incredible chemistry, especially when centered by Dylan Strome, who also left the organization last summer.

Toews, who missed the entire 2020-21 season with Chronic Immune Response Syndrome, understandably had trouble getting up to speed last season. This season, he started strong and even has seven points in his last 10 games. What’s most striking about Toews’ game, though, is the one-on-one battles. When he was in his prime, there were few, if any, players that could out-battle Captain Serious. Lately, we see more and more opponents taking the puck away while Toews lowers his head in understandable frustration. He’ll slam his stick on the boards, more frustrated with himself than any of his teammates.

It’s also important to consider the human element here. We (and I’m pointing the thumb at myself) have a tendency to look at these athletes as soulless automatons, programmed to give us 100 percent of what they have all the time, like their NHL 23 avatars. As much as Kane and Toews have meant to Chicago, we can’t dismiss what Chicago has meant, and will continue to mean, for both players for the rest of their lives. It might seem like an easy decision. Walk away. Go play for a contender. Go do big things. As someone who walked away from their first and only “team” 10 months ago, I can say the decision is never easy, even if it’s ultimately the best thing for you.

(And yes…me leaving Audacy is EXACTLY the same and Kane and Toews potentially leaving Chicago. EXACTLY…THE…SAME!)

Whether the Kane and Toews eras end March 3, this summer, or even in a few years, try to focus on the immeasurable good moments they’ve brought the team rather than the recent struggles they’ve had. Of course, poor play warrants, and will receive criticism, but don’t let the bitter end spoil the sweet memories.

The Week Ahead

Tuesday, January 23 @ Vancouver Canucks | 18-25-3 | 39 points | 6th in Pacific Division

9:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The Rick Tocchet era begins on Tuesday. After the classless dismissal of Bruce Boudreau, Tocchet brings his hard-nosed, yet so far unsuccessful (178-200-60) head coaching chops to Vancouver. In his opening presser, Tocchet called on Quinn Hughes and Elias Pettersson to take the reins and lead the Canucks. In their first practice, both players seemed to get the message. It’s always interesting to see how a team responds when a new coach takes over, but a large portion of Canucks fans aren’t exactly thrilled with the hire, or how Boudreau’s dismissal was handled. The atmosphere will be strange to say the least.

Thursday, January 25 @ Calgary Flames | 23-16-9 | 55 points | 5th in Pacific Division

8:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago Plus & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The Flames are right in the wild card hunt. With Monday’s overtime win over the Blue Jackets, Calgary leapfrogged the red-hot Colorado Avalanche, who have won five in a row, to take over the second wild card spot in the West. While they haven’t been what many expected this season, they’re one of those teams that will strike fear in the hearts of their opponents if and when they make the playoffs. They’re big. They’re deep. They’re physical. Goaltender Jacob Markstrom hasn’t been as sharp as usual. His .895 save percentage is well below his .911 career average. If he can regain his form, it will go a long way to improving the Flames’ chances of securing a playoff spot.

Saturday, January 28 @ Edmonton Oilers | 27-18-3 | 57 points | 4th in Pacific Division

9:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

Connor McDavid has 40 goals in 48 games. The Blackhawks’ top three goal scorers (Max Domi, Jonathan Toews, and Taylor Raddysh) have 39 combined. He is the fastest player to reach that mark since Pavel Bure did it in 1999-00 with the Florida Panthers.

Time for a random Pavel Bure highlight, for fun.

Anyway, back to the Oilers. They’re stacked with offensive talent. If Leon Draisaitl wasn’t an Edmonton player in McDavid’s shadow, he’d be one of the game’s biggest and more visible stars. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Zach Hyman are both above a point per game players.

As always, it’s about goaltending with them. Mike Smith is gone. The Oilers current tandem of Jack Campbell and Stuart Skinner…oh wait, sorry…that’s NHL All-Star Stuart Skinner, are basically splitting time. Skinner has been the better of the two, but it’s safe to assume Edmonton would like to feel a little more secure about their goaltending heading into the playoffs, assuming they make it.

Join us at the CHGO Blackhawks Takeover on Friday, February 10!

Tickets are going fast so jump in while you still can. $65 gets you a game ticket with us in Section 310, one of the new CHGO Hockey t-shirts and a pregame meetup at the Goose Island Pub at the United Center! You can buy tickets here.

Become a Diehard and that price goes down to $52!

The Hawks have a road-heavy schedule remaining. Their last road win (before Thursday) was December 3. They will also likely be losing a significant part of their roster by early March. Even with the hot streak, the Hawks still have the third-lowest point percentage in the NHL. Keep in mind, the teams the Blackhawks are “chasing” for the last spot in the league are unlikely to be major sellers. The Ducks will move out a couple of veterans like John Klingberg, but not the volume or impact that the Hawks will move. Columbus was trying to win this year, and have been hampered by injuries. Arizona’s plan remains to be seen, but even if they move vets like Jakob Chychrun or Shayne Gostisbehere, they’re not moving Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane-level talents.

Isaak Phillips scratched again

It was just Wednesday when Greg Boysen and I asked Blackhawks defenseman Isaak Phillips how important it was for his development to stay in the lineup on a regular basis. “I think it’s huge…getting a rhythm, especially playing with the same partner, Phillips said. “It definitely helps. You can tell by the third or fourth game…you’re making reads on breakouts a lot easier. It’s a lot easier when you’re getting in a rhythm, playing a lot of games. I like that, for sure.”

This is especially frustrating to me. I understand that Luke Richardson (rightly) doesn’t want Ian Mitchell sitting in the press box night after night, but why does it have to be Phillips, who has three points in his last three games, who sits? What are Caleb Jones and Jack Johnson providing that can’t land them in the press box so both kids can play? It’s nothing against those guys, but while I know that tanking is the goal, Phillips and Mitchell will NOT be the reasons the Hawks get “too good for Bedard.” In fact, the sequence in the Tweet below was the direct result of Mitchell fumbling the puck and falling down at the Flyers’ blue line.

TV analyst Troy Murray has gone out of his way over the last few games to highlight how confidently Phillips is playing. We’ve seen Phillips starting give-and-go plays, calling for the puck. That, according to Murray, is a prime indicator of confidence.

It feels like every time either Mitchell or Phillips finds their stride, they end up back up in the press box. It has to be frustrating for both.

These lineup decisions have been my only criticism of Richardson this season. Next time we get the opportunity at practice, I will ask him his reasoning for not having both in the lineup simultaneously. Perhaps they feel healthy scratching Johnson will impact his trade value, but after 1,067 NHL games, teams know what he has to offer. A one-off healthy scratch for a 36-year-old defenseman isn’t hurting his trade value.

Seth Jones in finding his game

With his assist on Jonathan Toews’ second-period goal, Seth Jones has scored seven points in his last three games.

Before the game, Richardson was asked about Jones’ recent jump in play. “He’s a dominant player,” Richardson said. “When the team isn’t doing well, and you try and do too much and you get off your game…I think he’s settled back into his game. He needs to be skating and moving, and not forcing things when they’re not there. Over the last few games, Seth’s decision making…is really getting back to where everyone is used to seeing Seth Jones playing.”

Richardson also went on to credit Jones’ defensive partner, Jake McCabe, for the improvement, as well. “They like playing with each other. They’re competitive.”

Hawks get first regular season win in Philly since 1996

November 9, 1996 was the last time the Blackhawks took a regular season win from the Flyers in Philadelphia. It doesn’t mean much, but it’s certainly noteworthy. “There is a history and sometimes teams try to take some motivation on that…both sides. So we’ve got to make sure they don’t try to feed off it any more than we try to.”

In that game in ’96, the Blackhawks had goals from Gary Suter, Eric Daze, Murray Craven and Tony Amonte. Jeff Hackett made 33 of 34 saves in the…wait for it…4-1 win. Garth Snow took the loss for the Flyers, and was pulled for current Penguins GM Ron Hextall in the second period.

MVP & Best Forward – Max Domi

41 games: 13 G – 17 A – 30 P, 55.9% faceoffs

25 Game MVP: Jonathan Toews

25 Game Best Forward: Max Domi

When the Blackhawks signed Max Domi on July 13 of last summer, it was fairly obvious what both sides were trying to accomplish. For the Blackhawks, they needed a top-six forward who could play center or wing that could easily be flipped at the trade deadline. For Domi, he was looking for a place that could offer a consistent opportunity on the top-six in hopes of piling up points and re-establishing his value.

Both teams found what they needed, but Domi has been so good for Chicago, they might not move him at the deadline, after all.

Whether or not Domi is back next season remains to be seen, but being in the locker room several times a week, as well as watching him on the ice, his presence has really helped the Blackhawks. He’s had a positive attitude throughout the mounting losses. He’s been a forward-facing leader of the team, always willing to speak to the media and be brutally honest when necessary. Oh, by the way, he’s also the team’s leading scorer.

Yes, he’s had some of the more frustrating moments this season, as well. Early on, he seemed almost unwilling to shoot the puck when Patrick Kane was within 50 feet of him, but he’s been shooting the puck more consistently lately.

If I’m Kyle Davidson, I’m setting a price in my head for the deadline. Maybe it’s a second-round pick. Maybe it’s a third-round pick. If that price isn’t met, I’d like to see him extend Domi’s contract. If Jonathan Toews and Kane don’t return next season, the Hawks will need some sort of veteran leadership and scoring. Domi checks both boxes. Could they trade him, then bring him back next summer? Technically yes, but those things rarely happen in the NHL. That would be best case scenario, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

Best Defenseman – Jake McCabe

38 games: 2 G – 9 A – 11 P, +4

25 Game Best Defenseman: Jake McCabe

Plus/minus is an outdated stat, but when your entire team is underwater plus/minus-wise, McCabe’s +4 is tough to ignore. That’s right. McCabe is the ONLY Blackhawk on the current roster that is a plus player. Lukas Reichel was a +2 before his demotion. More on him later …

The Blackhawks’ -60 goal differential is second worst in the NHL, behind Anaheim’s -81 (!), but McCabe has been a stand-out defensively. He leads the team with 88 blocked shots. He’s third on the team with 88 hits.

For a guy who is returning from offseason spinal surgery, McCabe has been Chicago’s best and most consistent defender. Seth Jones has been narrowing that gap lately, but as I said a few weeks ago if the Hawks are up a goal late, the man I want on the ice is No. 6.

There’s still time to #VoteMcCabe into the All-Star Game. Just head over to NHL.com/vote and get him on your ballot. You can submit up to 10 ballots per day.

Biggest Surprise – Andreas Athanasiou

40 games: 9 G – 4 A – 13 P

25 Game Biggest Surprise: Arvid Söderblom

Much like Max Domi, Athanasiou was looking for an opportunity and a career reset. The Blackhawks, like with Domi, were looking for a flippable asset at the deadline. The CHGO Blackhawks crew had a lot of chuckles at Athanasiou’s expense. We called him Viktor Stalberg 2.0, for his penchant for skating really fast, then falling down or fumbling the scoring chance. While we have seen that part of Athanasiou’s game this season, he’s been one of the Blackhawks hardest working players … something he hasn’t really gotten credit for in his career. Night after night, he’s been visible and engaged in the game. Unlike Stalberg, he is not a passenger.

He will never be an elite scorer, but his combination of speed, hustle, and “oh my god” moments might get him a higher pick than the Blackhawks expected back in July.

Biggest Disappointment – Lukas Reichel’s demotion

25 Game Biggest Disappointment: Sam Lafferty

Everyone understands the point of this season. The Blackhawks are trying, and not really hiding the fact that they’re trying, to finish this season with the NHL’s worst record and therefore the best odds at top prospect Connor Bedard. It’s understood. We all get it. We’re all on board.

That said, it was extremely disappointing to see Reichel sent down after his recent three-game call-up. He was, without a doubt, one of, if not the best Blackhawk on the ice in all three games. Before the season, GM Kyle Davidson said that once Reichel gets to Chicago, he’ll be here to stay. Well, that obviously hasn’t been the case.

Davidson did his best to put a positive spin on the demotion. The opportunity to play big minutes in all situations, the chance to play for a winning team, time to focus on playing center, yadda, yadda, yadda. Those are all valid points, but I worry about a couple of things here.

One is Reichel’s patience. The kid has done everything the Blackhawks have asked him to do, and more. It has to suck to get the call-up, play great, then get sent down. Reichel knows he’s one of the best players on the team already. When leadership says, “There just isn’t room for him on the top-six,” it’s laughable. All due respect to Tyler Johnson, Taylor Raddysh and Philipp Kurashev, but none of those players have done anything to solidify or guarantee a top-six spot.

Hopefully, the Hawks have communicated clearly what their intentions are with Reichel. Even if he understands, he can’t be happy.

Second is the morale of the team. This kid comes up to replace the injured Patrick Kane. He plays great, the team wins all three games, players are feeling good for the first time in months, then they watch him get sent to Rockford. Again, they get it. Reality has sunk in, but the one ray of hope they’ve had all season is gone.

Hopefully, once the deadline smoke clears on March 3, Reichel will get called back up and stay until the season ends. He can still head back to Rockford for their playoffs to get the experience at center and in a playoff run. It’s the least the organization could do for a kid who has been nothing but patient, despite clearly being NHL ready.

Player to Watch in the Second Half – Isaak Phillips

There are a few candidates I went through in my mind before giving this “award” to Phillips, including Ian Mitchell, who has looked better and better every time he plays. Taylor Raddysh, who has proven that he can score pretty consistently when given top powerplay time and a top-six role, is also worth keeping an eye on, but as I look three to five years into the future, I see Phillips as a full-time top four NHL defenseman.

During the second intermission of Saturday’s bludgeoning at the hands of the Seattle Kraken, color analyst Troy Murray pointed out Phillips’ growing confidence. The video of his first NHL goal (above) is what Murray used to illustrate his point. Something as simple as banging the stick on the ice, calling for the pass, to Murray, shows a kid who knows he belongs.

Phillips, who stands 6-foot-3, not only brings size and physicality but a sneaky quickness that catches other teams off guard.

Hopefully, Luke Richardson keeps him in the lineup every night. Phillips, Mitchell, and Caleb Jones have been rotating, but now is the time to find out what you have in Phillips and Mitchell.

The Week Ahead

Tuesday, January 17 vs Buffalo Sabres

7:30 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

Tage Thompson might be the best story in the NHL this season. He has exploded onto the scene with 31 goals in his first 42 games played. He’s a legit contender for the Hart Trophy, and is one of the reasons the Sabres are no longer irrelevant. They’re currently fifth in the Wild Card standings, and will likely miss the playoffs, but this is a team on the rise.

Rasmus Dahlin, 2018’s first overall pick, has also had a career year. If his season ended tomorrow, his 48 points would be five short of his career-high 53. My guy Alex Tuch is also filling the net with aplomb.

They’re a fun team to watch, and the Blackhawks will have to be ready for this one. Hopefully, coming off an embarrassing loss to the Kraken, they will be.

Thursday, January 19 @ Philadelphia Flyers

6:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The Flyers aren’t great. Despite winning seven of their last ten, they were smacked back to earth on Monday, losing 6-0 to the Bruins. Their head coach, John Tortorella, has already taken iPads off the bench because he wants his players to focus on the game.

We’ll see how a hard-ass head coach in a hard-ass city handles a team falling well short of expectations. Tortorella has a short shelf life wherever he goes. Perhaps this run will be shorter than usual. A coach like Torts isn’t hired to oversee a rebuild or “reload”, which is where the Flyers are likely headed.

Saturday, January 21 @ St. Louis Blues

7:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The Blues are the very definition of average. They’re currently six points out of the final Wild Card spot, but are more likely to be sellers than buyers. Pending free agents Ryan O’Reilly, who is out with a broken foot and will be re-evaluated in six weeks, and Vladimir Tarasenko, who will be out until the end of a month with a hand injury, made Insider Frank Seravalli’s Trade Targets Board. Blues GM Doug Armstrong must have a realistic view of what these Blues are. He only has to look 300 miles north to see what happens when you cling to the past for too long.

Sunday, January 22 vs LA Kings

6:00 pm on NBC Sports Chicago & WGN Radio

TOP SCORERS:

The LA Kings, Vegas Golden Knights, and Seattle Kraken are battling it out atop the Pacific Division. All three teams are separated by two points. The other Pacific Division contenders, Calgary and Edmonton, have the top two Wild Card spots in their grasp. This is a deep division that will beat up on each other as the deadline and playoffs approach. Unlike Vegas (+17) and Seattle (+25) the Kings are being outscored by their opposition with a -3 goal differential.

Goaltender Pheonix Copley has outperformed Kings legend Jonathan Quick this season, though Quick has started ten more games than Copley.

Every point will matter to the top five teams in the Pacific, and Kings fans seem ready for Copley to take the reins, and it’s easy to understand why. He’s been the better goalie, and the best players should play, right? Especially in such a tight playoff race.

On a personal level, I owe a lot of my professional success to both of them and their dynasty teammates. Without the 2010s Blackhawks, who knows what I’d be doing with my career? It was an honor to cover them from a distance during my Score days, and it’s been an honor to cover them on a more official basis during my time at CHGO. That era of Blackhawks hockey is something I will never take for granted.

On Monday’s CHGO Blackhawks podcast, we started discussing what it might take to bring Patrick Kane back to Chicago on a short-term deal this summer. As the conversation went on, I came to the thought that it might be time to move on from the Kane and Toews era. Even if both players decide to play out this season, then tell GM Kyle Davidson they want to come back on new deals, I’m tempted to say, “Thanks but no thanks.”

This isn’t an “embrace debate” thing where I hope people get mad on Twitter and the interactions blow up. I’m coming from a genuine place, and it’s a place I’ve arrived at only recently…like this week, recently.

Yes, both players, especially Kane, could bring some on-ice value to the team, but at some point, the organization needs to move on. It feels impossible for the new era of Blackhawks to begin with the presence of these two franchise icons.

One the ice, we’ve seen players…even veteran players…defer to Kane when they shouldn’t, often passing up great looks and scoring chances to get the puck to #88. Off the ice this season, things seem really good in the Blackhawks locker room, especially considering the struggles the team has had, so I’m not implying that either player is a problem in any way, but I believe having two players of this stature in the room can have an impact on new leaders stepping up and asserting themselves.

It’s understandable. Anyone coming into their locker room can’t help but feel impressed and intimidated. Remember, veteran players in this league grew up watching Kane and Toews. They’re idolized, and that comes with a certain level of reverence.

Remember, Jeremy Colliton, who turned out to be a bad coach, was undermined from the start when some of the team’s star players, especially Duncan Keith, tuned him out from the start. Luke Richardson seems to be a much better coach and certainly has a better personality and demeanor for coaching, but full authority from the coach matters on a young team.

Whenever it happens, it will be painful. In fact, even as I write this, I can sense my head battling with my heart. I’m not sure I want to see either of them in another team’s sweater. It reminds me of seeing Jeremy Roenick as a Coyote or Chris Chelios as a Red Wing. It just wasn’t right.

This situation is different, of course. Roenick was still at or near his prime when he was traded, and, as usual, it was all over money. Chelios was deemed “too old” by the geniuses at the top of the Blackhawks. Chelios was so over-the-hill when he was traded, he was only able to muster 10 more seasons. Poor guy.

Maybe this is just me wanting the roller coaster of emotions to be over, but it feels like time. Theo Epstein famously said, “You can’t pay for past performance.” You also can’t pay for romance. Well, you can…but this is a family newsletter.

Any attempt to retain Toews or Kane feels like a grasp at the past. As I said on Monday, “It does suck that it’s over…but it’s over. The dynasty is over.”

I’ve praised Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson for his plan and vision to commit to the future. Both players could, of course, make the 2023-24 Blackhawks better and more competitive, but neither Kane nor Toews help the team in the distant future, when the team is ready to win again. Yes, the Blackhawks have to get to the salary cap floor next season, but for the money it would take to bring back Kane, why not find someone who might be part of things when the Hawks are ready to win again? Dylan Larkin, who is 26 years old, might be a free agent. David Pastrnak, who is 27 years old, might be a free agent. If the lottery balls pop correctly and the Hawks get Connor Bedard with the top pick, Chicago could be a very enticing destination for top free agents.

Blackhawks fans have spent the last 10 plus months steeling themselves for the seemingly inevitable loss of both players, either via trade or free agency. They’re ready for it to happen, and what better time to wipe the slate clean with a new leadership group than now?

If Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews leave, who leads?

I hear what you’re asking, though. “Jay, who the hell IS the new leadership group on this team?”

That is a perfectly valid question, and I’m not sure I have the answer. My first thought is to say Connor Murphy, Seth Jones and Jake McCabe, but there’s a possibility one or both of Murphy or McCabe get dealt at the deadline. Max Domi might be back with the team next season, but that’s not a guarantee, either. The only players on the team signed beyond next season are Murphy, McCabe and Jones. Even Lukas Reichel will need a new deal after the 2023-24 season. The roster situation is murky to say the least.

I can’t imagine Murphy and McCabe get dealt. I would imagine it will be a “one or the other” situation.

Murphy already wears an ‘A’ on his sweater and has strong leadership traits. He’s always available, after a win or a loss. He’s thoughtful in his responses. He’s honest in his analysis of the game and the team.

McCabe is the perfect “lead by example” guy. We’ve had Blackhawks fans on the postgame shows calling for him to be the next captain already. He’s got my vote, assuming he wants to stay in Chicago.

#VoteMcCabe

Could Patrick Kane be out longer than expected?

On Monday’s 32 Thoughts Podcast with Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek, Friedman shared an interesting nugget on Kane.

There’s been a rumor that Pat Kane has been dealing with something. Some kind of nagging injury for some period of time. At some point, he’s going to need a ‘clean-up.’ This is my opinion…I am spitballing this. I wonder, if this really effects him and he can’t play or it noticeably impacts him, I wonder if the solution is Kane and the Blackhawks agree to a one-year extension…he shuts himself down…he goes and gets whatever procedure he needs, and he comes back next year healthy and refreshed, and we go through (the trade rumors) again. If he noticeably struggles because he’s hurting, it’s bad for everyone. It’s bad for him. It’s bad for the Blackhawks in trying to move him. It’s bad for another team that might be interested in him.”

Elliotte Friedman

It’s a fascinating angle, for sure. If, indeed, Kane’s injury is such that it impacts his play, and therefore his trade value. Marek points out that Kane doing this would be him doing a solid for the Blackhawks. A fully-healthy Kane, even a year from now, is likely more valuable than a Kane at 60-75% in the eyes of GMs around the league.

If I’m a betting man, Kane returns to the lineup Thursday or Saturday and life moves on, but Friedman doesn’t just “spitball,” without a bit of inside info.

Stay tuned.