While the Blackhawks-Maple Leafs Original 6 matchup tonight is one of tradition, hockey's also a sport that's full of superstition, as ESPN Chicago's Jesse Rogers found out in an entertaining query of the Hawks' gameday rituals in honor of this Friday the 13th tilt.
One thought: Brent Seabrook's superstitions have to be insanely complex to be called out by nearly half the respondents; I wish he'd detailed the full extent of them in his answer.
A familiar scene took place at the United Center last night as the Blackhawks and Colorado Avalanche battled. For the third time this season, the two evenly-matched teams went to a shootout to determine a winner. This time, it only took 3 shooters for the Hawks to skate away with a 3-2 victory as Jonathon Toews and Patrick Sharp connected in the skills test.
Colorado entered the game tied for the Western Conference lead, and showed why in grabbing an early lead and peppering Cristobal Huet, but the Hawks tied it at 1 with yet another in a long line of pretty goals by Patrick Kane in a physical first that saw center Colin Fraser in a couple of scraps.
Tonight's Blackhawks game against the L.A. Kings was the lone contest on the schedule, and the Hawks delivered to a national Vs. audience, earning a 4-1 victory to snap a two game skid.
A few thoughts after returning from the United Center, both on the game and the state of the Hawks in general:
Tonight saw the return of Hawks captain Jonathon Toews and winger Ben Eager from concussion symptoms. Toews looked a little rusty to start, but began to find his stride as the game wore on and found the back of the net on the power play in the third period. More importantly, following a spotty start, the Hawks settled into the game and Toews' presence was felt through all the lines. Eager, in limited minutes, showed a spark that the Hawks' fourth line has been missing.
First things first, the big topic out of last night's 3-2 Blackhawks loss to Vancouver was the devastating hit that knocked Hawks captain Jonathon Toews out of the game, and the subsequent momentum shift that saw the Canucks get a pair of goals and a victory in a game the Hawks already deserved to lose.
It's a brutal blow, but a clean hit where Toews got caught with his head down. As of this writing, no news on his condition, but he did miss practice today. If Toews were to miss any lenghty amount of time, the Hawks could be in real trouble down the middle, as Dave Bolland's back is making him a shadow of last year, and there's little center depth behind him. While John Madden's been off to a great start, his forte is in the defensive zone and can't be expected to shoulder a heavy offensive load at this stage. Here's hoping Toews is able to shake off the cobwebs quickly, or the Hawks will be worrying about a lot more than a fledgling goaltending controversy. (Note, Antti Niemi played well last night, making a number of huge saves in the first two periods, which will only inflame that battle)
Our Official Favorite Blackhawk Player of Tailgate (Ok, maybe just my favorite player), Adam Burish, isn't letting a little thing like an ACL tear in his right knee keep him out of action. Sure, he's sidelined for the next six months or so, but he was wiling to step out on thin ice the other night when he joined the cast of Second City for a benefit performance in Northbrook. While comedy is obviously not his forte, from reports he seemed to aquit himself well, portraying a caveman in one skit and even singing in another. We've reported on Burish's comedic talents before, so his foray into on-stage improv doesn't seem all that surprising.
They've got one of the hottest quarterbacks around in Jay Cutler and are sitting very nicely in the NFC North with a 3-1 record. But there's nothing that says the Bears can use a little of that Blackhawks mojo.
Aligning themselves with the young up-and-coming Hawks, the Bears have cut a series of commercials with the city's NHL franchise designed to boost the profile of both teams. In the sports, expected to air in a few weeks, five Bears players (Cutler, Devin Hester, Greg Olsen, Robbie Gouls and Lance Briggs are paired, respectively, with Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Brian Campbell, Patrick Sharp and Brent Seabrook (Ed. Note: Surprisingly, they somehow manged to leave off our favorite and most animated Hawk, Adam Burish though his being out of action for about six months may have something to do with it).
Actually, it was the Blackhawks who approached the Bears with the idea of the commercial collaboration to raise their profile, even though the Blackhawks are probably garnering more magazine covers and video game boxes than the Bears. At least for right now.
Before Monday's miracle comeback, the storyline entering tonight's game was going to be the return of netminder Nicolai Khabibulin to the United Center.
Now, with the news that Antti Niemi is getting the start over Cristobal Huet, the Hawks goaltending situation is an equally compelling narrative.
While coach Joel Quenneville made sure to mention that Huet and his $5.6 million salary is still the starter and will be in net for tomorrow's trip to Nashville, the next two games will be highly-eyed by Hawks fans.
A matchup of Khabibulin, who wasn't resigned over the summer despite being the Hawks' starter during the postseason, and Huet, who was ostensibly set to replace Khabi a year ago before the position evolved into a timeshare, would have become the marquee matchup tonight in a game where Huet needs to perform extremely well. Switching to Niemi is a way to deflate the expectations and focus on getting a win, while giving Huet a breather and a chance to regroup against a less talented Nashville team. However, it also demonstrates both how bad Baby Huey's been to start the year and questions the amount of confidence in him by team management already (though, in the interest of fairness, the Hawks as a whole looked abysmal in the 12 minutes Huet played Monday night).
If Niemi puts on a strong performance and Huet struggles again, calls for a switch will only resonate louder than they already are from the disgruntled fanbase. It may seem premature to some, but remember, this is the team that fired coach Denis Savard after only 4 games last season.
Granted, Khabibulin hasn't been stellar in Edmonton either, as his 3.13 goals against average and 89% save percentage attest, but he's also helped the Oilers jump out to a 3-1-1 start. Chicagoans are looking at another deep postseason run, and are starting to understand that Huet in net may be the biggest obstacle to that "one goal."
Whether Niemi's an answer or another question remains to be seen, but if Huet doesn't find a way to turn it around as the season wears on (repeat, it's only October, it's only October), the Hawks will be stuck with a multi-million dollar bench warmer.
After an absolutely brutal opening 10 minutes that saw Hawks goalie Cristobal Huet give up 3 goals in 53 seconds on only 5 shots, and backup Antti Niemi not fare much better in letting in 2 more, it'd be easy to write off last night's Blackhawks game as a lost cause.
But just when you think you've seen it all, here come the Hawks to match the largest comeback in NHL history with 5 goals of their own, before defenseman Brent Seabrook capped off the charge with the game-winner 26 seconds into overtime.
Check out full game highlights here but in the meantime...wow. After a first period that was absolutely maddening, the Madhouse on Madison lived up to its moniker Monday night.
Looking ahead to the most anticipated season for the Blackhawks in a long time (Yes, the Hawks are actually 2 games into the season after taking 3 of 4 points from Florida in Finland, but it's hard to consider that games that start at 11 a.m. count, especially when I'm driving through New England and can't watch them.), it's hard not to talk about the tumultuous offseason. But let's not, because at this point, it only matters what happens going forward. It may be easy to lay blame for a lackluster season on this summer, but 6 months and 82 games is a long time, and this Hawks team is just too talented to miss the playoffs entirely. What happens from that point on is anyone's guess, but only the most myopic would blame a postseason failure on events from a midsummer nightmare.
So that said, where can the Hawks end up this year after last season's magical conference final run? A deep run in the postseason is certainly a possibility, and for the first time in a long time, mention of the Stanley Cup isn't a cruel joke. However, the Hawks are still a very young team, and part of the magic last season was the chemistry and cohesiveness they displayed as the year went on. With only a few major roster swaps (Marian Hossa for Martin Havlat and Nicolai Khabibulin's departure), the core from last season is still intact, along with a few new key parts in John Madden and Tomas Kopecky. If coach Joel Quenneville and his Q-stache can continue to instill a team first focus on the Hawks, they stand to reap the rewards of a fruitful season.
Man, Europe has been pretty rough on Chicago in the past 24 hours. As you may have heard, the International Olympic Committee gave the big heave-ho to the city's bid for the 2016 Games, treating us like a steak at a vegan dinner. How bad did it look to the rest of the country that Chicago got bounced out in the first round of voting in Copenhagen? Even New York City is feeling sorry for us (although an editorial still managed to turn their sympathy into a tweak at Chi-Town resident President Obama's expense). Normally, after a loss like that we'd come back with a "wait'll next year", but unfortunately that doesn't apply.
And not long after that, our next best hope for a victory on European soil fell short as well as the Blackhawks dropped a 4-3 shootout to the Florida Panthers in Finland. Their 55 shots on goal were made null and void by a shootout goal by Florida's Ville Koistinen (a native of Finland, naturally). The two teams meet again today in Finland and you can watch the game on an outdoor screen at the Country Music Festival in Grant Park beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Look, maybe we should give this European thing a rest for a bit after this. Is "See American First" still a valid slogan?
Half a world away in Helsinki Finland, the Blackhawks start their 2009-10 campaign at 11 a.m. this morning against the Florida Panthers, with a return engagement the next morning - same time, same channel (Comcast SportsNet).
The team returns to the U.S. for a game at Detroit next Thursday, before a belated home opener Saturday, Oct. 10 against the Colorado Avalanche.
Following a too-short yet tumultuous offseason after last season's playoff success, the Hawks had only a four-game preseason before jetting to Europe for a pair of exhibition games against HC Davos and ZSC Lions Zurich earlier this week. While the team took 28 players to Europe, their final roster cuts down to 23 will have been made by the time the puck is dropped this morning. The most intruiging roster selection will come down to the backup goalie battle between Corey Crawford and Antti Niemi.
Already missing free agent signee Marian Hossa due to shoulder surgery, the Blackhawks also need to find a replacement for Adam Burish, whose torn ACL in his first exhibition game will have him missing 6 months of the season. Other players suffered the normal bumps and bruises of preseason practice, but are expected to be ready to go for the regular season.
Check back this week for a full season preview of what may be the most anticipated Blackhawks season in at least 15 years.
I know, I know...summer didn't even really begin, and we're just a week into the Good Jay/Bad Jay Bears season after giving up on the Cubs and Sox...how can I even be talking about hockey? Indian summer!
But sure enough, a new season beckons, one with heightened expectations. After last season's storybook saga, including the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, a constantly sold out UC, the improbable run to the Conference Finals, and the high-profie signing of Marian Hossa, Hawks' fans hopes rest on nothing less than a Stanley Cup.
Granted, there was also the controversy surrounding the firing of GM Dale Tallon and promotion of Stan Bowman, the botched restricted free agent offers, Hossa's contract investigation and subsequent shoulder sugery (and Marty Havlat's malicious tweets), and of course, Patrick Kane's 20-cent adventure.
Of course, that eventful off-season matters little if the team gets off to a strong start, beginning with their opening season games in Helsinki against the Florida Panthers.
For those wanting to get a sneak peek behind the curtain as the team prepares for the upcoming season, check out the Blackhawks second annual Training Camp festival tomorrow morning. Along with a 10k skate, 5k race, and 3-on-3 tournament, the fest gives an open look at a Hawks practice on the United Center ice, beginning at 10:30 a.m. Coach Joel Quenneville wil be mic'd up as he leads the Hawks through drills and scrimmages, and at only $5, it's a great chance to see the team up close without paying triple digits for those 100-level seats.
If that's not enough and an actual game sounds more up to speed, tickets remain for the Blackhawks first exhibition at 7:30 Saturday against the Washington Capitals.
The Hawks also begin their 2nd season of full TV coverage on WGN and Comcast SportsNet (that still sounds weird to say); a full broadcast schedule can be found here.
The Hawks will be on national TV 13 times, with 4 NBC Sunday games and 9 games on Versus, including the Helsinki opener Oct. 2 at 11 a.m.
The Cubs' Milton Bradley is not happy. So what else is new? Besides, he's now the Ricketts family's problem.
The White Sox have lost four in a row and five of their last six. The Bleacher Reporter ask if they're heading in the wrong direction. Hmmm...let me think about that one.
Don't let Jay Cutler's cool demeanor fool you. According to ESPN he's a little jittery about returning to Denver as a member of the Bears this Sunday. Elsewhere on the Bear beat, Matt Forte is looking for balance and Dusty Dvoracek is looking at a doctor this Friday.
As if running a triathlon (like the Chicago Triathlon this weekend) wasn't difficult, try throwing cold, rainy weather into the mix. Here at some tips for coping with that.
While the state debates video poker, the real thing is going on in a tournament in Arlington Heights tonight. Wanna play? Ante up here.
The Chicago Sky host a benefit this Friday to promote breast cancer awareness.
It looks like the ony stripes Patrick Kane will be seeing on his clothing will be the ones on his Blackhawks jersey. The 20-year-old winger for the Hawks will reportedly accept a plea agreement for his role in the alleged beating of a 62-year-old Buffalo cab driver on August 9. Kane, along with his 21-year-old cousin, were arrested and charged in the incident but may see it reduced to a misdomeaner charge and avoid jail time. So no Michael Vick or Thomas Kostopoulos jokes, please.
Kane is currently taking part in the Team USA Olympic orientation camp in Woodridge this week
Eight days after his run-in with a cabdriver in his hometown of Buffalo, N.Y., Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane issued an apology for putting himself in "the wrong place at the wrong time". In issuing a "mea culpa" to the Hawks, the cities of Chicago and Buffalo, Kane, 20, also stated that he couldn't discuss the specifics of the indicent, in which a 60ish Buffalo cabbie claimed that Kane and his cousin assaulted him after a dispute over 20 cents. Both Kane and his cousin were charged with second-degree robbery, a Class C felony, and fourth-degree criminal mischief and theft of services, both Class A misdemeanors.
The occasion of Kane's apology was the opening of the 2009 Men's Olympic Orientation Camp at Seven Brides Ice Arena in Woodridge, which, incidentially, is open to the public. Kane is attempting to make the team.
Single game tickets for the Blackhawks upcoming season go on sale Monday at 10 a.m., and while the Hawks announced to much fanfare last spring that season-ticket prices would be frozen for the upcoming season (for which I am very grateful!), fans looking to buy tickets Monday should bring some extra cash.
Prices for single-game seats have increased by roughly $10-20 a seat, depending on location within the United Center. The percentage increase is usually within the 15-30 percent range, with the one exception being the cheapest seats in the 300-level, which went up by 50-75 percent. The number of premium home games (with inflated prices) increased as well, going from 11 the previous season to 16 this year. Most premium tickets are for weekend games or those against Original 6 opponents.
See more analysis and a chart detailing the price increase after the cut (ignoring day of game seats since there likely won't be any tickets left for most games). Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Monday, August 17th, via Ticketmaster, at the United Center box office, at the Blackhawks store on Michigan Avenue, or by calling 800-745-3000.
My first thought when hearing the news of Patrick Kane's arrest this morning?
Patrick Kane doesn't fight, he just high sticks people on the sly.
My second? Dispute over 20 cents, cab ride at 4 a.m. Probably doesn't take much to deduce that alcohol was probably a factor for the under-21 Hawks star.
While on the face of it, such facts add up to a case of a youngster still having moments of immaturity while living in the spotlight, similar to the gang-photo fracas with Derrick Rose a few months ago, a felony robbery charge is a much more serious matter. Do I think Kane (or Rose, for that matter) are truly bad people? No, not really, but both instances prove they can make bad decisions.
The Blackhawks have made Kane's baby-face and good-kid demeanor a major advertising sell, and this is the latest in a series of off-season controversies to erupt around the franchise. Though Kane still figures to be a major part of the organization both on and off the ice, the arrest does close a chapter of the Hawks fairytale resurgence.
How it will affect the Blackhawks and Kane's season may depend on the results of any possible trial, given Kane's not-guilty plea, but it's bound to provide fodder for fans in opposing cities throughout the year, even if charges are dropped. It's definitely one more distraction the team doesn't need as they look to start a new season with the momentum of last year's surprise playoff run.
More immediately, given Kane was expected back in Chicago next week for Team USA's training camp for the 2010 Olympics, the chance of seeing Kane in Vancouver may have dropped significantly.
Jeremy Roenick, whose name is synonymous with the Blackhawks in the early '90s (especially 1994), announced today that he is retiring from hockey.
Roenick was selected by the Blackhawks as the eighth overall pick of the 1988 draft and spent eight seasons in Chicago before being traded to the brand-new Phoenix Coyotes in 1996. He went on to play for the Philadelphia Flyers, LA Kings, the Coyotes again and finally the San Diego Sharks for the past two seasons. While his later seasons showed a player in decline, Chicago fans will always remember him for his scrappy play and outspoken personality.
Are the good times over (or at least stalled) for the Blackhawks before they even start? The Daily Herald is reporting that highly-touted new Hawk aquisition Marian Hossa, formerly of the Detroit Red Wings, might miss a good chunk of the season because of a shoulder or rotator cuff injury that may require surgery. While the Hawks have great young scorers that will more than make up for being with out Hossa, the injury does put them in a bind with regards to trades for additional talent. And Hossa's potential to score 40 goals, as he did last year, will sting a little as well.
The soldout Blackhawks convention kicks off today and once more the buzz surrounding the event gets even louder than the year before. Much of that buzz this time is centered around the recent firing/demotion/whatever of Dale Tallon, replaced by Stan Bowman. Add to that the recent acquisition of high scoring Marian Hossa and Tomas Kopecky, both from the much-despised Detroit Red Wings, and there's more than enough to keep fans chattering. And as they say on those late-night commercials, "But, wait, there's more!..." For instance, is a trade needed to keep the Hawks' young stars Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith in the fold, financially-speaking? And did the front-office shake-up really disrupt the "We Are Family" feel the team has been trying to build (and we think we know Martin Havlat's opinion)?
In a surprising move the Blackhawks have fired their General Manager Dale Tallon.This coming after the Blackhawks reached the Western Conference Finals. It was the first time they reached the Conference Finals since '92. The Hawks are expected to make a formal announcement Tuesday.
After making a splash in last year's market by signing Brian Campbell and Cristobal Huet to pricey (or, more accurately, overpriced) contracts, Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon pulled off another shocker today by adding top free agent forward Marian Hossa to the Hawks. The move was out of left field as the majority of fans were waiting to hear whether the team would resign Martin Havlat and Nicolai Khabibulin (Havlat is headed to the Minnesota Wild, Khabi has moved on to Edmonton); even more shocking was the contract itself: 12 years, $62.8 million dollars!
The Blackhawks also signed Hossa's Red Wing teammate and friend, center Tomas Kopecky, to a 2-year, $2.4 million deal, and inked center John Madden from the Devils for a 1-year, $2.75 contract. During his afternoon press conference for the Hossa deal, Tallon also mentioned having tendered offers to the five restricted free agents to which the team holds the rights. Though none of these deals have been finalized, the Hawks will have the right to match any offers made to these players.
What Hossa's signing and the other deals mean for the Hawks next season and beyond after the jump.
Entering this past season, one of the Blackhawks' main weaknesses was up the middle in the center position. While Dave Bolland grew into a solid two-way center during the year (and was rewarded with a five-year, $18 million contract extension that should be signed soon), that weakness is still a factor throughout the team's minor-league system.
It came as no surprise then that the Hawks took advantage of this weekend's NHL draft in Montreal to restock their organizational depth, with six of their eight picks being players with center experience. Another area of concern was defense, which made up the remaining two picks, including first-round pick (#28 overall) Dylan Olsen from Camrose in the Alberta Junior Hockey League. A full list of draftees can be found after the break.
The NHL's draft system is similar to baseball, in which a very rare few picks make the team, let alone make an impact in their first year -- stars like the Hawks' Patrick Kane or Sidney Crosby being the exception. The majority of the picks are teenagers who will be given time to grow and develop as players, either as players within a college program or working their way up through the minor-league ranks in hopes of making the NHL.
Olsen's a case in point. He's a large, tough defenseman who measures 6 feet 2, 210 pounds, but as an 18-year-old who's played in the lowest level of Canadian minor leagues, he would have a tough time adjusting while still developing into his body and his play. Olsen's slated to attend Minnesota-Duluth this year, but with his size and ability he's the kind of player the Hawks need to bolster their blue line in a few years if he continues to grow as expected.
Although the Blackhawks season ended in the Western Conference Finals May 27 in a 5-game series loss to the Detroit Red Wings (and a season-wrap up is still forthcoming, hopefully soon), the NHL season is a year-round experience. And with the Pittsburgh Penguins having best the Dead Wings in last Firday's Game 7 for the Stanley Cup, the offseason business now moves to center stage.
It's a crucial summer for the Hawks, who have a number of restricted and unrestricted free agents to deal with, including leading scorer Martin Havlat and goalie Nicolai Khabibulin, along with the NHL entry draft June 26 and the opening of free agency July 1. For a team that achieved far more than what many expected last season, there's pressure to continue that growth toward a Stanley Cup while still staying under the cap as their young core of players mature. I'll have a more in-depth analysis of what can be expected ahead of the July 1 deadline, but there's still one matter to tend to regarding last season: the handing out of the awards.
The NHL awards are taking place in Las Vegas this year, a curious choice given the only ice in Sin City is usually in mixed drinks, but the move is an effort to provide some glitz and glamour to the affair. A year after Patrick Kane won the Calder trophy as Rookie of the Year, the Blackhawks will have a candidate up for the award again, as Kris Versteeg is a finalist. Kane will be a presenter of the award, and Hawks greats Stan Mikita and Tony Esposito will also be presenters at the ceremony, along with broadcaster Eddie Olczyk
Versteeg will be competing against winger Bobby Ryan of the Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Bluejackets goaltender Steve Mason. Versteeg's 22 goals and 53 points were impressive and a boon to the Hawks developing multiple scoring lines, but a late season swoon most likely knocked Versteeg out of contention, as Ryan passed him for the rookie scoring title. Regardless, the award is probably Mason's to lose, as he backstopped the Bluejackets to their first ever playoff appearance and lead the league with 10 shutouts.
In addition to the ceremony, Versteeg will get additional face time at the NHL Charity Shootout poker tournament taking place tonight, which will be taped for later broadcast. Also participating is Olczyk and former Hawk Jeremy Roenick, as well as Capitals sniper Alexander Ovechkin, along with a mixture of former NHL players and poker professionals.
While the percentages of male fans may not be all that surprising, there are some unexpected stats in there -- which team's fans are the best paid and most educated, for instance.
Wipe your tears, Hawks fans. According to USA Today, the young team's gotta wear shades ('80s music reference).
Not only are Derrick Rose's academic endeavors at Memphis under scrutiny, but it looks like the grade hanky-panky extends back to high school.
So does this SAT probe mean anything for the next batch of NBA hopefuls, many of whom will be here in Chicago for the annual pre-draft camp?
Answering the cries of many Cubs fans, GM Jim Hendry says the trading of Mark De Rosa isn't the problem. Meanwhile, The Bleacher Reports thinks moving Alfonso Soriano to second is one of the answers. And if the sale of the team to the Ricketts family doesn't go through, Sam Zell says "don't worry".
So who's the most important Bear on the team right now? If you think the answer is obvious, think again.
Even with deep dish pizza and Italian beef sandwiches all over the place, Chicago is pretty average when it comes to fitness. We're 25th out of 50.
Someone found the Tampa Bay Rays 2008 AL Championship trophy in a thrift shop in Chicago. Well, not the ACTUAL trophy...
The Chicago Fire's Gonzalo Segares gets the "up-close-and-personal" treatment from Goal.com.
It sounds like a sweeps week "special report": Are playgrounds endangering our children? Watch "Not Just Fun and Games", a special investigative report...
The Blackhawks season ended tonight in a 2-1 OT loss to the Detroit Red Wings in Game 5 of the Western Conference finals. Though many people didn't expect the Hawks to even make the playoffs, let alone reach the conference finals, the young and inexperienced Hawks challenged the poised and grizzled vets of Detroit throughout the series (the disaster that was Game 4 being the lone exception), and got a valuable lesson in playoff hockey to take with them into the offseason.
While a detailed perspective on this unprecedented year for the Blackhawks will be necessary in the days to come, a few thoughts on tonight's final tilt.
First and foremost, after showing severe signs of rust in Game 4 replacing the injured Nicolai Khabibulin, goaltender Cristobal Huet was magnifique tonight. His 44 saves kept the Hawks in the game, especially in a first period that saw Detroit put 21 shots on net as they took the attack to Chicago. And his save on Johan Franzen in the closing seconds of the third was spectacular, as he kicked up a leg while lying on his stomach to deflect away a backhanded rebound. While Chicago played a strong game, they would not have had a chance to win without Huet's heroics, and neither Wing goal could remotely be blamed on him.
Following Game 4's disaster, Chicago had to refocus and come out with a strong, yet disciplined effort in Game 5. Although the Hawks did take 2 penalties in a first period that saw Detroit again starting to dominate and control possession, the effort was there. Even though the Wings notched 21-9 shot advantage in the first, the Blackhawks blocked 7 shots and dished out 17 of their 36 hits in the game, showing that while the team may have been on their heels, they were laying it all on the line. After the frenetic first, things became increasingly tight with both goalies making key saves, and it became clear the game was going to come down to the wire.
After Dan Clearly's tip-in goal midway through the 3rd gave Detroit a 1-0 lead, Patrick Kane emerged from his series long slumber with a beautiful backhander to tie the game at 1 with a little more than 7 minutes left. Kane had been frustrated by future Hall-of-Famer Nicklas Lidstrom all series long, but the Wing captain was out the past two games, and Kane took advantage, racing past Brett Lebda and lifed a tight shot over goalie Chris Osgood's shoulder. It was exactly the type of goal Kane's capable of when he gets room to operate, and it couldn't have come at a better time for Chicago.
The Hawks managed 31 shots on Osgood with leading scorer Martin Havlat missing the game following some hard hits in the previous two, and the team had a lot of quality scoring chances despite being shorthanded and coach Joel Quenneville shuffling the lines to get something going. Havlat and Khabibulin being out of action changed the complexity of the game and put the Hawks in a bind, though granted, Detroit was missing key players as well in Pavel Datsyuk, Lidstrom and Jonathon Ericcson. Still, the offensive chances were there and one lucky bounce past Osgood could have brought the series back to Chicago for Game 6.
Even though Chicago's hopes ended in 5 games, the series was tight throughout, Game 4 notwithstanding. 3 games went to overtime, and Game 1 was close until the Wings took advantage of key mistakes in the 3rd period. The difference throughout the series was Detroit's experience in the high-pressure playoff cooker. That's not to say that Chicago's youth was a major liability, but almost every Detroit goal was facilitated by controlling the puck and putting continued pressure on net. The series-clinching goal in overtime is a clear demonstration of what makes the Wings dangerous, as they pinned the Blackhawks in their own zone. As Chicago couldn't clear and Detroit kept getting shots off, a fortunate bounce and rebound lead to a wide-open net for Detrot's Darren Helm.
The Wings' poise and systemic working of the puck leads to opportunities a lot of other teams don't have the patience to get, and the depth of their four lines makes every combination tough to defend, and the series provided a clear snapshot of where the Hawks are as a team, and where they need to get to. As the saying goes, to be the best, you have to beat the best, and Detroit showed why they're the defending Stanley Cup Champions. The Blackhawks had a great year, and a good series, and now know where the measuring stick stands for next year.
Thanks to a thrilling overtime win Friday, the Blackhawks are still in the conference final series against the Red Wings heading into Sunday's game 4. After dropping the 1st two games in Detroit, including a heartbreaker in game 2, the Hawks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first 22 minutes at the United Center, only to see the Wings tie the game up by the end of the 2nd period. After a sloppy, scoreless third, Patrick Sharp made short work of the Wings in OT with his 2nd of the night to give Chicago the crucial victory.
Being down 2-1 isn't nearly the impediment a 3-0 deficit would be, and a win Sunday evens up the series as it heads back to Detroit. More importantly, a game like Friday's can help build some confidence. Even though the Blackhawks gave up a three-goal lead, they regrouped and rebounded to earn a win, something that has been lacking in the first 2 games.
However, Game 4 provides unique challenges Chicago has yet to face, including the possibility of missing two of their top players in Martin Havlat and goaltender Nicolai Khabibulin. Khabi left after the 2nd period with what's been dubbed a "lower-body injury", though speculation is a troublesome groin that's hobbled him the past few years. Cristobal Huet came in and made six saves while looking strong, but after not playing since April 11, may have some rust when it comes to a full game.
As for Havlat, he was brutalized along the boards by the Red Wings Nicholas Kronwall in a heart-stopping, questionable hit. Havlat was unconscious before he hit the ice, and was then piled on top of as a scrum broke out around him, and left the game with a concussion. While he was able to skate off the ice and coach Joel Quenneville has said he's optimistic Havlat can play today, there's no telling how he'll be feeling come game time since symptoms can linger.
There's been a lot of debate regarding the legality of the hit (Kronwall was given a 5 minute major for interference and a game misconduct), but the video is below.
Detroit was also without one of their top scorers in Pavel Datsyuk, and he's expected to be a game-time decision for Game 4 as well. Not having Datsyuk does lessen the Wings potency, but they have the depth to play through his absence more than the Hawks do if Havlat misses the game.
While Game 4 isn't nearly the must-win that Friday's game was, the tenor of the series would change dramatically if the Blackhawks earn a victory. The series would essentially be a best-of-3, and the Hawks would show they can handle the Wings, having outplayed them in most of Games 2 and 3. More importantly, after a long 7-game series against Anaheim, an older Detroit will have to dig even deeper to find fresh legs the longer the series goes.
For a long time I have claimed that I am the problem with the NHL. Growing up in Chicago, I was hockey obsessed. For nine months a year, I was on the ice five to six days a week, living and breathing the sport. Yet, I have spent most of my life not caring at all about the NHL. It is the sport that I have the most experience playing and the one I can best understand the strategies involved, but I let the professional game completely fall out of my life sometime during the 90's. Amid all the expansion teams and unrecognizable faces they brought, the clutch and grab defense that slowed down the game and inability for the Blackhawks to produce a competitive team, my interest in professional hockey simply waned away. When the Stanley Cup was canceled in 2005, it didn't even faze me. I figured if the NHL going down the tubes could not affect me, a guy raised by the sport, what chance did professional hockey ever have of coming back into prominence?
But suddenly hockey is back in Chicago and the reemergence of the sport sparked my interest. Maybe, I thought, the NHL is not dead after all. I followed passively during the regular season; just enough to keep tabs on the sport but not enough to care if I didn't like the outcome. But I had forgotten about one thing about professional hockey: the playoffs are one of the most exciting times in all of sports. The intensity, the rivalries, the incredible combination of brutal force and extreme finesse; they all peak together to produce a month of fabulous games. It was like a slap to the head, "Oh yeah, THIS is why I loved the sport!" Certainly having a home town team to follow made watching the playoffs easier at first, but once I was back I wondered why I had ever left. And I would like to use this opportunity to thank the city of Chicago, for being ahead of the curve on hockey and proving to me that this sport is not dead. No matter how this next series turns out for the Blackhawks, I am excited to see a classic, original six rivalry take place on such a high level. Of course, I am hoping that I will be able to see the Hawks make it to the finals but in some ways, I am just grateful the game has returned into my life and I have only the good sports fans of Chicago to thank.
If you were looking for the results of today's Cubs-Astros game, forget it. Rain washed it out.
For his uncharacteristic helmet-throwing incident, the White Sox' Jermaine Dye gets suspended and fined, meaning he's going to miss most of their series against Toronto.
Speaking of Chicago vs. Toronto, the Fire travel to the Great White North to take on Toronto FC this weekend. Other Fire news: the team has qualified for the 2009 SuperLiga tournament and kick off their annual Community Soccer Series net week.
Meanwhile, Chicago's other pro soccer team, the Red Stars have a budding star with the free-spirited midfielder Megan Rapinoe. Elsewhere, ESPN shows the Red Stars some by singing out goaltender Caroline Jonsson as one of the standouts in the Women's Professional Soccer League's inaugural season.
Vancouver is still trying to hold its collective heads up high after being bounced by the Blackhawks. But at least they don't welch on a bet.
If you had a brand-new boat (and really, in this economy, who doesn't?), the Chicago Park District has given you two new harbors.
Yahoo! Sports has the Bears finishing 11-5 this season. Hmmm...what changed?
As long as the Arena Football League is gathering mothballs, former Rush coach Mike Hohensee figures he's better earn a buck somewhere else.
Tired of movie dates, candlelit dinners and walks along the beach? Try antigravity yoga (among other alternative and physical date ideas).
New video game upstart retail outlet Play N Trade opens a new store in the Chicago area.
Seeking to assert their masculine superiority, the baseball-playing Schaumburg Flyers will take on the Chicago Bandits, the 2008 National Pro Fastpitch champions, in a fastpitch softball game. Why am I temped to bet the house on the Bandits?
The Blackhawks are moving on to the Western Conference finals for the first time since 1995, and fittingly, it's the two faces of the franchise that led them there. Patrick Kane notched a hat trick and Jonathon Toews finally bounced back from whatever's been ailing him with two goals to lead the Hawks past the Vancouver Canucks 7-5 at the United Center.
There's probably a lot more that can be said about the see-saw, back and forth battle tonight, which saw Chicago give up a 2-goal lead in the 2nd period, and come back from 2 1-goal deficits in the third, but for now...wow. The United Center was a roller coaster of a ride tonight, and I'm not sure I've ever heard the building louder or felt more anxious energy in the air. The final game of the series lived up to its billing, and the team has to be relieved they were able to close out the Canucks on home ice, avoiding another long trip to Vancouver for a possible Game 7. Not to mention, when you torch one of the league's best goalies for 7 goals and go 3-for-4 on the powerplay, you better hope you come out on top, or else things can turn quickly. But Chicago took advantage of opportunities when they needed to, and after a shaky 2nd period when they gave up their lead, they kept their composure when falling behind in the 3rd and kept up the pressure on Roberto Luongo.
While their opponent remains to be seen (Detroit is currently leading Anaheim in the other semifinal 3 games to 2), the Blackhawks will need to tighten up their defense if they hope to reach the Stanley Cup Finals. Giving up 5 goals at home is never a good thing, and throughout the series, they let Vancouver dictate the flow at the start of the game and found themselves in a hole. But clearly the team has learned how to keep their cool and regroup as the periods wear on, and their youthful inexperience could also be one of their biggest assets.
Rather than look at challenges of the future though, I'm much more happy to celebrate the success in the present, and the Hawks earned their victory tonight. Tomorrow I'll have half a voice and one less hat, but it will be well-deserved.
Tonight's Game 4 between the Blackhawks and the Vancouver Canucks had all the feel of an elimination game, and essentially it was. Lose, and Chicago would be down 3-1 and heading back to Vancouver in a deep hole. With the way the Cancuks dominated Game 3, nothing short of a win would help.
In the first 3 games, the Hawks got off to horribly slow starts and Vancouver capitalized with leads. Tonight saw the Blackhawks come out strong and controlled the opening period with an 8-4 shot advantage, including 5-1 in the first 8 minutes, but couldn't crack Canuck netminder Roberto Luongo. Midway through the 2nd, Vancouver struck on an odd man rush for a 1-0 lead, and as time ticked away into the third period, things looked grim for the Hawks. Chicago managed to continue to put pressure on, but couldn't find a quality scoring opportunity.
Until nice work by Andrew Ladd along the boards led to Martin Havlat alone in the slot, and his snap shot eluded Luongo to tie the game at one. Crowd and team were reawakened, and entering overtime, the momentum was solidly on the Hawks side.
And in just a little over 3 minutes, the United Center was shaking from the rafters, as Dave Bolland spun and threw a shot toward the net that Ladd tipped past Luongo for the game-winning goal. The crowd went from edge of the seat, tense anxiety to a euphoria, and with the series tied at 2-2, the Hawks are back in the chase.
The going won't be easy, and despite their stronger play today, there were still too few quality scoring opportunities to beat an All-Star goalie like Luongo. The Hawks will need to find a way to steal a game in Vancouver, and to play more consistently overall. While they showed the Canucks they can weather the trap and still emerge with a win, Chicago needs to find a way to play at a consistently higher level.
Still, after being ready to accept the end of the season (albeit one that exceeded all expectations), to be heading back to Vancouver squared away is welcome relief.
It's do or (almost) die time tonight for the Blackhawks in their playoff series against the (boo) Vancouver Canucks.
Now that he's back in the fold, the White Sox' Scottie Pods wants his old number back. Meanwhile, manager Ozzie Guillen thinks the team has more pressing needs.
Speaking of the Sox, they hold their first Volunteer Day this Saturday. It's not too late to sign up for the event, inspired by their No. 1 fan.
Derrick Rose? Jay Cutler? Patrick Kane? Who's Chicago's most marketable athlete?
Handball fanatics, the place to be this weekend is Elgin. Yes, Elgin.
The Bulls' playoff run been berry berry good to Comcast Sports.
As if the Chicago Rush didn't have enough problems, what with their entire league collapsing, now they're accused of sticking it to one of their fans.
Look out Robert Morris College: Roosevelt University is getting back into the intercollegiate athletics action.
Fresh off their victory over Kansas City, the Chicago Force take their undefeated record to Detroit to take on the Demolition in Women's Tackle Football action.
The equally unbeaten Chicago Fire, meanwhile, face the New England Revolution at Toyota Park.
Following Saturday night's dominating 5-1 win in Chicago, the Blackhawks have a chance to close out their opening round series (currently leading 3-2) over the Flames tonight in Game 6 at 8:30 p.m.
To do so, Chicago will need to find a way to win in the Saddledome against an experienced playoff team with its back to the wall. The Hawks won both regular season battles north of the border, but the playoff pressure and added atmosphere can rattle a team as young as the Hawks, as seen in Game 3 and 4, when they couldn't recover from the Flames counterpunch after taking early leads.
If the team can come out as impressively as they did in Game 5, where they outshot the Flames 15-3 in the first period while jumping out to a 3-goal lead, there's a good chance the Hawks will advance to the conference semifinals for the first time since 1996. Saturday was close to as perfect a game as Chicago has had this season, with a lockdown defense and potent powerplay setting the tone for the offense to roll, and goalie Nicolai Khabibulin back to his old self in the few times tested.
One factor in the Hawks favor tonight is the injuries facing the Flames. Word out of the morning skate is stud defenseman Dion Phaneuf is out for Calgary tonight, joining other top D-man Robyn Regher, who has yet to play this series. Defenseman Cory Sarich and forwards Rene Bourque, Daymond Langkow and Craig Conroy are also banged up, though expected to play. Meanwhile, other than Matt Walker's broken finger, the Hawks are relatively healthy and raring to go, other than the assorted bumps and bruises that come with playoff hockey.
Win, and the Hawks advance to face either Vancouver or San Jose if the Sharks can pull off a comeback in their series against Anaheim. Lose, and it's winner take all Wednesday night at the United Center.
A few talking points in the hours before Game 3 of the Blackhawks quarterfinal series in Calgary tonight after two come-from-behind victories at the United Center behind raucous crowds. How does the team respond to the hostile atmosphere of the Saddledome?
One: Getting on the board early
Despite slow starts in the first two games, the Hawks were able to mount successful comebacks as they settled down. Whether it was nerves, the physical nature or just bad play, the team can ill afford to get down early now that the series shifts to Calgary.
Two: The Bulin Wall
Although the Blackhawks are up 2-0 in the series, there's little doubt the results would be vastly different without Nicolai Khabibulin in net. Khabi's made some spectacular saves at key moments, and though the Flames have taken early leads in both games, the damage would have been much worse without Khabibulin in net. Chicago signed Khabi after he backstopped the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Stanley Cup in 2004; after a tumultuous tenure in the Windy City, can he strike twice?
Three: Kane's postseason struggles
The first two games have not been kind to Patrick Kane. While he hasn't played horribly in his first playoff atmosphere, the small-statured winger has been targeted by the Flames and the recipient of many hard hits. The lack of open ice is a hindrance to Kane's game, as he doesn't have the body to grind the puck out of corners and has limited his effectiveness.
Word out of Calgary is Kane is going to miss tonight's game due to the flu, though it's possible he's feeling the effects of the extra attention paid him by Calgary.
Meanwhile, Kane's partner in crime, Jonathon Toews, has been nothing short of amazing in the first two games. While his two goals were the difference in Game 2, his work in the face-off circles and two-way play have lifted the Hawks in both games. The 20-year-old, who is the third-youngest captain in NHL history, has shown exemplary leadership skills and proven the Hawks brass right in giving him the 'C' at such a young age.
Four: Power-play prowess
Special-teams are usually the dealbreaker in the postseason. Succeed on the powerplay while having a proven penalty kill, and chances of victory go greatly up. However, that hasn't been the pattern in the first two games. Both teams power plays struggled at the end of the season (Chicago going 2-for-36 in their last 10 games, Calgary an even worse 0-for-46 in their past 11). While both teams managed to notch a power play goal in Game 2, the team that can continue to capitalize with the man advantage will have the fast track to the next round of the postseason.
Five: Small moves pay big dividends
Two unheralded moves GM Dale Tallon made the past two seasons are proving pretty popular these days. When Tallon shipped out fan favorites Tuomo Ruutu and James Wisniewski at the trade deadline for Andrew Ladd and Samuel Pahlsson, respectively, many fans were in an uproar. But the two players with Cup experience have proven their worth this postseason. Ladd's screen of Calgary goalie Mikka Kipprusoff was key to Martin Havlat's OT game winner, and Pahlsson's play has helped shutdown Flames star Jarome Iginla in Game 1. Though Iginla had two points in Game 2, the matchup of the two in the next two games will be a key to the Hawks advancing in the playoffs for the first time in 13 years.
The Blackhawks knew they were going to the postseason for the first time in seven years after clinching April 3. Now they have an opponent in the Calgary Flames and home-ice after wrapping up the last weekend of the season with a home-and-home sweep of the defending Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.
Thursday marks the return of playoff hockey to the United Center, and the Hawks should be happy to be facing the Flames, having swept the season series from the Flames in convincing fashion, including outscoring them 11-3 at home. Calgary has also been beset by injuries, even playing three players short to finish the season. While many of the Flames are expected back once the puck drops Thursday, most will still be nursing their wounds and the team will have had little time to get their rhythm back.
Meanwhile, the Blackhawks enter the postseason playing superbly. After struggling through March and finishing under .500 for the month, the Hawks are getting hot when it matters, going 6-0-1 in their final seven games. Even more important, goalie Nicolai Khabibulin has been playing some of his best hockey in net. A hot goalie can push teams deep in the postseason, a fact Khabibulin is well versed in, having lead the Tampa Bay Lightning to the Cup in 2004 over the Flames. Khabi has been Calgary's worst enemy, posting a career 22-5-2 record over the team. Although forward Patrick Sharp sat the last five games, he's slated to play and the Hawks will have their full lineup ready to go. Chicago has a well-rounded team that can put points on the board from all four lines, and the defense has the ability to control the game with their speed and breakout abilities.
However, while on paper things tend to favor the Blackhawks, the Flames do have an advantage in experience. For many of the Hawks, who are the league's youngest team, the playoffs are foreign territory, as the games become tighter and more physical. Calgary has made the postseason five years running, including a run to the Cup finals in 2004, though they've not advanced past the first round since. Still, the Flames, led by Miikka Kiprusoff and Jarome Iginla, one of the league's strongest forwards, are battle-tested in all a seven-game series entails. Although the Blackhawks struggled at times against more aggressive opponents this season, if they are able to control the puck and play their style of game, the results could be an easy series victory.
One thing for certain is the Hawks will have a full house behind them in full-throated fervor, after leading the league in attendance at 22,247 per game. The UC has been sold out every game this season, and come Thursday, the Madhouse on Madison will be reborn.
Full schedule for the quarterfinal series is after the jump.
Although Blackhawks fans have been focusing on playoff expectations for months thanks to the team's strong start, the official invitation was inked Friday as the Hawks beat Nashville 3-1 to clinch their first postseason trip in 7 years. The Hawks followed up that celebration with a 1-0 OT win in Columbus yesterday in a tight, playoff-intense atmosphere, giving the team a taste of what's to come in April.
While the playoffs are assured, the Hawks find themselves in a tight race for home-ice advantage in the first round. With 4 games left, Chicago is 3 points ahead of Vancouver for the 4th playoff seed, and also has a game in hand. Vancouver is also in a battle with Calgary for the Northwest division lead, which could have major implications for the Blackhawks first-round opponent. After last week's 4-0 drubbing by the Canucks (which left me too forlorn to mention in this space), Chicago would do well to avoid Vancouver in the first round in favor of the Flames, whose season series the Hawks swept.
After a March swoon of 6-7-2, the Hawks first sub-.500 month this season, the two victories to start April are a step toward solidifying the team in preperation for the playoff run, and the rest of the schedule should provide a strong warmup. Tomorrow the Blackhawks head to Nasvhille, where the Predators are desperately fighting for the final playoff spot, and Wednesday the team returns to the UC to battle Columbus, who currently sit sixth but are looking to clinch their first-ever playoff spot, the sooner the better. And with a weekend home-and-home against Detroit, the Hawks will get a chance to battle the defending Stanley Cup champs before beginning their own quest next week.
Yesterday afternoon the Blackhawks announced that single-game postseason tickets go onsale March 31, then last night showed there's reason to believe the team could make a deep playoff run, beating the West-leading San Jose Sharks 6-5.
Tickets for the first two postseason rounds will be available beginning at 10 a.m. at all the usual places (box office, Blackhawks store, Ticketmaster outlets, online or by phone), and customers are limited to 8 total tickets with no more than 4 for one game.
After losing 4 of their last 5 games, the Blackhawks find themselves desperately in need of a win as they begin a 2-game, 2-night road trip tonight in New Jersey. If the sight of the Vancouver Canucks inching to within 2 points of their 4th seed isn't enough motivation, the Hawks can look across the ice to their opponent in the net and see the history in the making, as Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur needs a single victory to become the NHL's all-time winningest goalie.
Facing the Atlantic-leading Devils in Jersey is a tough enough task, but Brodeur's return from a 4-month long break after elbow surgery has made an already good team great, with the goalie going 7-1-0 with a 1.94 goals against average to reach the doorstep of the record he currently shares with Patrick Roy. While Chicago needs to get back into the win column to hold onto home-ice advantage (and for that matter, the playoffs), there figures to be an extra buzz in the Prudential Center tonight thanks to Broduer's quest, exactly the type of distraction the league's youngest team doesn't need as they endure one of their worst stretches of the season.
Catching up on a the past week's worth of Blackhawk news, including last Wednesday's trade deadline.
First, on the ice, last Tuesday Chicago shot down the Anaheim Ducks comeback attempt in a 3-2 win in the last pre-deadline contest. The Hawks made one trade (details below), then lost a pair of weekend games 5-3 in Boston, and an embarassing 5-1 defeat to the worst-in-the-West Colorado Avalanche. In fact, I'd be hard pressed to find a worse game I've seen them play all season, and the fans at the United Center greeted the half-hearted effort with full-throated boos. Last night saw the team get back to basics, get shots on net, and eke out a 3-2 shootout win over the Carolina Hurricanes, a much needed win as Vancouver had closed to within 5 points of the 4th playoff seed.
The Hawks continue their four-game homestand Friday against the Columbus Bluejackets, who are in the thick of the playoff chase, and welcome the woeful New York Islanders Sunday afternoon.
The bigger news around the team has been off the ice, with players in the sick bay and moving out of town. Top scorer Patrick Sharp and goalie Nicolai Khabibulin missed the past month, and while Khabi came off IR yesterday, Sharp has only started skating. Also, forward Martin Havlat missed his first game of the season with a lower-body injury suffered blocking a shot. Given Havlat's unhealthy history, the worst was feared, but the injuries been termed a bruise and a day-to-day thing by Coach Joel Quenneville.
One player who won't be back soon is popular defenseman James Wisniewski, who was traded to the Ducks for center Samuel Pahlsson. Also included in the deal was Hawks minor-leaguer Petri Kontiola, with prospect Logan Stephenson and a conditional draft-pick coming back to Chicago.
In theory, it's a good trade: the team trades from a position of strength in their defense to fulfill a need of a center strong in faceoofs. However, how the trade works out both short and long term will depend on a few key facts.
While Pahlsson is a defensive center who's strong in faceoffs, he's been out since January with mono and was struggling before that. How good of shape is he going to be in when he gets back? Pahlsson was a huge part of the Ducks Stanley Cup run in 2007, but there's no guarantee the Blackhawks will get that player. On top of that, Pahlsson is an unrestricted free-agent and may only be a short-term rental. The trade improves the Hawks, but they will still need a strong run to get through the Western Conference.
Also, while the team had defensive depth, Wisniewski was one of the only gritty, physical blueliners. Given the Hawks' struggles against aggressive teams, making the defense more soft is a problem that showed through in the losses last weekend. Wiz was also a restricted free agent, and while the team probably wouldn''t be able to afford him, they would have received a draft pick if another team signed Wisniewski.
Pahlsson has started skating, so how he fits into the Hawks will be seen soon enough, and with a month left in the regular season, a full roster will be needed to secure the 4th seed and home ice for the first round of the playoffs.
Now that Terrell Owens has been released by the Cowboys, would he be a good fit for the Bears? And how long before he brings Kyle Orton to tears?
Speaking of Bears quarterbacks, a Sporting News blog says that Rex Grossman's eminent departure is bad news for Chicago. And while he is visiting Cincinnati, Dallas seems more than eager to welcome him there.
Sure Blackhawks defenseman James Wisniewski was as fan favorite, but Daily Herald sports blogger Tim Sassone says give his replacement, Sami Pahlsson, a chance.
Thornton High School rules the top spot in the Tribune's final boys high school basketball rankings. The highest Chicago school, De La Salle, finished third.
NBA.com writer David Aldridge gives props to Norm Van Lier and Red Kerr.
To paraphrase Douglas MacArthur, displace cheerleaders never die, they just hook up with other sports teams.
Registation may be closed, but there's still plenty of action to be had on and off the course as the annual Chiditarod runs this Saturday. Shopping carts have never seen this much action.
After what felt like a never-ending road trip (the Blackhawks went 8-4 in playing 12 of their last 15 away from the United Center), the Hawks began a stretch of 7 of their next 8 games on home ice last Friday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
While the Penguins emerged with a tough 5-4 overtime victory despite being without star Sidney Crosby, what many were talking about was Hawks captain Jonathon Toews' first career hat-trick, made more unique by the promotional give-away that night of a Blackhawks construction helmet.
(Video comes with equally amusing slo-mo of the Ice Crew picking up said helmets).
The helmet toss was the second of the night, following a premature celebration in the 2nd period when Toews had a goal overturned by video review. Given the amount of helmets on the ice after that toss, it's surprising so many were left for the actual trick.
The Hawks rebounded Sunday and broke a 3-game losing streak by defeating the Los Angeles Kings 4-2, giving Finnish goaltender Antti Niemi the win in his first career NHL start. Toews continued his dominance with a goal in the first minute of the game, giving him 9 tallies in his last 8 contests. Winger Martin Havlat stayed hot as well, registering 2 assists to run his point streak to 8 games.
The Hawks look to solidify their hold on the 4th playoff seed in the densely packed Western Conference tonight against the Anaheim Ducks whose 68 points is currently good for the 8th and final spot. With only 4 points seperating the sixth and twelfth spots, every game is crucial for teams in the thick of the playoff hunt. Although Chicago's 79 points has them 7 ahead of fifth-seed Vancouver with a game in hand, the Blackhawks are aiming to grab home ice for the first round of the playoffs in what would be the team's first postseason appearance in 8 years.
Clothing designer Novem has created the ultimate Chicago sports fan t-shirt.
Designed by Paul Deters, it features the mascots of every major league team in Chicago: a totem pole of White Sox, Cubs, Bulls, Bears and Blackhawks, with the Fire behind and Sky above.
It's available for $29 online or in their studio store at 1104 N. Ashland.
Things are looking up for the Blackhawks at the mid-point of their season-long 8 game road trip. Following last night's 5-2 victory over the Calgary Flames, the Hawks are assured of at least a .500 record on the extended jaunt, going 4-1 so far. And with the team facing the slumping Vancouver Canucks tomorrow and cellar-dwelling Atlanta Thrashers and St. Louis Blues next week, the Hawks could be poised to post an impressive record in a month that finds them on the road for all but 3 games.
Seeing the Hawks succeed in Western Canada is a welcome sight for fans. After struggling on these trips often the past few years, the win over the Flames, combined with Tuesday's 3-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers, has the Hawks a perfect 11-0 against Canadian teams heading into Vancouver tomorrow. Chicago swept the season series against the Northwest-division leading Calgary for the first time since 1992-93.
If the team beats the Canucks tomorrow, a return engagement with Vancouver and trip to Montreal in late March will be the only obstacles to a perfect record against their neighbors to the Great White North.
Also worth noting, and I'm entirely remiss of mentioning it last week in the midst of Super Bowl hype, is the Blackhawks 4-2 win in San Jose. The Sharks are leading the Western Conference with 78 points in 49 games, and are poised to go deep in the playoffs, but the Hawks controlled the game and outplayed San Jose for one of their biggest wins of the year. It's a huge confidence builder for the league's youngest team, who had struggled in beating the league's top teams, winless in 6 tries against San Jose and Detroit. In fact, the Hawks hadn't beaten the Sharks in their last 12 games, dating back to October 2005. Especially ego boosting for the Hawks is taking down San Jose in the Shark Tank, where they had only lost once in regulation all season. Finally getting past the Sharks and building on that momentum the rest of the road trip could give the Hawks a strong surge into a favorable March schedule, where 11 of their 15 games are at home, including a final game against San Jose March 25.
With only 7 points seperating the Hawks from the Central-leading Red Wings, with a game in hand, a prolonged winning streak and increasing confidence could push the Hawks into a race down to the wire, especially with a home and home series against Detroit closing out the season. The Hawks have proven they can win fairly consistently this season, now they need to prove they can battle and beat the elite teams come playoff time.
Tomorrow sees the unofficial start to the 2nd half of the Blackhawks season (the actual halfway point was the Jan. 16 game against the Rangers), as the team begins a season-high 8 game, 3-week road trip through the Western U.S. and Canada, as well as Atlanta and St. Louis before returning home for a Valentine's Day battle with the Dallas Stars.
While the grueling stretch will be a test for one of the league's youngest teams, after losing their last 2 home games before the All-Star break, it could also provide a chance to refocus and build a stronger team identity for the upcoming playoff run.
In fact, with only 2 of their next 14 games at the United Center and an 11-8-3 road record (compared to 14-4-5 at home), the next month could very well determine not only the team's postseason seed, but whether they make the playoffs at all. Though the Hawks currently sit at fourth in the conference with 58 points, only 7 points seperates them from the 8th spot. An extended losing streak could put the team in the thick of the race come March.
Cutting through the feel-good story of the hockey's resurgence in Chicago and the hype of the Winter Classic, here's a chance to take a look at exactly what went right and wrong for the Hawks in the first half of the season.
Blackhawk wunderkinds Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, along with fellow Hawk Brian Campbell did the team proud in this weekend's NHL All-Star Game in Montreal, with each scoring a point in a defense-thin contest. Kane had a goal and an assist, while Toews scored and Campbell had an assist as the East bet the West 12-11. If the team has their way, the trio could be performing the same All-Star performance on their home ice. The Hawks have put in their bid to host the contest in 2012 and with the way their stock is rising (particularly after the rave reviews of their game at Wrigley Field on January 1), they stand a good chance of winning the bidding. Meanwhile, here's some video of Kane competing in the NHL Skills Competition, Breakway Challenge portion.
The Illinois Lottery recently began a promotion wherein one fan is selected for the "Million Dollar Minute." If the Hawks score at exactly the 10:00 mark of the 2nd period, the fan wins a million dollars, otherwise, the selected section of the arena gets a free scratch off ticket.
The odds seemed pretty good for the Illinois lottery, though I'm no math major to figure out the exact chance of this happening.
But lo and behold, in I think only the third time the promotion was trotted out, Martin Havlat took the puck in the slot and rifled a wrist shot past Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom at the 10:00 minute mark. It was the lone bright spot in a game where the Hawks found themselves stifled by Minnesota's defensive system and unable to get many scoring chances.
The Blackhawks have been in a bit of an offensive slump lately, as this was the fifth time in the last 7 games they were held to two goals or less, and their record is a rather pedestrian 5-4-1 since the Winter Classic. With an upcoming 8-game road trip starting next week, tomorrow's game against the Blues is an opportune time for the offense to heat back up before heading into this weekend's All Star break.
For the fan, who will be introduced before the start of the game tomorrow at the United Center, his luck already appears to be white hot.
A Cubs fan still can't get over the loss of Mark DeRosa.
The 35th Street Review gives you 10 things to watch for in Chicago baseball, 2009. Meanwhile, the Sox Machine is looking for good relievers on the cheap.
Da Bears Blog lists the only three good things about this season's team.
Bear legend Dick Butkus (not to be confused with bupkes) announces the winners of his annual national college lineman award next Tuesday.
The local high school basketball playoff picture begins to take shape, the Derek Rose Shootout brings the best in city prep hoops under one roof and one local school hopes to derail the top team in the country.
Bulls legend Michael Jordan talks about his shoes. Well, not exactly his shoes, but THE shoe.
Now that I've recovered both from the Winter Classic and the extended holiday break schedule (sadly, my camera, which I intended to use to document both the New Year's Day game and my skate at Wrigley Jan. 4, did not survive unscathed due to the cold and a broken lens), it's time to get back to the nitty-gritty of Blackhawks news.
First, the games themselves, in case anyone reading missed. Following double Detroit losses at Joe Louis and the winter wonderland of Wrigley Field, the Hawks rebounded with a strong 5-2 win over the Northwest leading Calgary Flames Sunday, then pummelled Phoenix 6-0 in the desert. Leading scorer Patrick Kane sat out both games with a high ankle sprain suffered against Detroit, but returned last night in Colorado, where the Hawks 44 shots weren't enough to tickle the twine, losing 2-1 to the Avalanche.
Kane did receive good news this week, being named as a starter to the Jan. 25 All-Star game along with center Jonathon Toews and defenseman Brian Campbell. Starters were voted on by fans, and Kane was the top vote-getter in the Western Conference with 917,551 tallies. All-Star reserves were named Wednesday, and while Duncan Keith and Patrick Sharp are also deserving of a trip to Montreal, they were left off the rosters. With 3 Blackhawk players named starters, along with 3 members of the Anahim Ducks, there just wasn't enough extra spots due to league rules that all teams have at least one representative.
Other news announced New Year's Day (was there any in the Winter Classic coverage) was the possibility of the Blackhawks opening the 2009-10 season in Prague, possibly against the Florida Panthers. The New York Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning began this season with a pair of games in the Czech Republic this year, while the Pittsburgh Penguins and Ottawa Senators started the season in Sweden, and the NHL is hoping to make the European forays an annual event to help make the league a global entity.
Finally, the Hawks may be moving their practice facility into the city in a new building to be built a half-mile west of the United Center, at Madison and Western. The team currently makes a nearly 20-mile trek to the Edge Ice Arena in Bensenville on days when the United Center is unavailable, and a more local, new facility would allow for first-class amenities and make for an easier commute for the players, who mostly live in the city. One casualty of the proposed move may be the little-known but increasingly-attended open practice policy. In a season in which the Blackhawks have had a resurgence on the ice, attendance at the team's Edge practices has become increasingly congested with fans wanting an up close look and a chance to meet players. While no other Chicago sports team allows for practices to be open to the public that I know of, it's possible the distraction and hassle may bring the fan-friendly policy to an end.
Office a little quiet today as people prepare for tonight?
NHL.com's got you covered, as they're broadcasting the Blackhawks and Red Wings as they hit the ice at Wrigley Field for practice today, starting right now.
The two teams flew into Chicago last night after a 4-0 win for the Wings at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, ending the Blackhawks record 9-game winning streak. After a strong first 10 minutes, Detroit dominated the Hawks and took advantage of some ill-tempered penalties to earn the victory and set up the grudge match tomorrow.
As the hype builds toward the New Year's Day outdoor game at Wrigley Field, the Blackhawks take their franchise-record nine game winning streak to Detroit for another key battle with the Red Wings. The recent run has pushed the Hawks to within 4 points of first-place Detroit, and a win tonight can give the Classic the added storyline of a battle for the division lead.
Chicago has played Detroit tough this year, but was on the losing end of both games via a shootout, including the team's last loss Dec. 6 before the record streak began. The two Original 6 franchises have a storied history, with tonight's game being the 700th meeting between the two clubs, the most of any two teams. With the surging Hawks hot on the Wings heels, the next two games will have an added level of excitement.
Meanwhile, back at Wrigley, final preparations are being made for Thursday's Winter Classic. Despite the schizophrenic weather the Chicago area has seen the past week, the ice has been painted and will be ready for the two teams' practice tomorrow. The ivy (albiet fake) is hanging on the outfield walls, and the boards themselves have a brick pattern around it to add to the ambience. The NHL has also created a Spectator Plaza at Clark and Waveland, which will include live entertainment and interactive attractions. Screens will also be set up to allow fans to watch the team's practices New Year's Eve, and presumably, the game itself.
Not everything is rosy in Wrigleyville, however. While the allure of Wrigley Field is a large factor in why the game was awarded to Chicago, is the NHL is taking it a step too far with the news that "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" will be sung during the game? I'm all for making it a unique experience, and featuring the Friendly Confines and its traditions is a large part of what makes the game so exciting, but would any other sport deign to sing a song about another sport at its marquee event?
There's a point of taking the spectacle too far at the expense of the game itself, and a 7th-inning stretch rendition of a baseball song in the middle of the 3rd period is sending too much of a mixed message when the game between two top teams should be plenty thrilling on its own.
That said, I'm still getting excited to walk through the concourse and take in the view of the scoreboard, the rooftops, and a hockey rink mid-field New Year's Day. And the weather is shaping up to be nearly perfect.
Roadtrips to Western Canada have been notoriously unkind to the Blackhawks in recent years, but following a 9-2 shellacking of the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday, the Hawks are looking to reverse their fortunes in back-to-back games against Calgary and Vancouver tonight and tomorrow.
The win over the Oilers gave the Hawks a five-game win streak, their longest since the 2001-2002 season, which was also the last time a Blackhawks team made the playoffs. The team was working on all cylinders, going 4-for-5 on the powerplay and shutting down the Edmonton offense early on. Troy Brouwer lead the Hawks with two goals and defenseman James Wisniewski picked up three assists in his first game of the season following knee surgery. Chicago has had a few dominating performances at home this year, but started the season struggling away from the United Center. The victory pushed their road record over .500 to 6-5-3, a mark the team is looking to build upon.
Tonight the Flames will be looking for revenge from a 6-1 loss at the United Center Nov. 9, but the Hawks have played well in Calgary, having won their last three games there. The Hawks also defeated Vancouver 4-2 Oct. 19 as well, and the Canucks are shorthanded with star goalie Roberto Luongo injured. With the team surging on their recent streak, a pair of victories this weekend would give the Hawks even more momentum heading into the Christmas break, before finishing the year with a home date against the Flyers and trips to Minnesota and Detroit.
With the nine-goal deluge Tuesday, the Hawks are now the top-scoring team in the league with 3.66 per game. Not to be outdone, the defense and goaltending tandem of Nicolai Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet is giving up only 2.55 goals a game, good for seventh in the league. Chicago's special teams also rank in the top 10, a sharp contrast to year's past, particularly the power play unit. What all these stats mean is despite being the league's youngest team, the Blackhawks are coming together and playing great hockey in all corners of the rink, putting them in a tie as the third-best team in the Western Conference. If the team can reel off more games like Tuesdays and more winning streaks, not only would the playoffs be a given, but a deep run is possible.
When they last met, the Packers beat the Bears 37-3. While the Green Bay tries to figure out how to do it again, the Bears are working on how to avoid a repeat this Monday night.
The Bleacher Report asks: What if Terrell Owens was a Bear? We answer: All hell would break loose.
The Sporting News' reaction to the Wrigley Field hockey spectacular: meh.
Meanwhile, the Hawks' Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are first and sixth, respectively, among forwards in NHL All-Star Western Conference balloting. Brian "Soup" Campbell is third in balloting for defensemen.
Bollingbrook and Whitney Young are at 10 and 15, respectively, in the rankings of the top 50 girls high school basketball teams. And on the boys side? De La Salle manages to squeak in at No. 44.
The Chicago Blackhawks have been off to an impressive 15-6-7 start this season, including last night's 3-1 victory over the Columbus Bluejackets, which extended their current point streak to 6 games and their home record to 10-1-4. Thanks to the resurgent effort, the Hawks have started to regain cachet within the hockey world and in the Windy City.
But their actions off the ice, in a story that has taken weeks to filter into the media, has the team getting deserved recognition from the national sports and mainstream world. While most atheletes who make the mainstream news do so for greed, ego, and criminal altercations, the Hawks are in the news for having big hearts.
In the midst of a 6-game road trip, Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon learned his father had passed away in northern Ontario. The team was playing in Toronto Nov. 22, but Tallon skipped the game to help prepare for the next day's funeral in Gravenhurst, a small town 2 hours north of the city. The Blackhawks charter flight was scheduled to leave after the game, giving the team a few days off in Chicago before continuing on to the West Coast for a game Nov. 26 in San Jose.
Following the team's 5-4 victory over the Maple Leafs, the entire team decided to skip the charter flight and stay in Toronto, then rent two buses to transport the entire organization north to attend the funeral the next day, sacrificing their own time off with their families to be with Tallon's at his time of need.
The Hawks caught a charter flight back Sunday night, but not before stopping at a local McDonald's on the bus ride back, where it turns out one of the Happy Meal promotions were hockey trading cards that included Hawks stars Jonathon Toews and Patrick Kane, who took time to sign some of the cards for the shocked patrons.
The story is only breaking now becuase despite the heartwarming nature of the team's unity, no one within the organization deemed it newsworthy or all that unique, since it was without a doubt the right thing to do. It wasn't until Deadspin picked up a tip that the news began to filter out, and has now seen the story mentioned in the likes of Sports Illustrated, the Sporting News, and even a top ranking as the "World's Best Persons" on Countdown with Keith Olbermann.
Hockey players are often regarded as some of the more humble, down-to-earth athletes, and this story only confirms that no matter how the team fares on the ice the rest of the season, their loyalty and committment to the organization have made them champs in the real world.
A Chicago consulting firm looks at how avatars might help in winning at online poker.
In local soccer new, the Fire's Soccer Development Academy plays in three matches while the Storm slate their own holiday appearances in the coming days.
Soup's on...and it's paying dividends for the Blackhawks
A French newspaper seems to think that the election of Barack Obama means softball will be back in the Olympics. Huh?
Are Thursday NFL games a "recipe for disaster"? Depending on when you read this, you may already have the answer.
As Chicagoans are engrossed in the corruption of their Governor, a group of Senators will be trying to steal a victory at the United Center tonight against the Blackhawks. After struggling to start the season, Ottawa is riding a 4-1-1 streak in their last 6 games under the play of goalie Alex Auld. However, slated to start in net tonight is Martin Gerber, who has missed the last 12 games with an injury, and will be facing a tough environment in the revitalized UC.
The Hawks have built an impressive home record of 8-1-4, with the help of 13 consecutive sellout crowds backing them, and are looking to build upon that stat before closing the month with 6 of their last 8 games on the road. In their previous game against the Phoenix Coyotes Sunday, the Blackhawks lit the lamp for 7 goals in the first 28 minutes of the game, in the process causing the goal horn to malfunction. Winger Andrew Ladd lead the Hawks with 4 points, while Ben Eager chipped in 2 goals in the dominant win. The outburst was the most goals the team has scored this year, as they took out their frustration from a tough 5-4 shootout loss in Detroit the night before, the team's 7th loss in an OT/shootout situation. Chicago gave up a 4-2 lead in the third period for their 2nd consecutive loss to the defending champs, despite Jonathon Toews' highlight reel goal.
While Gerber will be returning in net for Ottawa, the Blackhawks will also have a familiar goalie back in Nicolai Khabibulin, only on the bench. Habby has missed the past 5 games due to injury, and while dressing tonight, is expected to see his return to action Friday in Colorado. Another change is the callup of forward Pascal Pelletier from Rockford, who will replace rookie of the year candidate Kris Versteeg for the night. Versteeg was suspended one game following an altercation in the waning moments of the 7-1 victory over Phoenix after picking up an instigator penalty. Versteeg has been one of the Hawks biggest surprises so far this season, earning top-line minutes and leading all rookies in scoring, and Chicago will need to adjust quickly to counter a Senators team that is starting to come together.
In other injury news, forward Adam Burish was placed on IR after missing 6 games with a broken toe, and defenseman James Wisniewski is expected to start his season Friday after rehabbing from off-season knee surgery. Wiz's return will help shore up the blueliners and may make defenseman Brent Sopel expendable once Aaron Johnson is healthy. Sopel's possible departure could be the first move in an effort to free up money for a 2nd line center, including free agent and longtime Maple Leaf Mats Sundin, who is known to have spoken with GM Dale Tallon regarding his availability.
With less than a month til the Winter Classic at Wrigley, NBC has started to build the hype with this ad featuring the Blackhawks Jonathon Toews and Patrick Kane, along with a familiar voice.
Have to say, kudos. A great a/v mixture that merges the tradition of Wrigley with the historic event Jan 1., featuring two of the NHL's most storied franchises. The spot definitely gets me a little more excited for the game.
On the ice, the Hawks return home to the United Center after a 6-game circus trip. While starting the trip 3-0, the offense disappeared and the team went 0-2-1 in the final trio of contests. After losing a tight OT game to powerhouse San Jose (and losing goalie Nicolai Khabibulin to injury in the process), the team battled the Anaheim Ducks in a nail-biting 1-0 loss, before a disheartening 5-2 loss to the L.A. Kings ended the trip on a sour note.
The Ducks are back in town for a rematch tonight, where before the game the Blackhawks will honor right-winger Steve Larmer as part of the team's "Heritage Night" series this season. Larmer was a fixture for the Hawks throughout the '80s and early '90s, scoring 923 points in 891 career games in Chicago. Upon his first full year with the Hawks in 1982 he played in 884 consecutive games wearing the Indianhead sweater, an NHL record for most consecutive games with a single franchise.
The streak was broken in 1993 when Larmer missed the start of the season after a trade request, which saw him sent to the N.Y. Rangers, where he won a Stanley Cup in 1994 before retiring during the 94-95 lockout.
Larmer epitomized a lot of what the Hawks were to me growing up in the 1980s, pairing with Al Secord and Denis Savard in a talented line that mixed scoring prowess and grit, and is one of the best right-wingers to ever play in Chicago. Tonight's Heritage Night is a well deserved accolade, and it wouldn't surprise me to see Larmer's #28 raised to the rafters at some point in the future.
Our favorite tell-it-like-it-is Blackhawk (OK, maybe just MY favorite) Adam Burish gets a little more media play, this time from WGN Morning News, where he lives up to his role as the team's "agitator" (formerly known in the NHL as "enforcer"). P.S.: Check out the mouse he's sporting under his left eye.
Chicago Magazine gives the feature article treatment to two denizens of the United Center: the Blackhawks' Rocky Wirtz and the Bulls' Derrick Rose(Photo from Chicago Magazine website).
Happy Birthday, Patrick Kane. True, you're fourth in the league in points (22) and ninth in assists (14), but the reality of your 20th birthday isn't lost on you. "The 20th is not really a good birthday,"you told the Sun-Times. "You're not a teenager anymore and you can't get into a bar." Even so, we're guessing you're going to enjoy a cool one at some point this day. If one of the kids leading the Blackhawks resurgence can't have a brewski on his birthday, who can?
With the annual circus trip commencing tonight, the Hawks find themselves away from the sold-out atmosphere of the United Center and on the road for the first real test of the season. After playing 11 of their first 16 games at home, where the franchise is leading the NHL in attendance, a 6-game trip to points west and north will be a challenge for the Blackhawks, who have compiled a 1-3-1 record on the road so far this season.
While the team had yet to lose in regulation at home until a 6-5 defeat at the hands of the NHL-leading San Jose Sharks Sunday, the Blackhawks begin the trip in Phoenix tonight stuck in neutral. Despite some particularly tense, nail-biting contests, the Hawks closed the homestand having gone 0-1-2 and are looking to get back to their winning ways. Following Phoenix, the Blackhawks celebrate Patrick Kane's 20th birthday tomorrow before battling Dallas Thursday, then heading to Toronto to take on the Maple Leafs Saturday.
Next week sees a return engagement with the Sharks in San Jose Wednesday, then a Thanksgiving celebration in sunny Los Angeles before back-to-back games against the Anaheim Ducks and L.A. Kings. The Blackhawks 7-4-5 record is their best start since 2002, but the trip represents a number of challenges. It will be the first extended trip under new coach Joel Quenneville, and will get the team into hostile arenas and crowds after establishing a comfort zone with the record-setting attendance at the UC. Given the team's 5 overtime/shootout losses as well, it's critical the Hawks find a way to capture some points in tight games to stay in the midst of the Western Conference race.
In what's already shaping up as an electric night at the United Center as the Blackhawks welcome an equally-resurgent Original 6 franchise in the Boston Bruins to town, an added layer of excitement will permeate the Madhouse on Madison tonight.
The reason? A number-retirement ceremony, long overdue for many Hawks fans, for former defensemen Pierre Pilote and Keith Magnuson, who both wore #3 during their Chicago tenure.
Pilote and Magnuson defined the prototypical Blackhawks defensemen of their respective eras, providing leadership, physical grit, and hard-nosed hockey along the blue line. Both served as captains and are associated with the golden years of Hawks hockey, and it's a fitting tribute that both will receive the honor of being the sixth jersey retired by the organization tonight.
After 12 games and countless chances, a bounce finally went the right way for Blackhawks captain Jonathon Toews, who netted his first goal of the season last night in the Hawks 6-1 win over the Calgary Flames. Toews got the puck in the slot in the opening minutes of the third period and fired a wrist shot that Flames goalie Mikka Kiprusoff got a piece of, but trickled through his legs and across the goal line. The goal gave the Hawks a 4-1 lead and opened the gates to two more quick goals for Chicago. Toews has been consistently one of the best players on the ice, but the red-lamp drought had to be a bit of a distraction for the 20-year-old.
With Toews and Patrick Kane leading the way, the Hawks have won their last 4 games, and their 7-3-3 record is their best start since 2001-02, the last season the team made the postseason. The last two games has seen the team clicking on all cylinders, posting identical 6-goal games with help from all four lines, while the defense has been lockdown in limiting quality shots on goalies Nicolai Khabibulin and Cristobal Huet.
More impressive has been the Hawks special-teams play, which in past seasons has been their downfall. A resurgent, responsive powerplay unit has seen the Hawks move from the basement to fourth in the league, connecting 22% of the time with the man advantage.
The penalty kill has allowed only 6 goals in 64 opportunities, a 90.6% clip good for 2nd in the league, including just 1 goal in the last 27 times shorthanded. Not only have they kept the puck out of the net on the penalty kill, but the Hawks held the Avalanche and Flames to only 14 total shots in 12 powerplay chances.
Despite a 5-day layoff, the Blackhawks shook off the rust and played a dominant game Sunday night at the United Center, where the team has posted a 6-0-2 record. With 3 more home games this week, beginning Wednesday against Boston, the Hawks are looking to keep momentum and morale moving forward before the annual circus trip begins next week.
As announced Monday, signups for the random drawing and the chance to purchase Winter Classic tickets begins today at 11 a.m. at the Blackhawk's website. Signup is limited to one entry per person.
Registration ends Nov. 28, and the lucky winners will have the chance to purchase tickets at an as-yet unannounced date, though I'd expect it to be a few days after the drawing is held.
Lost in the excitement of Halloween weekend and the election, the Hawks reeled off 3 wins last weekend to push their record to 6-3-3, their best start in 7 years. With a 5-day layoff before the next game Sunday against Calgary, Coach Joel Quenneville will continue tweaking the team's style at practice, though things have certainly been clicking on all cylinders lately. Look for a more indepth post soon examining just what has turned around so quickly for the Hawks lately.
With the weather in Chicago feeling downright wintry already, it seems only apropriate that ticket information regarding the Winter Classic is beginning to drop like the temperature.
Blackhawks season ticketholders received ticket pricing and onsale information yesterday for the New Year's Day game, while the general public onsale date and time expected to be released by next Monday. There are 3 levels of ticket pricing: $75, $225 and $325, with the upper deck sections commanding top price due to better visibility of the rink. A number of box seats with limited view will also be given to youth hockey clubs in Illinois.
The past week has seen more of the same from the Blackhawks, even with the hiring of new coach Joel Quenneville. A win, a shootout defeat, and a loss has left the team with an even keel 3-3-3 record. Coach Q took over from Denis Savard after the Hawks struggled to a 1-2-1 start, and while the Hawks earned points in 4 of his first 5 games, some of the same problems have remained once the fervor from the coaching change wore off.
Last Wednesday, against Edmonton, the Blackhawks were nearly flawless in earning a 3-0 victory. The team controlled the tempo and puck possession with an aggressive fore check, while the defense locked down the Oilers and goalie Nicolai Khabibulin picked up the shutout. Particularly impressive was the Hawks' penalty kill, which gave up a single shot in nearly 10 minutes of ice time. Wednesday was the Hawks at their best, clicking on all cylinders.
Most athlete-written blogs are pretty mundane stuff. While I fully acknowledge that the vast majority of the guys writing them are not masters of the written word (most likely opting for something generic like "business" as a college major rather than English or journalism), they still manage to lack the attention-grabbing insight that you'd think a blog written by a professional athlete would automatically contain. No stories about that wild night at the strip club (a shocker, I know...Packman Jones could have a new posting every day), or which teammates are a-holes or what it feels like to trash a sports car (C'mon, Lance Briggs, give us some insight).
No, most of them deal with ho-hum subjects like practice ("The coach made us work really hard today." Great), the (legal) things they do in the offseason ("I attended an autograph signing session and, boy, is my wrist tired!") and the occasional commentary or fellow players, although for the most part it skews toward praise ("He's really tough to hit. Man, I sure hate facing him!"). Curently, you can find Curt Shilling taking about iPhones, Donovan McNabb talking about how great (!) Philadelphia is as a sports town, Jeff Samardzija giddy because he scored tickets to Saturday nights UFC fight at the Allstate Arena and Greg Oden chatting about video games and the summer charity event he sponsors.
All nice, but...yawn.
And then there's the Blackhawks' Adam Burish, who is quickly becoming my favorite athlete sports blogger.
After grabbing headlines last Thursday with the prompt firing of coach Denis Savard, the Blackhawks moved on and returned to the ice this weekend for a pair of games, the first in the Joel Quenneville era. In Q's first game behind the bench last Saturday in St. Louis, the team came out strong and carried a 3-1 lead into the third period before a late rally by the Blues forced a shootout and an eventual 4-3 loss. Patrick Kane lead the Hawks with two goals and an assist, and goalie Nicolai Khabibulin played decently in the loss. Returning to the United Center the next night, the Blackhawks gave up a goal in the middle of the first before rallying for two quick scores and a 2-1 lead against the Vancouver Canucks. This time, they were able to keep the pressure on and emerged with a 4-2 final, giving netminder Cristobal Huet and Quenneville their first W's with the Hawks.
Now that the dust has settled, what kinds of changes can fans expect to see under Quenneville?
For the short term, probably not very much, given the team has only had two practices with Quenneville so far. Implementing a wholesale system change will take more than a few days, and given the Hawks offense was generally strong last season, it may be more fine-tuning than anything else.
One thing bound to change is with a new coach comes a fresh slate, for better of worse. Players know that lackluster performances under Quenneville could lead to a trip to the doghouse or Rockford, as in the case of Jack Skille, who was sent down today to be replaced by Troy Brouwer. Brouwer will be on the second line with Patrick Sharp and Martin Havlat in tomorrow's game against Edmonton, while Dustin Byfuglien will shift to the third line. Skille has been aggressive on the forecheck and one of the hungriest players on the team, but had notched only 1 goal and was -2 in 6 games, while Brouwer was currently leading the IceHogs in points and plays a physical, gritty game that suits Quenneville's philosophy.
Other roster moves remain to be seen, but as the team settles in, the differences between Savard and Quenneville will become more apparent in the upcoming weeks.
Besides tomorrow's game against the Oilers, the Hawks also welcome the rival Red Wings to the United Center for their first meeting Saturday. The Blackhawks went 5-3 against Detroit last season, but the Red Wings still skated away with the Stanley Cup. With this season's heightened expectations and Detroit's dominance of the Central division (they've won it all but 3 of the past 15 seasons), Saturday's matchup will be a key early test for Chicago.
Despite notching their first win last night 4-1 against Phoenix, the Blackhawks announced this morning they were firing head coach and Hall-of-fame player Denis Savard just 4 games into the season. Savard has been replaced with Joel Quenneville, a veteran coach who most recently was head of the Avalanche and has had considerable experience behind the bench, posting a 438-283-118 record over 11 years.
While the Blackhawks have been inconsistent to start the year, last night was their strongest performance on the ice yet, though Savard acknowledged after the game there was still room for improvement despite the victory.
Quenneville has posted a solid resume throughout his career and has led his teams to the playoffs in nine of his 11 years, and GM Dale Tallon acknowledged as much in his statement this morning.
"This was an extremely hard day for this organization and for me personally," Blackhawks General Manager Dale Tallon said. "Denis is forever a part of our organization. We made a tough decision that we strongly feel is the right one as we continue to evaluate our team and create a championship caliber organization that can sustain success. Joel brings us a wealth of experience and a winning track record that will have an immediate and lasting impact."
Although Quenneville's a solid coach with proven success, four games into the season with a young team struggling to find its identity isn't the time to be making drastic changes, and Savard is bearing the brunt of the poor decisions made by Tallon this offseason. Due to Tallon's salary cap mismanagement, any head coach the team installs is going to be handcuffed by two high-priced, mercurial goalies, weak depth at center and a final roster that was settled via money rather than talent. Savard was working with the parts Tallon gave him, and while the early results were less than spectacular, 4 games isn't enough time to definitively say Savard wasn't the right man to lead the Hawks to the playoffs.
Savard had no head-coaching experience before being hired in Nov. 2006, and despite the lack of a fully established system and his penchant for overmanaging his lines, lead the team to within 3 points of a playoff berth last season. It's entirely possible he wasn't the right coach to take the Hawks to the next level, but the early season struggles were not entirely his fault.
Whether Savard was the right choice or not, it's clear today's firing had little to do with his on-ice results. Make no mistake, Savard is getting the shaft for Tallon's blunders, and if the team doesn't right the ship quickly, Tallon will be following Savvy out the United Center doors.
It doesn't help that the economy is currently in or headed directly for the proverbial crapper, but the price of tickets to sporting events show no sign of coming down to meet the slightly thinner pockets of the buying public, according to an article on "Medill Reports".
Currently, the average ticket to a Cubs' game rose to $42.49 in 2008, according to the report, a 42 percent increase from 2004. And that two-parents-two-kids-at-the-game measuring stick they're always using in the yearly reports on how much a day at the ballgame will cost (officially known as the Fan Cost Index)? This season it was $251.96 for a Cubs game. And it doesn't appear likely to come down even with the "occurances" of this past season.
The Bears were the most expensive ticket in town at an average price of $88.33. The White Sox were a better baseball bargain with an average ticket price of $30.28 and an FCI of $214.61. The Blackhawks were the city's best professional sports value at $34.88, although that could change next year if the team makes the progress everyone expects.
Prior to tonight's game against the Nashville Predators, the Blackhawks will host a red carpet event outside the United Center from 5 to 5:30pm, where players will be brought to the game in limos and introduced to the crowd as they enter the arena.
After losing their first two games by identical 4-2 scores against the New York Rangers and Washington Capitals Friday and Saturday, perhaps the team should forgo the glitz and glamour and focus on the grit and getting the puck in the net after going 0-8 on the powerplay so far?
As for the more important facet of tonight occurring on the ice, game time for the Blackhawks' home opener is at 7:30pm. While the game is expected to draw a sellout by puck drop, there are currently still tickets available. The Hawks are looking to avoid their first 0-3 in 11 years while trying to shore up a so-far non-existent front line offense and a defense that has been making too many costly mistakes in their own zone. With heightened expectations both within the organization and from a revitalized fanbase, the Hawks need to take advantage of an opening month schedule that finds them at home for six of their next eight games.
It's the age-old question, mostly asked by peripheral or not-at-all hockey fans: What's up with all the fighting? Blackhawks hard-hitting forward Adam Burish takes the opportunity of the team's much anticipated season opener to try to explain it in his new Sun-Times blog. Granted, a lot of his explanation might be brushed off by some as "macho bull...", but hey, he's playing the game and we're not so...
And to see what he's talking about, he's a clip of him in action.
As the Blackhawks prepare to open one of their most highly-anticipated seasons in history Friday against the Rangers, the team set their final roster this afternoon.
The cuts saw one player surprisingly still on the active roster, and one highly-regarded player beginning his year in the AHL. With no takers wanting to pay goalie Nicolai Khabibulin's $6.75 million salary, the Hawks kept Habby on the roster a week after putting him on waivers, instead sending Finnish rookie Antti Niemi down to Rockford.
With Khabibulin still on the roster, the Hawks found themselves hitting the ceiling on the $56.7 million salary cap, and 2004 first-round pick Cam Barker was a casualty, finding himself on the way to Rockford as well. The team also sent defenseman Aaron Johnson to the Icehogs and released forward Kevyn Adams to reach the 23-player roster limit.
Prospects making the team include forwards Jack Skille, Kris Versteeg, Dave Bolland and the surprising Colin Fraser, along with defensemen Niklas Hjalmarsson and Jordan Hendry.
While the forwards earned their spots with strong showings in the preseason, the moves behind the blueline are questionable if talent won out over financial issues.
When the Blackhawks scratched goaltender Nicolai Khabibulin from Sunday's start, many minds wondered if there was something brewing.
It turns out there was, as Khabibulin was put on waivers yesterday morning by the Blackhawks and cleared the wire this morning. Although the team had said all summer they were comfortable with two top-tier goalies all summer, the writing was on the wall for Khabibulin when the Hawks signed Cristobal Huet to a 4-year deal over the offseason. The only questions remaining were "when" and "where".
At this point, we're still waiting for an answer on the "where." By clearing waivers, the Hawks are free from the $6.75 million owed Khabibulin this season, putting them well under cap space to pursue a 2nd line center or move some prospects up to the parent club. However, it's highly unlikely Khabi and his salary will ever play a minute in Rockford for the AHL IceHogs.
While no teams were interested in picking up the full amount owed to Khabibulin via waiver, there's still a possibility a deal can be struck. GM Dale Tallon will be working the phones to strike a deal, though will have to take back some salary in any potential trade partner.
In a worst case scenario, if the Hawks recall Khabibulin, he would have to pass through re-entry waivers where any team can nab him for half the salary, with the Blackhawks on the hook for the rest and getting nothing in return.
There are certainly teams that need goaltending help, with the two most prominent being the L.A. Kings and Ottawa Senators, and I'd expect a transaction at some point soon with the season starting Oct. 10. One thing is certain; Khabibulin has worn the Indianhead sweater for the last time, barring a drastic turn of events.
After attending last week's fan festival scrimmages and the first preseason Blackhawks game Tuesday, I was planning on posting some of my initial impressions on the Hawks and the young players trying to make the roster. Unfortunately, real life interceded and after missing last night's preseason game and the organization's initial roster cuts that post seems a little outdated.
So instead, let's just cover some of the news filtering out of training camp.
With today's media day and tomorrow's fan festival marking the beginning of training camp, a summer of awakening excitement and soaring expectations shifts to results on the ice.
One detail that remained to be resolved this week was the Hawks salary cap situation, as free agent signings Brian Campbell and Cristobal Huet had pushed the team past the $56.7 million ceiling. GM Dale Tallon ended up trading center Robert Lang to Montreal for a 2010 second-round draft pick. Moving Lang's $4 million salary leaves the Hawks with $1.5 million in cap room, though the final number will be lower as the Hawks fill out their final roster.
The departing Lang leaves the Hawks with a large hole in the 2nd line center spot, which the team is counting on one of their young prospects like Dave Bolland or Petri Kontiola to step into. If neither player lays claim to the position in camp or gets injured, the Hawks may be forced to look outside for help, making the Lang deal a calculated risk. However, long-term the trade was necessary since Lang was in the final year of his contract and on the tail end of his career, despite his 54 points last year.
Another area all eyes will be focused on is between the pipes. Both Huet and the returning Nikolai Khabibulin are capable of being a decent number 1 goalie, but with $12 million tied up in the duo, the Hawks are paying a premium for their tandem of tenders. Tallon has stated his plans are to keep both and play the hot hand night to night, but with Khabibulin in the final year of his $6.75 million contract, many expected him to be the solution to the cap problem. While the team is committed to the pair at the onset of training camp, the potential distraction may result in Khabibulin's eventual departure, especially if Huet forces the issue with stronger play.
Other areas under scrutiny will be which prospects emerge to fill out the rest of the forward lines, and the third defensive pairing. Following the weekend's festival, the team opens their preseason Tuesday at the United Center against the Columbus Bluejackets, where some of these questions will begin to be answered.
The good news: Carlos Quinten's cast has been removed. The bad news: They're not rushing him back.
Ok, so Kosuke Fukudome didn't exactly set the Chicago baseball world on fire. There could be another Japanese baseball star trying to make his mark at Wrigley Field next season.
They haven't had their first match yet, but the Chicago Red Stars already look like the team to beat, thanks to three new additions to their roster.
A survey says nearly every kid plays video games. Will the Jumbotrons of today be the playing fields of tomorrow?
Apparently he wasn't punched enough the first time. A local boxing promoter is returning to action IN the ring.
In case you missed it, the Chicago Open crowned a squash champion recently.
The Chicago Storm joined the four-team Xtreme Soccer League. You know it's wild because they spell it "Xtreme".
No, we didn't expect the Bears to beat the Colts last Sunday night either. But if they're going to build on that, there are three things they must do to beat the Carolina Panthers this Sunday.
Even if they don't win the game, the Bears are still scoring touchdowns at the bank.
Arguing over who gets the last drumstick is one thing. But a Cubs-White Sox World Series could drive one family nuts.
REALLY old school White Sox fans will mourn the death of former manager Don Gutteridge.
Current White Sox star Carlos Quentin hopes to be healthy by the playoffs. Question is: will he be playing or watching?
Patrick Kane and Jonathan Towes, the Blackhawks' Teen Titans (OK, they're not really teens but it's not far off) get some more (inter)national publicity.
From Kansas City to Chicago on a bike: Are gas prices THAT high?
The marathon gold-medalist from this year's Olympics, Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania has joined the field (pdf) of runners for the 2008 Chicago marathon. Hopefully, we'll have better weather this year.
The Sky take on the New York Liberty in their next-to-last game of their WNBA regular season.
Chicago teams finished third, fourth and fifth in the 2008 North American Gay Amateur Athletic Association Gay Softball World Series.
You're in Lisle. You're riding your bike. You have a hankering to see a play. What are you going to do?
Despite the Bears impressive season-opening victory and the Cubs and Sox continued pennant races, the calendar turning to September means one thing for a small, but growing subsection of the city. It's time to begin thinking about hockey.
With the opening preseason game against Columbus two weeks away, the Hawks are preparing to open training camp for a season rife with unfettered expectations. In an ongoing effort to reestablish the Hawks as a major player in Chicago sports, the team announced plans for the first ever Training Camp Festival Saturday, Sept. 20.
Activities will include a 3-on-3 street hockey tourney, live music and games, and the "Mad Dash to Madison" 5k run/walk/skate, but the main event is admission to the United Center for a Blackhawks open practice. A little known secret is all Hawks practices at the Edge in Bensenville are always open to the public, but UC practices are strictly off-limits. Tickets are only $5 (though the 5k and street tourney registration is separate) and are available online and at the United Center box office.
Also, the unprecedented full-season TV schedule was released. The Blackhawks return to WGN, their home in the '60s and '70s, starts Oct. 11 with a road game against Washington, one of 20 the station will broadcast. All other games will be on Comcast Sports and CSN+, along with 4 national tv games (3 on Versus, the Winter Classic on NBC). The full schedule is available after the jump.
The Blackhawks have reached a deal with Nigerian-born right winger Akim Aliu, signing him to a three-year contract.
The well-traveled Aliu (born in Nigeria, raised in Ukraine, moved with his parents to Toronto in the '90s) was the Hawks' third pick in the '07 draft. Read about the deal here and see a bit of Aliu in action here.
It may not make it to the side of a milk carton, but the Chicago Fire fan club Section 8 is missing their banner.
Some people might have an opinion about who they are, but a new book of photos entitled "We Are Cubs Fans" seeks to define the loyalists visually. The obligatory Ronnie Woo Woo photo is included.
Speaking of the Cubs, Sports Illustrated joins the rest of the country in being amazed that they AND the White Sox are both in first place and may make the playoffs in the same season for the first time since 1906.
And speaking of the Sox, Fox Sports calls the acquisition of Carlos Quinten the steal of the century. OK, they call it the steal of the season. It just LOOKS like the steal of the century.
Tickets for the National Pro Fastpitch softball championships go on sale this Saturday at Judson Sports Complex in Elgin, home of the Chicago Bandits. The Bandits are one of the four teams who will be participating.
Now that the Blackhawks are enjoying a resurgence in popularity, new fans might want to read about one of the team's legends featured in a story from the Sports Illustrated vaults.
In an offseason full of major moves for the Blackhawks, the most biggest of all was the annoucement yesterday that Scotty Bowman will join the team as a Special Advisor of Hockey Operations.
Bowman is the closest thing to a living hockey icon off the ice, having coached his teams to a record nine Stanley Cup victories. Bowman is the only coach to take 3 different teams (the Canadians, Penguins, and Red Wings) to Finals victories, and his 1,244 regular season and 223 playoff victories are NHL records. Bowman was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991 as a builder, and retired from coaching after winning the Cup in 2002 with the Red Wings. Since that time he's worked as a special consultant in Detroit, and has spurned offers from other teams.
So what brings him to Chicago? Family. His son Stan has been in the Hawks organization for eight years, and is currently the team's assistant general manager. Scotty said the chance to work with his son and an organization that is making huge strides prompted the move to the Windy City.
When I went to Detroit as the coach 15 years ago, the team was really on the upswing. Looking at what's here for me and for the Hawks, it's a challenge again. I would say the biggest reason is to work with my son. It doesn't happen often in sports, but it is happening here. It's certainly an exciting day for myself and for the family."
The Blackhawks organization was long-defined by former owner William Wirtz and his right-hand man Bob Pulford, a Hall-of-Famer himself. However, Pulford's involvement in the day-to-day operations of the team is believed to have been a major factor in the team's struggles. When Wirtz passed away and his son Rocky took over, one of his first moves was to move Pulford to a position in the company outside of the Hawks. While Bowman will play a peripheral role as a consultant, he is considered one of the best evaluators and ambassadors of the game, and his mere presence will make the Hawks a stronger organization and provide GM Dale Tallon an invaluable resource to return the Hawks to contenders.
In other Hawk-related news, at the first-ever fan convention July 18-20, the team announced plans to retire the #3 worn by Hall-of-Famer Pierre Pilotte and the late Keith Magnunson. Along with that nod to the past, the team solidified their future by naming 20-year old Jonathon Toews the captain. Toews is the third-youngest player to ever wear the C, and earned the honor after becoming the de facto team leader during his rookie year.
In case you’ve forgotten, the Chicago Force are going for the IWFL title this Saturday at North Park University’s Holmgren Athletic Complex. Cheer them on.
Cook County Commissioner Mike Quinn got a lot of Detroit Red Wings fans ticked off when he managed to skewer the team in his resolution celebrating the outdoor game against the Blackhawks at Wrigley Field...
...But here’s guessing he’ll have an easier time getting tickets to the game than you do.
A half-game lead (as of Thursday afternoon)? Are the Cubs done for? One writer seems to think so (though he admits he’s a Sox fan but insists that has nothing to do with it… right.)...
...But never fear Cubs fans, there are enough pro-Cubby blogs to ease the pain. In fact, there’s a whole army.
The need for (man-powered) speed: The Chicago Criterium is this weekend.
Despite the weather's attemps to smother Chicago in oppressive humidity lately, the Blackhawks have been in the news this week.
First, the long-rumored Winter Classic outdoor game at Wrigley Field was finally, officially, announced Wednesday. The Blackhawks and the Stanley Cup champion Red Wings will face off at noon on New Year's Day.
The next day, the remaining 81 games on the Hawks schedule were revealed. The team kicks off the season in Madison Square Garden October 10 against the Rangers and in Washington the next night before the United Center home opener October 13 against Nashville.
Other notable home games on the schedule include the following:
San Jose - November 16.
New Hawks defenseman Brian Campbell's former team (for half a season) and Jeremy Roenick bring the Sharks to Chicago.
Philadelphia - December 26.
The return of the resurgent Flyers for the first time in three seasons.
New York Rangers - January 16.
An Original Six matchup with the Blueshirts.
Pittsburgh - February 27.
Superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin lead the Penguins into town.
Detroit - April 12.
After traveling to Detroit April 11, the teams battle in the second half of a home-and-home to finish the regular season.
Sun-Times writer Carol Slezak has an in-depth profile of team chairman Rocky Wirtz that is a great piece for anyone who wants to learn more abuot the team's dramatic turnaround in the past year. Change you really can believe in!
If you see a multitude of sweater-wearers downtown this weekend, they are not crazy, despite the hot and humid forecast. They're most likely making their way to the Hilton for the first Blackhawks convention, which opens this evening and runs through Sunday. Team president John McDonough lifted a page from his tenure with the Cubs to create the offseason festivities for fans to unite and meet past and present players. Passes sold out in two weeks last spring, and for fans from across the country, the big weekend has finally arrived. So while it's not the best sweater weather, it's for a good reason.
The Chicago Bandits have a chance to move into first place in the NPF when they continued their four-game series against the league-leading Philadelphia Force tonight. The Bandits beat the Force 3-1 in the series opener on Wednesday.
The 2008 Aberdeen Street Dodgeball Ninjas will host their summer tournament this Saturday at Sheridan Park. If nothing else, it should provide some interesting photos.
The Chicago Cycling Club hosts a "Baseball Nostalgia Tour", which includes stops at 10 present and former ballparks and lunch at the Billy Goat Tavern.
And speaking of baseball, an all-Cubs channel? I thought we already had that...and referred to it as the local news (said the White Sox fan with the inferiority complex).
It's official (sort of). The much-speculated Blackhawks game at Wrigley Field (which we wrote about earlier) appears to be a go, according to various sources. The game against the Detroit Red Wings reportedly will be held on New Year's Day, though the official announcement is slated for next week. Let's see... New Year's Day, outdoor hockey in Chicago, hangovers. Should be an interesting time.
The first day of free agency signing has been a dismal one for the Blackhawks in years past, as marquee players would pass up Chicago for stronger teams, leaving the Hawks to overpay for less talented alternatives (paging Adrian Aucoin).
However, yesterday's signing day made a strong statement that the Blackhawks are back, as the team inked two-time All-Star defenseman Brian Campbell, who was the top blueliner available. The Hawks also inked goalie Cristobal Huet, one of the top netminders on the market.
The 29-year-old Campbell is a quick-skating D-man who fills one of the Hawks' biggest needs, a quarterback for the powerplay. Huet is an upgrade over former backup goalie Patrick Lalime and lead Washington to a playoff berth last season while posting a 32-14-6 record and a 2.32 goals-against-average.
"We had to make statement with the buzz we have created in Chicago,” Tallon said. “Our franchise decided that we would try and make an impact today to try and continue that momentum. When you do that, you will overpay.”
Campbell signed an eight-year deal that will pay him $7 million annually, a huge investment for the Hawks, and Huet's four-year deal nets him $5.6 million per season. The signings put the Hawks roughly $3 million over the salary cap, so the Hawks expect a few cost cutting deals, like the trade that sent Rene Bourque to Calgary in exchange for a draft pick. Although Tallon has stated he thinks the tandem of Huet and Nicolai Khabibulin is one of the best in the league, with both earning starter's money, Habby may be trade material to get under the cap as well.
While the cost of the signings is high, Campbell and Huet will pay immediate dividends as the Hawks look to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2001. The Hawks young defensive corp just earned a franchise veteran to mentor them, and Campbell's power-play skills will upgrade a special teams unit that finished 24th a year ago. Huet has posted some strong numbers since coming to the league in 2002, and his signing gives the Hawks some long-term insurance in net, as Khabibulin is in the final year of his contract.
A Major League Baseball story on the Cubs' days as a WEST Side ballclub includes some interesting bits of information, including the time in 1908 when a woman gave birth in the bleachers. Contrast that with today when...nah, too easy.
Belmont Harbor will be the launching site of a major international boating event when 84 boats from around the world compete in the 2008 Etchells World Championships. The weeklong event kicks off this Friday.
Another bout has been added to the boxing card at the Aragon Ballroom this Friday, which we told you about yesterday.
After a surprising and promising 2008 season for the Blackhawks, this weekend's NHL draft will be as important for the Hawks as the NBA draft will be for the Bulls. A hockey prospects resource site gives the lowdown.
He may not be in the Hall of Fame, but South Carolina residents are not forgetting their native son, White Sox legend Shoeless Joe Jackson and are building a museum in his honor. The organizers are hoping that the tribute helps the HOF committee forget about Jackson's role (or non-role) in the whole Black Sox scandal.
Making the long-rumored official, the Chicago Blackhawks welcomed back Pat Foley into the broadcast booth yesterday.
Foley was the voice of the Hawks for more than 25 years, before being let go two season ago after clashing with management. Foley spent the last two seasons calling AHL Chicago Wolves games, and while rumors swirled of his return, the annoucement couldn't be made official until the Wolves wrapped up their championship season last week.
Foley's rehiring continues the moves new owner Rocky Wirtz has made to restore the traditions of a once-proud franchise and rebuild the fanbase. Fans have always appreciated Foley's genuine enthusiasm and "call it like you see it" approach to the game, even if that meant being overly critical of the team on the ice, and his departure left many fans as angry as when star players were shown the door.
However, all that is forgotten, and Foley is rightfully back where he belongs. It'll be great to hear Pat's voice, especially with all 82 games on broadcast TV.
Blackhawks star rookie Patrick Kane won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's rookie of the year last night, edging out teammate Jonathon Toews and Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom. Kane lead both the Hawks and all rookies in scoring with 72 points (21 goals, 51 assists), dispelling the worry that the 5'10", 163-pound teenager wouldn't be able to withstand the rigors of an NHL season. Kane is the first Chicago player to win the award since netminder Ed Belfour in 1990-91.
Kane and Toews were also named to the NHL's All-Rookie Team for their stellar first campaigns. The duo helped revitalize the moribund Blackhawk franchise, pushing them to the brink of a playoff berth and providing an excitement that has long been missing in the United Center.
While Kane is more than deserving of Rookie of the Year honors due to his playmaking ability and point totals, Toews was in many ways the heart and soul of the franchise. He led all rookies in goals with 24 despite missing more than a month with a knee injury, which coincided with a 10-game losing streak by the Blackhawks.
The terrific twosome will be back on the ice for their sophomore seasons next fall, hoping to lift the Hawks back into the Stanley Cup playoffs and continue their already rapid development. With both Kane and Toews in the Indianhead sweater, the future of the Blackhawks looks bright.
Varioussources are reporting that the NHL has reached an agreement to have the Blackhawks welcome the Detroit Red Wings next season in the next installment of the Winter Classic. While there is no official announcement yet, it’s expected the game will be held at the Friendly Confines of Wrigley Field, not surprising given Hawks' team president John McDonough’s ties to the Cubs. Plus, how great will the landmark ballpark and adjoining rooftops look on national TV, provided the winter cooperates?
It's a logical choice for the NHL, featuring two Original Six markets who are also fierce rivals. With the Blackhawks' recent revitalization, a national audience in a historic setting will further enhance the team's recognition. And the Wings may come in as the defending Stanley Cup champions, as they currently are up 2-1 in the Finals.
In a strange coincidence, or coordinated marketing ploy timed with the possible announcement of the game, Hawks legends Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Tony Esposito will be at Wrigley tomorrow to sing the 7th inning stretch.
The Blackhawks’ dream of hosting the next NHL outdoor game took a step closer to reality when they Commissioner Gary Bettman said recently that the proposed game for Yankee Stadium (in its last season before being torn down) may not happen.
Thanks to “a variety of issues” surrounding the Yankee Stadium selection (including winterization issues like pipes that normally go unused after baseball season being asked to support fans in the dead of winter), the Hawks moved up the ladder of potential hosts. It’s a list that includes Penn State’s Beaver Stadium (for a potential game between Pennsylvania teams the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers), as well as Soldier Field.
As one of the “Original Six” teams, the Blackhawks have that bit of history on their side in the decision-making process. Hawks’ officials are pushing hard for the game to be played either at Soldier Field or even Wrigley Field. A decision is expected to be reached by the first week of June.
In the May installment of of righting the wrongs of years past comes news the Blackhawks have parted ways with TV play-by-play man Dan Kelly, with many people expecting that famed broadcaster Pat Foley will return to the Hawks fold next season.
Foley called Blackhawks games on TV and radio for more than 25 years before the team withdrew a new contract offer in 2006, ending his longstanding tenure over unspecified "personal" reasons. Foley was a fan favorite both for his excitable and passionate play-by-play and his unabashedly honest assessment of the team's strengths and weaknesses, which is the factor many believe led to his ultimate dismissal.
Foley moved to Allstate Arena to call games for the Chicago Wolves, but with his contract up at the end of the year, Hawks President John McDonough appears primed to welcome back the "Voice of the Blackhawks" in the latest attempt to rebuild the bridge to the team's storied history.
Dan Kelly was behind the mike for two uneven seasons, with many fans unhappy with his style and the frequent tangent discussions with partner Eddie Olczyk that often resulted in missed calls. A change was becoming necessary in any event, but the return of Pat Foley will make many a Hawks fan's day.
With Nashville's victory over St. Louis last night, the Blackhawks playoff hopes were officially dashed. The Hawks welcome the Predators for their home finale tonight in what would have been a monumental battle for the final seed, winner take all, if the Blues held on for the win last night.
Despite the team missing the postseason for the fifth straight year, the season has been astounding to see, both on and off the ice. With two games left, the Hawks (currently 39-33-8) are guaranteed to finish with a winning record for just the second time in the past 10 years, and their current 86 points is already a marked improvement over last season's 71. Patrick Kane is leading all rookies in scoring with 69 points, and his closest competition for the Calder Trophy (given to the rookie of the year) is his teammate Jonathon Toews. The duo has led the resurgence on the ice, with a number of promising youngsters posting career years this season.
More importantly, with the team playing meaningful games this late in the season, the United Center has been rocking with the return of a long-dormant fanbase.The team's 11 sellouts are more than the last five years combined, and tonight's home finale will be standing-room only and the 12th capacity crowd at the UC this season. Overall, the Hawks are averaging nearly 4,000 more fans a game this season, as fans starved for a winner have flocked to the United Center. The buzz is back on Madison and looks to only keep building next season as GM Dale Tallon enters a critical offseason for the franchise. This year's success was a surprise to many, but the expectations will be raised for the Blackhawks next year.
I'll post a more in-depth wrap up of the highs and lows of this historical season later on, but for now, I appreciate having the Hawks back to being relevant.
In a historic announcement this afternoon, the Blackhawks made official plans to broadcast their entire 82-game schedule, as well as playoff games, including all home games from the United Center.
And no, despite the date, this is not an April Fool's joke. Believe it, people. The Blackhawks are on TV, every game!
Combining with the team's current agreement with Comcast Sportsnet, the Hawks announced a three-year deal with WGN Television that will see the station broadcast up to 20 games per year in HD, with Comcast televising the remaining contests.
The agreement reestablishes a link between 'GN and the franchise from the '60s and '70s, when the station was the home of the Blackhawks. In fact, WGN broadcast the clinching game of the Hawks' last Stanley Cup, way back in 1961.
It's Christmas on April Fool's day for Blackhawks fans.
In other news, this year's squad is still harboring playoff aspirations, sitting four points out of the final spot with three games remaining, including tomorrow's home game against the rival Red Wings. A loss tomorrow will end the team's hopes; in fact, it can't afford to lose any of its games. But meaningful hockey in April is a rare sight, and a successful finish will help the young team carry over into next year's TV-laden season.
Clothing designer Novem has created the ultimate Chicago sports fan t-shirt.
