The Chicago Blackhawks are taking a breather after tough back-to-back losses. They're gearing up to wrap up their four-game road trip tomorrow night against the New Jersey Devils.
Blackhawks Buzz
After a rough outing in Philadelphia, fans hoped for a bounce-back from the Blackhawks. Despite a promising start, they fell 6-1 to the New York Rangers. The absence of their former leadership is palpable, and it’s showing on the ice.
Ryan Donato's debut season on his new four-year deal hasn't lived up to expectations. The reasons for his slump are clear, and it's something the team needs to address moving forward.
In brighter news, the Blackhawks signed forward Jiri Felcman to an entry-level contract. Although his three-year deal kicks off next season, he’s currently on an amateur tryout with the Rockford IceHogs and will finish the season there once his visa is sorted.
Around the Leagues
Marek Vanacker made a splash in the OHL playoffs, assisting on the game-winning goal for the Brantford Bulldogs in their 6-2 victory over the Sudbury Wolves. Meanwhile, Jack Pridham was a force for the Kitchener Rangers, notching three assists and seven shots in their 6-4 win over the Saginaw Spirit.
The WHL saw Nathan Behm and the Kamloops Blazers drop their opener 3-0 to the Kelowna Rockets.
Historical Highlights
On this day in 1944, Doug Bentley scored the first playoff hat trick in Blackhawks history, adding two assists in a 7-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings. Just two days later, he repeated the feat to propel the Blackhawks into the Stanley Cup Final.
Fast forward to 1967, Stan Mikita set a new NHL single-season record with his 60th assist, while Gordie Howe became the first player to reach 1,500 career points.
In 2021, Patrick Kane surpassed Bob Murray for sixth place on the Blackhawks' all-time games played list with his 1,009th appearance.
Birthday Roll Call
Celebrating today are Joe Papike, Harry Taylor, Bobby Schmautz, and Colin Blackwell.
NHL Updates
TSN’s Pierre LeBrun reports that the 2026-27 NHL season is set to start on September 29 and conclude on April 10, with the schedule expanding to 84 games.
Elliotte Friedman revealed Peter Chiarelli as a candidate for the Predators’ GM position. Shortly after, Darren Dreger confirmed Chiarelli’s departure from the St.
Louis Blues to explore new opportunities. Blackhawks fans might have mixed feelings about his potential move to Nashville.
The San Jose Sharks called up Laurent Brossoit after Yaroslav Askarov was injured. Brossoit’s previous NHL start this season saw him concede six goals on 23 shots.
The Columbus Blue Jackets, one of the season’s standout stories, faced a setback with defenseman Damon Severson out week-to-week due to an upper-body injury. Coach Rick Bowness confirmed Severson’s absence following a tough hit from Zachary Bolduc.