The Blackhawks and Bulls jointly announced on Wednesday morning that the United Center is making a big change for our in-game experience. Pepsi is now the official soft drink provider at the UC. I honestly cannot remember the last time I ordered a soft drink (pop, if you will) when sitting in the 300 level for a game, but I’m sure this deal will serve both franchises and Pepsi well.
JUST ANNOUNCED: is the new official soft drink provider of the , and to build on their 100+ year history in Chicago!
Read the full press release here: — United Center (@UnitedCenter)
We’ve talked about it here a fair amount already this offseason, but the Blackhawks do not have many right-handed defensemen in the organization. Outside of the three on the NHL roster — Seth Jones, Connor Murphy and Nikita Zaitsev (who I still think would better serve the team being bought out) — they have only Louis Crevier as a RHD on an NHL contract. Scott Powers looked at that “problem” and noted that Nolan Allan and Wyatt Kaiser could get some run on the right side in Rockford this season, and next year’s draft has some good prospects on the right side as well. The Blackhawks are crossing their fingers that they picked the right guy in Sam Rinzel and he develops into the top-four defensemen they think he can be.
Powers included this interesting quote from Blackhawks director of amateur scouting Mike Doneghey in the piece, however. It appears the Blackhawks were indeed looking to get a RHD in the draft but the right guy wasn’t available at the right time/price.
“There was a spot in the third round where we were looking at one and then he ended up going up a spot before us,” Doneghey said. “And it just wasn’t a lot of righ🔜t-shot defensemen, where with the size trait that we have – if they’re not going to be running power plays – we’d like them to be 6-2, 6-3. So that right-shot trait with the size trait, there really wasn’t a lot in there where we were looking to take them. And the one we did like ended up going before we got to him.”
Powers connects the dots to say “the Blackhawks were apparently looking to draft right-handed defenseman Gavin McCarthy” — who went 86th to Buffalo in the third round, seven spots before the Blackhawks’ second pick of the round. Dylan MacKinnon (6-2, 185) would also fit the size profile the Blackhawks were looking for; he was drafted 83rd overall by Nashville.
General manager Kyle Davidson said he wasn’t totally closed for business when he met with the media last week. He said his forward group is pretty set, but he didn’t shy away from the idea of adding a veteran on the back end. We’ll see if there’s a trade involving some of the Blackhawks’ forward depth, or if there’s a waiver claim to be made (like Jarred Tinordi last year).
I took a dive into the Blackhawks’ lack of right-han🔴ded defensemen
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers)
Blackhawks legend Ed Belfour is being inducted into a hall of fame. The Dallas Stars Hall of Fame, specifically. Belfour only spent five years with Dallas but was the goaltender on their 1998-99 Stanley Cup championship team. He’ll go in with Ken Hitchock, who will also go into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto this year.
⭐ Welcome to the Dallas Stars Hall of Fame ⭐
— z – Dallas Stars (@DallasStars)
The Nashville Predators signed a familiar name in the division, Denis Gurianov, to a one-year deal. The 26-year-old was the 12th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft and scored 20 goals during the 2019-20 season for the Stars, but his play fell off in recent seasons. He was traded to Montreal for Evgeny Dadonov this past season and let loose by the Habs.
Welcome to Smashville, Denis!
— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL)
Montreal traded a late-first round pick and a second-round pick to Colorado for the rights to center Alex Newhook, so it was a pretty good idea to get a deal done with him. It looks like he inked a nice four-year deal on Tuesday. That’s a nice deal for a third-line center. The Avs had hoped he could elevate his game to the second line last year after Nazem Kadri left as a free agent but it didn’t work out.
Hearing newly-acqu🔜iﷺred Alex Newhook will sign a four-year, $2.9M AAV extension with the Montreal Canadiens
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC)
1991. That’s the last time the Chicago Blackhawks hosted the NHL All-Star Game. Which, for those keeping track, means the United Center has never hosted the event. Similarly, 1990 was the last time Major League Baseball held its annual All-Star Game at Wrigley Field. Maybe the Cubs will get one before the Blackhawks?
Tab Bamford has been writing about the Chicago Blackhawks for almost two decades. He joined Bleacher Nation as the lead Blackhawks writer in May 2022. Tab is a member of the and is the author of three books about the Blackhawks: (Triumph Books),"10💖0 T♉hings Blackhawks Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die" (Triumph Books) and "Chicago Blackhawks: An Illustrated Timeline" (Reedy Press, 2021). Find him on Twitter/🅠X/Instagram/Threads at @The1ไTab
After his usual extra shooting pra🍰ctice after most/all of his teammates left the ice after Friday's practice at Fifth Third Arena, Connor Bedard shuffled into the room to a waiting hoard of media members and cameras. It wasn't as many...
The Blackhawks' second day of training camp is now in the books. Ther🌳e was another scrimmage today with the team that was off 🧔the scrimmage set jumping into the fray today. We also heard from general manager Kyle Davidson and...
Yesterday the Blackhawks start♒ed their 2024-25 season with a fun day -- t🌱o watch. I'm sure the players were feeling the burn after skating a scrimmage right out of the gate on the morning. There were a few line combinations...
After practice on Thursday afternoon, the Chicago Blackhawks formally introduced Nick Foligno as the 35th captain in the history of the franchise in a press event at Fifth Third Arena. //twitter.com/The1Tab/sta🍷tus/1836849752438436160 Foligno's free agent rights were acquired la💜st summer (with...
Day One of Blackhawks Training Camp happened on Thursday. There was a nice, albeit somewhat late-arriving crowd (tha🐭nks, traffic) to watch a spirited scrimmage. Most of the fans left 🔯before the second half of the practice when the rest of...
As the Chicago Blackhawks get to work this week to kickstart their 2024-25 season, there are some players battling for positions on the NHL roster. The influx of young players who hav🔥e🎉 been drafted and signed by general manager Kyle...
It's finally here! Training camp opens at 10 AM today at Fifth Third Arena. It's going to be a busy day, with practice followed by general manager💎 Kyle Davidson kicking off the new Blackhawks season and then a media event...
Get excited, Blackhawks fans! We're two sleeps away from training camp opening with the first practice at 10 AM on Th💜ursday at Fifth Third Arena. An overhauled roster surrounding the reigning NHL rookie of the year makes this a fascinating...
It's officially Day One of the 2024-25 NHL season, hockey fans! Camps are opening all over the𒀰 league. The Blackhawks open camp tomorrow, officially, with their first practice and general manager Kyle Davidson speaking with the media. Maybe we'll also.ౠ..
The first box is chec♚ked for cable subscribing Blackhawks and Bulls fans. On Wednesday morning, Chicago Sports Network announced a "multiyear distribution agreement to provide the network and its live local game telecasts for the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls and White...
With the Cleveland Browns playing the New York Giants ♛in Week 3 (Sunday at 1:00 PM ET), is Amari Cooper a good bet to get into๊ the end zone? Below, we break down the odds and stats to determine how...
When the Miami Dolphins and the Seattle Seahawks square off ♊in Week 3 on Sunday at 4:05 PM ET, will Raheem Mostert score a touchdown? To see how he♏ stacks up in this week's matchup and whether he's a good...
In th♎e Week 3 tilt between the Minnesota Vikings and the Houston Texans at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, will Aaron Jones get into the end zone? Continue reading for odds and info on whether he's a safe bet to...
When the Denver Broncos and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers square off in Week 3 on Sunday aꦿt 1:00 PM ET, will Javonte Williams hit paydirt? To che🎀ck out how he stacks up in this week's matchup and whether he's a...
With the Las Vega♈s Raiders playing the Carolina Panthers in Week 3 (Sunday at 4:05 PM ET), is Jakobi Meyers a good bet to get into the end zone? Below, we 🍸analyze the odds and stats to determine how well...
Will Baker Mayfield findꦇ his way into the end zone when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Denver Broncos meet in Week 3 on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET? In the article below, we dig into his anytime TD player...
Should you bet on Romeo Doubs getting into the 🤪end zone in the Green Bay Packers' upcoming Week 3 matchup against the Tennessee Titans, which kicks off at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday? Read on for an in-depth overview of...
The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Los Angeles Chargers ar🃏e scheduled to square off in a Week 3 matchup at 1:00✨ PM ET on Sunday. Will Najee Harris hit paydirt in this game? Let's take a peek at the anytime TD...
In the Week 3 contest between the Tennessee Titans and the Green Bay Packers at 1:00 PM ET on Sunday, will Calvin Ridley score a ⭕touchdown? Continue reading for odds and analysis on whether he's a safe betꦐ to pick...
Will Justin Fields get into the end zone when the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Los Angeles Chargers meet in Week 3 on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET? In the ꧙piece below, we dig into ✃his anytime TD player prop, providing...
