The list of former Blackhawks had one more added to the somewhat-official list on Saturday. The Boston Bruins signed Tyler Johnson to a PTO contract. As a reminder, the Blackhawks got Johnson (with a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft) from the Tampa Bay Lightning for the contract of Brent Seabrook back on July 21, 2021. So the Blackhawks did their work to keep the Bolts cap compliant (I use that term loosely) for 💟the past three ye🀅ars.
Johnson struggled with injuries while with the Blackhawks, appearing in 149 games in three seasons. He did score 17 goals this past season in only 67 games, so there ꦚmight be something there for the cap-strapped Bruins if they can make the money work at the end of trainꦛing camp. I wish him all the best.
We’re starting to have some preseason games in the CHL. The Brantford Bulldogs were in action a couple times this week, and Nick Lardis had himself a day on Saturday. Brantford beat Erie 10-5 and Lardis scored twice and added an assist. I’m excited to see how the Brantford teams looks when they have Marek Vanacker in their lineup later this season. This is a good start for Lardis, who will leave Brantford to take part in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase with the Blackhawks and the NHL training camp for a couple weeks.
The veteran defenseman Robert Bortuzzo to a one-year, two-way contract on Saturday.
I’m going to share this again (and probably will again). to the verified GoFundMe to help supporting the family of Matthew Gaudreau. It’s over $400,000 already. The hockey family is stepping up.
The Columbus Blue Jackets shared their video tribute to Johnny Gaudreau on Saturday evening. It’s beautiful. Yeah, more tears. Such a well-lived life cut short far, far too soon.
So… not all of these guys played hockey at Michigan… and they aren’t all going to be teammates in the NHL… but they were at the Big House on Saturday evening to watch the defending football champions do their thing. Wonder if Macklin Celebrini would have liked Ann Arbor?
Finally, you’ve gotta love a GM who hustles. And Bears general manager Ryan Poles was getting his frequent flyer miles big time on Saturday. He was at the Georgia-Clemson game in Atlanta for the noon ET kickoff and then made his way to the Notre Dame at Texas A&M game at night.
