NEWSLETTER
The Stanley Cup Final begins tonight in Tampa between the defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning and the Montreal Canadiens.
Game One is set for a 7:00 p.m. CT puck drop as the underdog Canadiens return to the Cup Final for the first time since 1993 and the Lightning make their fourth appearance in the Final since becoming an NHL franchise in 1992-93.
But before all that, we have to talk about the Chicago Blackhawks and the latest developments surrounding the 2010 incidents involving former video coach Brad Aldrich and two former players.
• This morning, the Blackhawks announced in an internal memo from team CEO Danny Wirtz that they had hired a former federal prosecutor to lead an independent review of the incidents in 2010, as well as the team’s alleged refusal to report the incidents properly.
NEW: The Blackhawks have hired a former federal prosecutor to lead an “independent review’ of the allegations of sexual assault by former video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010 — and the alleged refusal to report it to police — according to an internal memo from CEO Danny Wirtz.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) June 28, 2021
• The Blackhawks have been essentially silent on the issues, outside of trying to get the lawsuits against them thrown out. This is the first we’ve seen the organization trying to do anything proactive surrounding the incidents and allegations.
Danny Wirtz wrote in a memo to Blackhawks staffers today that the team has retained former federal prosecutor Reid Schar for an “independent review” of Brad Aldrich.
Wirtz: ”We take the allegations very seriously. They in no way reflect this organization’s culture or values”
— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) June 28, 2021
• Likely, this will serve as they only thing the Blackhawks will say regarding the matters until the full legal process plays out.
So that's likely to serve as the Blackhawks' only comments about the lawsuits and the allegations for the time being.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) June 28, 2021
• To me, this sounds just like when college football programs levy “self-sanctions” against themselves for recruiting violations. But that simply shouldn’t be enough from the Blackhawks in this scenario. If we are talking about a decades-long cover-up of sexual abuse and harassment which began a chain of events ending with Aldrich sexual assault multiple minors along the way, then the hammer deserves to fall on any and all involved that had the chance to do the right thing, and did not.
• The NHL has said very little on the subject as well. With NHL commissioner Gary Bettman scheduled to address the media ahead of Game One in tonight’s Stanley Cup Final, I would expect another prepared statement and likely no real answers to any questions to him about the incidents in 2010 and the Blackhawks’ handling of everything.
• Outside of the Blackhawks hiring someone to lead an independent review, the league also needs to have someone look into the Blackhawks and their handling of everything. It should already be happening.
The firm hired by the Blackhawks to investigate the Brad Aldrich allegations, Jenner & Block, also represented USA Gymnastics in bankruptcy proceedings in wake of the Larry Nassar scandal.
— Katie Strang (@KatieJStrang) June 28, 2021
• Oh, great.
• We’ll see how this all plays out. But we are far from this being over.
• In the meantime, the Stanley Cup Final begins tonight between the Lightning and Canadiens.
• A couple of notes ahead of tonight’s contest, first with maybe the most interesting position battle between both goaltenders…
https://twitter.com/PR_NHL/status/1409202390335692809?s=20
• Andrei Vasilevskiy and Carey Price have been the top goaltenders in the postseason and are huge reasons why their teams have gone this far. Especially Price.
• The Canadiens’ goaltender will be tasked with stopping one of the most potent offensive attacks in the NHL, led by Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov.
Nikita Kucherov (5-22—27 in 18 GP) of the @TBLightning enters the #StanleyCup Final leading the NHL in scoring for the second consecutive postseason (also 7-27—34 in 25 GP in 2020).
📺: Game 1, Monday at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN, SN, TVAS, CBC pic.twitter.com/vzAEsw4z6T
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 27, 2021
• Good luck, Habs.
• And good luck to those that want to get in to see Game Three in Montreal….YIKES
Ticket prices for Game 3 in Montreal… 🎟️
Cheapest = $5,799
Most Expensive = $30,600
(via: StubHub) #Habs fans, what would you pay to go? 🤔— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) June 28, 2021
• My car isn’t even worth that much.
• For tonight, the winner of Game One could be a future indicator of who will go on to win the whole thing…
Since the Final went to the best-of-seven series in 1939, the winner of Game 1 has gone on to capture the #StanleyCup 61 of 81 times (.753) – but not recently.
WSH (2018), STL (2019) and @TBLightning (2020) won the Cup despite a Game 1 loss.#NHLStats: https://t.co/cqWFCFcBGP pic.twitter.com/7lao7aTqtB
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 28, 2021
• Then again, maybe not.
The @TBLightning have yet to win a Game 1 in the #StanleyCup Final (0-3), but have rebounded to capture a championship on two occasions (2004 & 2020). #NHLStats: https://t.co/LjR6CPVmZD pic.twitter.com/u9ijQ1aPFo
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 28, 2021
• Either way, Montreal will have a bit of history on their side when it comes to tonight’s Game One.
The @CanadiensMTL are 15-2 when winning the first game of a best-of-seven series in the #StanleyCup Final.
During their championship run in 1993, Montreal dropped Game 1 to Los Angeles before winning the next four contests.#NHLStats: https://t.co/q9hCoCqPQx pic.twitter.com/LIXufdwrXH
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 28, 2021
• The Stanley Cup is one of the hardest, if not THE hardest championship to win in all professional sports. But you wouldn’t know it if you asked Lightning forward Pat Maroon.
Pat Maroon of the @TBLightning can become the first player to win the #StanleyCup in three consecutive seasons since multiple players from the Islanders did so from 1980-1983). #NHLStats
📺: Game 1, Monday at 8 p.m. ET on NBCSN, SN, TVAS, CBC pic.twitter.com/DP6LBHSR1s
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 27, 2021
• You might get that sentiment from Montreal veterans Eric Staal and Corey Perry though…
The @CanadiensMTL have five players that have dressed in the 2021 postseason and won a #StanleyCup: Eric Staal (2006 w/ CAR), Corey Perry (2007 w/ ANA), Tyler Toffoli (2014 w/ LAK), Jake Allen (2019 w/ STL) & Joel Edmundson (2019 w/ STL).#NHLStats: https://t.co/bTyhlNnV93 pic.twitter.com/dsOlTHjdO0
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) June 27, 2021
• My officially official prediction for the series…for as much as I would love to see the underdog Canadiens unseat the $100M team, unfortunately I see the Lightning repeating with a 4-2 series win over Montreal.
• On this day eight years ago, the Blackhawks celebrated the 2013 Stanley Cup Championship with a parade and rally in Grant Park. It was here that Corey Crawford had one of his greatest moments in his Blackhawks career…
8 years ago today
The 2013 #StanleyCup Parade’s legacy#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/ImZfFZ0mYO— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) June 28, 2021
• It was a hot day, around 90 degrees if I remember correctly, and I chose to stand in the middle of a crowd of thousands with no clouds and no relief from the heat in my Blackhawks sweater. I wouldn’t have had it any other way that day.
8 year ago today
2013 #StanleyCup Parade
Grant Park#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/XeMJlBkNUm— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) June 28, 2021
• That was a good day.
• That will do it for today. Hope you all enjoy your Monday!
• ONE LAST FINAL CALL! Send me your Blackhawks Monday Mailbag questions on Twitter using hashtag #BNHawksMailbag and I’ll see if I can get them into this afternoon’s mailbag post!
