Coach Seabrook, Davidson Talks About His Health (and Lots of Other Updates), US vs Canada for Gold, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The calm before the storm. This is the final Sunday without NFL football until mid-February, and it’s also Labor Day weekend so let’s jump into some news and notes of interest for Blackhawks fans. A couple tweets from a team in Vancouver caught out eye.

  • On Saturday, the Vancouver Giants (WHL) announced former Blackhawks defenseman Brent Seabrook has joined their coaching staff officially. Seabs has been named their Player Development Coach.
  • Seabrook, 37, spent some time behind the bench with the Giants last year. Their coach, Michael Dyck, was coaching at the World Juniors (before the COVID postponement) so Seabrook helped assistant Keith McCambridge.
  • We love seeing Seabrook back on the ice working with the next generation. The Giants are lucky to have a three-time Stanley Cup Champion helping their prospects learn what it takes to be a great NHL player.
  • Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson spoke with Ben Pope at the Chicago Sun-Times and covered a lot of ground.
  • The bulk of Pope’s terrific article focuses on Davidson’s health. He was born with a congenital heart defect known as Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and has had multiple open-heart surgeries. Pope does a really nice job of painting the picture of how Davidson has to try to balance the desire/perceived need to work 24/7 as an NHL general manager with the need to take a step back and make sure he’s pacing himself.
  • Pope asked Davidson about Jack Johnson‘s impact on blue line prospects like Alex Vlasic, Alec Regula and Ian Mitchell getting a crack at the NHL. Johnson is the sixth veteran defenseman signed for the coming season, which would seem to complicate the opportunity for younger players who might be ready for a more significant NHL role. “They have to earn their spot, and we believe they’re going to put their best foot forward,” Davidson told Pope.
  • Veteran forward Jujhar Khaira is still TBD for training camp and the start of the season after having back surgery end his 2021-22 season prematurely. And, according to Davidson, Khaira is one of a few players from whom the Blackhawks are waiting for health updates. Connor Murphy also ended the season on IR.
  • Forwards Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk were on Canada’s 2017-18 World Juniors that has been the focus of an investigation by both Hockey Canada and the NHL in the wake of sexual assault allegations against eight players from that team being brought back to light. Davidson said the Blackhawks have been in communication with the league about the investigation and were deferring to the league’s process.
  • Some lucky Kingston fans got a chance to pick up an autograph from Blackhawks’ prospect Paul Ludwinski this weekend. Yeah, they might have been there to meet Shane Wright but Ludwinski’s signature is still a nice one to add to the collection.
  • We love questions on Twitter that have easy answers.
  • The US & Canada will renew their rivalry in the gold medal game at the Women’s World Championships at 12:30 PM CT on NHL Network.
  • Finally, we love prospects succeeding. And getting postseason experience. So when a minor league team clinches a playoff berth, we’re all-in.
  • written by

    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 Professional Hockey Writers Association and is the author of two books about the Blackhawks: "100 Things 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 @The1Tab

    more blackhawks news

    World Championships Game(s) Day, Avs Alive, Memorial Cup, Utah Leadership, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    Good luck figuring out which game to focus on this afternoon at the World Championship as a Blackhawks fan. Alex Vlasic, Seth Jones and the United States will face France while Connor Bedard and Canada will battle Norway. Both games...

    Gustav Got Away, Maurice’s F Bomb, Wasted Comebacks, Berube’s Popular, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    We've been talking about the Blackhawks' desire to improve ever since Chicago general manager Kyle Davidson put it out there that next year was Year One of Go Time. Obviously the Blackhawks have a truckload of cap space to play...

    NHL Mock Draft Roundup: More Blackhawks Pick Projections

    It's still mock draft season, Blackhawks fans. And we're still wandering around the interwebs on your behalf to find reputable mocks that give us something to think about with the Blackhawks' picks in the 2024 NHL Draft. Mock Draft Roundup...

    Connor Bedard Scored Again for Canada

    Oh hey! Blackhawks' star Connor Bedard scored his fifth goal of the World Championships for Canada on Tuesday afternoon. https://twitter.com/BN_Blackhawks/status/1790468565675483262 Bedard helped Canada sprint to a 6-1 lead... which evaporated as Austria scored five unanswered goals in the third period...

    Bruins Get Bad Brad Marchand Update Ahead Of Game 5

    Bad news for the Boston Bruins this morning. Trailing 3-1 in their second-round series with the Florida Panthers, it was revealed that captain Brad Marchand will again not be available for tonight's win-or-go-home matchup in South Florida. https://twitter.com/FlutoShinzawa/status/1790401949998706932 Brad Marchand...

    Oilers Reportedly Making A Big Change Prior To Game 4

    Heading into the Oilers and Canucks second-round series, Vancouver was thought to be the team with the bigger concern in between the pipes. Vezina Trophy finalist Thatcher Demko was ruled out for at least the first four games of the...

    Nichushkin Banned, Boring Bedard? Coaches, NHL Awards Back in Vegas, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    Some incredibly sad and undoubtedly frustrating news broke just before the Colorado Avalanche took the ice for an important playoff game on Monday evening. Forward Valeri Nichushkin, who is tied with Edmonton's Zach Hyman for the NHL's postseason lead with...

    The Importance of Coaching on the Blackhawks’ Rebuild

    There are so many reasons that having the right coach in place is important in any sport at any level. But I've been thinking more about that in recent days with the NHL's coaching carousel in heavy rotation this offseason...

    Late Hits on Connor McDavid Lead To Punishment For Multiple Canucks

    How many times over the years have you yelled "Hey! You can't do that!" at the television or, in person, at the ice when you watch someone take liberties with a star player? Well, Sunday night's game in Edmonton was...

    The Russia Problem: Could IIHF Sanctions Impact the Blackhawks’ Plans?

    Over the weekend, news broke that the IIHF was taking some steps regarding Russia, players and the whole are-they-allowed-to-leave issue that may have an impact on the Blackhawks consideration of top prospect Ivan Demidov, should he be deemed the best...

    Latest News

    Phillies vs. Mets Probable Starting Pitchers – May 16

    The New York Mets (19-23), who lost their previous three games, square off against the Philadelphia Phillies (31-13) at Citizens Bank Park on Thursday. First pitch is at 6:40 PM ET.The Phillies will give the nod to Taijuan Walker (3-0,...

    Rays vs. Red Sox Probable Starting Pitchers – May 16

    The Boston Red Sox (22-21) play the Tampa Bay Rays (22-22) at home in Boston on Thursday. The game begins at 7:10 PM ET.This contest's pitching matchup is set, as the Rays will send Zack Littell (2-2) to the mound,...

    Pittsburgh Steelers Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    Despite being horrible on offense in 2023, the Steelers finished 10-7 and reached the playoffs before losing to the Buffalo Bills in the NFL Wild Card round. They then made plenty of noise in the offseason signing Russell Wilson and...

    Philadelphia Eagles Schedule: Dates and Times for All 17 Games, Strength of Schedule, Record Prediction

    The Eagles were bounced in a blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2023 and are moving to 2024 with hopes of getting back to the Super Bowl. Their full NFL schedule is out for this fall. Let's take...

    Panthers vs. Bruins NHL Playoffs Second Round Game 6 Prediction: Odds, Picks, Best Bets – Friday, May 17, 2024

    The bookmakers fancy the Florida Panthers to beat the Boston Bruins in their meeting on Friday, May 17, with the visiting Panthers given moneyline odds of -148, and the Bruins at +124.Watch the NHL on Fubo!Panthers vs. Bruins Favorite, Moneyline,...

    Avalanche vs. Stars NHL Playoffs Second Round Game 6 Prediction: Odds, Picks, Best Bets – Friday, May 17, 2024

    The Colorado Avalanche are -120 on the moneyline against the Dallas Stars (+100) on Friday, with this tight-looking matchup taking place at Ball Arena in Denver.Watch the NHL on Fubo!Avalanche vs. Stars Favorite, Moneyline, TotalFavorite: Avalanche (-120)Underdog: Stars (+100)Total: 6.5Best...

    Best NBA Prop Bets Today – Thursday, May 16, 2024

    In a Thursday NBA playoff slate that includes just one matchup, the Denver Nuggets versus the Minnesota Timberwolves is the only way to catch the NBA today.There are usually lots of NBA player prop bets offered for each and every...

    Northwestern Returns to Wrigley Field TWICE This Fall

    Northwestern will be making a return to Wrigley Field not just once this season, but twice! Due to the construction of their brand new football stadium, the Cats will be playing five of their seven home games at its temporary...

    Brennen Davis Homered Again, Back-to-Back with B.J. Murray Jr. (Whom We Should Discuss)

    Just about as soon as I could talk about how Brennen Davis had homered for the third time in four games, he homered AGAIN, making it four times in five games. And this time, just for fun, B.J. Murray Jr....

    Impressive Fill-In Guys, Bullpen Health, Roberts, Javy, and Other Cubs Bullets

    The Cubs come back home from the Pittsburgh-Atlanta road trip having split it 3-3, and I gotta say, that's a pretty solid outcome when (1) you're facing Jones and Skenes, (2) you're playing three in Atlanta where they'd lost just...

    more blackhawks news