NEWSLETTER
We are just about 50 hours away from the NHL Trade Deadline and seven hours away from tonight’s puck drop between the Chicago Blackhawks and Columbus Blue Jackets in Columbus. Both events are hugely important to the short and long term futures of the Blackhawks.
• As for the game, if you’ve been following along for the last few weeks, you know it’s playoff crunch time and you know the Blackhawks are doing a poor job of handling the bite. They’ve lost 11 of their last 16 games with all 11 losses coming in regulation. They are four points behind the Nashville Predators for fourth-place in the Central Division and need every win they can get. Tonight is no different against a floundering Blue Jackets squad that has lost eight of their last ten games (2-7-1) coming into tonight.
• Oh, and one more note on tonight’s game for now (series preview and pre-gamin’ coming later): Chicago is 1-5-0 on Saturday’s this season, having lost their last five in-a-row. Please, stop ruining my weekends.
• As for the long-term impact I mentioned before, it appears that Mattias Janmark’s time with the Blackhawks is coming to an end. He is being held out of tonight’s game as an “organizational decision.”
The Blackhawks are holding out Mattias Janmark out of tonight’s game as an organizational decision.
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) April 10, 2021
• Ultimately this was the plan all along for him with the Blackhawks this season. Janmark signed a one-year deal with Chicago and did exactly what he was supposed to do: play well, garner value, and be open to being moved at the trade deadline.
Colliton on Janmark being scratched: "A lot of teams are dealing with stuff like this. It’s the time of year. Obviously you address it, depending on the situation. The message is: focus on what you can control.. Your energy is always best spent on things you can actually affect."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) April 10, 2021
• He’ll be a rental for whatever team acquires him as his contract expires this summer. He’s having his best season on a per game basis, since his 2017-18 season with the Dallas Stars. We’ll have to see what value he has on the market, but I would be surprised, pleasantly surprised, if his return was anything more in value than a fourth-round pick.
I'll set the over-under on Janmark's value as a 3rd-round pick. We should know the answer soon. https://t.co/rnToZ28lNg
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) April 10, 2021
• Had Janmark been moved a week ago, maybe we’re singing a different tune. Who knows?
As expected, a source just said Mattias Janmark has been told he's sitting out today because the Hawks are expecting a trade.
A scout thought a few weeks ago Janmark could fetch a 2nd-rounder. That was when Janmark was pretty hot. He has one point in his last 10 games. We'll see
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) April 10, 2021
• This past week, Blackhawks President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Stan Bowman has already “won” two trades. Swapping Brad Morrison for Vinnie Hinostroza has already paid-off and the future potential of acquiring Brett Connolly, Riley Stillman, and Henrik Borgström for two players without much of a future in Chicago has the potential to be a big win. It would be quite the deadline success if Bowman is able to get more than one serviceable asset of value from a Janmark trade.
• As for the aforementioned Connolly and Stillman, the plan is for them to be with the team starting this weekend in Columbus.
Jeremy Colliton said Brett Connolly and Riley Stillman will join the team in Columbus. #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) April 9, 2021
• We’ll see how they fit into the lineup, but it’s likely that Connolly will make his way into the forwards group, especially given that Janmark will be moved in the next few days. Borgström remains unsigned and in Finland, but the plan for him is to sign with Chicago for next season. Stillman will likely be with the taxi squad to begin his active roster stint.
Colliton on Blackhawks trade acquisitions Connolly, Borgstrom + Stillman: "They’re (Connolly, Stillman) going to meet us in Columbus. All 3 are guys that have something to prove. … I don’t have an answer when they’ll play but we think they’ll contribute for us."
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) April 9, 2021
• Today is a historical day in Chicago Blackhawks franchise history. On this day in 1934, after topping the Montreal Canadiens and Montreal Maroons, the Blackhawks beat the Detroit Red Wings 1-0 in double overtime in Game four of the Stanley Cup Final to win their first of six Cups in franchise history.
On this day in 1934, the @NHLBlackhawks won their first Stanley Cup in franchise history #Hockey365 #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/9tv8oBPkcQ
— Mike Commito (@mikecommito) April 10, 2021
• Speaking of history, in today’s Chicago Sun-Times, Ben Pope has a feature on Blackhawks 2020 fifth-round draft pick Isaak Phillips being the first player to come from a Jamaican hockey team and sign an NHL contract. Highly recommend checking it out and learning about Phillips’ story. He’s going to be a player to watch in the Blackhawks system.
• Speaking of the Blackhawks farm system, on Friday night the ECHL’s Indy Fuel had a special broadcast with Father-Son duo of Eddie and Nick Olczyk. Eddie, as you know, has been the long-time broadcast partner of Pat Foley on Blackhawks games and has done National broadcasts as well. Nick, a former player at Colorado College and the Chicago Steel, does broadcast work for the Indy Fuel, the Blackhawks’ ECHL affiliate.
It's a family thing. pic.twitter.com/yY4sWjbno7
— Indy Fuel (@IndyFuel) April 10, 2021
• Fun family times.
• Speaking of former Blackhawks, Artemi Panarin is having one of the best starts to his career with the New York Rangers in the franchise’s history.
With two assists tonight, Artemi Panarin has 137 points in 98 games with the Rangers, tied with Mark Messier for the most points by a player in his first 100 games with the Rangers. His 93 assists are the most by a player in his first 100 games with NYR, one more than Messier.
— Dan Rosen (@drosennhl) April 10, 2021
• Another former Blackhawk, Steve Larmer, saw his standing in the NHL’s “Ironman” pantheon be surpassed last night by Phil Kessel. Kessel’s 885-straight games is the fifth-longest streak in NHL history, the record being held by Doug Jarvis with 964-straight games played. The NHL’s active leader is Keith Yandle with 907-straight games.
Phil Kessel of the @ArizonaCoyotes is skating in his 885th consecutive game dating to Nov. 3, 2009, passing Steve Larmer (884 GP) for sole possession of the fifth longest “Ironman” streak in NHL history. #NHLStats: https://t.co/QiXDVnkELl pic.twitter.com/pIa5EOoC2s
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) April 10, 2021
• Although he snubbed playing for the University of Wisconsin in favor of the University of Minnesota, Kessel is from Madison. Another Wisconsin-born player who DID end up playing for Wisconsin is Cole Caufield. Last night was a big night for Caufield as he won. the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA’s Best Player.
https://twitter.com/CanadiensMTL/status/1380648636187607043?s=20
• Caufield led the NCAA in goals with 30 in 31 games and helped the Badgers to a Big Ten regular season title.
• After winning the award, Caufield went out and played in his first professional hockey game, suiting up for Laval Rocket, the AHL affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens. Caufield did not disappoint.
https://twitter.com/HeresYourReplay/status/1380672555225337858?s=20
• Scoring goals is like, his thing.
https://twitter.com/HeresYourReplay/status/1380689730602467328?s=20
• Two goals and an assist for the 5’7″ winger in his first professional game. There’s a lot of Alex DeBrincat in him and he might even be better. He’s going to be a PROBLEM in the years to come.
• And finally, speaking of being a PROBLEM in a few years, the WHL wrapped up their abbreviated season this week. Leading the league in scoring was 15-year-old phenom Connor Bedard.
Connor Bedard is still only 15 years old and finished his first WHL season with a league-best 12G-16A-28P in 15 games.
He scored the OT winner tonight just days after his grandfather, Garth, died in a car accident. pic.twitter.com/4MyRdjNjAM
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) April 10, 2021
• 28 points in 15 games, recording a point in his first 12 games in-a-row and 14 of 15 games in the season. Over a regular 68-game WHL schedule, Bedard’s 1.867 points per game pace would have seen him tally 127 points for the Regina Pats. This kid is going to be good.
• That’s all for today. Enjoy your Saturday, we’ll see you tonight for Blackhawks and Blue Jackets at 6:00 p.m. ET!
