NEWSLETTER
We’re still technically in summer, and while heading to the ballpark to catch Cubs and White Sox games has become a favorite activity of the Blackhawks players as they await the prospect mini-camp and the start of NHL training camp in Chicago, golfing is still the most popular activity amongst hockey players. In the past few years, the Blackhawks have been able to hit the links earlier in the offseason than they used to, but hopefully that can change this season and beyond.
• As for yesterday, the team held their annual Four Feathers Invitational charity golf outing at Medinah Country Club, a fundraising event that benefits the Chicago Blackhawks Foundation. Seemed like it was a good day to be out on the course…
https://twitter.com/BN_Blackhawks/status/1437789037746704393?s=20
• Hopefully that shot ended up alright for MacKenzie Entwistle.
• Participating in his first Four Feathers Invitational, newest Blackhawks goaltender Marc-André Fleury showed off his skills off the tee.
Big rip from Fleury#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/komXxqzgw6
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) September 13, 2021
• Not too bad for a guy who has had some short offseasons in his past.
• Another guy that everyone is happy to see with the Blackhawks again is Captain Jonathan Toews. After missing all of last season with Chronic Immune Response Syndrome, Toews has been back on the ice this offseason and is looking forward to being a full participant for the Blackhawks again this year. He was at the outing, looking sharp, and holding a tiny microphone for who knows what reason…
https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks/status/1437510217542025229?s=20
• Ah, this might explain it:
What's up, Dach?!
A personalized video message from Kirby Dach is up for auction benefitting the #Blackhawks Foundation: https://t.co/oTAGqWB0xw
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) September 13, 2021
• I’m no audio technician, but wouldn’t a simple LAV mic work better than having these guys hold a comically small microphone that looks like it would be part of some Barbie and Ken Karaoke machine? Just my two cents.
• While the golf is all good and fun, there’s plenty of serious business for the Blackhawks to handle off the ice this summer. In a report from TSN’s Rick Westhead, Blackhawks President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Stan Bowman is being called upon to be suspended by USA Hockey ahead of serving as the General Manager of the USA Men’s Olympic Hockey team.
An American think tank that studies child sexual abuse and prevention is asking the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee to suspend Stan Bowman from his position as U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team GM.
Story from @rwesthead: https://t.co/7KtaXcnpFK pic.twitter.com/vQ7IHxoy8V
— TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) September 13, 2021
• Child USA, a non-profit advocacy group, is requesting that Bowman be suspended from his position with USA Hockey until a resolve is found in the cases against the Blackhawks involving former video coach Brad Aldrich stemming from alleged incidents in 2010 with former Blackhawks players and in 2013 with a Michigan high school student.
• This comes at the same time that the Blackhawks are continue to move to have both lawsuits thrown out. You can find more information on those motions here from Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times, and here from Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus of The Athletic.
• The Blackhawks have a preseason game in 15 days. They begin the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase tomorrow in Minnesota, where they will have two exhibition games against the Minnesota Wild prospects on Friday and Sunday, and the team announced the Prospect Showcase rosters today…
Chicago Blackhawks Announce Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase Rosterhttps://t.co/IeLQxkZJYQ
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) September 14, 2021
• Speaking of Minnesota, the Wild have some unfinished business with one of the top prospects to come from their system in a long time, Kirill Kaprizov.
As Kirill Kaprizov contract talks go silent, #mnwild GM admits there are ‘some obstacles’
My story on the latest Kaprizov impasse, the possible reasons for it and the growing potential of the Calder winner not arriving on time for camp
via @TheAthletic https://t.co/5XubHrLbz5
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) September 14, 2021
• As The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports, Kaprizov’s camp and the Wild have not had contact in over a week as training camp closes-in, and the Calder Trophy-winner is still in Russia without an NHL contract. The KHL season is underway and it was reported that Kaprizov had a lucrative, one-year offer from CSKA Moscow if a deal with Minnesota didn’t come to fruition. We’ll see how this turns out for Chicago’s Central Division rival.
• Speaking of prospects, The Athletic’s Corey Pronman went down the list with one to watch at every NHL camp as the preseason is about to begin. Give you three guesses who he picked for the Blackhawks.
New post @TheAthleticNHL: The most interesting prospect to watch for each NHL team as training camps openhttps://t.co/yZaRTLpDCs
— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) September 14, 2021
• That’s not to say that Lukas Reichel is NOT an interesting prospect. The 2020 first-round pick by the Blackhawks has a real chance to step onto North American ice for the first time and earn an NHL roster spot. There will be a lot of healthy competition in the Blackhawks’ middle-six forwards group, and Reichel currently feels like a real challenger for one of those spots.
• Today is the 25th anniversary of Team USA topping Team Canada in the inaugural World Cup of Hockey back in 1996!
https://twitter.com/usahockey/status/1437777906747445262?s=20
• A USA squad with Blackhawks Gary Suter, Tony Amonte, and Chris Chelios on the roster took down a Canadian side led by the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Eric Lindros, Mark Messier, Steve Yzerman, Joe Sakic, and on and on and on with the hockey legends. Maybe the 2022 Olympics can provide another opportunity for the USA Men’s team to take down Canada…?
• For those interested, remember that single-game tickets for the Blackhawks go on sale this afternoon.
Reminder: single-game tickets go on sale at noon CT today#Blackhawks
— Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) September 14, 2021
• That will do it for today. Hope you all have a good Tuesday ahead of you!
