NEWSLETTER
Today is the final day of 2021. I don’t know what more can be said about this year that I have not already expressed in my nearly 1,100 posts on Bleacher Nation Blackhawks this year. I started in this position on January 4, 2021. I want to express my thanks to you the readers and fans for one of the best years of my professional career. I look forward to 2022 and what might come for the Blackhawks and hockey world.
• It has been a hell of a year for the Chicago Blackhawks. That might even be an understatement. Here’s some of the biggest storylines of 2021 in Chicago:
Looking at the Biggest Blackhawks Headlines of 2021https://t.co/0Ah121djoD pic.twitter.com/Asy4EZ94Xl
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) December 31, 2021
• It’s been mostly awful. Maybe one of the most troubling years I have ever experienced as a Blackhawks fan. Definitely the most troubling I’ve experienced as a writer covering the team. I’m confident things will get better and I’m hopeful that the organization can start to move forward in the right direction after the year 2021 was.
• Some good news, Tyler Johnson is progressing after neck surgery.
Tyler Johnson is on the ice before practice. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/Ccoz73Xz4J
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 30, 2021
• Feeling good enough to try the “Zegras” in practice yesterday…
Blackhawks skaters (including Tyler Johnson) shoot around goalie Arvid Soderblom shortly before rushing off to rink 2. pic.twitter.com/bfJwBsK73G
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) December 30, 2021
• He was originally given a three-month timeframe fro recovery after having the surgery earlier this month, which would put in around March for a return to the Blackhawks roster.
Derek King says there isn’t a specific timeline for Tyler Johnson’s return.
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) December 30, 2021
• As for Marc-André Fleury in COVID protocol, with the NHL shortening the isolation period from 10 to five days, it’s still unclear when Fleury will be cleared and ready to return to the lineup himself.
King was unsure if Fleury’s quarantine would be shortened.
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) December 30, 2021
• But we do know that Jujhar Khaira and Henrik Borgström should be good to go tomorrow in Nashville after being activated from IR yesterday.
Blackhawks Roster Moves: Khaira and Borgström Acitvated, Regula and Slavin Assigned to Taxi Squadhttps://t.co/P0EUGBfmSc
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) December 30, 2021
• Tomorrow’s game can’t come soon enough for the Blackhawks. Appears they are getting sick of playing against each other…
Jake McCabe: “We’re sick of practicing with each other. We’re ready to compete and play.” #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/ZzJ9zrONG0
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 30, 2021
• McCabe is in the first year of a four-year deal in Chicago. In his first season, he’s had to learn a new defensive system under Jeremy Colliton and then under Derek King. At home, he’s also learning a new defensive system…
Jake McCabe on trying to handle two kids now with his wife: “We’ve gone from zone coverage to man on man.” 😂 #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 30, 2021
• I can attest to the “zone coverage” strategy. It’s working well with my wife and daughter so far.
• It’s been a learning experience for a lot of Blackhawks this year, maybe none more than interim head coach Derek King in his first opportunity to not only coach at the NHL level, but to do it as the head boss.
King has been carrying his suits on the plane and putting another bag in the cargo hold. He finally got a large suitcase for Christmas that can fit all of it.
“And I get some crazy socks always from my sons, so you'll see some crazy socks coming out here pretty soon.”
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) December 30, 2021
• Ok, so now we’ll need someone on the crazy socks beat.
• Dominik Kubalík has been disappointing this season on the ice, but for Christmas, it appears he came through this year.
Kubalik on Christmas:
"I'm always happy when I'm getting presents for my wife or my mom. They probably know what they're getting, but I'm trying to surprise them, and I'm not very good with it… She always finds out or I screw it up. But I didn't do anything wrong this time!"
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) December 30, 2021
• Maybe having a good Christmas Holiday can help Kubalík when he gets back on the ice tomorrow. A little more cheer.
• Speaking of tomorrow’s slate of games in the NHL, which there are nine to choose from, one that should be the focal point of the day is the Winter Classic. The NHL scheduling eight other games on the same day as the Winter Classic, the game they hold up every year as the biggest non-playoff game of the season, is preposterous. But that’s another gripe for another day. The Athletic’s Michael Russo has more on the Wild and Blues as they prepare for the 2022 Winter Classic tomorrow.
Behind the making of the 2022 Winter Classic: From heating the ice to recycling Christmas trees
Dan Craig, the NHL’s longtime ice maker, was pulled out of retirement after 1 month to build the pond hockey rinks while his son built the main rink. More> https://t.co/6Ej69Z3UKD
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) December 31, 2021
• Not bad views from Target Field.
Beauty pic.twitter.com/RO311ld1PR
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) December 29, 2021
• But uh, if you’re going to be at the game, godspeed to you.
It will be so cold at the Winter Classic that the NHL will have to heat the ice. Yes, the ice. That's just part of the extensive preparations for the weather to help fans, workers and players. https://t.co/qF3uYhu9Kb via @NHLdotcom
— Nick Cotsonika (@cotsonika) December 30, 2021
• The high temperature tomorrow at Target Field for puck drop: -3 🥶
• Speaking of playing outdoors, today the Indy Fuel will take on the Toledo Walleye today at Fifth Third Field in a New Year’s Eve Winterfest game!
📍THE GREAT OUTDOORS pic.twitter.com/GqWjgNvVMV
— Indy Fuel (@IndyFuel) December 31, 2021
• The weather in Toledo tonight is a little more forgiving with a puck drop temperature of 44 degrees.
• We’re all still bummed about the cancelation of the World Junior Championships. But here’s another story around Blackhawks prospect and 2021 U.S. Gold Medalist Landon Slaggert and his Team USA teammate Brett Berard.
Our final feature from the #WorldJuniors: In 2004, @AndySlaggert and @DavidBerard30 led @88PKane and @usahockey to silver at U17s. Back then, @bberard9 and @slaggs_9 were toddlers. Now they’re gold medalists and lifelong friends. @NDHockey @FriarsHockey pic.twitter.com/x4lfWnuXcl
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 30, 2021
• These kinds of long connection stories are always fascinating.
• And then there are the fascinating stories of EBUGs. Each one of them wild in their own right. This one is no different as a kid home from college on Winter break got to play in an ECHL game this week.
Unreal EBUG story in the ECHL last night: 19-year-old Rapid City native Brady Devries was home on winter break from Grand Canyon U, where he plays ACHA DIII. Utah Grizzlies needed a goalie. He STARTED vs. Rapid City Rush with lent equipment… and won. https://t.co/IKHbEOQM3H
— Chris Peters (@chrismpeters) December 30, 2021
• He played in borrowed equipment, as a 19-year-old in the ECHL, and WON.
• Speaking of goalies, a Happy Blackhawks Birthday to Corey Crawford, turning 37 today!
Happy 37th Birthday to former 2-time Stanley Cup Champion Corey Crawford!#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/1VZUX7G8rr
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) December 31, 2021
• On January 18, 2022, the Bruins will be retiring Willie O’Ree’s No. 22!
It’s been a long time coming.
On January 18, 2022 – 64 years to the day of his historic NHL debut – the #NHLBruins will officially retire Willie O’Ree’s No. 22 at @tdgarden before a game against the Carolina Hurricanes.
Full Details: https://t.co/nDbVxup7Tb
— Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) December 31, 2021
• A long time coming, indeed.
• Tough news in Canada as the Ontario government is putting a cap on indoor event spaces to 1,000 people in attendance. That goes for the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Government of Ontario will cap attendance at concert venues, arenas and theatres at 1,000 people in response to increased COVID-19 cases, a move that will directly affect the Maple Leafs and Senators.
More ⬇️https://t.co/tUgDnjBulE
— The Athletic NHL (@TheAthleticNHL) December 30, 2021
• The NHL has already postponed a number of Canadian games due to capacity limits, and I would suspect there might be more postponements coming north of the border, for monetary reasons.
• Yesterday we were in awe of former Blackhawk Artemiy Panarin. Today, it’s former Blackhawk Anthony Duclair.
ANTHONY. DUCLAIR.
NO WORDS. pic.twitter.com/NRWodujhXS
— Florida Panthers (@FlaPanthers) December 31, 2021
• I will always think of Duclair as a low-key “one that got away” from Chicago. The guy can play, just took some time for him to put everything together.
• Finishing today with news out of Bears world with former human joystick Devin Hester being named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Greatest Return Man in the History of the World is a Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Finalisthttps://t.co/ET24zTSdAW
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) December 30, 2021
• I feel like I’ve said it every year for the past three or four years now, but it is very weird to see the players you watched when you were growing up start to become Hall of Famers. Hester is another on the ever-growing list of former players I watched when I was younger, in awe, that are now on Hall of Fame ballots. He should get in, no doubt.
• That will do it for today. I hope you all enjoy you New Year’s celebration, whatever it may be. Again, thank you for the year that was 2021 and I look forward to a better and brighter 2022.
