NEWSLETTER
Today on social media, you are going to be seeing a lot of people in the Hockey world use the hashtag #BellLetsTalk. It’s a charity initiative through Bell Media to promote Mental Health Awareness, where every hashtag used donates five cents to Canadian mental health organizations. It’s a great cause and one that is embraced by so many. But it became hollow when Bell fired hundreds of employees last February, while accepting COVID relief funds and reportedly increasing shareholder dividends in 2021. Firing people in the middle of a pandemic to boost your shareholders is not a great way to take care of those employees’ mental health. So while I’ve always been all-in on Bell Let’s Talk day, I can’t support it. Others do and will, and that’s fine. But Mental Health Awareness needs more than a hashtag and more than just one day.
For many, it’s a 24/7, 365 struggle. Dealing with mental health issues come in all shapes and sizes, from anxiety and depression to substance abuse and eating disorders to being a victim of sexual assault or dealing with the societal challenges of being part of the LGBTQ+ community, and everything in-between.
Here are a number of organizations that provide help, resources, and education for various mental health initiatives:
– Anxiety and Depression Association of America
– The Trevor Project (Suicide Prevention and Intervention for LGBTQ+ youth)
– Shatterproof (Non-profit addiction treatment)
– Sick Not Weak (Canadian charitable foundation aimed to educate and change stigma around mental illness)
– RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network – Anti-sexual violence organization)
– National Alliance on Mental Illness
– NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association)
Everyone has a story, everyone has challenges big and small. Everyone goes through something. If you are dealing with mental health issues, know that you are not alone and that you and your struggles matter. People are here for you.
• Now, onto hockey.
• It’s a big day in the grand hockey world with it being the 61st Birthday for Wayne Gretzky!
Happy 61st Birthday to “The Great One” #Blackhawks Lege- wait a minute… pic.twitter.com/FX8cEC6fOE
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 26, 2022
• No, this is not photoshopped, but it is not from “reality.” This was Gretzky playing at a fantasy camp where the Blackhawks were the team picked to have the fantasy camp sweaters made after.
• It’s also a big day because it is a Blackhawks-Red Wings gameday. Chicago is on the road tonight taking on the rival Red Wings in Detroit. Chicago has lost their last four-straight heading into tonight’s contest.
Derek King's end-of-skate talk today was longish:
"You can see them a little frustrated. But I tried to loosen them up… We've still got to play free and enjoy this and be relaxed and not grip the stick, but we also have to play with structure. Let's go out and have some fun."
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) January 26, 2022
• We are also one day closer to March 21, the NHL Trade Deadline. A number of Blackhawks should be moved prior to, or on that day. One is defenseman Calvin de Haan. He spoke to The Athletic about what it is like as a player rumored to be traded…
Calvin de Haan is the quintessential trade-deadline acquisition — a respected veteran D on an expiring deal who's good in the room and playing some of the best hockey of his career.
So what's it like knowing every day could be your last in Chicago?
Read: https://t.co/nuetjbek75 pic.twitter.com/rKAsECPMwK
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) January 26, 2022
• Another player that should be traded by Chicago, but it’s a bit more complicated given his circumstances coming to the Blackhawks, is Marc-Andre Fleury. According to Elliotte Friedman, a trade between Chicago and Washington could be in the mix…
Is a Blackhawks-Capitals Trade Involving Marc-André Fleury Heating Up?https://t.co/s3t5fVY5Wk pic.twitter.com/lxdHqnNo3C
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 26, 2022
• Fleury has been one of two players keeping this Blackhawks season from being an absolute dumpster-fire. He, along with Alex DeBrincat, have been the primary reasons Chicago could even entertain the idea of maybe willing themselves into a postseason chase.
• But “will” only gets you so far. For Chicago, their historic inability to score goals this season has sunk them to the bottom of the NHL standings again.
The Blackhawks’ Inability to Score Has Sunk Their Season https://t.co/7E8Kb1I0Wx pic.twitter.com/W4tqZ2ejd2
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 25, 2022
• The only two times the team has failed to score 200 or more goals combined in a full 82-game schedule was in 2003-04 and 2006-07. This Blackhawks team is on-pace to score less than those two teams. Think about that.
• In NHL news, the Vancouver Canucks have a new GM.
BREAKING: Patrik Allvin has accepted the Vancouver Canucks general manager job.https://t.co/3b9YygjdY7
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 26, 2022
• As do the Chicago Bears!
IT'S OFFICIAL: Ryan Poles is #DaBears new GM – https://t.co/O7YCdMtw6t pic.twitter.com/FYqkUdhWAo
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) January 26, 2022
• Making history in a good way last night was Flyers defenseman Keith Yandle. Playing in his 965th-straight game, Yandle becomes the new “Iron Man” of the NHL, surpassing Doug Jarvis’s previous record of 964 consecutive games played.
• Unfortunately, the Flyers lost again, making it 13-straight losses (0-10-3) for Philadelphia.
• Philadelphia will be bringing in former Blackhawks coach John Torchetti to be an assistant to Mike Yeo. You might remember Torchetti’s name for a number of reasons, but most recently for how he was involved in the Kyle Beach sexual assault investigations…
Torchetti was one of the coaches with Chicago that supported Kyle Beach from the beginning and reportedly brought the allegations to management back in 2010. https://t.co/xXt1pKizm6
— thomas williams (@nosalaryretaind) January 25, 2022
• Speaking of former Blackhawks, there will be 16 players with ties to the organization that will be playing in the Men’s Olympic Hockey tournament in Beijing.
Meet the Former Blackhawks and IceHogs Heading to the Winter Olympicshttps://t.co/vp2WxSV2IV
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 26, 2022
• You’ll remember most, but might have a few players in here that will make you go, “Oh yeah him!” I know I did.
• That will do it for today. Hope you all enjoy your Wednesday and take care of yourselves. Also, stay warm!
• We will see you later tonight for Blackhawks-Red Wings at 6:30 p.m. CT.
