NEWSLETTER
So how did you feel about the Blackhawks staying at the sixth overall pick in the draft lottery last night? Are you okay with the Hawks keeping their first-round pick in 2023 instead of getting a shot at Shane Wright this year? Or would you prefer Wright is in the organization in July?
We shared what the Blackhawks’ draft board looks like post-lottery this morning. Don’t worry, Blackhawks fans. There will still be plenty of news during the 2022 NHL Draft for our team… just not in the first round (for now).
• USA Hockey shared a video of Seth Jones being named the team captain for the Worlds on Tuesday. Neat moment to see the player reactions.
https://twitter.com/usahockey/status/1524116093350031360
• USA Hockey had a game on Wednesday morning. Well… a warm-up game for the Worlds against Canada. And it wasn’t streamed anywhere, so you didn’t miss anything unless you’re looking for it on social media (which we are, of course). Blackhawks defenseman Caleb Jones, a pending RFA this summer, had an assist on the first US goal in the game (from Riley Barber). Canada won the game 4-3 in a shootout.
• Do you have a passionate hockey fan in your life who happens to be 13-17 years old? The NHL re-introduced its NHL Power Players program on Wednesday. It’s a youth advisory board; the league is looking for young fans to help guide their engagement strategy. It’s a smart play targeting a younger audience. Frankly, other sports could learn from it… if they felt they needed it (cough, baseball, cough).
We are looking for young, passionate hockey fans age 13-17 for the 2022-23 season of NHL Power Players!
Apply Today ➡️ https://t.co/YIws9rgUjw pic.twitter.com/9jHOTozDPj
— NHL (@NHL) May 11, 2022
• If you stayed up past midnight last night to watch the playoff hockey on ESPN, you saw the LA Kings and Edmonton Oilers play a fun game that needed overtime to be decided. PK Subban, who sat with Chris Chelios in the studio for what felt like 12 hours for the four games ESPN had on its two networks, named Adrian Kempe of the Kings as his pick to click for the OT winner. Nice call, PK.
• Unfortunately, our old friend Duncan Keith was trending on Twitter this morning after Kempe took a victory lap around him for the OT GWG.
• Here’s tonight’s playoff schedule. Thanks to Colorado’s sweep of the Preds, there are only three games on tap for your viewing pleasure.
Penguins @ Rangers — 6 pm — ESPN (Pens lead series 3-1)
Capitals @ Panthers — 6:30 pm — ESPN2 (Series tied 2-2)
Stars @ Flames — 8:30 pm — ESPN (Series tied 2-2)
• Future Hall of Famer Patrick Marleau called it a career on Tuesday. The second overall pick in the 1997 NHL Draft was born in the 1970s… which is pretty amazing when you consider this year’s draft class will have been born in 2004. It’s also pretty cool that he’ll be remembered for spending most of his career playing with the No. 1 overall pick from that 1997 draft class, Joe Thornton.
Congratulations to Patrick Marleau on a historic NHL career that spanned 23 seasons, during which the forward totalled 1,197 points over 1,779 GP as the league's all-time leader in regular-season appearances.
Best of luck in retirement, Patrick! pic.twitter.com/41UIT1VBQo
— NHLPA (@NHLPA) May 10, 2022
• There was some late-night excitement in South Bend last night.
South Bend Cubs Complete a Huge Comeback with a Walk-Off Homer – https://t.co/8UNDGmLliN pic.twitter.com/iVsjPFFfJV
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) May 11, 2022
