Toews Returns, But Not Ready to Retire (Yet), He Loves Puppies, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

Ryan Pressly, New Cubs Closer? — After coming up short in their efforts to sign Tanner Scott and balking at the asking price of Kirby Yates, the Chicago Cubs are reportedly close to finding their new ninth-inning man. Turning back to the trade market - and back to the Astros, no less - the Cubs are reportedly close to acquiring 2024 set-up man and former closer Ryan Pressly. But naturally,...

It's not too often that a guy puts up a .280/.380/.459/139 wRC+, 4.3-WAR season and then has a completely silent free agency. But Jurickson Profar's situation was a bit unique, given how uneven his performance had been before 2024, his age going into 2025 (32), and his lack of a good defensive home. It was just hard to know exactly which teams were going to be in on him, and...

Having lost out to the Los Angeles Dodgers so many times, the Toronto Blue Jays apparently decided to just take a page out of their book. The recent deal they signed with outfielder Anthony Santander? It is MAAAAAASSIVELY deferred. Per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic on X, Santander’s five-year, $92.5 million deal is actually worth just $68.6 million in present-day value thanks to a whopping $61.75 million in deferrals(!). So...

It's a start! Nico Hoerner is taking some grounders out in Arizona, even if maybe not yet making full throws. Rich Biesterfeld got a clip: Nico is taking ground balls! Let the speculation begin…Credit: @biest22 #setupmanmovement pic.twitter.com/92WjS8ZoEz— The Setup Man - Chicago Cubs YT Channel (@setupmanpod) January 23, 2025 Hoerner, 27, dealt with a forearm issue for most of the 2024 season, and had the flexor tendon surgically repaired shortly...

I have been wondering for a couple months now whether the Chicago Cubs would stretch out reliever Nate Pearson in Spring Training, even if only as a back-up plan for the rotation, and it looks like we've got our answer. Per Meghan Montemurro, the Cubs will indeed stretch Pearson out as a starter in Spring Training "to an extent," though Jed Hoyer said the expectation is still that Pearson will...

What with all the other international hoopla of the last few weeks, it's understandable that Japanese lefty Shinnosuke Ogasawara has fallen off our radars. The Cubs reportedly have interest in him, and his posting window concludes tomorrow. So there will be a resolution one way or another very soon. As we've discussed, he's a tricky one to project in MLB, which makes it all the more difficult to say what...

I was always told not to over-mix your batter, and I knew it was a real thing. But until this past week, I didn't realize just how much of an ENORMOUS difference it can make in the taste, texture, and fluffiness of your baked goods. So, yeah, if you're into baking stuff, and if you aren't intentionally going for a denser, chewier product, truly make sure you're baaaaarely mixing that...

The Chicago Cubs have finally added a big league contract to their bench, signing veteran utilityman Jon Berti to a one-year deal. https://bsky.app/profile/bastianmlb.bsky.social/post/3lgerio63nk2l Berti, whose 35th birthday is today, was something of late-arriving big leaguer, not establishing himself as a bench guy until he was already 29. But, since then, he has usually been a nice contributor: A split-neutral righty, Jon Berti has a 95 wRC+ for his career, is...

There's some additional catching depth. Glad to see it, as I'd mentioned mild concerns about what would happen for the Cubs in a multiple-injury situation. Long-time big league back-up catcher Reese McGuire is coming to the Cubs on a minor league deal, per Aram Leighton of Just Baseball on X. The 29-year-old backstop won't supply much offense, but he's long been very good defensively, and has loads of experience. His...

Among a number of notes today over at The Athletic, Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney collected a list of POSSIBLE reliever targets still remaining for the Chicago Cubs, while noting that the list is almost certainly NOT exhaustive. Many are guys we've discussed here at length - several as recently as yesterday - so it's not necessarily going to blow your mind, but since these two reporters are well-plugged-in, I...

For the second consecutive day, the Chicago Bears sent out a request to a team that made the playoffs for permission to speak with an assistant coach regarding the vacant defensive coordinator position. On Wednesday, it was Los Angeles Rams assistant Aubrey Pleasant. One day later, Chicago's football team has reportedly put out a request to interview Daronte Jones of the Minnesota Vikings. NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport has the...

We don't know what the future holds for Ben Johnson. But at least we now know that new Chicago Bears head coach has a sense of humor — and a basic understanding of clock management. During an interview with Johnson on Fox Sports, Johnson was given a PURELY HYPOTHETICAL SCENARIO by host Danny Parkins. In the — again, purely hypothetical — scenario, Johnson's team is playing the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving and ......

Ben Johnson's introduction to the Chicago Bears as the team's new head coach wasn't the only notable NFL news that dropped on Wednesday. Khalil Mack, who told reporters he was unsure about his future after the Los Angeles Chargers' playoff loss at the hands of the Houston Texans on wild-card weekend, has apparently found some clarity. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the star pass-rusher plans on playing in 2025: https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1882064149020315832 This...

When I wrote about the Chicago Bears who received a vote from me on my 2024 PFWA ballot, I couldn't include my vote for Ben Johnson as Assistant Coach of the Year because, of course, he still worked for the Detroit Lions, and that work covered his time in Detroit. It was announced today that Johnson, now the head coach of the Chicago Bears, was voted the NFL's best assistant...

If you were wondering what impact Ben Johnson would have on personnel decisions now that he is the Chicago Bears' head coach, I think we just got our answer. Not that it should come as a surprise to anyone, but the new Bears head coach is set to prioritize improving the offensive line upon his arrival to Chicago. "I think offensive line is certainly an area that we need to...

We are already crossing off some notable names of possible Chicago Bears assistant coach candidates as Ben Johnson begins piecing together his staff. On Wednesday, it was reported that there was a sense that Detroit Lions Offensive Line Coach Hank Fraley would not be following Johnson and joining the Bears' coaching staff. Today, we are just about ready to fully cross Darren Rizzi off the wish list of assistant coach...

Day 18 of the Chicago Bears offseason. I’ve been fighting it for 5+ months, but I think I’m finally giving in to putting a work desk in my bedroom. Maybe I won’t feel so bad about it if I don’t call it a “work desk.” There is so much good stuff on the Ben Johnson front right now. I can't get enough. If anyone needs me, I'll be cramming my...

The changes at Halas Hall this offseason will not be limited to the head coach. The Athletic's Adam Jahns reports a handful of assistant coaches will *NOT* be retained by new Chicago Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson. Here is the early list: Thomas Brown, interim head coach Chris Beatty, interim offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach Eric Washington, defensive coordinator Kerry Joseph, quarterbacks coach Chris Morgan, offensive line coach It should...

The Chicago Bears have sent in a request to interview one of Sean McVay's top assistants for the team's vacant defensive coordinator position. Aubrey Pleasant, who has been coaching with the Los Angeles Rams since 2023, is a candidate to be the Bears' next defensive coordinator. And while I do understand that there is a presumption that the gig will ultimately go to Dennis Allen, the Bears should (1) do...

The nightmare that was the 2024 Chicago Bears season is over. Before the transactional period starts and the roster changes begin, we will recap the seasons of most of the 53-man roster. Next up: We're looking at the 2024 season of wide receiver Keenan Allen. Keenan Allen's 2024 Snapshot Keenan Allen finished the season with 70 receptions, 744 yards, and seven touchdowns on 117 targets. Despite being the Bears' second-leading...

The Chicago Bulls head to The Bay! Game Info Chicago Bulls (19-25) at Golden State Warriors (21-22) – 9:00 p.m. CT on Chicago Sports Network (TV) and 670 The Score (Radio) Lineups Chicago Bulls Josh Giddey Ayo Dosunmu Zach LaVine Patrick Williams Nikola Vucevic Golden State Warriors Stephen Curry Buddy Hield Gary Payton II Andrew Wiggins Kevon Looney (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Odds Chicago comes into today’s game as a 1.0-point...

Less than a month away from All-Star Weekend in San Francisco, the NBA has officially announced the 2024-25 All-Star starters. TNT's Inside the NBA crew did the honors ahead of their Thursday night doubleheader, which features the Miami Heat visiting the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics battling the Los Angeles Lakers. To no surprise, both games will feature All-Star starters. Giannis Antetokounmpo will make his ninth-straight All-Star appearance and...

A lot is up in the air ahead of the Chicago Bulls' meeting with the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night. According to the latest official injury report, both Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu are questionable for the late-night matchup. White missed the Bulls' previous meeting against the Clippers with ankle soreness, which led to the team having him examined by a foot doctor. Head coach Billy Donovan told K.C...

Most trade talk for the Chicago Bulls has revolved around the availability of Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic. And rightfully so. The two multi-time All-Stars have put together remarkable seasons, averaging some of the most efficient scoring numbers of their respective careers. Unfortunately for Chicago, they aren't in a place to make use of that as they attempt to keep their 2025 first-round pick, which was previously sent to San...

After snapping a five-game skid against the Los Angeles Clippers in blowout fashion, the Chicago Bulls continue their late-night hoops journey in The Bay. https://twitter.com/chicagobulls/status/1882414356107063727 Do you think Nikola Vucevic has been rehearsing extra hard for this audition? The big man has been linked to Golden State by several sources over the last couple of weeks. After a loss to the Sacramento Kings on Wednesday night, the Warriors sit 21-22...

The race to the NBA trade deadline could feature one giant obstacle. Jimmy Butler remains at the center of the league discourse. Requesting a trade from the Miami Heat, the veteran forward just received his second suspension of the month due to conduct detrimental to the team. Both he and the organization appear motivated to find him a new home sooner rather than later, and there is one team that...

As trade rumors continue to swirl, the Miami Heat have no time for distractions. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Heat have suspended Jimmy Butler for two games. The announcement comes only three games after Butler returned from a seven-game suspension due to conduct detrimental to the team. Charania shares that Butler missed the team's flight to Milwaukee on Wednesday and had plans to join them later in the...

While it may not be a particularly exciting update, Chicago Bulls fans will take anything they can get with the trade deadline quickly approaching. ESPN's Shams Charania gave a wide-ranging update on the state of the trade market this week. The NBA insider didn't connect any specific teams to the Bulls' top talent, but he did share that the front office has received interest in their Top 2 trade chips....

If Matas Buzelis is the only Chicago Bulls representative at All-Star Weekend, I will hand-write a letter to Adam Silver requesting a suspension for all 30 NBA head coaches.  Zach LaVine deserves to be in San Francisco. Considering the sheer irrelevance of the Bulls this season, I'm not necessarily surprised that LaVine has struggled to rank within the Top 10 of Eastern Conference guards in fan voting. Chicago isn't gracing...

While pretty much everything is a first for rookie Matas Buzelis this season, his trip to All-Star Weekend in February will be anything but. The 20-year-old has felt the bright lights of the NBA's annual extravaganza before. Playing for the G League Ignite during the 2023-24 campaign, he was one of several pre-draft players invited to the league's Rising Stars Game. And, boy, did Buzelis make the most of the...

When the Blackhawks recalled Ethan Del Mastro on Thursday, it was intriguing because they had eight healthy defensemen on the blue line. The move also left Rockford with only seven defensemen on their roster, some of whom are dealing with being banged up. The Blackhawks solved the logjam in the NHL (at least for now) on Thursday afternoon, announcing Wyatt Kaiser has been assigned to the IceHogs. With Craig Smith...

The Blackhawks made a couple roster moves on Thursday. Defenseman Ethan Del Mastro has been recalled from the Rockford IceHogs. To make room for Del Mastro on the NHL roster, the Blackhawks placed veteran forward Craig Smith on IR (retroactive to Jan. 8). https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks/status/1882467190164849107 Del Mastro, who turned 22 on Jan. 15, appeared in two games with the Blackhawks last year. He has eight assists in 38 games with Rockford...

On Thursday morning, the Blackhawks announced they have signed forward prospect AJ Spellacy to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal has a $975,000 cap hit. Spellacy, who turns 19 on Feb. 24, was a third-round pick by the Blackhawks (No. 72 overall) in the 2024 NHL Draft. He lit up the Blackhawks prospect showcase games and training camp this fall and turned a lot of heads at the USA Hockey...

There are some really good matchups on the schedule for the Blackhawks' college prospects this weekend, and four players will have a little extra incentive to show well. Sam Rinzel, Ryan Greene, Aidan Thompson and freshman Sacha Boisvert were named nominees for the 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award on Wednesday. Which is awesome! Big rivalries this weekend with BU facing BC, Providence getting UMass-Lowell and Denver visiting Minnesota-Duluth. But the...

Since we've got three days between games this week, there's time for the Blackhawks to take Tuesday off and then have a practice with very few guys on the ice Wednesday. Why so few? Alec Martinez and Teuvo Teräväinen were out for maintenance. Jason Dickinson, who left the game on Monday night in a lot of pain, is sick. Interim head coach Anders Sorensen said his arm/elbow are okay and...

With points in their last three games, the Chicago Blackhawks have successfully moved out of the worst point percentage in the NHL. Congratulations are in order for the fightin' Celebrinis in San Jose, because they're now on the clock! So let's update our 2025 NHL Mock Draft. Since our last mock draft effort, a lot more than the draft order has changed. NHL Central Scouting published their mid-term rankings, which...

Fan voting for the 2025 Hobey Baker Memorial Award (college hockey’s Heisman Trophy) is now open, and there are four Blackhawks prospects who are nominees from their respective universities. Nominees were voted on by the coaches and fans at their respective universities. Here are the four Blackhawks prospects who are nominees this year: Aidan Thompson, Denver Sam Rinzel, Minnesota Ryan Greene, Boston University Sacha Boisvert, North Dakota Fans can vote...

Below is the GameScore Impact Card for the Blackhawks' loss on Monday night. You'll find at the very bottom a line that's dramatically worse than anyone else on the roster. TJ Brodie had a tough night. Again. https://twitter.com/hockeystatcards/status/1881556036902944930?s=51&t=ESwYjOKcGL_TWWx-NV4tsw I know he got a two-year deal. And I know I did my best to justify the deal by considering the organ-I-zation was looking for a left-handed defenseman who could play the...

We're getting closer to the NHL's trade deadline (March 7), but the rumors are hot already. A big reason for that is the fact that 15 of the 16 teams in the Eastern Conference can plausibly argue they have a shot at making the playoffs. Which is great news for sellers this year -- including the Chicago Blackhawks. A couple good pieces this week on the subject that I recommend...

The Blackhawks played a really good team last night and almost mirrored the script from the Vegas game perfectly -- until they gave up a tying goal in the third period and lost in overtime. The difference between the two teams: Carolina's speed. The Canes are one of the fastest teams in the league and have speed from top to bottom in the lineup; you saw it on Seth Jarvis'...