Söderblom Bounces Back, Kaner Sits, Coyotes Sue Phoenix, Wolves Going Solo, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

It’s a big night for the future of the Blackhawks as an organization. Three young players will take part in the Frozen Four before the NHL squad visits the Vancouver Canucks. After a regulation win in Calgary on Tuesday, the Blackhawks are now third in the Bad for Bedard standings. Thankfully, they’ve already drafted Drew Commesso, Ryan Greene and Frank Nazar. Those three will skate in the NCAA semifinals in Tampa tonight. We’ve got your full breakdown and times/television here.

  • I enjoyed this piece by Ben Pope on Rockford goaltender Arvid Söderblom. Before the season started, I predicted he would lead the Blackhawks (in the NHL) in goaltender wins this season (I was wrong). Jaxson Stauber has spent more time in the NHL this season than Söderblom. But when called upon, Söderblom has been decent. Heading into restricted free agency this summer with the likelihood that the Blackhawks sign Drew Commesso, Söderblom is trying to earn a chance to run it back in Chicago in a possible tandem situation with Petr Mrazek (or someone else). After some tough times earlier this season, he’s been really good down the stretch.
  • The Seattle Thunderbirds, boasting three Blackhawks prospects, eliminated the Kelowna Rockets from the WHL playoffs last night. Why share the handshake line video from the losing side? Because they captured their former captain, Colton Dach, hugging it out with his former teammates. Dach was the captain in Kelowna before he was traded to Seattle following the World Juniors.
  • Chris Vosters isn’t going to take a lot of time off after the end of his first season as the lead play-by-play voice of the Blackhawks. He shared on Twitter that he’s going to do a little baseball this summer. According to the release he shared, Vosters will call the Cubs at Miami Marlins game on Sunday, April 30, at 11:05 AM CT and the Los Angeles Angels at Cleveland Guardians game on Sunday, May 14, at 10:35 AM CT as part of the MLB Sunday Leadoff package on Peacock this season.
  • With the Rangers almost certainly secure in the No. 3 seed in the Metropolitan Division, it’s become maintenance season. And Patrick Kane was left out of the active lineup for the Blue Shirts last night against the Tampa Bay Lightning as he continues to keep his body right for the playoffs. I’ve already seen a couple Rangers blogs starting the “his hip isn’t okay!” talk and you know what — it might not be. But he’s been good for the Rangers and they probably aren’t catching the Devils so do the right thing.
  • On Wednesday, the OHL announced the 20 team nominees for the Red Tilson Trophy, their Most Outstanding Player during the 2022-23 regular season. The players are submitted by OHL member teams. Kingston nominated Blackhawks prospect Paul Ludwinski, who recently signed is entry-level contract with Chicago.
  • In the “what the sam hell is going on here?” category of news, the Arizona Coyotes — you know, the franchise that the NHL has been propping up for more than a decade through ownership changes, unpaid bills, relocations, evictions and cap circumventing trades — filed the following lawsuit against the city of Phoenix. The release reads like a bad joke, but here we are. Maybe the NHL should just find an actual owner for the franchise and move them to Houston so they can look and act like grown-ups like the rest of the league?
  • Scott Powers at The Athletic shared that the Chicago Wolves are going solo — they’re going to stick around the AHL, but without an NHL affiliation. This is a huge move for both the Wolves and the AHL. The league hasn’t had a member team play without an NHL affiliation agreement since the 1994-95 season. The Wolves, meanwhile, have won the Calder Cup three times since joining the league in 2001 but have bounced around with their affiliation over the past decade. And it appears their general manager, who has been in the role for 14 years, is done with his culture being dictated by an NHL front office.
  • “Within our affiliation, it says we will develop and also we want to win a Calder Cup,” Wolves GM Wendell Young told Powers. “I think the philosophy has changed, not our philosophy, but the philosophy has changed from up top. … It was all about development. And our philosophy, it’s in our affiliation, that says develop and win. We think by winning, we develop. That’s where we stand.

    “Also, some organizations are development-only, but we think if we have development and win playoff games, guys learn how to win, which you’re trying to do all the time. That’s changed. It’s time to go independent and follow our own philosophy.”

  • Finally, the Bulls are now locked into the play-in round in the NBA’s postseason. Yeah, they’re backing in and don’t look great, but all you need is a chance… right?
  • written by

    Tab Bamford has been writing about the Chicago Blackhawks for almost two decades. He joined Bleacher Nation as the lead Blackhawks writer in May 2022. Tab is a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and is the author of two books about the Blackhawks: "100 Things Blackhawks Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die" (Triumph Books) and "Chicago Blackhawks: An Illustrated Timeline" (Reedy Press, 2021). Find him on Twitter/X/Instagram/Threads at @The1Tab

    more blackhawks news

    Blackhawks 0, Senators 2 — Three Stars, Key Takeaways

    Remember when the Blackhawks went to California for three games and started each game like they had 45 minutes of hockey to start caring? And dug a deep hole in each game that they were only able to escape from...

    Blackhawks at Senators – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    Don't look now, but the Chicago Blackhawks have won six of their last ten games. They still sit in second for the NHL draft lottery, but they're trending in the right direction; they're .500 in the month of March with...

    These 3 Blackhawks Veterans Are Having Terrific Seasons

    Entering Thursday night's action, the Chicago Blackhawks have the second-worst point percentage in the NHL -- even while they're 6-4-0 in their last 10 games. And they own the second-worst goal differential in the league (minus-76). It's been a long,...

    28 on 28: Steve Larmer’s Rookie Season Remains the Blackhawks’ Standard

    We're ten games away from the end of the 2023-24 regular season, and Connor Bedard continues to put up remarkable numbers for at age 18 in his first professional season. He will likely join Steve Larmer on the list of...

    The Greatest Sports Watching Day of the Year, Next Year’s TV, an IceHogs Stunner, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    Congratulations, sports fans! Today, March 28, 2024 is the greatest sports viewing day of the calendar year. Hands down, lock it up, no competition. It's Opening Day in MLB and Sweet 16 day one in the NCAA men's basketball tournament....

    NHL Notes: Penguins Paradox, Torts Apologizes, Doan’s Dazzling Debut, Rangers Punch Ticket, More

    It's a mid-week edition of NHL Notes and we have plenty to cover around the league. The Penguins find themselves with a tricky decision as their season draws to a close. John Tortorella dished out an apology to one of...

    We Need to Talk About Jason Dickinson As a Selke Trophy Candidate — Again

    Back in early February as the Blackhawks wrapped their pre-All-Star Game schedule, I wrote about Jason Dickinson's case for Selke Trophy votes. We're now ten games away from the end of Chicago's regular season, and with Dickinson reaching 20 goals...

    Slaggert’s Big Night, Bedard’s Tape, Felcman to Rockford, Anderson, Tinordi, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    I'm gonna continue to smile, just like Landon Slaggert, because of his performance in last night's Blackhawks win. The former Notre Dame captain had his parents and young brother in the stands and he had one helluva game last night....

    Blackhawks 3, Flames 1 — Three Stars, Key Takeaways

    The message Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson was trying to get across with Monday's bag skate clearly landed. The start Chicago had on Tuesday night was a polar opposite of what they showed in the three games in California. They...

    Blackhawks vs Flames – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    After a disappointing road trip that saw the Blackhawks get smoked for 7 of 9 periods, the team got a bag skate on Monday to think about their effort. They'll get back on the ice tonight in front of a...

    Latest News

    Astros vs. Yankees: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    On Friday, Kyle Tucker and the Houston Astros (0-1) face Juan Soto and the New York Yankees (1-0), with first pitch scheduled for 8:10 PM ET at Minute Maid Park.Keep reading to find out all the details on how to...

    Rays vs. Blue Jays: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

    The Toronto Blue Jays (1-0), led by Vladimir Guerrero Jr., visit the Tampa Bay Rays (0-1) at 6:50 PM ET on Friday.Keep scrolling to find out all the details on how to watch Tampa Bay square off against Toronto live.When...

    CRAAAAAAP: Justin Steele Exits the Game with an Injury (UPDATES)

    Yep. That's about as bad as it gets. All those fears and anxieties you felt when Justin Steele took that liner off his knee in spring training came back tonight, only this time it's a soft tissue injury during the...

    Heat vs. Trail Blazers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Portland Trail Blazers (19-54) are heavy underdogs (+14.5) as they attempt to break an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Miami Heat (39-33) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at FTX Arena. The matchup airs...

    Cavaliers vs. 76ers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Cleveland Cavaliers (44-29) take the court against the Philadelphia 76ers (39-34) as 7.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:30 PM ET on NBCS. The matchup has an over/under of 210 points.Cavaliers vs. 76ers OddsCavaliers odds to win:...

    Knicks vs. Spurs Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The New York Knicks (44-28) are heavily favored (-10) to continue a three-game winning streak when they visit the San Antonio Spurs (17-56) at 8:00 PM ET on Friday, March 29, 2024 at AT&T Center. The contest airs on BSSW....

    Wizards vs. Pistons Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Detroit Pistons (12-61) are 2.5-point underdogs as they attempt to turn around an eight-game losing streak when they visit the Washington Wizards (14-59) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Capital One Arena. The matchup airs at 7:00 PM ET...

    Pacers vs. Lakers Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Los Angeles Lakers (41-32) will attempt to extend a five-game winning streak when they hit the road to play the Indiana Pacers (41-33) on Friday, March 29, 2024 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse as just 2.5-point underdogs. The game airs at...

    Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Western's top two teams, the Denver Nuggets (51-22) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (50-22), hit the court at Ball Arena on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 9:00 PM ET on ALT. The Nuggets are favored by 6.5 points at home....

    Warriors vs. Hornets Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Friday, March 29, 2024

    The Golden State Warriors (38-34) play the Charlotte Hornets (18-54) as double-digit, 11.5-point favorites on Friday, March 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET on NBCS. The over/under is set at 218 in the matchup.Warriors vs. Hornets OddsWarriors odds to win:...

    more blackhawks news