It’s game day with the Blackhawks in Detroit for a significant games for both teams. The Red Wings played at Madison Square Garden last night. Patrick Kane dressed for the morning skate, but won’t join the team in a game quite yet. So he was available to talk to the guys on TNT last night about his recovery and how he feels. It’s interesting to hear him honestly talk about how limited he was for two seasons — especially when you consider he put up 92 points in 78 games in one of the seasons he describes as having been played on one leg.
It’s worth noting the Red Wings lost 3-2 at the Rangers last night.
Travis Kelce apparently loves him some Connor Bedard. That’s his name, Travis. CONNOR BEDARD.
I know I’ve brought it up a lot this season, but Nick Foligno is a stud. An absolute beauty. He’s already on my Mr. Rushmore of Short-Term Blackhawks Veterans in the last 20 years. When he was asked about the potential leadership void in the room with the departure of he-who-shall-no-longer-be-named and Taylor Hall being down for the year because of injury, he appreciate the idea but immediately talked about other guys in the room stepping up. He is the de facto captain of this team, and we’re so fortunate that he’s a Blackhawk. Ben Pope wrote a terrific story about Foligno and the Blackhawks’ leadership right now that, somehow, is disappointing, evolving and strong all at the same time.
As you might imagine, the situation that unfolded over the past week in Chicago got plenty of attention to open Elliote Friedman’s weekly written version of his “32 Thoughts.” I beg you: read what he has to say. It’s spot on — and it isn’t from someone who lives in Chicago, covers the Blackhawks or cheers for the team. This is from an international insider who’s one of the best in the reporting game right now. His comments are fair, balanced and spot on.
For those who are running out to get an Anthony Beauvillier jersey for that special someone for the holidays, note that he’ll be wearing No. 91 for the Blackhawks. He’ll be just the fourth player in franchise history to wear the number, following in the footsteps of legends Brad Richards, Anthony Duclair and Drake Caggiula.
In his “32 Thoughts” column, Friedman shared a fun anecdote that I wanted to include here. He said he asked each of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees “what was the best compliment they received.” Here’s what one of them told him:
Mike Vernon mentioned two handwritten notes he received: one from Lou Lamoriello upon the announcement of the goalie’s induction, another from former University of Michigan head football coach Lloyd Carr. Carr coached the Wolverines to a national championship in 1998, the same year Vernon won the Stanley Cup in Detroit. They met at a luncheon, and Vernon was surprised a week or so later when Carr wrote to tell him how much he loved Vernon’s competitive fire.
Over at The Athletic, Chris Johnston published his Trade Market Big Board. Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson checks in at No. 14 on the list, which interested me because of his $5 million cap hit (albeit the final year of the deal). He’s described as a “Cup-experienced bottom-six forward.” I’ll be interested to see if there’s more smoke around TJ because he’s a good dude who plays the game hard and would be a nice get for a team that wants to win, but that cap number isn’t great for a guy who brings experience to the bottom-six.
Finally, let’s check in on the Shohei Ohtani Free Agency buzz:
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