An Athanasiou Appearance! Crawford Honored, Whiny Toronto, and Other Blackhawks Super Bowl Sunday Bullets

Happy Super Bowl Sunday to those celebrating. It’s 49ers vs. Chiefs in Las Vegas this evening. Who ya got, Blackhawks fans? I’m trying to decide if I’m wearing my Devin Hester Pro Bowl Jersey or my Joe Montana Chiefs jersey this evening. The Montana would be an all-time bet hedge at the shin dig but Hester just got in the Hall of Fame. Which jersey gets your vote for me to wear?

  • Hey how about a guest appearance from Andreas Athanasiou at practice on Saturday? Head coach Luke Richardson noted that it is indeed encouraging that he’s back on the ice, but there is still no timeline on his return.
  • The IceHogs retired Corey Crawford‘s No. 29 and inducted him into their Ring of Honor last night. Great stuff for a guy who should have won the Conn Smythe in 2013 and was significantly better than most will ever give him credit for because of the team he played with in those Stanley Cup winning years. Much respect to No. 29 (and, in Chicago, 50).
  • Landon Slaggert scored Notre Dame’s first goal and assisted on their second in a 3-2 loss at No. 4 Wisconsin last night. He now has 17 goals and 10 assists in 30 games this season; the 27 points are a new career high for the Irish captain. His final regular-season home series is this coming weekend when Minnesota visits South Bend.
  • In the college ranks last night, Minnesota beat Penn State 3-0 for the second straight night. Oliver Moore was held without a point but put three shots on net and won 8 of 15 faceoffs. Sam Rinzel didn’t register a point, either, but blocked four shots.
  • Michigan lost 3-2 to Michigan State at Little Ceaser’s Arena in Detroit last night, a weekend sweep for Sparty. Frank Nazar III did not register a point but won 13 of a team-high 25 faceoffs.
  • Providence won 4-3 in overtime at No. 7 Maine on Saturday night. Connor Kelley blocked one shot and Taige Harding put one shot on net.
  • Okay, let’s get into the whole unwritten rules conversation from overnight. As you can see below, the Ottawa Senators were beating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 late when Ridly Greig got a chance to shoot an easy breakaway into an empty net. He opted to go with the Larmer/Hossa Special and rip off a slapper for emphasis. At which point Morgan Reilly decided a crosscheck to the back of the head was necessary.
  • A couple things… first, the Sens suck this year (again) so them beating a Leafs team that’s not exactly playing as well as their fans/media market expect is undoubtedly fun for them. Especially in Ottawa in front of their fans. The Leafs losing to a team they’re supposed to beat isn’t a great look this time of year, so they were clearly frustrated. So Grieg teeing up a slapper was going to (probably intentionally) piss someone off. It’s like a batter pimping a home run in an 11-2 game off a middle infielder. The next day, the pitcher has two options when that guy comes back up to the plate: change-up to the wallet or a fastball around the head. In this case, Reilly opted to go fastball at the head.
  • I get it. There’s the whole unwritten code. Grieg knows it. But Reilly opting to do what he did instead of either barking at him/maybe whacking him in the back of the legs is selecting the fastball up and in, which is bush league. I hope Reilly gets suspended for a game because he took the whole code enforcement too far. Because, after all, if you don’t want to be embarrassed at the end of the game don’t let the Senators score four times and force your team to pull the goalie in the first place.
  • Congrats to Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane on playing in his 1,200th career regular-season game last night. We’ll see him in a couple weeks.
  • Finally, and speaking of No. 1 overall picks like Kane, the Chicago Bears own the top pick in the NFL draft for the second consecutive year. Last year, they traded back with Carolina and were able to add a nice stockpile of talent to the roster — and the pick that now sits on top of the board. With a highly-touted prospects at the top of the draft in Caleb Williams, the Bears are reportedly asking for A LOT to move back this year. Let’s see if anyone is willing to back up the Brinks truck in the coming weeks.
  • 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

    UPDATE: Stadium to Partner With Standard Media Group to Build Blackhawks, Bulls & White Sox TV Network

    Over the weekend I shared a news story from Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers at The Athletic that detailed the formation of the new regional sports network (RSN) that would eventually be the home for Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls and White...

    Utah’s NHL Franchise Reveals List Of 20 Potential New Names

    If you were hoping to find out what the artist formerly known as the Arizona Coyotes / Utah's new NHL franchise's nickname could be, you might want to brace for disappointment. This week, ownership of the newest NHL franchise --...

    Luke Richardson is Suddenly One of the Longest-Tenured Head Coaches in the NHL

    When the Toronto Maple Leafs fired Sheldon Keefe on Thursday morning, it didn't surprise most people. But one aspect of the move certainly got my attention. The Leafs installed Keefe as their head coach on November 20, 2019, which made...

    Slaggert’s Path, Fight Night in Florida, Comeback Canucks, Keefe Out, College Decisions, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    This year's NHL Draft Lottery was the first time since 2010 that no team moved up. Which was surprising, and a win for the Blackhawks. Ben Pope shared this nugget, which is also interesting. The Rangers selected forward Kaapo Kakko...

    Blackhawks Prospect Roman Kantserov a Finalist for KHL Rookie of the Year

    Blackhawks prospect Roman Kantserov was named one of the three finalists for the KHL's rookie of the year award on Thursday. Kantserov, a second-round pick (No. 44) in the 2023 NHL Draft, scored 8 goals with 7 assists in 53...

    Maple Leafs Fire Head Coach Sheldon Keefe

    The foregone conclusion has become a reality in Toronto: the Maple Leafs have fired head coach Sheldon Keefe. https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1788570889035919850 Keefe took over as the head coach in Toronto in November of 2019, replacing Mike Babcock. He ranks fifth all-time in...

    NHL Mock Draft Roundup: What Are People Saying the Blackhawks Will Do at No. 2?

    The 2024 NHL Draft Lottery was held on Tuesday night, locking the order of the top 16 selections in the 2024 NHL Draft. Which means we're now getting flooded with mock draft predictions for teams owning those selections -- and...

    Blackhawks Fans Guide to the IIHF World Championship

    While we're watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs without the Blackhawks, there are a few guys from the NHL roster this season competing for a championship of their own. The IIHF World Championship is taking place in Czechia from May 10-26....

    2024 NHL Mock Draft: Post-Draft Lottery, Two-Round Pandemonium

    This is our first mock draft in which the top 23 selections are locked. The 2024 NHL Draft Lottery took place last night, so now we know the order of the top 16 picks in the 2024 NHL Draft. And,...

    We Were Treated To TWO Stanley Cup Playoff OT Games Last Night

    There's just nothing better than overtime hockey in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Whether it's the team you root for or you have zero emotional investment in the game it's impossible not to be on the edge of your seat and...

    Latest News

    UPDATE: Stadium to Partner With Standard Media Group to Build Blackhawks, Bulls & White Sox TV Network

    Over the weekend I shared a news story from Mark Lazerus and Scott Powers at The Athletic that detailed the formation of the new regional sports network (RSN) that would eventually be the home for Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls and White...

    Caris LeVert Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Celtics – Conference Semifinals Game 2, Thursday, May 9, 2024

    The Cleveland Cavaliers meet the Boston Celtics at 7:00 PM ET on Thursday, in Game 2 of the second round of the NBA playoffs, and one of the 3-pointer props available for this matchup requires only one make from Caris...

    Yordan Àlvarez’s Reaction to Jon Singleton’s Monster Home Run Was All of Us

    Houston Astros first baseman Jon Singleton hit a behemoth home run this afternoon at Yankee Stadium, and his teammate Yordan Álvarez's reaction, caught on camera by the broadcast, was absolutely perfect. First, the blast by Singleton, which came on a...

    Phoenix Suns Reportedly Fire Frank Vogel After One Season

    The Phoenix Suns will look for their third head coach in three seasons. According to multiple reports, Frank Vogel has officially been relieved of his duties. The organization made the call after just his first season with the franchise, where...

    Patrick Beverley’s Punishment Handed Down by the NBA

    Following his inappropriate antics after the Bucks' Game 6 and series loss to the Indiana Pacers last week, the NBA has punished Patrick Beverley. The former Bulls' guard has been suspended for four games by the league for throwing a...

    NBA Series Odds: Which Teams Will Win and Move on to the 2024 Conference Finals?

    As the NBA playoffs heat up, and the NBA series odds adjust, the question on every basketball fan's mind is: Which teams will advance to the coveted Conference Finals? The intensity on the court escalates, and so does the speculation...

    It’s Time to Get Excited About Moises Ballesteros

    I don't think anyone would seriously consider ranking Cubs catching prospect Moises Ballesteros above guys like Pete Crow-Armstrong or Cade Horton right now. But after those two, and after the start Ballesteros has had at Double-A this season (at his...

    Goodyear 400 Odds from Darlington Raceway: Going Old-School on NASCAR’s Throwback Weekend

    The "Lady in Black" is calling, and NASCAR's best are ready to answer. This weekend, all three NASCAR series roar into Darlington Raceway where many will earn their Darlington stripes. But before the engines fire, let's focus on Goodyear 400...

    David Bote Went Yard Twice Today – What’s Next for Him and the Cubs?

    A familiar face is putting together quite the day for the Iowa Cubs. Coming up to the plate in the bottom of the 2nd down 1-0 to Columbus, David Bote gave Iowa the lead. The veteran smashed a high fastball...

    DeMar DeRozan Has Officially Announced a New Memoir!

    DeMar DeRozan is a six-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA team member, mid-range maestro, and now ... an author! The Chicago Bulls' forward officially announced on Thursday that he is releasing a memoir titled "Above the Noise." Dave Zarum is also listed...

    more blackhawks news