Usually I don’t lead my bullets with something that isn’t Blackhawks specific, but it’s Saturday, the Blackhawks aren’t playing well and didn’t skate last night and… this is fabulous. Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made NHL history last night. He scored a goal — and picked up an assist in a 5-2 win over the Sabres. The goal wasn’t a cheap one, either.
ALEX NEDELJKOVIC GOALIE GOAL! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/VY3nmoV2jF
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 18, 2025
- A few quasi-updates on the health front from Blackhawks interim head coach Anders Sorensen on Friday: Craig Smith isn’t skating, Pat Maroon was just maintenance and should be good to play on Saturday, Connor Murphy is “progressing” (that’s all we got) and Laurent Brossoit is still a figment of our collective imagination.
- If you’re in the neighborhood tonight before the Blackhawks host the Golden Knights, I’ll be LIVE in-person joining Charlie Roumeliotis and Kevin Powell for some pregame puck talk on WGN Radio at The Barn Hockey Bar around 5 PM.
- David Pagnotta at The Fourth Period dropped a column with some trade rumor comments and updates. He opens with some talk on the suddenly warm Seth Jones trade market. Here’s part of what Pagnotta wrote:
According to separate sources, the Blackhawks are willing to move Jones – under the right circumstances, of course – and would also be open to retaining some of his contract, which comes with a $9.5 million salary cap hit.
Jones, 30, owns a full no-movement clause for the entirety of his contract and would have to sign off on any deal the team tries to complete. While formal talks between the Blackhawks and Jones and his agent Pat Brisson about waiving his NMC and/or providing a list of teams he would accept a deal to have not yet occurred, sources suggest the player would also be open to a change of scenery for the right environment.
- With Frank Nazar still with the Blackhawks in the NHL, the IceHogs needed to replace him at the 2025 AHL All-Star Game. Cole Guttman, come on down! Good for Guttman, who’s having a good season and could probably see a return to the NHL at some point if enough bodies are moved out before the deadline. He has 16 goals and 17 assists in 35 games with the IceHogs this season.
- This was a bit of a surprise on Friday: the Edmonton Oilers signed UFA defenseman John Klingberg for the rest of the season. I guess we’ll see what he’s got left…
- Good read here from ben Pope following up on the comments earlier this week relayed on the “32 Thoughts” podcast interview by GMKD in which he said Connor Bedard asks him how other young prospects are doing and keeps an eye on the next generation — his generation — of the franchise while working on his game in the NHL. A good one to look at before…
Hey how about some Blackhawks prospect highlights?
- Ryan Greene got on the board early for Boston University last night. He added a second goal later as BU rolled to a 6-3 win over New Hampshire. Greene finished the night with two goals, five shots on net, one blocked shot and won 8 of 15 faceoffs.
Friday night 🚨 for #Blackhawks prospect Ryan Greene for @TerrierHockey
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 18, 2025
pic.twitter.com/TnRl7tTyv8
A second Friday night 🚨 for #Blackhawks prospect Ryan Greene for @TerrierHockey
pic.twitter.com/Q1fxnVExoo— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) January 18, 2025
- Minnesota beat Notre Dame 5-2. Oliver Moore double-doinked a shot while on the power play but wasn’t able to put a point on the board. He was credited with seven shots on net and won 7 of 14 faceoffs. Sam Rinzel was also held without a point.
- Colorado College beat Minnesota-Duluth 7-2 last night. Dominic James won 8 of 19 faceoffs and put five shots on net. Adam Gajan did not appear in the ame.
- North Dakota lost 3-2 to Western Michigan last night. Sacha Boisvert was credited with three blocked shots, four shots on net and won 3 of 8 faceoffs in the game.
- In the OHL, Erie beat Ottawa 4-1. Martin Misiak and Ty Henry both had one assist in the game.
- Nick Lardis didn’t dress for Brantford last night, but Marek Vanacker picked up one of his two assists in the game here.
😮💨#BFD | #STLBlues | #OHL https://t.co/vfnOT8THBH pic.twitter.com/ywGHKgXYAM
— Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) January 18, 2025
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- So… the Bears reportedly called the Steelers about… Mike Tomlin?
- Sammy Sosa made his triumphant return at the Cubs Convention last night — and he received a heroes welcome.
- Last night was the first time we got LaMelo vs. Lonzo Ball in a game since 2021.