More on the Cubs’ Bullpen Options: Robertson, Jansen, Pressly, Raley, Maton, Stanek

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 figured you’d want to know who they are hearing about:

“That leaves the Cubs still casting a wide net in their search for bullpen help. The group under consideration this winter, according to league sources briefed on the teamโ€™s discussions, has included Kenley Jansen, David Robertson, Ryan Pressly, Phil Maton, Ryne Stanek and Brooks Raley. For context, though, the list of relievers the Cubs have seriously evaluated easily reaches double digits.”

David Robertson and Kenley Jansen, well-known veterans with a long track record at the backs of bullpens, were discussed yesterday. What is at least as interesting is that the other top-ish three remaining relievers on the free agent market that Michael wrote about are not on Sharma and Mooney’s list: Carlos Estevez, Tommy Kahnle, and Kyle Finnegan. I have mixed feelings on that – I haven’t been quite as high on Estevez or Finnigan, but I do really like Kahnle for the Cubs – but again, the fact that they were not named does not necessarily mean they aren’t considerations.

Brooks Raley, a former Cub who is currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, popped up in a rumor earlier this month, and a trade for Astros reliever Ryan Pressly is something we’ve bounced around before, too.

Phil Maton was connected to the Cubs in past offseasons, including this time last year, together with Ryne Stanek.

Maton, 31, has had a good many successful years in the big leagues, but looked like he was at risk for falling off last year when he signed with the Rays. He wound up with the Mets at midseason, and really took back off, such that his end-of-year numbers (3.66 ERA over 64.0 IP, 4.26 FIP, 46.8% GB, 7.0% barrel) all look pretty much like the successful contact-manager type he’s been for a while. Maton is not a huge strikeout guy (usually in the 22% range) or a huge velo guy (89-91 mph range, and mostly a base-cutter guy). But he does pretty consistently get results by not walking too many, staying off the barrel, and keeping the ball on the ground. You’d be happy to have him in your bullpen, I think, but he doesn’t quite strike me as a true late-inning option for the Cubs.

Stanek, 33, by contrast, is more of a high-velo (98-99 mph), high-strikeout (27-28% range) type reliever. His results have been mixed the last two years, but he projects a little better into 2025 than Maton does because of the perceived difference in stuff. Like Maton, I’m not sure Stanek is a back-of-the-bullpen guy to the degree this Cubs team needs, but it’s not as if I’d be unhappy to see the Cubs add him in the abstract.

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Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
โ€ข
Feb 07, 2025

Chicago Cubs Announce Non-Roster Invites to 2025 Spring Training

As expected, the Chicago Cubs today announced their non-roster invites to big league Spring Training. The full list is below, with the reminder that these are the NON-40-MAN players who are coming to big league camp. So if you're wondering where someone obvious is, pretty good bet they're on the 40-man, so, yes, they'll be there. You know the minor league deal veterans already, but there are a host of...

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Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
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Alex Bregman

Obsessive Alex Bregman Watch: Cubs Remain Involved, But Level-Setting Harder to Say

There's not a whole lot doing yet today on the Alex Bregman front, but there are a few updates to share, at least. First, from Bruce Levine, who says the Cubs are still working at it and seems to imply that some members of the organization might be trying to convince other members of the organization that a certain level of deal is worth it or not: Cubs remain in...

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Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
โ€ข
Feb 07, 2025

What About Lefty Jalen Beeks As an Additional Depth Option for the Cubs?

The Athletic did a thing where they picked an available free a gent for each of the 30 MLB teams, and although I want to underscore that there's no "rumor" here, I did find the selection for the Cubs to be sufficiently interesting to merit a discussion. Particularly after going through the entire collection of bullpen options for the Cubs yesterday and noting how few of them throw lefty. Which...

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Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
โ€ข
Feb 07, 2025

The Many New Top Chicago Cubs Prospects Lists

The many, many pre-2025 Chicago Cubs top-X-number-of-prospects lists have dropped the last couple weeks - MLB Pipeline is the only major one we're still waiting on - and if you haven't seen all or any of them, I thought I'd round them up here. I also have some thoughts. Baseball America dropped its full slate of top-30s for each organization: https://bsky.app/profile/baseballamerica.com/post/3lh22jl2hct2v No huge surprises on the list for the Cubs,...

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Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
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Feb 07, 2025
Matt Shaw, Cubs projections

Shaw and 2B-3B, Ricketts on McCaskey, Early Start, Mizuhara, Padres, and Other Cubs Bullets

I feel like a genius and an idiot: for *YEARS* I have loved peanut butter sauce as an ice cream topping, but you can't get it everywhere, and there's basically no good take-home variety. So I get it when I can get it, and otherwise am just sad. BUT THEN LAST NIGHT I WAS LIKE DUH I CAN MAKE MY OWN AT HOME! I've got this powdered peanut butter protein,...

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Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
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Alex Bregman MLB Rumors Cubs

Obsessive Alex Bregman Watch: How Many Suitors? How Many Years? Red Sox Back-Up Plan? More

A few Alex Bregman bits to chew on as you settle down for the night ... Jon Heyman tonight writes that although Bregman is receiving "creative short-term offers," he and Scott Boras are still looking for six+ years. That tracks with Bob Nightengale's reporting earlier today. Heyman adds that the Astros actually have come up some amount from their offer from earlier in the offseason (reportedly six years and $156...

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Chicago Cubs
Michael Cerami
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Feb 06, 2025

Free Agent 3B Yoan Moncada Signs with the Angels

The Chicago Cubs, ostensibly still in the market for a free-agent third baseman, will watch one option fall off the board tonight. Former White Sox third baseman - and offseason Cubs target - Yoan Moncada is reportedly signing a modest deal with the Los Angeles Angels. Yoan Moncada to the Angels Ken Rosenthal reports the deal on X as a one-year, $5 million contract. https://twitter.com/Ken_Rosenthal/status/1887654549227512106 Moncada, still just 29, is...

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Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
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Feb 06, 2025

Resetting the Chicago Cubs’ Excessively Crowded Bullpen Picture

Given the Ryan Brasier trade potentially capping off the Chicago Cubs' bullpen moves for the offseason, and given how much movement there has been in that group this offseason, I thought it worth a reset just to see where the Cubs stand. How many arms do they have available now for the bullpen group? How many can be moved up and down? Who is fighting for a roster spot? You...

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Chicago Cubs
Michael Cerami
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Feb 06, 2025

Let’s Look at the Cubs Payroll and Roster Implications of Signing Alex Bregman

Based on some scattered quotes from ownership โ€” as well as where Jed Hoyer's front office wound up last season โ€” our initial expectation for the Cubs 2025 payroll was right around the first tier of the luxury tax threshold (up to $241M this year). But then, around mid-winter, those expectations changed. Supported by their cost-saving activity in free agency and especially trade, some new reporting/speculating led us to believe that...

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Chicago Cubs
Brett Taylor
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Feb 06, 2025

Obsessive Alex Bregman Watch: Still Holding Out for Maximum-Length Deal?

It has felt for a few days like maybe there was a thaw coming in the Alex Bregman/Scott Boras demands for a maximum-length deal in order to finally put pen to paper in free agency, but maybe that was just a vibes check that was based on nothing at all. Because, according to Bob Nightengale, nothing has changed: https://bsky.app/profile/bnightengale.bsky.social/post/3lhjifjffys2d Although we don't know exactly where the other involved parties are...

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Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
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Feb 07, 2025
Boise State takes on San Diego St. tonight

Ashton Jeanty Sees the Chicago Bears as a Potential Landing Spot

I am coming around to the idea of Ashton Jeanty lining up next to Caleb Williams in the Chicago Bears backfield. Don't get it twisted. I know the Bears have needs in the trenches on both sides of the line of scrimmage. But if General Manager Ryan Poles can plug those holes in March when free agency opens its doors, then it could open things up for the team to...

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Chicago Bears
Patrick K. Flowers
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Feb 07, 2025
Caleb Williams Bears

Chicago Bears 2024 Exit Interviews: Caleb Williams

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 quarterback Caleb Williams. Caleb Williams' 2024 Snapshot Caleb Williams' rookie season is in the books, featuring no shortage of peaks and valleys. Williams' rookie numbers weren't just the best...

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Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
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Feb 07, 2025
myles Garrett browns trade bears target

This is What a Myles Garrett Trade Could Look Like

The NFL moved so quickly during Super Bowl Week that Myles Garrett's trade request feels like it happened forever ago. Of course, we know it didn't happen forever ago. This week started with a bang as the Cleveland Browns star pass rusher put in a formal trade request, which shot to the top of the list of offseason storylines we are looking forward to watching unfold. But one thing we...

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Chicago Bears
Patrick K. Flowers
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Feb 07, 2025
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Super Bowl LIX: Can the Eagles Derail the Chiefs Pursuit of NFL History?

The biggest storyline of this NFL season is the Kansas City Chiefs' pursuit of a historic third consecutive Super Bowl victory. Even if they fall short in Super Bowl LIX, they have already made history as the first team to win two straight Super Bowls and return to a third in a row. No team has ever won three straight Super Bowl titles, though the Green Bay Packers won three...

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Chicago Bears
Patrick K. Flowers
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Feb 07, 2025
fantasy football defense rankings

Chicago Bears 2024 Exit Interviews: Tremaine Edmunds

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Chicago Bears
Patrick K. Flowers
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Feb 07, 2025
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Super Bowl LIX: Here’s How the Bleacher Nation Staff Sees Things Playing Out In New Orleans

With the Super Bowl just a couple of days away, I polled the writers at Bleacher Nation to see who they have winning Sunday's contest, and we're leaning Kansas City, but this will no doubt be the Chiefs' tallest task during their road to a potential three-peat. Here's how the Bleacher Nation staff sees Super Bowl LIX playing out on Sunday: Luis C. Medina Eagles 24, Chiefs 23 MVP: Saquon...

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Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
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Feb 07, 2025
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More on Virginia McCaskey, Steelers Going to Dublin, Respect For Rivals, and Other Bears Bullets

Day 33 of the Chicago Bears offseason. We made it to the first Friday of February. Huzzah! I need to get my Super Bowl menu in order. And I'm sure you do, too. My friend Jim offered up the suggestion of these buffalo chicken wontons, which appear to be DELICIOUS. More condolences from around the league after Virginia McCaskey's passing: The Packers send their deepest condolences to the McCaskey and...

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Chicago Bears
Patrick K. Flowers
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Feb 07, 2025
jared allen in post bears

Around the NFL: Annual Awards, Hall of Fame Class of 2025, Remembering McCaskey, More

We're just over 48 hours from the Super Bowl on Sunday in New Orleans. Still, there's plenty to discuss around the league, including the NFL Honors results, the Pro Football Hall of Fame's newest class, the passing of Virginia McCaskey, and more in today's NFL Notes. The Football World Mourns the Passing of Virginia McCaskey Virginia Halas McCaskey, the majority owner and matriarch of the Chicago Bears, passed on Thursday...

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Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
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Feb 06, 2025

NFL World Reacts to News of Virginia McCaskey Passing Away

Today, we were saddened to learn of the passing of Bears owner and team matriarch Virginia McCaskey. For more details, please readย our initial report on the news. The death of Virginia Halas McCaskey means that the NFL has lost a legacy. Mrs. McCaskey had been the Chicago Bears' principal owner since 1983 when her father, George Halas, passed away. The Bears matriarch has seen the NFL evolve from an upstart...

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Chicago Bears
Luis C. Medina
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Feb 06, 2025
josh sweat eagles bears

Josh Sweat is a Player Bears Fans Should Watch Closely During Super Bowl LIX

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Chicago Bulls
Elias Schuster
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So the Bulls Are Rebuilding, Right? Here is Arturas Karnisovas’ Answer

Chicago Bulls fans didn't get many answers at this trade deadline, but it wasn't for a lack of trying. Confronted with a seemingly confused group of local reporters on Thursday afternoon, Arturas Karnisovas was pressed about the organization's philosophy. He fielded repeated questions about their failure to accumulate additional assets and the franchise's sense of urgency to improve their lottery odds ahead of a wildly praised 2025 NBA Draft. The...

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Chicago Bulls
Matt Rooney
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Jimmy Butler Intro Warriors

Of Course Jimmy Butler is Expected to Make His Warriors Debut in Chicago

In a twist of fate that will only further irk Bulls fans, Jimmy Butler is expected to make his Warriors debut on Saturday night at the United Center. Butler, of course, was traded by the Heat to the Warriors a night before the trade deadline. He also agreed to a two-year, $121 million contract extension with Golden State shortly after the deal was announced. https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/1887698672286376408 Jimmy Butler's Return A Stark...

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Chicago Bulls
Elias Schuster
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Feb 07, 2025

AK Can’t Pick a Lane, So Many Guards, Torrey Craig Finds a New Team, and Other Bulls Bullets

The Chicago Bulls served as a generous portion of Nothing Pie during each of the last three NBA trade deadlines. This year, the slice at least had some whipped cream on top. I'm not going to go as far as saying that Arturas Karnisovas deserves credit for moving on from Zach LaVine, but it was a box that desperately needed to be checked. The problem is that making that move...

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Chicago Bulls
Matt Rooney
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Warriors Reportedly Tried to Strike Last Second Deal with Bulls for Nikola Vucevic … But Nothing

The trade deadline came and went yesterday without any additional moves by the Bulls. Obviously, they were able to deal Zach LaVine for a somewhat underwhelming return on Sunday. But hey, at least they were finally taking the leap and selling off pieces, right? Guess again! While moving on from Zach LaVine was an unfortunate but necessary decision, the handling of the rest of the roster felt like yet another...

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Chicago Bulls
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It’s All Still A Big Hot Mess for the Chicago Bulls

I had a fresh bouquet ready to deliver to the Chicago Bulls' offices at the Advocate Center on Thursday afternoon. Instead, a singular tulip petal has been left at reception. Arturas Karnisovas roped everybody in when finally striking a deal for two-time All-Star Zach LaVine. Joining the De'Aaron Fox trade to San Antonio, the return left a little to be desired but still handed the Bulls some much-needed future flexibility....

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Chicago Bulls
Matt Rooney
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NBA Trade Deadline Recap: All the Deals From the Big Day

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone! After a chaotic last couple of days, things quieted down a bit on the actual deadline day. However, while we didn't get the most active last few hours, this ended up being one of the wildest trade deadline seasons in recent memory. It's hard to recall as many in-season trades involving players of the magnitude that we saw shipped elsewhere this season....

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Chicago Bulls
Elias Schuster
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TRADE: Cavaliers Add De’Andre Hunter in Deal with Hawks

Sitting 41-10 and at the top of the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers are going for it. ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Cavaliers have acquired De'Andre Hunter from the Atlanta Hawks. The deal will see Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks, and two swaps. Hunter is in the thick of a career year, averaging 19.0 points and 3.9 rebounds per game off the bench. https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1887572277761343556 Cavaliers Land De'Andre...

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Chicago Bulls
Elias Schuster
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Feb 06, 2025

The Bulls Have Talked to a “Group of Teams” About Coby White

Despite some indications that the trade waters have settled around the United Center, the Chicago Bulls continue to come up in rumors just hours before Thursday's 2:00 p.m. CT deadline. Nikola Vucevic remains the primary focus. While the big man told reports following Chicago's loss to Minnesota that he expects to wake up in Chicago on Friday morning, he found himself linked to the Golden State Warriors again hours later....

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Chicago Bulls
Elias Schuster
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Feb 06, 2025

Deadline Day(!), Please Keep Making Moves, Lonzo Ball Stays, Buzelis’ First Start, and Other Bulls Bullets

*walks into bunker, turns on megaphone, blares air horn* UP AND AT 'EM, CADETS! MAN YOUR STATIONS, CADETS! SOUND THE ALARM! TURN ON SHAMS CHARANIA'S NOTIFICATIONS! TRADE DEADLINE DAY IS HERE! While I've done no research to back this up, I still feel confident declaring this the craziest NBA trade deadline ever. We have had multiple All-Star players on the move, headlined by a Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade...

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Chicago Bulls
Matt Rooney
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Feb 06, 2025

Sounds Like Nikola Vucevic is An Option For the Warriors Even After Jimmy Butler Trade

Buckle up and hold onto your hats! It's deadline day, everybody! We have about five hours remaining until the NBA trade deadline at 2:00 PM central time. The biggest moves have likely come and gone with Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, De'Aaron Fox, Brandon Ingram, Luka Doncic, and Anthony Davis all having been dealt. However, the Chicago Bulls still have Nikola Vucevic and a few more pieces to potentially ship off,...

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Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
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Feb 07, 2025
Pat Maroon Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks 6, Predators 2 โ€” Three Stars, Key Takeaways

The first seven minutes of this game were melatonin on ice. But then Alex Vlasic made something happen and the Blackhawks took a 1-0 lead... which they held for a whopping 19 seconds. Thankfully, the Blackhawks got the lead back almost exactly six minutes later and held onto it until the end of the first period. The Blackhawks killed a penalty to open the second period and cashed in on...

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Blackhawks vs Predators โ€” Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

The Blackhawks have two games -- in two days -- left before the 4 Nations Face-Off break and things got a lot harder with the loss of Jason Dickinson on Wednesday night. Both games are against struggling division rivals, so we'll see if the Hawks can put together a full 60-minute game tonight and get a win against a Predators team that's massively underwhelming after a big summer. Broadcast Info...

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Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
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Feb 07, 2025
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Life Without Dickinson, the Plan in Net, Wirtz on McCaskey, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The Blackhawks play their final home game before the two-week break for the 4 Nations Face-Off tonight with the Nashville Predators in town. Unfortunately, the Blackhawks will have to face a team that, despite their awful record, is still offensively gifted with names like Stamkos and Forsberg out there. And the Blackhawks will have to do it without Jason Dickinson. We got some relatively encouraging news on Dickinson on Thursday,...

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Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
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Feb 07, 2025
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Let’s Talk About the Connor Bedard Criticism

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Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
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Feb 06, 2025
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On Thursday morning, Elliotte Friedman dropped a loaded written version of his "32 Thoughts" and there are some good Blackhawks-centric nuggets in there. Here's what got my attention: Blackhawks trade buzz I noted in my bullets this morning that there were 14 teams represented in the press box scouting the Blackhawks-Oilers game. Friedman notes a light schedule and the looming two-week break meant there was plenty of attention in Chicago...

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Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
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Feb 06, 2025
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Dickinson Concern, More Bedard Criticism, Scouts Galore, 49 for Lardis, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The Blackhawks lost a hard fought game to the Oilers in overtime last night. They showed a lot of mettle, battling back from a two-goal deficit in the third period to tie the game late. But a bad penalty in overtime cost them the second point in the standings. The result of the game last night isn't much of a concern if we're honest. What is a major concern is...

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Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
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Feb 06, 2025
Aidan Thompson DU University of Denver

Blackhawks College Prospects: Ranked Matchups, Beanpot Championship on Tap

We're now into February, and Blackhawks prospects continue to put up solid numbers across college hockey. There are some really good ranked matchups this weekend, with Denver and Providence both playing important conference matchups. And, Monday night, Boston University will face Boston College in a hyped Beanpot championship game. Here's this weekend's schedule for the Blackhawks' prospects in action. And, again, make sure you vote every day for one of...

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Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
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Feb 05, 2025
Arvid Soderblom Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks 3, Oilers 4 (OT) โ€” Three Stars, Key Takeaways

The good news when a game starts at almost 9 PM local is the first period flew by and neither team scored. With a little under eight minutes left in the first period, this ridiculous sequence by Arvid Sรถderblom and Connor Murphy kept the game tied at zeroes. Oh my Arvid Soderblom, what a saveMurphy helps out too with a stop of his own pic.twitter.com/Wu11sUNd07— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) February 6, 2025...

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Chicago Blackhawks
Tab Bamford
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Feb 05, 2025
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Blackhawks Assign Levshunov AND Dach to Rockford, Activate Smith

Before Wednesday's game, the Blackhawks announced a few roster moves. The team formally activated veteran forward Craig Smith from IR. To make room on the roster, they needed to assign at least one player to Rockford. The Blackhawks sent both Artyom Levshunov and Colton Dach to the IceHogs. We knew Levshunov was headed back to Rockford without playing a game when he joined the Blackhawks earlier this week; the intent...

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Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation. You can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation, on Bluesky at @Brett-Taylor, and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

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I feel like a genius and an idiot: for *YEARS* I have loved peanut butter sauce as an ice cream topping, but you can't get it everywhere, and there's basically no good take-home variety. So I get it when I...

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The Ohio Bobcats (12-10) battle the Appalachian State Mountaineers (14-9) on February 8, 2025. The matchup airs on ESPN+.In its previous game, Ohio defeated Western Michigan on Tuesday, 94-69. Its top scorer was AJ Clayton with 18 points. Appalachian State...

St. Thomas vs. Denver: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

Summit League action features the Saint Thomas Tommies (18-7, 8-2 Summit League) on the road against the Denver Pioneers (8-17, 2-8 Summit League) on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at 4:00 PM ET.St. Thomas dropped its most recent game to South...

Longwood vs. Radford: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Longwood Lancers (16-8, 5-4 Big South) will host the Radford Highlanders (15-10, 5-5 Big South) after winning four home games in a row.Longwood dropped its previous game to Charleston Southern, 89-85, on Saturday. Kyrell Luc was its leading scorer...

Portland State vs. Eastern Washington: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

Big Sky play features the Portland State Vikings (14-9, 6-4 Big Sky) on the road against the Eastern Washington Eagles (8-16, 4-7 Big Sky) on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at 5:00 PM ET.Portland State won its previous game against Idaho,...

Houston vs. Colorado: Start Time, Streaming Live, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Colorado Buffaloes (9-13, 0-11 Big 12) aim to stop an 11-game losing streak when they host the Houston Cougars (18-4, 10-1 Big 12) on February 8, 2025 at CU Events Center. The contest airs on ESPN+.In its previous game,...

Creighton vs. Marquette: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

The Creighton Bluejays (17-6, 10-2 Big East) will host the Marquette Golden Eagles (18-5, 9-3 Big East) after winning seven home games in a row.In its most recent game, Creighton defeated Providence on Wednesday, 80-69. Its top scorer was Ryan...

LIU vs. Stonehill: Free Live Stream, TV Channel, How to Watch

NEC play on Saturday will see the the Long Island Sharks (11-15, 7-4 NEC) host the Stonehill Skyhawks (12-12, 4-5 NEC) at Steinberg Wellness Center, beginning at 2:00 PM ET.On Thursday, in its most recent game, LIU defeated Wagner 60-47....

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