The Chicago Blackhawks are expected to make a big move this summer, and their general manager shared his motivation on Friday. Plus, a big trade target is not on the block, while we get ready for another exciting game in the Stanley Cup Final.
Blackhawks Chirps
- Jeff Marek came up with a logical trade scenario that would end with the Blackhawks acquiring Jason Robertson from the Dallas Stars.
- Dylan Larkin reportedly wants out of Detroit, but Jordan Manning writes why the Blackhawks shouldn’t pursue the Red Wings captain.
- General manager Kyle Davidson spoke to the media at the Draft Combine yesterday. Ben Pope and Scott Powers both shared Davidson’s comments about being motivated to wheel and deal this offseason.
"We have a better idea of where guys are starting to fall, what things are looking like moving forward, where we need to fill some holes, which was sort of where we wanted to understand where some of these players were after this year. And so, it’s just a better understanding of what we’re actually trying to fill."Kyle Davidson
- Jay Zawaski and I discussed what Davidson had to say on Friday’s CHGO Blackhawks Podcast.
- On this date in 1995, Vladimir Konstantinov’s goal in double overtime gave the Detroit Red Wings a 4-3 and a 3-0 series lead in the Western Conference Final. Denis Savard opened the scoring before Bernie Nicholls gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead in the middle frame. Jeff Shantz forced overtime with his third-period goal, but they were unable to find the winner in extra time.
- In 2010, the Blackhawks took a 3-2 lead in the Stanley Cup Final by beating the Philadelphia Flyers 7-4. Brent Seabrook, Dave Bolland, and Kris Versteeg got things rolling with first-period tallies. Patrick Kane and Dustin Byfuglien scored in the second stanza before Patrick Sharp’s 10th goal of the playoffs squashed a third-period Flyers comeback. Byfuglien iced the game with a late empty-netter.
- In 2013, the Blackhawks beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 to take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference Finals. Marian Hossa broke a 2-2 tie with just over a minute left to play, as the Blackhawks held the Kings to just two shots on goal during the final period. Duncan Keith was suspended for the game after a high-sticking incident in Game 3.
- In 2015, the Stanley Cup Final evened up at one win apiece after the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Blackhawks 4-3 in Game 2. Andrew Shaw and Teuvo Teravainen gave the Blackhawks a 2-1 lead in the second period before Nikita Kucherov and Tyler Johnson put the Lightning back on top. Seabrook got the Blackhawks even again early in the third period. Jason Garrison scored the game-winner late in the contest. Andrei Vasilevskiy, who replaced an injured Ben Bishop, became just the fourth goaltender to win a Stanley Cup Final game that he didn’t start and the first since Frank Pietrangelo did it for the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1991.
- Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, June 6: Bob Kelly, Niklas Hjalmarsson, Victor Ejdsell, and Caleb Jones.
NHL Chirps
- Per Andy Strickland, you can pull Robert Thomas off the trade market. He’s reporting that the St. Louis Blues are not looking to move their top center and expects him to be on the roster when training camp begins in September.
- Vegas Golden Knights head coach John Tortorella did not have an update on defenseman Brayden McNabb. His status for tonight’s Game 3 is unknown after taking a shot to the face in Game 2, which caused him to spend some time in a Raleigh-area hospital. Ben Hutton will likely draw in if McNabb cannot play.
- The Nashville Predators made another addition to their front office by naming Rob Blake their new Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. He served as the Kings’ general manager from 2017 until 2025.
- Now that Parker Holmes has been traded to the Sarnia Sting, next season will be the first in a few years where the Brantford Bulldogs do not have a Blackhawks prospect. That is, unless they draft another Bulldog later this month. Brantford named Michael Babcock, the son of Mike Babcock, as their new head coach on Friday.
- Marcus Johansson, who spent the last three and a half seasons with the Minnesota Wild, is going home. He signed with Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League on Friday.
- NHL Birthday Roll Call, June 6: Ed Giacomin, Marshall Johnston, Jean Hamel, Wayne Babych, Cam Neely, Mike Craig, Anson Carter, Niklas Sundstrom, Marjus Nutivaara, Yegor Sharangovich, and J.J. Moser.
