Deadspin.com has photos of Patrick Kane having a good time at a number of parties at the University of Wisconsin last weekend. The stories are pretty wild, and leave a lot to the imagination.
My sources echo what Jay Zawaski tweeted early Thursday afternoon. Madison police are not aware of any charges against Kane.
As the playoffs continue without the Chicago Blackhawks, fans have already started making lists of free agents the team should target.
There are two primary concerns being expressed by everyone surrounding Chicago: they need another top-four defenseman (preferably physical), and a top-six forward to compliment the four core forwards at the top of the roster. Because Patrick Kane and Marian Hossa both perform best at right wing, the natural concern is for a left wing to skate opposite one of them.
The top prospect in the Blackhawks organization happens to be a left wing. And after a few, albeit brief, glimpses this year, fans have high hopes for Brandon Saad. But how much should fans realistically hope to see from him as a rookie next year?
The Blackhawks surprised many on Tuesday afternoon with the announcement that the team relieved assistant coach Mike Haviland of his duties.
Haviland was reportedly a finalist for the coaching job in Winnipeg last summer, and was loved by the players in Chicago. He spent four seasons as an assistant with the Hawks after serving as the head coach of the organization’s AHL affiliate in Norfolk and then Rockford between 2005-08.
Since Rocky Wirtz was given control of the Chicago Blackhawks, they have been no stranger to the rumor mill. From adding high priced free agents to making bold changes both on and behind the bench, the Blackhawks have been a growing organization.
But now that the rumor mill has focused it’s attention on the man behind the bench in Chicago, the apparent issues in the relationship between Joel Quenneville and the Blackhawks’ front office has become the center of discussion.
Hockey Night in Canada put the spotlight on that relationship earlier this week. But looking back at the evolution of that relationship shows that the breakdown has been a long and winding road.
On Sunday, the third team from the Central Division was bounced out of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs when the LA Kings swept the division-winning St. Louis Blues.
What we’ve seen is the Kings, who were the eight seed, hammer the top two teams in the Western Conference with ease; they have needed only nine games to move into the conference finals. We’ve also seen an evolution in the Western Conference as whole, as the formulas that worked so well during the regular season have been regularly destroyed in the playoffs.
So how do the Blackhawks approach this summer’s free agency? Let’s take a look at 10 players that could fill a role on the 2012-13 Blackhawks and get them closer to competing for a championship, and who (importantly) will be unrestricted free agents this summer.
On Monday morning, the Blackhawks announced a move in their front office.
Norm Maciver has been promoted to the position of assistant general manager, replacing Marc Bergevin. Bergevin left to take the GM job in Montreal last week. Maciver has been with the Blackhawks for five years. Last year was his first as Director of Player Personnel after previously serving as the club’s Director Of Player Development.
Before joining the Blackhawks, Maciver was an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins from 2003-06.
On Sunday night, Hockey Night in Canada gave the hockey world the following:
So we can apparently add Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville’s name to the list of candidates in Montreal. Whether or not he would leave Chicago is up for grabs, but HNIC certainly put the rumor out there for discussion.
This summer’s crop of free agents in Chicago is loaded with veterans, most of whom aren’t expected back next year. But looking at the summer of 2013, the Blackhawks are looking at a number of intriguing decisions that could impact the roster in the coming season.
Six members of the Chicago Blackhawks will represent three different countries in the IIHF World Championships. The tournament officially begins on May 4.
Marcus Kruger and Viktor Stalberg will join Niklas Hjalmarsson for Sweden. Michael Frolik will represent the Czech Republic. And Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith will play for Canada.
On Wednesday, the Montreal Canadiens named Marc Bergevin their new general manager.
Bergevin, a Montreal native, spent seven seasons with the Blackhawks. He was named Assistant General Manager on June 15, 2011, after serving the team as Director of Player Personnel. Bergevin spent three years on the Blackhawks scouting staff, and was the Hawks’ Director of Pro Scouting during the 2007-08 season. He served as an Assistant Coach on Joel Quenneville’s staff the following year.
This marks the second straight summer the Hawks have had their assistant GM hired away. Winnipeg hired Kevin Cheveldayoff to serve as their general manager last year.
