Entries with the tag: chicago+blackhawks

Creating a Power Forward

by Alanah on 02/07/08 at 02:15 AM
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From Tim Sassone in the Daily Herald,

“Power forwards are tough to find, and I think [Dustin Byfuglien] fits that position,” Savard said Wednesday. “Maybe I’m wrong, but I don’t think I am. I think I’ve got a pretty good eye on hockey players and really strongly feel he’s going to become a good power forward in this league.

“We’re still tweaking with him. We know he can play defense, but I believe he’s going to be a strong power forward in this league. He’s had some good games on defense, too. I’m not saying we’ll never use him there again, but for now he fits up front, and we’ll evaluate everything as we go on.”

more...

ASG Memories: 1991 Chicago

by Alanah on 01/26/08 at 01:50 PM
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1991 All-Star Game – January 19, 1991, Chicago Stadium: Just days into the Persian Gulf war, the Chicago faithful saluted their country during the U.S. anthem.

Patrick Kane Conference Call

by Alanah on 12/11/07 at 04:33 PM
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Today’s NHL teleconference call was with Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane.

Patrick leads Chicago and all National Hockey League rookies in scoring with 28 points on 7 goals and 21 assists, playing in each of the Blackhawks 29 games so far this season. In some ways, his journey to the NHL will come full circle this Saturday when he will play his first professional game in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, when the Blackhawks visit the Sabres at the HSBC Arena.

Q.  Are you even a little surprised how well things have gone for you this year?

PATRICK KANE: You know, I think coming into the season, probably the biggest thing for me was to try to make the team. Once that kind of happened, things started coming in. I seemed to get a little more ice team here and there, some more opportunities to play with better players and I had a good start. Before you know it, we’re playing—myself and Jonathan, we’re playing against the top checking lines. I guess you don’t expect things to happen that quick. 

Continue Reading »

Rocky on the Radio

by Alanah on 12/06/07 at 02:27 PM
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Chicago Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz will be a guest on today’s edition of NHL Hour hosted by National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman on XM Satellite Radio.

Broadcast can be heard live online here, but not till the program is on the air.

NHL Hour broadcasts live Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. ET on NHL Home Ice, (XM channel 204) and NHL.com. The show will re-run on XM Satellite Radio and NHL.com, with archived shows available for download via a podcast on NHL.com.

update 4:07pm, Rocky Wirtz had to re-schedule for next week.  Mark Messier and Stephen Walkom wll be on the show today.

Buff-Daddy With The Natural Hat Trick

by Paul on 12/01/07 at 08:37 AM
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from the Chicago Daily Herald,

Byfuglien tied two team records with his hat trick in the Hawks’ 6-1 rout of the Phoenix Coyotes at the United Center.

“He doesn’t know how good he can be,” Tallon said.

Byfuglien became only the third Hawks defenseman in club history to score 3 goals in a game, joining Dick Redmond (1977) and Doug Wilson (1991). His 2 power-play goals tied another record for defensemen, last done by Dave Manson in 1988.

“I guess that’s an honor to be proud of,” said Byfuglien, who also had an assist. “It feels good.”

Watch his 3rd goal of the game…

Continue Reading »

Dowell Out With Broken Foot

by Paul on 11/29/07 at 01:18 PM
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via the Chicago Blackhawks,

Blackhawks General Manager Dale Tallon announced today that center Jacob Dowell has been placed on the injured list because of a broken foot.  Dowell will be out of the lineup for two-to-four weeks.  Center Colin Fraser has been recalled from the Blackhawks American Hockey League affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs.

Stop Running - You’ve Been Arrested

by Paul on 11/29/07 at 08:12 AM
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from the AP via the NY Post,

Chicago Blackhawks forward Tuomo Ruutu was mistakenly arrested and detained briefly as a suspect in a robbery attempt in a Chicago suburb, according to authorities.

Bensenville police arrested the 24-year-old Ruutu on Wednesday because he matched the description of a robbery suspect, said Bensenville Village Manager James Johnson.

“He met the initial description,” Johnson said. “This was just an unfortunate coincidence.”

Ruutu, dressed in a black team sweat suit and black cap, told police he was out for a short jog after team practice at Edge Ice Arena, Johnson said.

read on

Here Come The Blackhawks

by Paul on 11/29/07 at 08:09 AM
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from Tim Sassone of the Chicago Daily Herald,

Fans of the Blackhawks must be pinching themselves, trying to make sure this is all real.

Suddenly, the Hawks matter again.

There’s an entertaining team on the ice led by budding superstars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews....

It’s time to leave in the past what has happened the last decade. The year Alpo Suhonen coached the team, Mike Smith’s run as GM, and players such as Alexander Karpovtsev and Boris Mironov cluttering up the ice are just bad memories now.

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Havlat Back Tonight

by Paul on 11/28/07 at 07:34 AM
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from the Chicago Daily Herald,

But the biggest story tonight is Havlat’s return. The all-star winger has battled injuries for much of his first two seasons with the Hawks, although when he has played he has been one of the most dynamic scorers in the NHL.

“It feels pretty good, but I guess we’ll find out now how it feels in a game,” Havlat said Tuesday. “It’s been great to watch the team win. I just want to come back and help.”

The concern is Havlat’s twice surgically repaired shoulder won’t last the season. The Hawks will be holding their breath on every hit, but Havlat won’t be.

“I have to do what I do best, and if I think about it then I’m not going to be able to play the way I can,” Havlat said.

more

Christina and the Hawks

by Alanah on 11/26/07 at 04:45 PM
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Apparently the Chicago Blackhawks are finding their way to television in more ways that expected.  A little mainstream, pop culture exposure:

In tonight’s edition of the ABC hit comedy series, “Samantha Who?,” Samantha (played by Christina Applegate) inadvertently leads her blind date, Kevin (played by Eddie Cibrian) to believe that she’s an avid hockey fan. When he invites her to a Chicago Blackhawks game, Samantha turns to her ex-boyfriend Todd (played by Barry Watson) for help. The episode, “The Hockey Date,” which features game footage licensed by NHL Productions, will air tonight on ABC.

Always The Uncertainty

by Paul on 11/25/07 at 10:36 AM
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from Brian Costello of the Hockey News,

This shameless cheering from the media stems from a story our U.S. college correspondent Andy Baggot wrote for The Hockey News in January, 2005. Dowell was in his sophomore season with the University of Wisconsin Badgers and was having to come to grips with devastating news that affected his father, his family and his future.

Jake’s father John, a former small college offensive linesman and a fitness buff, was diagnosed in 2003 with Huntington’s disease, an incurable genetic brain disorder that leads to a steady regression in mental and physical capabilities....

If that grim news wasn’t enough to deal with, Jake was confronted with another terrible reality. Children of a person with the disease have a 50 percent chance of inheriting the gene.

read on

Business Is Business

by Paul on 11/24/07 at 01:19 PM
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from the Chicago Tribune (Sunday edition),

“After Dad’s passing, I realized the Hawks have lost money, but I was surprised they had lost as much as they had,” Wirtz said. “I knew we had to start doing something right away.”

If his philosophy could be boiled down to one cliché, it is this: You have to spend money to make money. But as clear as Wirtz is about this basic theory, it is at the perplexing crux of how he differs from his father.

“Dad believed that in our other businesses, and then the money we make, we put right back into the organization,” Wirtz said. “He just didn’t execute it [with the Hawks], and I don’t know why.”

read on…

The Improved Khabibulin

by Paul on 11/24/07 at 09:47 AM
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from the Chicago Sun-Times,

‘’He looked so comfortable, so confident,’’ goaltender coach Stephane Waite said of Khabibulin’s last two outings. ‘’He’s found his comfort zone.’’

Khabibulin hasn’t been able to explain why, because he has paid the price for both of those hard-earned victories. He experienced dehydration in both and had long intravenous treatments immediately after leaving the ice.

‘’He lost 12 pounds against Detroit and probably about nine [at Calgary],’’ Savard said. ‘’Khabby takes a lot of fluids. He has this purple drink he takes between shifts. He’s always been like that. It’s not unusual.’’

Something is different about Khabibulin’s play, though.

Savard lauded Waite’s work after the Calgary win.

more

Savard Faces Keenan Tonight

by Paul on 11/22/07 at 07:49 AM
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from the Daily Herald,

Whatever problems he might have had with Keenan all those years ago are in the past, according to Savard.

“To tell you the truth, Mike’s a good coach and he had to do what he had to do then and that’s just the way it goes,” Savard said. “I think you know my personality. I’m not one of those guys that’s going to hold a grudge against anybody, whether we worked well or not together. I moved on a long time ago and he’s been a good coach in this league for a long time.”

read on

Shooting For The Playoffs

by Paul on 11/21/07 at 09:00 AM
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from Tim Sassone of the Daily Herald,

There’s no reason why the Hawks can’t make the playoffs with a tweak here and there, or even be a team that finishes in the top four or five. There’s only one dominant team in the Western Conference—the Detroit Red Wings—and the Hawks have beaten them four times already.

The Anaheim Ducks and the San Jose Sharks are strong, but after that the Hawks can be as good as anyone in the West, provided Martin Havlat returns to health, Tallon adds a veteran defenseman and a forward, and goalies Nikolai Khabibulin and Patrick Lalime play better.

read on

Chicago Will Name New President Today

by Paul on 11/20/07 at 07:07 AM
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The Chicago Blackhawks will name their new president today at a press conference at 12:00pm CT today.

I have been out of the loop for the last 18 hours due to a loss of internet access, so I haven’t heard much about this.  Any ideas?

update 11:25am, via the AP,

Chicago Cubs president John McDonough resigned Tuesday after a little more than a year on the job and is expected to take a similar position with the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks called an afternoon news conference to introduce their new team president.

Havlat May Return for Hawks Next Week

by Alanah on 11/19/07 at 04:27 PM
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Press Release from Chicago Blackhawks:

Blackhawks forward Martin Havlat underwent a strength and evaluation test on his injured shoulder today at the Cleveland Clinic. The results verified that Havlat’s shoulder continues to improve and get stronger. The possibility exists that he may return to the Blackhawks lineup on Wednesday, November 28th, when the Blackhawks host the Tampa Bay Lightning at the United Center at 7:30 p.m.

*Previous updates on the ups and downs of Havlat’s recovery.

Pivotal Time for Blackhawks

by Alanah on 11/19/07 at 03:12 PM
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From Eric Duhatschek at the Globe & Mail,

So here they are, 20 games into the season, and the Blackhawks are in the midst of a five-day break, before embarking on a pivotal road swing through Western Canada that will give them a clearer idea of whether they are a legitimate playoff contender this year — or still in the throes of a rebuilding program.

Toews and Kane represent the two leaders in the rookie of the year race this season and it is reminiscent of the 2001-02 season, when the two Atlanta Thrashers prospects, Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk, finished one-two in the Calder Trophy race and turned that expansion franchise into a team on the rise. Or at least gave the organization something to get excited about.

After all, excitement has been the missing ingredient on the Chicago hockey scene for the better part of a decade.

continued...

Update 10:39pm ET:
An observation from Mike Downey at the Chicago Tribune:

Hold on to your hockey stick: Only four teams (Red Wings, Rangers, Hurricanes and Senators) in the entire 30-team NHL have won more games so far than the Blackhawks. Cool, man.

Rene Bourque Out With Broken Thumb

by Paul on 11/18/07 at 01:53 PM
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via the Chicago Blackhawks,

Blackhawks forward Rene Bourque suffered a broken thumb in last night’s 5-3 win over the Red Wings in Detroit. He is expected to be out of the Blackhawks lineup anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks.

Bourque suffered the injury while blocking a shot last night in the third period. Bourque scored two goals in last night’s game, both of the shorthanded variety, and added an assist before injuring his thumb. Bourque has scored three goals this season, all shorthanded, while adding five assists for eight points in 16 games.

Toews & Kane Hitting a Wall

by Alanah on 11/17/07 at 01:13 PM
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From Len Ziehm a the Chicago Sun-Times,

Toews was a minus-3 in a 4-2 loss at Columbus on Wednesday. The next night, he was a minus-2 in a 5-4 overtime loss at Nashville and won only one of 11 faceoffs.  He was disconsolate in the locker room afterward. His teammates tried to cheer him up, but Toews wasn’t buying it.

‘’They’d say that statistics don’t always represent how you’ve been playing, but I was on the ice for five goals-against, so obviously there’s something I’m not doing right,’’ Toews said.

On Friday he went through a video session with assistant coach Ryan Stewart designed to correct his recent mistakes, then got hit in the head with puck in practice at Joe Louis Arena. He’s now sporting a big lump and cut near his right eye, and tonight his line will play against fearsome Red Wings Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk.

Welcome to the NHL, kid.

more... including some comments on Patrick Kane’s recent struggles as well

No!

by Paul on 11/14/07 at 11:04 AM
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from Icing at the Chicago Tribune,

Judging by the amount of e-mails I received today, it seems many Blackhawks fans are upset with the team’s apparent decision to phase out long-time organist Frank Pelico.

Pelico has long been a fixture in front of the big pipe organ pounding away at the keys and leading Hawks fans in “Let’s Go Hawks!” chants.

The Hawks were off today so I didn’t get a chance to ask anyone in the organization what the deal is, but it appears from reports that Pelico has been replaced with recorded “popular” music.

continued & a suggestion for the Blackhawks, you should survey Wings fans about popular recorded music!

Hawks Telecast A Success

by Paul on 11/12/07 at 08:33 AM
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from the Chicago Tribune,

Comcast SportsNet analyst Ed Olczyk repeatedly called the game “a three-hour commercial.” From the top, with the crowd cheering during the singing of the national anthem, the Hawks could showcase the scene inside the United Center.

The vibe was completely different from a CSN telecast of a Hawks road game. A home game telecast carries a much higher energy level, especially one against their biggest rival.

The CSN crew definitely was pumped up. Play-by-play man Dan Kelly kept setting up Olczyk. The former Hawk was in top form, not only with his analysis but in capturing the significance of the evening.

more

What Chicago Fans Have Missed

by Paul on 11/11/07 at 09:11 AM
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from the Daily Southtown,

While there have been games televised locally from Chicago Stadium and the United Center in the past, tonight’s game against Detroit, to be screened in high-definition by Comcast SportsNet, is the first time it’s been the Hawks’ idea to open the electronic door since TVs had round 7-inch screens and long-gone Channel 4 was the outlet.

With that in mind, here’s a baker’s dozen’s worth of games that a generation of Hawks fans should have seen on local TV, either broadcast or cable, but didn’t - even though in many cases, the rest of the U.S. and Canada could view every second.

March 12, 1966: Goaltender Cesare Maniago is the victim when Bobby Hull’s booming 55-foot slap shot rockets into the back of the New York net. It’s Hull’s 51st of the season, breaking Maurice “Rocket” Richard’s single-season record. There’s bedlam in the Stadium for eight minutes.

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Kane Can Handle The Pressure

by Paul on 11/10/07 at 12:55 PM
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from the Chicago Tribune,

It is an interactive wonderland worthy of a cover charge. It is a bedroom disguised as a virtual museum of hockey, perfectly ordered and brilliantly gleaming with trophies and plaques, jerseys and posters, a little boy’s dream documented and photographed so thoroughly and displaying such obvious success you have to assume this particular boy has gone on to greatness.

And you would be right. But it gets even better. It is history overlapping, Patrick Kane starring as Forrest Gump.

continued

Watching The Blackhawks

by Paul on 11/10/07 at 08:34 AM
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from Ed Sherman at the Chicago Tribune,

You have to hand it to the Blackhawks. Considering marketing never has been their strong suit, they’re getting a ton of mileage out of airing Sunday’s home game against the Red Wings on Comcast SportsNet.

The Hawks could register twice, perhaps even three times the number of viewers they have for road games for Sunday’s game. The team’s road games are averaging a 0.4 rating on CSN this season (one local ratings point is worth 34,550 homes).

CSN likely would be happy with a rating between 1.0 and 1.5 Sunday, and would do cartwheels over a 2.0. Much of it could hinge on the Bears. The best-case scenario would be for their game against Oakland to end at 6 p.m., allowing fans to switch their channels quickly to catch the opening face-off. A long Bears game that goes into overtime will put a dent in the ratings.

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Not Showing Up

by Paul on 11/10/07 at 07:31 AM
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from Mike Boone of the Montreal Gazette,

Attendance problems in Boston and Chicago are more troubling. These cities had passionate fans when Bettman was in knee-pants, bossing other kids around the playground. When Chicago Stadium opened in 1929, it was the largest indoor arena in the world. The Stadium sat 17, 317 for hockey, but standing-room boosted attendance to a record 20,069 for a 1982 playoff game against Minnesota. The legendary Boston ‘Gahden’ was smaller - about 16,000. Attendance Thursday night was an announced 15,183 - above the season average, but still disappointing.

more

Havlat Improving

by Paul on 11/09/07 at 10:54 AM
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from the Chicago Tribune,

“I’m making progress every day,” Havlat said. “I’m still not in place with a couple of movements to where I want to be. I still have to work on those.”

Havlat has been strengthening his right shoulder and will wear a brace during practices and games.

“We have to make sure the shoulder is strong enough, almost as strong as the other one, because when I come back I want to help as much as I can,” Havlat said. “If I come back 50 percent, I can’t be the player I can be.”

more

added 3:03pm, from Icing at the Chicago Tribune,

Savard said he approached injured winger Martin Havlat this morning and said: “You ready? You playing tonight?”

Havlat said not yet as he recovers from the shoulder injury he suffered during the first game of the season.

“As long as his mind is clear, that’s the biggest thing,’ Savard said. “He’s going to have to make that decision, I can’t make it for him.”

Blackhawks Lose Kevyn Adams

by Paul on 11/08/07 at 07:28 AM
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from the Chicago Tribune,

The Hawks suffered a big loss when veteran center Kevyn Adams went down with a knee injury with 8 minutes 27 seconds left in the first period. Adams, the leader of the Hawks both on and off the ice, was checked into the boards and his left knee appeared to buckle.

“It looks like the ACL and MCL, and he will be out for quite a while,” Savard said. “We lose a great leader, but it gives somebody a chance to get an opportunity. He has been awesome in the locker room.”

more on the Blackhawks

Havlat Not Ready For Contact

by Paul on 11/07/07 at 07:53 AM
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from the Chicago Daily Herald,

Martin Havlat is not quite ready for a practice with contact.

“I was hoping for this week, but we want to make sure he’s mentally ready for it. That’s a big key,” Denis Savard said. “His mind-set is not quite there yet.”

more on the Blackhawks…

Free TV

by Paul on 11/06/07 at 07:32 AM
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from Kevin Kaduk of the Northwest Herald,

It didn’t take long Monday for Rocky Wirtz to answer the questions many of us have been wanting to ask for about, oh, the past two decades or so.

At any point, did he ever set dear old Dad down for a talk about TV and its magical ability to provide a free three-hour commercial for his product, Chicago Blackhawks hockey?

And did he ever try to argue against the archaic notion that televising home games would hurt the turnstile count?

He had to have said something, right?

“Absolutely,” Wirtz said of his father, Bill, who died in September. “And it usually started and stopped about there.”

continued

Report- Havlat Close To Return

by Paul on 11/05/07 at 04:32 PM
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from ESPN Fantasy Talk,

A little birdie (aka a report in the vaunted Chicago Tribune) told me that Havlat may be back in the active lineup at some point during the current Chicago homestand this week. Say what you will of Havlat’s fragility—and much has been said, after all—but he’s shown he’s capable of point-per-game pace when in the lineup, and there’s no reason to believe he won’t achieve that upon his return.

read on for more fantasy talk…

Chicago Calls Up Dustin Byfuglien

by Paul on 11/03/07 at 04:35 PM
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Not something I would usually note here on KK, but what a story…

from HamptonRoads.com,

Raised by a single mother battling unpaid bills and factory work, Byfuglien (pronounced BUFF-lin) all but grew up in Memorial Arena. If the ice wasn’t available or he couldn’t talk his way into the play, he’d sit in the stands for hours, watching alone....

“I think he knew hockey was his salvation,’’ said Dale Smedsmo, a former Roseau High standout and pro player who has dated Byfuglien’s mother for three years. “School wasn’t easy for him, and he knew he had to make it in hockey. When he signed that contract, it was a personal victory because he’s worked very hard.’’

read on

Learning From Mistakes

by Alanah on 10/30/07 at 10:25 AM
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From Len Ziehm at the Chicago Sun-Times,

Fights in his last two games left Koci with a broken nose and a deep gash between the eyes that required 10 stitches. He clearly was beaten by the Boston Bruins’ Zdeno Chara on Thursday, but he insists he won’t be afraid to fight him again. He’ll just change his style.

‘’Usually I’m a more defensive fighter, but my last two fights I tried to kill the guys,’’ Koci said. ‘’I got confidence from my first couple fights, and I tried to be more aggressive. That’s not the way I usually fight, and that’s why I got hurt. You learn from your mistakes.’’

Koci was the first opponent to take on Chara since he joined the Bruins more than a year ago.

more...

NHL Teleconference - Chicago’s Toews and Kane

by Alanah on 10/29/07 at 08:54 PM
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Today, Chicago Blackhawks’ players Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and their coach Denis Savard, were all made available for an NHL teleconference.

The complete transcript is available below. 

Continue Reading »

Blackhawks Confirm First Televised Home Game

by Alanah on 10/29/07 at 03:15 PM
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From the Chicago Blackhawks,

The Chicago Blackhawks and Comcast SportsNet have announced that Comcast SportsNet will televise their first home game of the season on Sunday, November 11 when the Blackhawks play host to the archrival Detroit Red Wings at 6:00 p.m.

The November 11 game will be the first in a series of home games to be broadcast live and in high-definition on Comcast SportsNet. The full schedule will be released next week with additional home games airing throughout the remainder of the 2007-2008 season.

“It’s time to share the energy and excitement of the Blackhawks with all of our fans,” said Blackhawks Chairman W. Rockwell “Rocky” Wirtz. “We are entering a new era and putting home games back on TV is the first step to supporting our great players and fans.”

*Previously mentioned last week, but only confirmed by the ‘Hawks today

Savard Not Taking Hawk Skid Lightly

by IwoCPO on 10/29/07 at 07:07 AM
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From the Chicago Sun Times,

Finally, on Sunday, Savard conducted a practice when the rest of the organization was anticipating a day off. Only Tuomo Ruutu, Robert Lang and Jason Williams—nursing minor ailments—didn’t skate.

Signs of premature panic perhaps? The 5-6 Hawks already have won more games in October than all but three of their predecessors since the United Center became home ice in 1995, and there’s still one game left in the month—on Wednesday at Dallas.

more…

The Other Teams In The Central

by Paul on 10/26/07 at 08:28 AM
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from Michael Arace of the Columbus Dispatch,

As (Andy) Murray said, “I thought there was parity there last year, too, between Chicago, Columbus and St. Louis. The only difference is that the parity is at a higher level.”

The three teams were a collective 79-77-21 after their coaching changes last season. They are 15-11-1 this morning. The Central Division is no longer comprised of Detroit, Nashville, Curly, Larry and Moe. The Stooges are gone.

As Hitchcock said, “Somebody has to make the playoffs other than Detroit. Whether you get a second- or a third-place team in the playoffs, it’s going to be somebody.

read on

Ouch

by Alanah on 10/25/07 at 10:46 PM
Comments (6)

By popular request tonight, here’s the scrap in Boston featuring Zdeno Chara and David Koci.  And while Koci’s face looks like he was in a car wreck after the fight, it’s worth remembering he only broke his nose a few nights ago fighting Wade Belak, so that might be the primary cause of the mess. 

From HockeyFights.com:

addd 8:38am Friday by Paul, The ESPN view of the fight…

Continue Reading »

Columbus Beats Chicago - All Impressed By Kane

by Paul on 10/24/07 at 06:28 AM
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from Puck-rakers, a Blue Jackets blog at the Columbus Dispatch,

Hitchcock on Kane: “(The coaching staff) was trying to figure out a player you could compare him to. We haven’t found the right guy yet. If you’re sitting here in Chicago, a hockey fan, you’ve got to be thinking that you’ve got a chance over the next 10 or 15 years to watch this guy play hockey. He has an ability like very few players.”

Michael Peca on Kane: “I think he’s dynamite. He’s got that nose for the puck. I love watching guys like that. I know he was No. 1 overall and there are a lot of expectations. But a lot of people like to knock the little guys. I’d take his skill over the size of some guys in this league. He’s going to be a 100-point guy year after year after year.”

more on the Blue Jackets

Chicago Home Game on the TV Schedule

by Alanah on 10/23/07 at 03:25 PM
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From Barry Rozner at the Daily Herald,

Even if you don’t already have tickets for the Blackhawks’ home game Nov. 11 against Detroit, you will be able to see the match.  On TV. 

Yes, a home game on TV.

The franchise begins a new era on that Sunday at 6 p.m., when Rocky Wirtz broadcasts a home game on local television.

A team source is “99 percent’’ certain that will be the first home game shown on CSN, the first of roughly 5-7 home games the rest of this season.

Wirtz would have done it sooner and would have done more if it could have been managed logistically, but it’s pretty late in the game to get more than that number of high-definition home contests on TV in 2007-08.

continued...

Rocky Bringing the ‘Hawks into the 21st Century

by Alanah on 10/23/07 at 01:15 AM
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From Jay Mariotti at the Chicago Sun-Times,

I’ll never forget the hilarious day when Jim DeMaria, public relations boss of the least publicly relatable sports team I’ve known, tried to censor me with an ultimatum. If I wanted to cover a Blackhawks home game, I had to agree not to mention the forbidden words: No home TV.

Naturally, in either the first or second paragraph of my live column from the United Center, I wondered why the Hawks were the only franchise in the civilized world not to televise home games. It was such a gross miscalculation of the needs of 21st-century fans, the edict literally swallowed up what once was the crackling pride of every Chicago winter. Long before Michael Jordan, the Hawks owned the West Side, but as long as Bill Wirtz was lowballing his star players and making illogical decisions about TV marketing, they were doomed to plunge further in popularity and impact than any team in American sports.

Well, in the wee hours of a September morning, Mr. Wirtz passed away. And not a month later, in a Monday memo that melted the ice beneath the feet of the few local hockey fans that remain, his son moved quickly to rectify a decades-old blunder.

continued...

*Original press release from the Blackhawks about televising home games in the future is noted here.

Blackhawks Home Games May Be Coming to TV

by Alanah on 10/22/07 at 04:27 PM
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From the Chicago Blackhawks,

Representatives of the Chicago Blackhawks met with Comcast SportsNet executives today to begin discussions about televising some home games this hockey season.

It’s important to understand that Comcast SportsNet’s current schedule was developed well over a year ago, so fitting the Blackhawks into that schedule cannnot be done overnight. No definitive agreement has been reached at this time, however, we are convinced that it is the appropriate next step to re-energize Chicago hockey fans and create new fans. We are also working on a long term strategy for televising additional home games in the future.

continued...

Wow.

Hockey Tunes on a 300,000 Watt Organ

by