Tag: Chicago Blackhawks

3 mind-blowing ways a Penguins-Blackhawks game in April forever altered NHL history

What a ridiculous domino effect we’ll look back on for years.

At the time, when the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 5-2 in an early April affair, we thought it was a disastrous result and only for the two teams involved. But no one could have possibly predicted the domino effect of a win for one of the NHL’s worst teams over Sidney Crosby’s playoff fringe Penguins.

Sometimes, when you least expect it, a seemingly normal late-season game can mean so much to the rest of the league.

Now, with the 2023 Stanley Cup Final matchup finally almost set in stone, let’s look back at three mind-blowing ways one Penguins-Blackhawks regular season battle forever changed NHL history.

One thing seems certain: We might even look back on this game and see more butterfly-effect outcomes down the line.

The NHL’s incompetence is to blame for the Blackhawks’ undeserved draft lottery win

Well, this sucks!

The NHL fined the Chicago Blackhawks organization $2 million in October 2021 for its involvement in covering up the sexual assaults of two former players for more than a decade.

As of Wednesday, after winning the 2023 NHL Draft lottery and earning the chance to select Connor Bedard at No. 1 overall, the Blackhawks have made more than $5.2 million in ticket revenue and counting.

A pretty handsome reward less than two years after being found complicit in the sport’s biggest scandal ever, wouldn’t you say?

The Blackhawks winning the draft lottery was always a possibility. Chicago entered Monday with the third-best odds at 11.5 percent, trailing the Anaheim Ducks and Columbus Blue Jackets. Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson stripped the team down to the bone these last few years, trading away Chicago’s biggest stars and any player of note all for a chance at this moment right here.

The plan worked. And boy, it all kind of sucks, doesn’t it?

On a night that should have been a celebration of the sport’s bright future, hockey fans came away from the event furious at the results. Bedard — a generational hockey talent said to be on the level of Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid — is likely to soon call home an organization that covered up sexual assaults en route to three Stanley Cups across six years.

The most frustrating thing? It never should have gotten this far.

Had the NHL shown a shred of competence for once in its existence, the Blackhawks should have had to forfeit their right to draft in the first round for the foreseeable future. After all, the NHL has taken away first-rounders from teams for far less than covering up sexual assaults that were considered “an open secret” within the organization.

It’s completely unacceptable that the NHL’s only punishment against the Blackhawks for covering up sexual assault was a $2 million fine. A fine that the Blackhawks have since recouped — and then some — in ticket revenue just hours after winning the draft lottery. It was unacceptable then, and it’s even more outrageous now.

The NHL already failed Kyle Beach — John Doe 1 in the case — in the decade it took for his story to come to light. Not to mention Brad Aldrich’s other unnamed victims who were allowed to languish as the Blackhawks kept their sexual assault reports private. And now, every cent the Blackhawks make off of Bedard is yet another black stain on the NHL for failing to enact any semblance of a proper punishments on this organization.

Yes, the Blackhawks may have won the draft lottery, but all of hockey has lost once again as a result of the NHL’s incompetence.

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NHL fans were furious after the Blackhawks won the NHL Draft Lottery (and Connor Bedard)

This feels all kinds of wrong

The Chicago Blackhawks are still reeling from a sexual assault cover-up that forever tainted their Stanley Cup dynasty and cost the jobs of general manager Stan Bowman and head coach Joel Quenneville.

The Hawks spent all of last season openly tanking, trading away stars like Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat and pretty much every player any opposing team even looked at.

It was all rewarded on Monday night as Chicago won the NHL Draft lottery and the right to select generational talent Connor Bedard No. 1 overall.

It all felt gross.

For NHL fans, it was also infuriating. The Blackhawks were hockey’s golden child throughout the 2010s and have barely paid for the crimes committed while atop the league.

The internet did not take kindly to Monday’s development.

The Penguins and Blackhawks reached new levels of self-sabotage at the worst possible time

Neither team got the result they wanted on Tuesday night.

Neither the Pittsburgh Penguins nor the Chicago Blackhawks got what they wanted on Tuesday.

The end of the 2022-23 NHL regular season is nigh and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are right around the corner. The Penguins are in the hunt for their 17th playoff appearance in a row, the longest active streak currently in the NHL. The Blackhawks, on the other hand, are looking to have the best odds possible to draft high in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft this summer.

Unfortunately for both teams, the Blackhawks bested the Penguins 5-2 on Tuesday. The Penguins came into the game in control of their playoff destiny, with winnable games left against the Blackhawks and Blue Jackets that would have given them a postseason berth. The loss now means the Penguins have to rely on the New York Islanders to trip at the finish line or their season will end.

The Blackhawks, on the other hand, went from having the best lottery odds to the second-best with one victory. And with the chance to draft Connor Bedard as the prize for winning the lottery, Chicago fans are really kicking themselves as well for this win.

It’s really been some time since we’ve seen this level of self-sabotage from two teams in one game. Truly epic levels of catastrophe out of these two teams, that’s for sure.

NHL fans were quick to point out the unfortunate reality the Blackhawks and Penguins are now living in thanks to Tuesday’s result.

The Wild’s Ryan Reaves wanted stronger smelling salts and he was so not ready for them

Reaves got WAY more than he bargained for.

Using smelling salts to improve alertness is likely nothing new for a professional hockey player. But the Minnesota Wild’s Ryan Reaves still might have bitten off more than he could chew Saturday night.

As the Wild battled the rival Chicago Blackhawks at home, Reaves asked for some smelling salts from a Minnesota trainer. When they apparently weren’t strong enough, he wanted something more potent.

While Reaves probably wanted the salts to get more “into” the game, he seemed to have some very visible regrets after taking the stronger variation. The 36-year-old exploded in discomfort upon inhaling the second version. That or the salts were just that powerful, and Reaves simply had to compose himself:

(Warning: NSFW language in the text below) 

Whatever Reaves’ aim was here, it worked out. He recorded a goal, and the Wild eventually prevailed 3-1. Though, next time, as Reaves detailed in the postgame, he might want to prepare accordingly for the stronger ammonia inhalants:

NHL fans thought Reaves’ seeming immediate regret upon taking the second version of the smelling salts was hilarious.

Patrick Kane trade: Who won the Blackhawks and Rangers deal?

Patrick Kane is headed to Broadway!

Patrick Kane got his wish.

On Tuesday, the Chicago Blackhawks traded Kane to the New York Rangers after days of rumors. The list of possible contender destinations narrowed for Kane throughout February, but the Rangers were able to make the trade work after the 34-year-old forward all but demanded to be moved to New York.

Kane was one of the biggest names on the market ahead of the 2023 NHL trade deadline on Friday. With Kane off the market, it seems as if the floodgates are set to open on the rest of the pack as the days dwindle down ahead of the deadline.

As the dust settles on this deal, let’s break down the details of the Kane trade and give out grades to both the Rangers and Blackhawks!

5 NHL teams that could trade for Patrick Kane

Where could Patrick Kane land ahead of the NHL trade deadline?

Patrick Kane’s time with the Chicago Blackhawks is coming to an end.

Ahead of the 2023 NHL trade deadline, Kane remains one of the biggest names on the market. Hockey fans have known for some time that Kane was on his way out in Chicago and now it seems his days on the team are numbered.

Kane is currently in the last year of an eight-year, $84 million deal, with a hefty $10.5 million cap hit attached and a no-trade clause he’d have to wave to boot. A pretty big price to pay, to be sure, with Kane having 14 goals and 41 points on a truly awful Blackhawks team this season. Still, there’s no reason not to believe Kane will bounce back on a more talented team, especially after putting up a hat trick in his most recent game.

These are the five NHL teams that could trade for Kane ahead of the 2023 deadline.

Minnesota Wild vs. Chicago Blackhawks odds, tips and betting trends

The seventh-place squad in the Western Conference, the Chicago Blackhawks (4-3-0), host the 10th-ranked Minnesota Wild (3-3-1) at United Center on Sunday at 7:00 PM ET. Minnesota lost 2-1 on the road in its last game on October 29 against the …

The seventh-place squad in the Western Conference, the Chicago Blackhawks (4-3-0), host the 10th-ranked Minnesota Wild (3-3-1) at United Center on Sunday at 7:00 PM ET.

Minnesota lost 2-1 on the road in its last game on October 29 against the Detroit Red Wings.

Chicago’s most recent game was a road overtime loss, 4-3, to the Buffalo Sabres on October 29.

As hockey matchups continue, prepare for the outing with what you need to know before Sunday’s game.

Minnesota Wild vs. Chicago Blackhawks Odds and Betting Lines

  • Favorite: Wild (-184)
  • Underdog: Blackhawks (+154)
  • Over/under: 6.5

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Wild Stats and Trends

  • Minnesota has been victorious in three of the six games it’s played as the moneyline favorite this season.
  • Through one game with moneyline odds lower than -184 this season, the Wild have won every time.
  • There is a 64.8% chance that Minnesota wins this contest, per the moneyline.
  • Minnesota and its opponent have combined to score more than 6.5 goals in five of eight games this season.
  • They have averaged 3.4 goals per game (27 total) over that time.
  • Over on the defensive end, the Wild have given up 31 goals (3.9 per game) in those 10 matchups.

Blackhawks Stats and Trends

  • The Blackhawks have claimed an upset victory in four of the eight games they have played while the underdog this season.
  • Chicago has a record of 1-4 in games when sportsbooks list them +154 or longer on the moneyline.
  • Oddsmakers have implied, based on the moneyline for this matchup, that the Blackhawks have a 39.4% chance to win.
  • So far this season, 75.0% of Chicago’s games (6/8) have had more goals than Sunday’s over/under of 6.5.
  • They are scoring at a 3.5 goals-per-game average (28 total) during that stretch.
  • Over on the defensive end, the Blackhawks have given up 27 goals (3.4 per game) in those 10 outings.

Wild vs. Blackhawks Game Info and Start Time

  • Game Day: Sunday, October 30, 2022
  • Game Time: 7:00 PM ET
  • TV Channel: NBC Sports Networks
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (Watch for free)

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Landon Slaggert U.S. alternate captain for world junior championships

Nice honor.

[autotag]Landon Slaggert[/autotag] has another chance to do this country proud. Before the forward came to Notre Dame, he was a member of the U.S. National Team Development Program. Since then, he has been a reliable selection for the world junior championships. Now, he gets to serve as alternate captain for the U.S. at this year’s event, which will begin Tuesday in Edmonton, Alberta.

Slaggert, a South Bend native and 2020 third-round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, won the gold with the U.S. in 2021 despite not recording a point in seven games, although he did have 12 penalty minutes. [autotag]Andrew Peeke[/autotag] previously was the last Irish player to medal at the event in 2018, during which he won a bronze.

In 65 games over two seasons with the Irish, Slaggert has scored 48 points, 20 of which have come on goals. His 26 points during the 2021-22 season, which included 12 goals, netted him an Honorable Mention All-Big Ten selection.

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MSU alumnus, Stanley-Cup champion Duncan Keith retiring from NHL

Former Michigan State hockey star and Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks, Duncan Keith is retiring from the NHL.

Duncan Keith has made the decision to retire from the NHL after a 17-year career with the Chicago Blackhawks and Edmonton Oilers. Keith is almost a surefire hall-of-famer after a long list of career accolades including being a 4-time all-star, 3-time Stanley Cup Champion, 2-time Gold Medalist, 2-time Norris Trophy winner and one-time Conn Smythe Award winner.

Keith spent the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons donning the green and white as a member of the Michigan State hockey program before being a second-round pick to the Chicago Blackhawks, where he played 16 of his 17 NHL seasons before rounding out his career with the Edmonton Oilers.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Cory Linsner on Twitter @Cory_Linsner.

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