A quick reminder for Blackhawks fans as we watch the Stanley Cup Playoffs: there are a few teams we’re all probably rooting against. Not necessarily because we don’t like the team or the players, but because it would help the Blackhawks’ draft capital this summer. The Blackhawks won Tampa’s first-round pick and the second-round picks of the Kings and Canucks from previous trades. LA and Tampa lost the first games of their respective series. The earlier those picks are on the clock the better!
Alex Vlasic spoke about his next contract briefly as the players were finishing the season over the weekend. Here’s what he had to say about this summer’s negotiations:
“I would love to be here as long as possible. It’s amazing being able to play for my hometown team, the same city I grew up in, so I’m not really looking to go anywhere else. So yeah, I want to be here as long as possible and [my agent] knows that.”
To me, this is a no-brainer: find a number both sides are comfortable at and sign the kid up for a nice, long period of time. Eight years? He’s 22 right now and that would carry him thru until he turns 30. That still gives him time to go get a multi-year deal after this one, but it assures the Blackhawks of having a top-pair defenseman to build around. Do it.
I thought this was a tremendously informative piece from Pierre LeBrun at The Athletic thru the lens of the Oilers needing to win now. He talked to a number of GMs, including Edmonton’s Ken Holland, about that it takes to win a championship. And how a front office knows they’ve got the goods.
“It was a three-, four-, five-year pursuit,” Holland said. “And as I look around at other teams that have won the Cup recently, you just don’t show up and win the Stanley Cup. You’ve got to bang on the door, bang on the door … keep banging on the door.”
Other championship-winning GMs talked about having the right DNA on the roster, but then how that translates into actually doing it. LA’s Dean Lombardi talked about how much Michael Jordan hated losing — hated it. LeBrun drew a comparison from Connor McDavid’s pained way of talking about last year’s elimination to how Nathan MacKinnon felt the year before Colorado won the Cup. This is a fascinating read I highly recommend as the Blackhawks embark on a summer in which their general manager has openly said it’s time to take a step forward in the win column.
Speaking of championship DNA and hating to lose, Charlie Roumeliotis wrote about Connor Bedard‘s rookie season exceeding expectations. Some great comments in here from his teammates.
Blackhawks prospect — and, now, Rockford IceHogs center — Paul Ludwinski spoke with the good folks in the Kingston media group about his final junior season as their captain. Today happens to be Paulie’s 20th birthday. Happy birthday!
Gavin Hayes scored two power play goals on Sunday night as the Soo Greyhounds won 5-0, forcing a Game 7 against Saginaw tonight. Hayes has 6 goals and 9 assists in 10 playoff games so far.
Sure, why not? (Fun Fact: when the Sabres fired Lindy Ruff on Feb. 20, 2013, he was replaced by Ron Rolston — uncle of Blackhawks prospect Ryder Rolston.)
Finally… I’m sorry. Come again? What now?
NEWSLETTER
