The Blackhawks won’t play another meaningful game until October, but that doesn’t mean the world stops turning folks. There’s plenty going on in Blackhawks-land between now and the start of August that will have my attention.
We’ve already checked the boxes for the 2024 NHL Draft Lottery, the Men’s World Championship and the NHL Scouting Combine. We’re getting a full seven games in the Stanley Cup Final, which makes the calendar to close the 2023-24 league year even more condensed.
Here’s a full checklist of the key dates to add to your calendars for the Blackhawks this summer.
☑️ May 7 — 2024 NHL Draft Lottery
☑️ May 10-26 — 2024 IIHF Men’s World Championship (Prague and Ostrava, Czechia)
☑️ June 2-8 — 2024 NHL Scouting Combine (LECOM Harborcenter; Buffalo, N.Y.)
June 24 — Game 7 — 2024 Stanley Cup Final
June 26 — Deadline for first club-elected salary arbitration notification (4 PM CT). Deadline falls 48 hours after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Final.
June 27 — NHL Awards (Las Vegas)
June 28-29 — 2024 NHL Draft (Las Vegas)
July 1 — Free agency begins
July 1 – July 5 — Blackhawks Development Camp (will be off-ice again)
July 5 — Deadline for player-elected salary arbitration notification (4 PM CT)
July 6 — Deadline for second club-elected salary arbitration notification (4 PM CT)
July 20 – Aug. 4 — Salary arbitration hearings
Aug. 6 — Deadline for salary arbitration decisions to be rendered
Sept. 11 – 15 — Blackhawks Rookie Camp (St. Louis)
Sept. 18 — Start of Blackhawks Training Camp