Time to start, and because he’s earned the right we’re going to kick this off with the very bearded and very Irish MightyMikeD’s queries:
When do we see Teuvo?
That would depend on who you talk to. Most seem to think he’ll start the year in Rockford, in which case it’s likely he would be up no later than the Holidays, depending on the rest of the lineup shakes out and injuries and other various factors.
Me? I think he starts the season with the Hawks.
With the Free Agency Faucet now slowing down to an annoyingly audible drip, there’s not a lot to kick around other than the looming trade the Hawks will need to make to get under the salary cap.
For the uninitiated, the Hawks are still approximately $2.2 million dollars over the NHL’s salary cap of $69 million. There have been numerous scenarios fleshed out both here and elsewhere for just how the Hawks can do that. And looming as always is annual self-suck known as the Blackhawks Fan Convention, where John McDonough and Jay Blunk are loathe to trot out players who will not be here come October.
It’s been just about a week since the Hawks signed Brad Richards, and thanks to other commitments and the holiday I haven’t really had time to get in up to the elbow on what the Hawks have taken a flier on here. We’ve got time today. So roll up the sleeves, Hondo.
What they’ve gotten is clearly a player on the decline. Richards had 91 points with Dallas the year the Hawks won the Cup the firs time. He then went to 77, 66, a 60-point pace in the lockout year, and 51 points last year. So none of that is going to be encouraging, especially when he switched to the easier Eastern Conference and continued to put up less points.
Are there some mitigating factors? A few but hardly nothing major. He was bounced around the lineup a lot by John Tortorella, and Torts was allergic to offense. But the introduction of Alain Vigneault didn’t help much either.
With the aquisition of Brad “Religion” Richards, even at the cap friendly number of $2 million dollars for this season, the Hawks are now currently around $2.2 million dollars over the cap while carrying 22 players on the active roster by opening night.
This means that someone is going to have to be voted off of the island in short order, particularly with the Convention coming up in a couple of weeks. If there’s one thing that McDonough and Blunk are conscious of it’s optics, and they’d hate to have a player kissing hands and shaking babies all weekend at the Regency just to have someone’s favorite player launched, even if they technically don’t have to until opening night in October. Add that to the cover that the long holiday weekend will bring tomorrow, as well as the tendency for media types to try to bury bad news on a Friday afternoon, and it would not be the least bit shocking to see someone go tomorrow.
McClure took you through the local hockey club’s actions on the opening day of free agency, as I was too busy passing out from every Belgian attack (I passed out a lot). So I thought I’d clean up what went on around the league.
Central Matters
First, it’s probably best to look closer to home and that’s in the Central division. The big move was Jason Spezza going to the Stars for pretty much nothing. One aspect that didn’t get mentioned a whole lot is how this move slots The Ginger Ninja, Cody Eakin, down into the 3rd center role. That’s where he’s supposed to be and don’t be shocked if he becomes one of the better 3rd centers in the West.
Three years ago today I was in Vegas wanting Stan to sign this guy: SunTimes
Well they did for a perfect stopgap: Chicago Tribune
The Dane returns! ESPN
Big D could once again be a big problem: DMN
My contract sucks: TSN
No Paul, anywhere else….Sportsnet.ca
The beats will all have columns when the Hawks play the Panthers: MH
Today Stan Bowman took further steps in Quenneville proofing his forward group by bringing back step-child Peter Regin for one year and $650K, and Brad Richards, in a career reclamation move predicted on this very site about 24 hours ago.
After a mostly silent draft from a trade standpoint, even if Stan Bowman and Doug Wilson made a lot of teal and red clad sphincters audibly clench when they approached the registry table, it appears that Bowman is going one of two directions. The first option is that he’s going to allow this group, which for all of their faults were a goal away from another Cup Final berth against an inferior opponent, another crack at the Chalice minus some deadweight and augment as the deadline approaches. Or he’s going to let the market get set tomorrow in a barren UFA market place and parlay some of his cost-controlled assets into greater return and/or cap space.
at 
Game Time: 6:00PM Central
TV/Radio: CSN, NHLN (US), WGN-AM 720
Without MSG I Am Nothing: Blueshirt Banter, Scotty Hockey
Now that the international nightmare known as the Sochi Olympics is finally over, the NHL can get back to business as usual. With 22 games left, the Hawks will start their final quarter of the season tonight in Manhattan at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers.
vs 
Game Time: 7:00 PM Central
TV/Radio: NBCSN, TSN2, WGN-AM 720
Hell’s Kitchen: Scotty Hockey, Blueshirt Banter
With all of the buzz the last couple of days being over the Olympic Team selections and of course the horrendous weather that’s put the entire nation in its frigid grip, it’s easy to forget that the Blackhawks were last seen on Sunday night blowing another third period lead and ultimately falling in the skills competition to the Sharks. They’ll get a chance to correct that tonight once again on United Center ice, this time against the visiting Rangers, who are basically a mess, and that’s being complimentary.
