It’s tough to lose a player from the lineup but I’m sure the Chicago Blackhawks were particularly unhappy to learn that Dave Bolland would be on the injured reserve for 3-4 months.
The 23-year-old center had to have surgery to repair a herniated disk in his back.  In 13 games this season, he had two goals and four assists.  He wasn’t exactly on fire but you never know how someone’s game is going to progress through a season and now we just won’t know.

I’m surprised he waited this long, though, since he’s complained with back issues for a couple years and …read more

Yesterday, Chicago Blackhawks star, Patrick Kane, issued a public apology for allegedly assaulting a cab driver while visiting his hometown of Buffalo, New York earlier this month.  I was really shocked by the incident in which Kane and his cousin supposedly attacked a cab driver after the man said he didn’t have the 20 cents change when he was given $15 for a $13.80 fare (he had a dollar but not the other 20 cents).  Since when do we not tip taxi drivers???
During his apology (which he delivered at the start of the three-day orientation camp for the U.S. Olympic …read more

I seriously can’t believe this but Patrick Kane has been arrested for robbing and assaulting a Buffalo-area taxi driver.  The Chicago Blackhawks forward was in Upstate New York visiting family when he and his cousin were arrested this morning.

Here’s the story (and it’s very lame).  Kane (20) and his cousin James (21) punched a cabbie who didn’t have proper change – they gave him $15 and wanted the change on a $13.80 fare.  I’m guessing these two geniuses never heard of tipping people in the service industry???
The cabbie offered to give them $1 but they wanted the other $0.20 …read more

Marian Hossa’s new contract with the Chicago Blackhawks is being investigated by the NHL.  Why am I not surprised?  First of all, can I just say that I think long-term deals are a really bad idea and when it was first announced that Hossa the team hopper had been signed for 12 years, I thought it was ridiculous.

I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m starting to think that Hossa is a bad luck charm after each of the last teams he played on fell just short of winning the Stanley Cup – twice in two years!
Anyway, the NHL is saying …read more

Of the thirty teams in the league that, I felt, had earned respect and wouldn’t likely make changes at the administrative level, the Chicago Blackhawks seemed safe.  I thought they did extremely well last year for a team with such a young, less experienced roster.  Apparently, something was clearly wrong.
I think that general manager, Dale Tallon, was excellent and I really admired the relationship he had with the team.  I believe that he had a lot to do with them making the Western Conference Finals and I think that it was foolish to get rid of him (and to …read more

After defecting from the Pittsburgh Penguins to join the Detroit Red Wings because he thought he had a better chance of winning the Stanley Cup (it was so rough when Detroit ended up losing Pittsburgh), Marian Hossa has jumped ship again.
The Chicago Blackhawks have given Hossa a 12-year deal worth about $59.3 million which averages out to $5.2 per season for the first eight years and then drops down to $3.5 million for the last four.

The Blackhawks had a great season and I think that they have a real chance to not only make it to the playoffs again next …read more

There is no image to put up yet but Chicago Blackhawks winger, Patrick Kane, will appear on the cover of EA Sports’ NHL 2010 although top draft prospect, John Tavares, has signed on to help promote the game which is expected to hit shelves this September.  
Meanwhile, Alexander Ovechkin has been chosen to front the NHL 2K10 game. 

The Detroit Red Wings were successful last night in winning the 2009 Western Conference title and eliminating the Chicago Blackhawks.  To their credit, the ‘Hawks held on as best they could with Martin Havlat and starting goaltender, Nikolai Khabibulin, knocked out of the lineup but, ultimately, the Wings were just too hot to handle.

Detroit showed their strength as a team when they pulled together to compensate for the absence of star players, Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk.  They played a patient, determined game and in the end it paid off.
I have to say that I was impressed with Blackhawks backup …read more

Joel Quenneville had some choice words about the officiating in Game 4 between his Chicago Blackhawks and the Detroit Red Wings.  Unfortunately, the NHL didn’t see eye-to-eye with the coach and his actions ended up costing him $10,000USD.
His offence?  After a roughing call against defenceman Matt Walker as the first period ended, Detroit scored and extended their lead to 3-0 (they ended up winning the game with a final score of 6-1 and have taken a 3-1 series lead). 
After the game, coach Quenneville said: "I think we witnessed probably the worst call in the history of sports …read more

Wow.  I’m sure the Chicago Blackhawks would like to permanently erase today’s game against the Detroit Red Wings completely from their memory.  It was one of those games where it was almost uncomfortable to watch and I’m not a particular fan of either team.  It was just painful.

Things looked a little promising for the Blackhawks at the start of the game.  Sure, I was concerned when Cristobal Huet was announced as the starting goalie but I was encouraged by the fact that Martin Havlat was in the lineup despite the fact that he took a crushing hit this past week …read more