Blackhawks News

Chris Chelios hears cheers in return to Michigan
Comment
November 7
Detroit Free Press
 
"Former Red Wings defenseman Chris Chelios travels to hockey arenas on buses these days instead of a private jet. And he stays in hotels geared for traveling businessmen, not the resorts and five-star accommodations that the Wings are known for staying at. Chelios, 47, returned to Michigan on Friday as a member of the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League. He's playing on a 25-game professional tryout contract in hopes of signing with an NHL team. Chelios said after the morning skate he wasn't worried about his reception at Van Andel Arena when he played against the Grand Rapids Griffins, the Wings' AHL affiliate."
AWOL from Avs' turnabout - the fans
Comment
November 7
Denver Post
 columnist Dave Krieger
"What if they put on a hockey game and nobody came? No, it's not that bad yet. And yes, the people who remember Rockie hockey could tell you what happens when it gets that bad. But still, the Avalanche is facing what seems like a contradictory confluence of events. After finishing last season as the worst team in the NHL's Western Conference, the Avs surprised most everyone in the hockey world by sprinting to the top of the standings this season. Yet their attendance has continued the downward trajectory of the past three seasons, slipping below 15,000 fans a game through their first six home games. The obvious explanation is the economy, but the Nuggets' attendance is holding steady. In ..."
O'Reilly helps keep Avs perfect at home
Comment
November 7
Denver Post
 
"This season, it's almost as if former Broncos guard Keith Bishop pops onto the Avalanche bench every time Colorado falls behind 2-0 and repeats his famous pronouncement as Denver was about to embark on the late 98-yard drive against Cleveland in the 1987 AFC championship game: "We got 'em right where we want 'em." On Friday night at the Pepsi Center, the Avalanche kept its 2009-10 home record perfect through six games, getting two goals from rookie center Ryan O'Reilly and one from David Jones on the way to recovering from a two-goal first-period deficit and taking a 4-3 shootout victory over the Chicago Blackhawks. The shootout lasted eight rounds, ending when Colorado's Chris Stewart ..."
Avs win 4-3 in shootout
Comment
November 7
Denver Post
 
"This season, it's almost as if former Broncos guard Keith Bishop pops into the Avalanche bench every time Colorado falls behind 2-0 and repeats his famous pronouncement as Denver was about to embark on the late 98-yard drive against Cleveland in the 1987 AFC Championship game: "We got 'em right where we want 'em." On Friday at the Pepsi Center, Chicago jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead when Dustin Byfuglien scored on a power play at 6:27 and defenseman Duncan Keith got his fourth goal of the season at 10:36. But with rookie center Ryan O'Reilly scoring twice and David Jones adding a short-handed goal to jump-start Colorado, the Avalanche came from behind to remain perfect at home this ..."
Blackhawks' Marian Hossa eager to play
Comment
November 7
Chicago Tribune
 
"Marian Hossa watched his Blackhawks teammates scrimmage during Thursday's morning skate and figured he would take a shot. "The rest of the guys were playing a little scrimmage five-on-five, and I kind of felt like not sitting on the bench and jumping in there," Hossa said. "I asked the trainer, and he said not yet." Hossa still is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and with each on-ice practice session is getting more eager to ratchet up the intensity of his rehab. He is limited to non-contact drills and is expected to be out until later this month."
Avalanche top Chicago Blackhawks 4-3 in shootout
Comment
November 7
Chicago Tribune
 
"There's something about playing the Avalanche that makes the Blackhawks go the distance. For the second time this season, the teams locked horns in an extended shootout, and Friday night the result was different as the Avalanche defeated the Hawks 4-3 at the Pepsi Center. On Oct. 10, the Hawks earned a 4-3 decision in a franchise-record nine-round shootout. It went eight rounds Friday before Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson stopped the Hawks' Dustin Byfuglien to end the shootout and hand the Hawks their second loss in 24 hours. With the score tied 3-3 after regulation and overtime, Patrick Kane gave goalie Antti Niemi and the Hawks a 1-0 shootout lead as he led off with a score. The ..."
Short in a shootout
Comment
November 7
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The Blackhawks and Colorado Avalanche appear destined to play long games. They went nine rounds into a shootout in the Hawks' first game at the United Center this season before the Hawks pulled out a victory, and Friday the shootout went eight tension-packed rounds. The Avalanche took this one 4-3, with Chris Stewart making the decisive conversion before Dustin Byfuglien shot wide on his attempt to send the shootout to a ninth round. The Hawks couldn't feel too bad. They salvaged a point against the top team in the Western Conference without their top two centers. It was bad enough that the Hawks had to play their last six games without top-line center Jonathan Toews. On Friday, they also ..."
Hawks not at their best after rest
Comment
November 6
Daily Southtown
 
"Even in these difficult economic times, attendance hasn't been much of a problem for the NHL as a whole. But it has been an issue for the Blackhawks' first two November opponents. The Phoenix Coyotes, who defeated the Hawks 3-1 on Thursday night, had a difficult offseason. The club filed for bankruptcy, and its ownership was taken over by the NHL this week. Though the Coyotes got off to a good start on the ice, their attendance hit rock bottom for a Monday home game when just 5,855 showed up at Jobing.com Arena for a game against the Los Angeles Kings. Thursday's crowd wasn't much better in a half-filled arena. And the Hawks' opponent on the road tonight, the Colorado Avalanche, leads ..."
Coyotes rebound vs. Blackhawks
Comment
November 6
Arizona Republic
 
"If nothing else, back-to-back subpar efforts did one thing for the Coyotes: It made them angry - and a lot more focused. Peter Mueller scored his first goal of the season, and goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov was outstanding to trigger a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night at Jobing.com Arena in front of 10,362. The victory halted a two-game skid. Aggressive play also returned. Bryzgalov made 31 saves, and the Coyotes shut down six Blackhawks power plays. "An emotional and passioned game," Bryzgalov said. "I think everybody was in tonight, and no passengers on our bus. Everybody did his role, and that's the key to why we won the game. "Our penalty kill was absolutely ..."
Hawks flunk history
Comment
November 6
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The Blackhawks owned the Phoenix Coyotes last season, winning all four meetings and outscoring them 13-1 in the last two. That was last year. In the first meeting of this season Thursday night, the Hawks -- showing signs of rust from a five-day break from games and hampered by a feeble power play -- were soundly beaten by the Coyotes 3-1 at Jobing.com Arena. Plagued with financial problems that led to declaring bankruptcy, the Coyotes now are owned by the NHL. They no longer have the legendary Wayne Gretzky as their coach, either. ''But they're a better team -- deeper, balanced,'' Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. ''They've got a mobile defense and good goaltending.'' ''They're a ..."
Blackhawks notes
Comment
November 6
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The Blackhawks' first fathers trip has been fun, according to all reports halfway through the event. The Hawks contingent arrived in Phoenix on Tuesday with 18 of the players' fathers and one grandfather (Duncan Keith's) in the group. They enjoyed a golf outing, then a group dinner and some pool time before the game in Phoenix. ''It's exciting having them part of the trip and experiencing our everyday lifestyle,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''It's been fun meeting new people and getting to know everybody better. And everybody should be proud to play in front of their dads.'' The dads also will take in the game tonight in Denver. With Jonathan Toews and Ben Eager still not ready for game ..."
Chicago Blackhawks' Marian Hossa eager to play
Comment
November 6
Chicago Tribune
 
"Marian Hossa watched his Blackhawks teammates scrimmage during Thursday's morning skate and figured he would take a shot. "The rest of the guys were playing a little scrimmage five-on-five, and I kind of felt like not sitting on the bench and jumping in there," Hossa said. "I asked the trainer, and he said not yet." Hossa still is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery and with each on-ice practice session is getting more eager to ratchet up the intensity of his rehab. He is limited to non-contact drills and is expected to be out until later this month. "You have to be smart about these injuries because we waited such a long time, and you don't want one or two weeks early to do ..."
Chicago Blackhawks surviving early injuries
Comment
November 6
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Phoenix Coyotes are clearly a different animal this season. The Blackhawks found that out the hard way Thursday night as they took them on for the first time since sweeping them in convincing fashion in four meetings last season. The Coyotes scored the first three goals and handed the Hawks a 3-1 defeat before 10,362 at Jobing.com Arena. During 2008-09, the Hawks outscored the Coyotes 20-4. Thursday night it was Phoenix doing the scoring as it got goals from Martin Hanzal, Peter Mueller and Scottie Upshall to back the solid goaltending of Ilya Bryzgalov (31 saves). The Hawks could manage only Kris Versteeg's short-handed score as the power play continued to misfire, going 0-for-6. The ..."
Toews back on ice for Chicago Blackhawks
Comment
November 5
Chicago Tribune
 
"It has been a frustrating couple of weeks for Jonathan Toews. The Blackhawks' captain has had to sit and wait rather impatiently while he recovers from a concussion that caused him to miss four games. The wait could be at an end as the center returned to the ice Wednesday for the first time since theCanucks' Willie Mitchell crunched him at center ice on Oct. 21. Toews joined his Hawks teammates as they practiced at Jobing.com Arena in preparation for Thursday night's game against the Coyotes. "It was frustrating to be out as long as I was," Toews said. "I feel good and I feel confident out there. I don't feel like I'm missing a step yet. The legs are little heavy (Wednesday) but it only ..."
Father-son fun for Hawks
Comment
November 4
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Tuesday was all about fun and family for the Blackhawks. Departing from their normal travel routine, they took a morning flight from O'Hare to Phoenix, with their fathers on board. In the afternoon they conducted a scramble golf tournament at a Scottsdale resort, the first of several activities planned for the five-day trip that includes games against the Phoenix Coyotes on Thursday and the Colorado Avalanche on Friday. Other NHL teams have held such fatherly ventures, but this was the first for the Hawks. President John McDonough and new general manager Stan Bowman put the trip together, and they invited all rostered players -- even injured ones like Marian Hossa and Adam Burish who are a ..."
Chicago Blackhawks taking dads on the road
Comment
November 4
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Blackhawks may be heading into hostile territory during their two-game trip that begins Thursday night in Phoenix, but they will be surrounded by friendly faces. Every member of the Hawks, including injured players, made the trip and many will have fathers or grandfathers along on the team's first-ever Fathers Trip. "I got my grandpa coming," defenseman Duncan Keith said. "He's pretty pumped. I think all the dads are excited and us players are excited too. "You want to show them kind of how we get to go on the road and how we get treated and how nice it is. We all want to have a good game and play well in front of them." The team flew Tuesday to Phoenix and had a golf outing and team ..."
Toews stays off the ice
Comment
November 3
Daily Southtown
 
"The Blackhawks always have maintained that Jonathan Toews is ''day to day'' with concussion-like symptoms, but he still hasn't returned to the ice. He missed practice Monday at the United Center, and if he misses the next workout Wednesday in Phoenix, he'll have been off the ice for two weeks since he absorbed a thunderous hit Oct. 21 from Vancouver Canucks defenseman Willie Mitchell. ''Every day you're hopeful he can get on the ice and be part of it,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. The Hawks face the Coyotes on Thursday and the Colorado Avalanche on Friday in Denver. Quenneville had predicted that Toews' injury would be ''short term,'' but two weeks might be stretching that a bit and ..."
Hawks optimistic Toews' injury still day-to-day
Comment
November 3
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The Blackhawks always have maintained that Jonathan Toews is ''day-to-day'' with concussion-like symptoms, but he still hasn't returned to the ice. He missed practice Monday at the United Center, and if he misses the next workout Wednesday in Phoenix, he'll have been off the ice for two weeks since he absorbed a thunderous hit from Vancouver Canucks defenseman Willie Mitchell on Oct. 21. ''Every day you're hopeful he can get on the ice and be part of it,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. The Hawks face the Coyotes on Thursday and the Colorado Avalanche on Friday in Denver. Quenneville had predicted that Toews' injury would be ''short term,'' but two weeks might be stretching that a bit and ..."
Injury issues coming to head
Comment
November 3
Chicago Tribune
 
"It has been a little more than four years since Keith Primeau played his final game in the NHL. It was Oct. 25, 2005, when Primeau, playing for the Flyers, took a hit from the Canadiens' Alexander Perezhogin and suffered a concussion. It was not the first concussion Primeau had endured during his 15 years in the league, but it was the last as it forced the three-time 30-goal scorer and two-time NHL All-Star into early retirement. It was an injury from which Primeau still hasn't fully recovered. So it pained Primeau to see the video of Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews struggling to get to his skates and falling before he reached the bench after a crunching open-ice hit from the Canucks' ..."
Eager-ly awaited news: 'Close to 100 percent'
Comment
November 2
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Concussion is a word rarely uttered in the hockey world, but Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville used it without reservation in describing the problems that kept Ben Eager on the sideline the last four weeks. Eager went through his first full practice with the Hawks on Sunday and still was reluctant to use the ''C'' word. ''It wasn't so much a concussion as it was leftover effects from last year's long playoff run and not having that long a summer,'' Eager said. ''I didn't feel right when I came back, and I felt I needed some time off.'' Eager played in the first two regular-season games in Europe but said that had no bearing on his health problems. ''I tried to play through it, but I didn't ..."
Chicago Blackhawks' Andrew Ladd doesn't expect to be suspended for hit
Comment
November 2
Chicago Tribune
 
"No news is good news for Andrew Ladd. The Blackhawks winger hasn't heard from the NHL about a possible suspension for the hit he delivered on the Canadiens' Matt D'Agostini on Friday night, and he doesn't expect to. "I thought it was a clean hit and you wouldn't expect to get suspended for that," Ladd said following practice Sunday. "(D'Agostini) just had his head down and I was coming off the bench. I can't let him get by me, so I just kind of stepped into him. Obviously you don't want to see a guy get hurt, but it's a tough spot to be in." Ladd was given a 10-minute misconduct penalty that ended his night early, a five-minute major for elbowing and two minutes for roughing after ..."
Who was that masked man?
Comment
November 1
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Fifty years ago today, hockey changed forever. On Nov. 1, 1959, Jacques Plante became the first NHL goalie to wear a facemask, beginning the end of an era in which goalies -- including Blackhawks legend Glenn Hall -- did things that are incomprehensible today. Not only did Hall not wear a mask, but he played in an NHL-record 503 consecutive games. Most of those -- 363, in fact -- came with the Hawks, his team from 1957 to 1967. ''Playing all those games for how many years in a row -- every minute without a mask -- and facing Bobby [Hull] in practice,'' Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. ''Wow! That was a different level. That stat is probably one of the most amazing things in hockey.'' ..."
Blackhawk Andrew Ladd's big hit against Montreal Canadien under scrutiny
Comment
November 1
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Blackhawks have taken some big hits on United Center ice, and it was a matter of time until they dished one out themselves. Reminiscent of big checks on then-Hawk Martin Havlat from the Red Wings' Niklas Kronwall during the Western Conference finals last season and one the Canucks' Willie Mitchell laid on Jonathan Toews Oct. 21 that still has the Hawks' captain sidelined with a concussion, Andrew Ladd caught the Canadiens' Matt D'Agostini with his head down Friday night and lowered the boom. Now the question is if the NHL will lower its own boom on Ladd and suspend the winger after he was handed a 10-minute game misconduct for the check along the Canadiens bench during the first ..."
Blackhawks stun Canadiens
Comment
October 31
Montreal Gazette
 
"Former teammates Carey Price and Cristobal Huet clashed Friday night and the former master came out the winner. Huet, who served as Price's mentor, during the 2007-08 season before he was traded to Washington, came out the winner as the Chicago Blackhawks edged the Canadiens 3-2. It was the second consecutive loss for the Canadiens, who are 2-5 on the road. But Price, who was making his first start since Oct. 17, showed few signs of rust and gave the Canadiens a chance to get back into this game before Patrick Sharp put the Blackhawks ahead for good with a goal at 15:50 of the third period. Patrick Kane set up Sharp in the slot for the winner. Price was far busier than Huet as the ..."
Sharp's dagger gets it done
Comment
October 31
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The Blackhawks washed away the bad taste of a shutout loss at Nashville in a hurry. They concluded the first month of the season with a rousing 3-2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens in one of those rare matchups of NHL Original Six franchises Friday night at the United Center. Patrick Sharp's blast with 4:10 left in the third period decided this one with Patrick Kane his setup man. Kane slipped Sharp a pass from the right boards and Sharp one-timed it past goaltender Carey Price. ''He really put that one home with some force,'' teammate Kris Versteeg said. ''And it got the monkey off his back somewhat because he hadn't scored in a few games.'' Sharp had gone six games without a goal ..."
Concussions no business of the state
Comment
October 30
Montreal Gazette
 columnist Pat Hickey
"Separation of church and state is one of the founding principles in American society and now it's time to have separation of sport and state. At a time when the United States is dealing with an economic crisis, unpopular wars and a debate over its health-care system, the No. 1 story on cable news networks was a Congressional inquiry into the longterm effects of concussions on former National Football League players. I'm not going to suggest this isn't an important topic, but it impacts on a relative handful of individuals and should be dealt with by the NFL and its players' association. The hearings reminded me of the earlier Congressional probes into the use of performance-enhancing drugs ..."
Habs working out the wrinkles
Comment
October 30
Montreal Gazette
 
"The Canadiens were six minutes into what was supposed to be a high-energy shooting and skating drill when head coach Jacques Martin decided he didn't like what he saw. He whistled a halt to the action, gathered his players near the benches at Johnny's Icehouse – conveniently located between the United Centre and the shuttered building that once was Cheli's Chili House – and launched into a profanity-laced tirade. It was the first of two such rants by Martin, who felt that his players should have come prepared to work after being embarrassed the previous evening by the Pittsburgh Penguins. "I'm a firm believer in doing the right things in practice, getting good practice habits," said ..."
One goal against stingy Chicago defense is enough for Predators
Comment
October 30
Nashville City Paper
 
"It seemed as if the Nashville Predators had no shot to defeat the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday as long as the sides played at even strength. That's because they got so few shots when the teams had five skaters each. Good thing some penalties were called. Joel Ward scored his first goal of the season when he redirected a pass from Francis Bouillon 1:13 into a second-period power play. That led Nashville (5-6-1) to its second victory in as many nights, this one a 2-0 triumph over the defensive-minded Blackhawks before 13,585 at Sommet Center. "Every time we had a chance to create some offense, to jump in the play and do something we tried to do it," Bouillon said. "That made a difference ..."
Hawks get blanked
Comment
October 30
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"The Blackhawks had beaten the offensively challenged Nashville Predators twice already, and Cristobal Huet gave them another great game in goal Thursday night. This time, though, the Hawks just didn't have it. Joel Ward's power-play goal in the second period was all it took to beat them, even though Jerred Smithson added an empty-netter in the final seconds in the 2-0 loss. And there were other considerations that make this defeat more puzzling. The Predators were without two of their best players and had played on the road the night before. Go figure. Nashville's Sommet Center may have been the quietest building the Hawks have played in this season, but they have a history of struggling ..."
Jordan Hendry pressed into service at winger
Comment
October 30
Chicago Tribune
 
"Jordan Hendry's days of playing forward as a kid came in handy as the defenseman helped bail out the Blackhawks after a spate of injuries left them short-handed up front. With Jonathan Toews (concussion), Ben Eager (concussion) and Adam Burish (knee surgery) all sidelined, Hendry was pressed into duty as a winger Thursday night when the Hawks took on the Predators at the Sommet Center. "It has been a while," Hendry said. "It's definitely different at this level. It comes down to playing with some energy and keeping it simple, getting the puck in deep and limiting mistakes." Hendry was a healthy scratch the first eight games but played in the three previous games with defenseman Brent ..."
Nashville Predators beat Chicago Blackhawks 2-0
Comment
October 30
Chicago Tribune
 
"A large banner is affixed to the outside of the Sommet Center that reads "Welcome to Smashville." The Blackhawks had hoped to take the greeting as an invitation Thursday night to bust up the Predators for the third time this season. But to smash them, the Hawks needed to crash the net and their inability to do so resulted in 2-0 defeat before a crowd of 13,585. The loss also snapped the two-game winning streaks of the Hawks and goaltender Cristobal Huet. Pekka Rinne made 22 saves for his first shutout of the season and eighth in his career. Joel Ward and Jerred Smithson provided the offense as the Predators avenged two losses to the Hawks this month. The Hawks' failure to provide traffic ..."
Hawks' Seabrook: 'I'm ready'
Comment
October 29
Daily Southtown
 
"Not only are the Blackhawks coming off two impressive victories, they're getting healthier, too. Defenseman Brent Seabrook returned to practice Wednesday at Johnny's Ice House, and prize free-agent acquisition Marian Hossa worked out with the team for the first time. Seabrook expects to play in tonight's game at Nashville. Seabrook and captain Jonathan Toews took hard hits in the Hawks' last loss, to Vancouver on Oct. 21. Both experienced concussion-like symptoms, and Toews remained off the ice Wednesday. Seabrook, though, believes he's over his problems after missing two games. "I got hit in the neck, and it sort of rattled my brain a little bit,'' he said. "I just had headaches - but not ..."
Healthier Hawks watch Seabrook
Comment
October 29
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Not only are the Blackhawks coming off two impressive victories, they're getting healthier. Defenseman Brent Seabrook returned to practice Wednesday at Johnny's Ice House, and prized free-agent acquisition Marian Hossa worked out with the team for the first time. Seabrook expects to play tonight at Nashville. Seabrook and captain Jonathan Toews took hard hits in the Hawks' loss Oct. 21 to the Vancouver Canucks. Both experienced concussion-like symptoms, and Toews remained off the ice Wednesday. Seabrook, though, believes he's over his problems after missing two games. ''I got hit in the neck, and it sort of rattled my brain a little bit,'' he said. ''I just had headaches, but not exactly ..."
Brent Seabrook should be ready Thursday night for Chicago Blackhawks
Comment
October 29
Chicago Tribune
 
"For the first time in a week, the news of who was on the ice for the Blackhawks outweighed the news of who wasn't. Defenseman Brent Seabrook returned to action Wednesday after missing two games with a concussion and winger Marian Hossa practiced with his teammates for the first time since signing as a free agent July 1. The news wasn't all good as captain Jonathan Toews still is sidelined with a concussion and didn't make the trip to Nashville for Thursday's game against the Predators. "I enjoyed being back out there with the fellas," said Seabrook, who left the ice late in the Hawks' game Oct. 21 against the Canucks. "I got hit in the neck and it sort of rattled my brain a little bit. I ..."
Toews, Seabrook could miss two more
Comment
October 28
Daily Southtown
 
"Chances are good that if Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook can't practice with the Blackhawks today, they'll sit out another two games. The two stars took hard hits in the loss to the Vancouver Canucks last Wednesday and haven't been on the ice since. Though the Hawks attribute their absence to only ''upper body injuries,'' both are being treated for concussion-like symptoms. They attended the 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Monday at the United Center but were unavailable for interviews. ''Right now, they're not doing much,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''They'll tell us what to do, how they're feeling. They're day to day.'' Quenneville said a decision on their availability for ..."
Toews, Seabrook could miss next 2 games
Comment
October 28
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Chances are good that if Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook can't practice with the Blackhawks today, they'll sit out another two games. The two stars took hard hits in the loss to the Vancouver Canucks last Wednesday and haven't been on the ice since. Though the Hawks attribute their absence to only ''upper body injuries,'' both are being treated for concussion-like symptoms. They attended the 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Monday at the United Center but were unavailable for interviews. ''Right now, they're not doing much,'' coach Joel Quenneville said. ''They'll tell us what to do, how they're feeling. They're day-to-day.'' Quenneville said a decision on their availability for ..."
Troy Brouwer's hard work paying off in goals
Comment
October 28
Chicago Tribune
 
"There was much marveling over Patrick Kane's highlight-reel goal Monday night against the Wild. Kane scored unassisted when he carried the puck from behind the Minnesota goal, spun around and found an inch of daylight from a tough angle to beat goaltender Niklas Backstrom with a wicked shot. On the other end of the spectrum -- but equally as important in the Hawks' 3-1 victory -- was Troy Brouwer's workmanlike goal off a mad scramble in front of the Wild net two periods earlier. Brouwer scored when he crashed the crease and stuffed in a rebound while taking a forearm to the face from Wild defenseman Brent Burns. Welcome to Brouwer's world, where hard work -- and hard hits -- are the order ..."
Slow going for Toews, Seabrook
Comment
October 27
Daily Herald
 
"Concussions are tricky things as the Blackhawks are finding out with Jonathan Toews and Brent Seabrook. Toews and Seabrook missed their second straight game Monday as a result of the concussion-like symptoms they suffered from hits last week against Vancouver. While coach Joel Quenneville is hopeful one or both of his stars can return later this week, it sounded as if Toews and Seabrook weren't progressing as well Monday as the team said they were over the weekend. "Right now they're not doing much," Quenneville said. Toews and Seabrook must pass physical tests mandated by the NHL for concussions before they can play again. "Both days (Saturday and Monday) we came in here game day with a ..."
Wild's road skid hits 8 with 3-1 loss in Chicago
Comment
October 27
St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
"A national TV audience got a chance Monday night to see a pretty good hockey team. Viewers also saw the Wild, looking more and more like a pale imitation of Minnesota's NHL playoff contender of only two seasons ago. Even featuring a lineup missing injured Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa, the Chicago Blackhawks meticulously disassembled anything resembling a Wild offense en route to a 3-1 victory at United Center. "I don't have any answers right now," defenseman Greg Zanon said. "I don't really have any comments on what we can do, so I'm pretty much at a blank." Join the club. The Hawks' victory, in front of 20,046, was a textbook example of a team frustrating an already-frustrated ..."
Friendly UC crowd salutes Havlat
Comment
October 27
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Martin Havlat returned to the United Center on Monday night. If not a hero's welcome, the sellout crowd showed its appreciation to one of its former stars. The Blackhawks' leading scorer last season (77 points) returned for the first time with the Minnesota Wild. And the Chicago fans welcomed him back with loud applause early in the game. Havlat also had his best chance to score early on. ''It was the first minute, and I didn't finish,'' Havlat said. ''Like I said, it's frustrating the way we've been playing on the road, and we have to get better on the road. It seemed like a lot of our games. We had chances, and they got the first one.'' Actually, the first two on first-period goals by ..."
Huet getting on a roll
Comment
October 27
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"It's much too early to tell if the Blackhawks made the right decision last summer in signing Marian Hossa to a long-term contract and allowing Martin Havlat to move on to the Minnesota Wild. The decision didn't look like a bad one Monday night, though, when the Hawks shut down Havlat en route to a 3-1 victory at the United Center. Havlat was a minus-2 and got off only one shot -- that one on his first shift. ''He's a tremendous player, and a big key for them,'' said Hawks center Dave Bolland, who scored the first goal for the Hawks. ''You can't let him wander alone. You've got to finish your checks on him.'' The Hawks did that, but the difference -- for the second straight game -- was ..."
Blackhawks beat Minnesota Wild 3-1
Comment
October 27
Chicago Tribune
 
"It was less than a week ago that the Blackhawks were down and nearly out. Two of their top players were injured, and their starting goaltender watched from the bench with his confidence shaken during a second consecutive loss at home. Fast forward to Monday night, when the Hawks, still without captain Jonathan Toews and defenseman Brent Seabrook, won their second straight at the United Center behind a suddenly scorching Cristobal Huet. Dave Bolland, Troy Brouwer and Patrick Kane scored, and Huet made 20 saves as the Hawks defeated the Wild 3-1 to improve to 7-3-1. "We had lost two in a row here, so coming back to win the next two was very important for us," said Huet, who upped his record ..."
Blackhawks' John Madden honored to be an alternate captain
Comment
October 27
Chicago Tribune
 
"With Jonathan Toews out of the lineup, John Madden has picked up some new stitching on his Blackhawks sweater. The veteran center is sporting an "A" as one of the team's alternate captains. Toews, the Hawks' captain, missed his second consecutive game Monday against the Wild with what is believed to be a concussion after being injured Wednesday night. Madden has joined Patrick Sharp and Duncan Keith as alternates the past two games. "It's definitely an honor," Madden said. "With all the history in Chicago and the people who have worn 'A's' and 'C's' here, it's a great honor. Not only that, just to be on this team and wear an 'A' is a privilege." Madden, 36, joined the Hawks as a free ..."
Havlat gets chance to torment Hawks
Comment
October 26
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Martin Havlat's departure from the Blackhawks in the offseason wasn't a quiet one. The Hawks wouldn't re-sign him, choosing to pick up free agent Marian Hossa instead. Tonight represents a chance for Havlat to show the Hawks they made a mistake. Havlat took some verbal swipes at the Hawks' front office after signing a six-year, $30 million contract with the Minnesota Wild, which makes its first regular-season visit to the United Center tonight. ''Marty's a good player and tough to play against,'' Hawks defenseman Duncan Keith said after practice Sunday at the United Center."
Seabrook, Toews iffy for tonight's game vs. Wild
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October 26
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Brent Seabrook and Jonathan Toews remained off the ice at the Blackhawks' workout Sunday, and it's unlikely they'll play tonight against the Minnesota Wild at the United Center. Both are nursing concussion-like symptoms after taking hits in the loss Wednesday against the Vancouver Canucks. Coach Joel Quenneville continues to hope that either or both will be back tonight. ''We'll see how they present in the morning,'' Quenneville said. ''There's a chance they could play, and we're seeing progress. They're very comparable in where they're at. [Toews] presents better one day; Brent presents better the next.''"
Hawks looking good after 10
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October 26
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"For some reason, hockey teams assess their play every 10 games. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville hasn't dwelled on it, but I'll help him along. The Hawks hit the 10-game mark in their 82-game regular season with a 2-0 victory Saturday over the Nashville Predators. They are in first place in the Central Division with a 6-3-1 record and 13 points. My assessment for their play from the start of the season? Given the circumstances, it was pretty darn good. Let's put it in perspective. With 13 points, the Hawks are on pace for another 100-point season. They had 104 last season, when they went 4-3-3 in their first 10 games. That team reached the Western Conference finals. There have been more ..."
Blackhawks' Patrick Kane game to help ex-teammate
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October 26
Chicago Tribune
 
"The voice on the other end of Patrick Kane's phone rather cryptically said, "I need to talk to you." The fact it was former Blackhawks teammate Martin Havlat calling just a few days before making his first regular season appearance against his old team added to the intrigue. It turned out Havlat, who returns to the United Center with the Wild to take on the Hawks on Monday night, wasn't looking to trash talk or even discuss the game at hand. "(Havlat) knew I was on the cover of the EA Sports hockey game and he wanted the FIFA soccer game a little bit early," Kane said. "I got his address and had the EA Sports guy send him a copy. It was funny when he called me ... I didn't know what was ..."
Predators held scoreless for the third time this season
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October 25
Nashville City Paper
 
"The Nashville Predators were shut out for the third time this season and fell 2-0 to the Blackhawks at Chicago on Saturday. Goalie Dan Ellis made 32 saves but allowed the two goals 56 seconds apart in the second period. Dustin Byfuglin scored the first at 7:20. It was his second in as many games against Nashville this season. Andrew Ladd added an insurance goal at 8:16. Nashville got a team-high six shots from Patric Hornqvist but was outshot 34-27 for the contest. Christobal Huet recorded the shutout for the Blackhawks."
Shout-out for shutout
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October 25
Chicago Sun-Times
 
"Center Jonathan Toews and defenseman Brent Seabrook played in all 82 regular-season games last season and were big reasons the Hawks amassed 104 points and advanced to the Western Conference finals. Things didn't look promising with both players sitting out Saturday with concussion-like symptoms, but the Hawks did just fine without them. Cristobal Huet stopped all 27 shots he faced in posting his first shutout of the season, a 2-0 victory against the Nashville Predators before another sellout crowd at the United Center. The result enabled the Hawks to end a two-game home skid, but it was an even bigger victory for Huet because it silenced the boo-birds who were getting louder and louder ..."
Chicago Blackhawk Brent Seabrook's ironman streak ends at 223
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October 25
Chicago Tribune
 
"The Blackhawks' defensive unit was without the services of one of its steadiest players for the first time in nearly three years Saturday night. Brent Seabrook had his streak of 223 consecutive regular-season games snapped when he didn't suit up against the Predators at the United Center. Seabrook was injured during the third period of the Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Canucks. Along with captain Jonathan Toews, Seabrook left in the third period of that game with what are believed to be concussions. Both are questionable for Monday night's game against the Wild. Seabrook hadn't missed a game since Dec. 17, 2006, against the Avalanche due to back spasms. He had held the longest streak by any ..."