Blackhawks notebook: Hawks being careful in search for jersey-advertisement patch sponsor

Nine NHL teams have advertisement patches on their jerseys — taking advantage of a new league policy this season — but the Blackhawks do not.

Considering the history and significance of their sweater, the Hawks are taking their time with their search for a jersey ad partner, business president Jaime Faulkner said last week.

“We want to find a partner with whom we share the same values [and] brand principles,” Faulkner said. “We’re having conversations with many organizations, but we want to be thoughtful and careful about who we put on this jersey. Thankfully, financially, we don’t need to rush into throwing a patch on there.”

The Canadiens and Maple Leafs are the two Original Six franchises that have added ad patches. The Leafs’ jersey has “Milk” beneath the right shoulder, representing the team’s new partnership with Dairy Farmers of Ontario. The Canadiens’ jersey features an RBC (Royal Bank of Canada) logo.

The Penguins, Capitals, Blues, Wild, Blue Jackets, Golden Knights and Coyotes also added patches.

Critics of the NHL’s new jersey-patch policy argue it could be a slippery slope, potentially opening the door for one ad to turn into multiple down the road. Some major European pro hockey leagues allow teams to sell seemingly endless jersey ads, which creates some distracting and hideous sweaters.

But a single ad patch doesn’t seem too noticeable, and the additional revenue could help the NHL start increasing its salary cap again sooner.

The Hawks are taking advantage of the NHL’s helmet ad policy that began in 2020-21, with Belle Tire’s logo adorning their domes for a third consecutive season.

Diversity numbers

A diversity study released by the NHL last week found that 83.6% of employees across the NHL and its teams are white (compared to 4.2% Asian, 3.7% Black and 3.7% Hispanic/Latino) and that 61.9% identify as male.

Hawks CEO Danny Wirtz said the numbers for the Hawks’ employee base roughly align with those league averages.

“We’ve come a long way in the last two years, both in terms of the diversity component but also in terms of building a culture that’s inclusive, equitable and [just],” Wirtz said. “While our numbers are what they are . . . what I’m really proud of is, when you walk around the office here, you see representation in almost every department.

“By all means, we have to continue to explore bringing in diverse candidates. We need to find top talent, and top talent is not limited to white males. Top talent takes us across all dimensions of diversity, including other things like [people with experience] outside of sports.”

Mrazek on IR

The Hawks put Petr Mrazek (groin strain) on injured reserve Sunday retroactive to Friday, meaning he’ll be out until at least this Friday and miss at least two more games. Alex Stalock was competent against the Kraken, saving 30 of 34 shots, including a big glove save in the final two minutes to preserve the lead.

Faceoff dominance

The Hawks won 41 of 59 faceoffs, continuing their dominance in the circles.

They rank second in the league with a 58.2% draw winning percentage, trailing only Patrice Bergeron’s Bruins. Jonathan Toews has won 60.8% of his 74 faceoffs, but newcomer Max Domi has been even better, winning 65.4% of his 81 faceoffs.