Chicago Sun-Times - All2020-10-12T10:35:54-05:00https://chicago.suntimes.com/rss/stream/212733242020-10-12T10:35:54-05:002020-10-14T07:48:36-05:00Blackhawks sign Mattias Janmark to 1-year contract in NHL free agency
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<img class="Image" alt="Mattias Janmark made it to the Stanley Cup Final with the Stars this past season." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/f1f599d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2617x1469+0+138/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FVeZzABnR78by1iWoylk8VIwyUsY%3D%2F0x0%3A2617x1745%2F2617x1745%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281297x607%3A1298x608%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F21953786%2FJanmark.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b3cf562/2147483647/strip/true/crop/2617x1469+0+138/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FVeZzABnR78by1iWoylk8VIwyUsY%3D%2F0x0%3A2617x1745%2F2617x1745%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281297x607%3A1298x608%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F21953786%2FJanmark.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Mattias Janmark made it to the Stanley Cup Final with the Stars this past season.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Bruce Bennett/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p> Over the last two seasons, center Mattias Janmark thrived defensively in the Stars’ conservative system but secretly longed to rediscover the offensive production he -enjoyed earlier in his career.</p><p> The Blackhawks, meanwhile, produced plenty of offense from their forward corps but struggled mightily defensively, allowing the most scoring chances in the NHL.</p><p> Together, Janmark and the Hawks seem like a perfect match.</p><p> At least that’s what the two parties thought in the lead-up to Janmark’s decision to sign a one-year contract with a $2.25 million cap hit Monday.</p><p> “I’ve been a defensive player that takes care of the defensive end first,” Janmark said. “But I’m -really hoping to get some confidence back in the offensive zone and get that game going a little bit more -because that’s how I want to play.</p><p> “Hopefully, [I’ll] get to play with some good players that help me out offensively and I can help them out defensively, too.”</p><p> The Hawks also signed Lucas Wallmark, a similarly defense-first bottom-six center, to a one-year contract with a $950,000 cap hit.</p><p> While not particularly high-profile, the signings fill an area of need and don’t block the immediate NHL route for any of the team’s top prospects. In that sense, they’re a lot wiser than the Brandon Saad-for-Nikita Zadorov trade that made headlines Saturday.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Mattias Janmark (left) played against the Blackhawks regularly as a four-year member of the division rival Stars.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez</p></div></div>
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</div><p> Janmark, a 27-year-old forward, had six goals and 15 assists in 62 regular-season games for the Stars this past season, his fourth in the NHL.</p><p> In his first two seasons, he was significantly more productive. He tallied 15 goals and 14 assists in 73 games during his 2015-16 rookie season, then — after missing 2016-17 with a knee injury — recorded 19 goals and 15 assists in 81 games in 2017-18.</p><p> He attributed his repurposing as more of a defensive specialist in the years since then to the Stars’ coaching changes — from ultra-aggressive Lindy Ruff to moderate Ken Hitchcock to defense-first Jim Montgomery and Rick Bowness — and his own poor start to the 2018-19 season.</p><p> “Since then, I’ve regained a little bit more trust and I’ve created a lot of opportunities for myself but haven’t really been able to finish them off like I did before,” he said. “Throughout that time, I’ve become a much more reliable player and a better player. But as far as the offense goes, I didn’t play too much power play or anything since the new coaching staff came in, so I’m just looking to contribute a little bit more there.</p><p> “The way Chicago plays suits me a little bit more, so hopefully I can get my offensive game going, but I shouldn’t have to do anything with my defensive game at all.”</p><p> Janmark is right about not needing to fix his defensive game.</p><p> This past season, he ranked third on the Stars in scoring chances allowed per minute and fourth in scoring-chance ratio (54.4%). He’s especially effective at limiting opponent shot attempts in the lower slot, the most dangerous area.</p><p> The Swede also brings valuable postseason experience from the Stars’ Stanley Cup Final run, during which he totaled eight points in 26 games.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Lucas Wallmark (No. 71, center) was an effective defensive forward for the Hurricanes last season.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>AP Photo/Karl B. DeBlaker</p></div></div>
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</div><p> Wallmark tallied 25 points in 67 games with the Hurricanes and Panthers this past season, his second as a full-time NHL forward.</p><p> The 25-year-old center was also a positive player in terms of scoring-chance ratio (50.4%) and has proved successful, albeit against low-quality competition, at reducing opponent shot attempts in the lower slot.</p><p> Best of all, the Hawks’ lack of NHL-ready forward prospects — as opposed to their glut of NHL-ready defensive prospects — means Janmark and Wallmark’s one-year contracts won’t clog the depth chart during the team’s supposed rebuild. Neither Philipp Kurashev nor Brandon Hagel would fill a similar role to Janmark.</p><p> The Hawks now have roughly $5.2 million in cap space, with restricted free agent Dylan Strome left to sign.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/12/21512837/blackhawks-mattias-janmark-signing-nhl-free-agency-contract-stars-stan-bowmanBen Pope2020-10-11T15:37:32-05:002020-10-12T14:18:26-05:00Ex-Blackhawk Corey Crawford’s whirlwind 2020, from coronavirus to the bubble, ends in New Jersey
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<img class="Image" alt="Corey Crawford finds himself with the Devils after an eventful 2020." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/cfb0393/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+130/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FKfP77n__cU3qkjrkvcc5zKvqc3g%3D%2F0x0%3A4000x2505%2F4000x2505%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281903x573%3A1904x574%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F21951123%2FCrawford_3.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/df0082a/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4000x2245+0+130/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FKfP77n__cU3qkjrkvcc5zKvqc3g%3D%2F0x0%3A4000x2505%2F4000x2505%2Ffilters%3Afocal%281903x573%3A1904x574%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F21951123%2FCrawford_3.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Corey Crawford finds himself with the Devils after an eventful 2020.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Kamil Krzaczynski/AP</p></div></div>
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<p> After goalie Corey Crawford stopped 48 shots Aug. 16 to keep the Blackhawks alive against the Golden Knights, wing Drake Caggiula raved about his performance.</p><p> ‘‘He stood on his head, made a ton of big saves to give us a lot of momentum,’’ Caggiula said. ‘‘That’s why he’s won [Stanley] Cups before: He’s been there, he’s done it. He put the team on his back today.’’</p><p> Two months later, Caggiula no longer can say ‘‘we’’ when it comes to the Hawks. He wasn’t given a qualifying offer as a would-be restricted free agent and isn’t expected to return.</p><p> More hard to believe is that Crawford isn’t returning, either. The 35-year-old veteran signed <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/9/21510324/corey-crawford-blackhawks-new-jersey-devils-contract-nhl-free-agency" target="_blank" >a two-year contract Friday with the Devils </a>after general manager Stan Bowman told him Thursday <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/8/21507990/blackhawks-corey-crawford-not-returning-rebuilding-youth-nhl-trades-collin-delia-kevin-lankinen" target="_blank" >the Hawks wouldn’t bring him back.</a></p><p> The out-of-nowhere move caps Crawford’s whirlwind 2020.</p><p> It began with an equally out-of-nowhere bout with the coronavirus in June and July. Despite staying home for the vast majority of the spring, with a 2-year-old son and a pregnant wife to take care of, Crawford somehow contracted COVID-19.</p><p> ‘‘I was just hoping to recover as quickly as possible, hearing that [for] some people the symptoms could last for months,’’ Crawford said July 26. ‘‘But it seemed to go by pretty quick with pretty much flulike symptoms.’’</p><p> Crawford had tests to ensure the virus hadn’t affected his lungs or heart, then managed to return for the Hawks’ final day of summer training camp and their flight to Edmonton, Alberta, for the NHL playoff bubble.</p><p> Once there, Crawford — with barely a week of preparation after four months off — enjoyed one of the most admirable playoff runs in his decorated career.</p><p> He backstopped the Hawks to a qualifying-round upset of the Oilers, overcoming lingering rust and fatigue from the virus recovery to start all four games in a seven-day span. His 43 saves in Game 4 on Aug. 7 set a career high for a playoff game that ended in regulation.</p><p> ‘‘I would have liked to have more time to get ready, but I guess it was over with and I was starting to feel better at the right time,’’ Crawford said that night. ‘‘I was able to kind of hide back there until I started feeling comfortable. Still don’t think I’m at the top of my game, but it was definitely better today.’’</p><p> Crawford sparkled even more against the Knights, singlehandedly keeping the Hawks competitive.</p><p> With the Hawks facing a potential sweep in Game 4, Crawford’s 48 saves broke his recently set record for a postseason game that ended in regulation. He starred again in Game 5, making 35 saves, but it wasn’t enough.</p><p> That night — Aug. 18, 2020 — will go down as his final game in a Hawks sweater. That sentence will be weird for any Hawks fan to read, but it’s even weirder for Crawford.</p><p> In his season-ending interview with the media Aug. 25, Crawford seemed confident he would work out a new deal with the Hawks. He emphasized playing time would be a higher priority than salary, but he spent most of the time talking about his goals for the future.</p><p> Momentum toward a reunion never materialized, however.</p><p> Crawford told reporters during his first news conference Saturday with the Devils that the Hawks made only one contract offer of around $3 million and that little back-and-forth negotiating took place after that. He waited for a second offer that never came.</p><p> In the end, he said he was ‘‘devastated’’ to hear from Bowman that the Hawks were moving on.</p><p> ‘‘It was pretty heartfelt, pretty emotional after that, talking to some of the players and obviously my family and stuff,’’ he told reporters.</p><p><b>NOTE:</b> In an interview Sunday with The Athletic, captain <b>Jonathan Toews</b> said the Hawks’ recent move toward a rebuild never was communicated to him or the rest of the team’s veteran core.</p><p> ‘‘A lot of this comes as a shock because it’s a completely different direction than we expected,’’ Toews said.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/11/21510929/corey-crawford-devils-blackhawks-whirlwind-2020-coronavirus-playoffs-nhl-free-agencyBen Pope2020-10-11T11:48:41-05:002020-10-12T14:17:56-05:00Blackhawks’ rebuild ‘comes as a shock’ to Jonathan Toews, per report
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Jonathan Toews expressed confusion over the Blackhawks’ recent moves in a Sunday interview with The Athletic.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Claus Andersen/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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<p>The Blackhawks have changed the direction of their franchise significantly within the past two days, angling towards a rebuild — albeit in less than exact fashion — by moving on from Corey Crawford and trading Brandon Saad.</p><p>The Hawks’ remaining, aging core of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook was reportedly never informed by general manager Stan Bowman or anyone else in the front office of that decision, however.</p><p>In a <a class="Link" href="https://theathletic.com/2130237/2020/10/11/blackhawks-latest-moves-shock-upset-core-vets-like-jonathan-toews-its-sad/" target="_blank" >Sunday interview with The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus</a>, Toews expressed dismay and concern over the Hawks’ personnel decisions.</p><p>“The expectation for the other leaders on this team and myself is to come ready to training camp every year to be a playoff team,” Toews told Lazerus. “I’ve never been told that we were going through a rebuild. That has never been communicated to me, for that matter. A lot of this comes as a shock because it’s a completely different direction than we expected.”</p><p>While Saturday’s <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/10/21510997/blackhawks-trade-brandon-saad-avalanche-nikita-zadorov-dennis-gilbert-anton-lindholm" target="_blank" >Saad-for-Nikita Zadorov trade</a> with the Avalanche doesn’t seem to actually aid the Hawks’ newly committed youth movement, the departure of Saad two days after the departure of Crawford clearly rattled Toews.</p><p>The lack of communication seemingly rattled him, too. Bowman gave a <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/8/21507990/blackhawks-corey-crawford-not-returning-rebuilding-youth-nhl-trades-collin-delia-kevin-lankinen" target="_blank" >more explicit statement</a> to the media Thursday, declaring: “Now that we’ve made the decision the way that we’re going to move forward [with youth], there’s going to be a lot more things that we’re going to talk about over the coming days as far as planning next year’s team.”</p><p>Toews, Kane, Keith and Seabrook all have complete no-movement clauses attached to their contracts, essentially preventing the Hawks’ firesale from touching them directly, though. Toews told Lazerus he would not agree to waive his clause if asked to do so.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/11/21511590/jonathan-toews-blackhawks-rebuild-shock-nhl-free-agency-corey-crawford-brandon-saadBen Pope2020-10-10T18:06:52-05:002020-10-12T14:17:41-05:00Blackhawks trade Brandon Saad to Avalanche, acquire Nikita Zadorov in 4-player swap
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Brandon Saad’s second tour of duty with the Blackhawks ended Saturday.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>AP Photos</p></div></div>
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<p> After only two days, the light has turned from green to yellow on the Blackhawks’ rebuild.</p><p> The Hawks dealt wing Brandon Saad to the Avalanche on Saturday, moving the man long considered their most viable and valuable trade chip.</p><p> But the return they received, while not bad in a vacuum, makes little sense in the context of the supposed ‘‘philosophical’’ new plan for the future general manager Stan Bowman laid out Thursday.</p><p> The official trade sent Saad and American Hockey League defenseman Dennis Gilbert to the Avalanche for defenseman Nikita Zadorov and AHL defenseman Anton Lindholm.</p><p> The Hawks retained $1 million of Saad’s $6 million cap hit for the upcoming final season of his contract and signed Zadorov, who had been a restricted free agent, to a new one-year, $3.2 million contract.</p><p> On the surface, the trade looks better for the Avalanche than it does for the Hawks, but at least it’s not grossly imbalanced.</p><p> Zadorov, 25, has used his towering 6-6, 235-pound frame to establish himself as one of the more physically imposing defensemen in the league. He doesn’t chip in a lot of offense (13 points in 64 games last season), and his analytics in the offensive zone look even worse than his point total. But he is solid in his own zone, and that is what the Hawks’ porous defense theoretically needs.</p><p> Saad’s ability to drive the play and control the puck in all three zones makes him a valuable commodity in the possession-obsessed NHL. His finishing leaves something to be desired and he hasn’t attained the superstardom many once envisioned, but he’s a consistent top-six wing.</p><p> The Gilbert and Lindholm portion of the swap is essentially a wash. They’re both depth defensemen who can hold their own in spot duty but have little upside.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Towering defenseman Nikita Zadorov is the key piece of the return for the Blackhawks.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Getty</p></div></div>
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</div><p> In terms of advancing the Hawks along their new path, however, the trade looks far worse than it does on the surface.</p><p> The slight age difference between Saad and Zadorov — about 2.5 years — and the equally slight $1.8 million of extra cap space this trade creates for the Hawks hardly will make a difference in the rebuild.</p><p> Conversely, the assets Bowman could have gotten had he pursued a different type of trade involving Saad — potentially a first-round pick; an A-grade prospect; or a combination of a second-round pick and a B-grade prospect — would have made a substantial difference in the rebuild.</p><p> This type of deal is nearly impossible to reconcile with comments Bowman made Thursday when announcing goalie Corey Crawford’s departure.</p><p> ‘‘A lot of teams are focusing on looking for young players who can take that next step and play a bigger role,’’ Bowman said at one point. ‘‘That’s really more the direction that we’re headed.’’</p><p> At another point, he said: ‘‘When you look at young players, you have to give them the opportunity, you have to guide them, give them feedback. There are going to be bumps in the road, but the idea is we’re going to get more out of them as we go along.’’</p><p> Instead, the Hawks’ easiest-to-move trade chip is gone, no promising young players have been added to the organization and one of the roster spots on defense penciled in for Ian Mitchell, Lucas Carlsson, Wyatt Kalynuk and Nicolas Beaudin has been filled by Zadorov, a player already in his prime.</p><p> Bowman probably isn’t done with his offseason moves, and trades involving Calvin de Haan, Connor Murphy or others still could clear up the defensive logjam. But after Saturday, it suddenly has become difficult to make sense of Bowman’s plan.<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/10/21510997/blackhawks-trade-brandon-saad-avalanche-nikita-zadorov-dennis-gilbert-anton-lindholmBen Pope2020-10-09T22:15:50-05:002020-10-12T14:18:20-05:00Corey Crawford signs contract with Devils, officially ending Blackhawks tenure
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Corey Crawford will join the Devils after 17 seasons in the Blackhawks’ organization.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p>Corey Crawford’s 17-year Blackhawks tenure unofficially ended Thursday, but officially ended Friday.</p><p>Crawford signed a two-year contract with a $3.9 million cap hit with the Devils late Friday night, roughly 12 hours after his unrestricted free agency began.</p><p>The Devils had bought out Cory Schneider earlier in the offseason, creating a vacancy in their goaltending tandem alongside 2019-20 rookie Mackenzie Blackwood. </p><p>The 35-year-old will have a good chance to be New Jersey’s starting goalie for opening night of the 2020-21 season, whenever that occurs.</p><p>After 488 regular season and 96 postseason starts, becoming the first-ever Hawks to win multiple Stanley Cups along the way, Crawford’s long run as the No. 1 goaltender in Chicago <a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/8/21507990/blackhawks-corey-crawford-not-returning-rebuilding-youth-nhl-trades-collin-delia-kevin-lankinen" target="_blank" >ended emotionally Thursday</a>.</p><p>“He’s up there with the legends of the Blackhawks,” general manager Stan Bowman said. “Looking back at his career trajectory, he never got the proper recognition early on. We had such star-studded teams. Corey was fantastic back in 2013 when we beat the Bruins. His importance to our team grew and grew, going to the 2015 team.”</p><p></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/9/21510324/corey-crawford-blackhawks-new-jersey-devils-contract-nhl-free-agencyBen Pope2020-10-09T19:25:05-05:002020-10-12T14:18:42-05:00Blackhawks likely won’t pursue top NHL free agents, even though many remain
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman won’t be active bringing in veteran free agents this year.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>AP Photos</p></div></div>
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<p> The so-called NHL free-agent frenzy Friday lacked the frenzy.</p><p> With the five-day ‘‘talking period’’ between teams and other teams’ pending free agents eliminated this year because of the delayed and condensed offseason schedule, relatively little happened once the window officially opened at 11 a.m.</p><p> As a result, the vast majority of the unrestricted-free-agent class (outside of the goaltenders) this year remains on the market entering the weekend.</p><p> None among <b>Alex Pietrangelo</b>, <b>Taylor Hall</b>, <b>Mike Hoffman</b>, <b>Evgenii Dadonov</b>, <b>Tyson Barrie</b> or <b>Tyler Toffoli </b>had signed contracts as of Friday evening. Among skaters, new Blues defenseman <b>Torey Krug</b> and new Maple Leafs defenseman <b>T.J. Brodie</b> were the biggest names to sign.</p><p> But while tracking each of their eventual landing places will be interesting, one city can be crossed off the list: Chicago.</p><p> After committing to a youth movement or a full rebuild — depending on one’s interpretation of general manager <b>Stan Bowman’s</b> words — the Hawks almost certainly won’t even sniff around that group of pricey veterans.</p><p> Bowman wasn’t the most active suitor for big-name free agents the last few offseasons, either, but his signing of <b>Robin Lehner</b> and acquisitions of <b>Calvin de Haan</b>,<b> Olli Maatta </b>and <b>Alex Nylander</b> probably qualify the summer of 2019 as an active period nonetheless.</p><p> The fall of 2020 won’t be a repeat of that.</p><p> It remains to be seen how wholeheartedly Bowman will commit to this rebuild. Whether players such as <b>Brandon Saad</b> and de Haan are traded in the coming weeks will determine that. And after the re-signings Friday of <b>Dominik Kubalik </b>and<b> Malcolm Subban</b>, <b>Dylan Strome</b> is now the Hawks’ only restricted free agent.</p><p> Regardless, don’t expect any splashy outside acquisitions to happen, even if the pickings around the league remain plentiful.</p><p><b>Crawford’s destination unknown</b></p><p> The goalie market was the one area of free agency that was busy Friday. <b>Henrik Lundqvist</b> signed with the Capitals, Braden Holtby bounced to the Canucks, <b>Jacob Markstrom</b> shuffled to the Flames and <b>Anton Khudobin</b> returned to the Stars.</p><p> But <b>Corey Crawford</b>, after parting ways Thursday with the Hawks, hasn’t picked a new team yet.</p><p> The Hurricanes, Avalanche and Oilers are the three teams reportedly most eager to add a goalie who did not do so Friday, making those the most logical landing places for Crawford moving forward.</p><p><b>Defensive depth needed</b></p><p> The Hawks presumably will need to add some defensive depth, at least at the minor-league level, this month.</p><p> Veteran American Hockey League defensemen <b>Ian McCoshen</b>, <b>T.J. Brennan</b> and <b>Joni Tuulola</b> departed the Rockford IceHogs as free agents, and they’ll need some replacements.</p><p> The Hawks have only 13 defensemen under contract in the entire organization, and only five — de Haan, <b>Duncan Keith</b>, <b>Connor Murphy</b>, <b>Brent Seabrook </b>and <b>Nick Seeler</b> — are older than 23 years old.</p><p> The Hawks want their many prospects to fight for vacant NHL spots next season, so they might not seek any unrestricted-free-agent defensemen looking for one-way contracts to keep those spots open. But they should add at least a couple on two-way contracts who can be stashed in the AHL and provide injury insurance.</p><p><b>Trade-up attempt failed</b></p><p> Hawks scouting director <b>Mark Kelley</b> said Tuesday the Hawks (picking 17th) tried to trade up with the Jets (picking 10th), Predators (11th) and Panthers (12th) during the first round of the draft but weren’t able to come to an agreement.</p><p> Bowman expounded on the situation Thursday.</p><p> ‘‘We were trying, but there just wasn’t that much interest,’’ he said. ‘‘The feedback I was getting was: ‘We’re not interested in going that far back.’ When that happens, then you call around and see if there’s any other opportunities. When there isn’t, you focus on your list.’’<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/9/21509904/blackhawks-free-agency-stan-bowman-rebuilding-zack-smith-corey-crawford-nhl-draftBen Pope2020-10-09T11:15:46-05:002020-10-09T19:36:36-05:00NHL free agency: Blackhawks re-sign RFAs Dominik Kubalik, Malcolm Subban
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Dominik Kubalik will be a member of the Blackhawks for at least three more years following his rookie breakout.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images</p></div></div>
</figure>
<p> Wing Dominik Kubalik is staying with the Blackhawks.</p><p> As the NHL free-agency window opened Friday, the Hawks announced a two-year contract extension for Kubalik with a $3.7 million cap hit.</p><p> The Hawks also re-signed goalie Malcolm Subban to a two-year contract extension with an $850,000 cap hit.</p><p> Kubalik, 25, led all NHL rookies and ranked second on the Hawks with 30 goals in 68 games during the 2019-20 season. He also had 16 assists.</p><p> He was arguably the brightest spot of the season for the Hawks and finished third in Calder Trophy voting for the NHL’s top rookie.</p><p> ‘‘I was nervous the last couple of days,’’ Kubalik said Friday. ‘‘It was something new for me. I’ve never had a chance to have conversations about the contract. In Europe, you get the offer, take it or not. So it’s different. But happy it’s done and very excited about it.’’</p><p> Kubalik said his agent, Jiri Hamal, asked for a longer term than the two years he and the Hawks settled on. But the shorter, bridge-style contract with the manageable cap hit gives the Hawks flexibility with other contracts and flexibility in case Kubalik doesn’t repeat his 2019-20 production. Plus, he’ll be a restricted free agent again in 2022, giving the Hawks more control.</p><p> ‘‘Obviously, we wanted to stay in Chicago and stay there for longer,’’ Kubalik said. ‘‘For me, both sides should be happy, so that was my first goal. I’m happy; I hope Chicago is happy, too.’’</p><p> Kubalik often said that he entered last season — his first as a pro in North America — with the lowest of expectations: He simply hoped to make the team out of training camp. </p><p> Expectations will be much higher entering his second season, a challenge he’ll have to manage mentally.</p><p> ‘‘The first goal right now is to show that it wasn’t just one season, to keep going, keep getting better,’’ he said ‘‘That’s basically what’s in my head now. Those things, I can handle. The other things, you’re always going to face adversity, but you just need to be ready for it.</p><p> ‘‘Everybody maybe is going to expect that I’m going to score another 30 goals. I would take it, obviously, but you never know what’s going to happen.’’</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Malcolm Subban played in only two games for the Blackhawks last season, but is now coming back for two more years.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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</div><p> Subban, meanwhile, wasn’t given a qualifying offer, implying the Hawks wouldn’t keep him after acquiring him from the Golden Knights in the Robin Lehner trade in February.</p><p> But the Hawks, per NHL rules, would have had to pay Subban at least $892,500 annually with his qualifying offer, so the contract Friday cleared up the confusion.</p><p> ‘‘The offer came up, and I took it,’’ Subban said. ‘‘Getting familiar with everyone here, getting familiar with the city, it’s been unbelievable so far, and I’m so happy that I could sign back and be a part of this for a little bit longer.’’</p><p> Subban, 26, struggled for the Golden Knights last season, going 9-7-3 with an .890 save percentage. He made only two appearances for the Hawks after the trade, playing 71 seconds in relief March 3, then half of the Hawks’ unofficial pre-playoffs exhibition game Aug. 29.</p><p> Nonetheless, he’ll battle with American Hockey League goalies Collin Delia and Kevin Lankinen for the right to man the Hawks’ crease next season with Corey Crawford gone.</p><p> After playing behind Tuukka Rask with the Bruins and Marc-Andre Fleury with the Golden Knights, this might be Subban’s long-awaited chance to break through.</p><p> ‘‘I’ve been preparing for it for a long time now,’’ he said. ‘‘You’ve just got to keep working hard. Obviously, it’s three great goaltenders . . . so it’s good competition.’’<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/9/21509282/blackhawks-dominik-kubalik-malcolm-subban-contract-nhl-free-agency-stan-bowman-re-signedBen Pope2020-10-08T13:29:00-05:002020-10-09T10:02:05-05:00Blackhawks, Corey Crawford part ways as team commits to rebuilding through youth
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<img class="Image" alt="Longtime Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford will not return next season, ushering in a new era for the team." srcset="https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/618c7b4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4100x2301+0+216/resize/490x275!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FkWbxLc6iCV01TTrfl9_ghhY8aMA%3D%2F0x0%3A4100x2733%2F4100x2733%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282044x764%3A2045x765%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F21946343%2FCrawford__1_.jpg 1x,https://cst.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/d303f36/2147483647/strip/true/crop/4100x2301+0+216/resize/980x550!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fthumbor%2FkWbxLc6iCV01TTrfl9_ghhY8aMA%3D%2F0x0%3A4100x2733%2F4100x2733%2Ffilters%3Afocal%282044x764%3A2045x765%29%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_asset%2Ffile%2F21946343%2FCrawford__1_.jpg 2x" width="490" height="275"
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Longtime Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford will not return next season, ushering in a new era for the team.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Bill Kostroun/AP</p></div></div>
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<p> The Blackhawks’ rebuild has a green light at last.</p><p> Longtime goalie Corey Crawford won’t return to the Hawks next season, general manager Stan Bowman said Thursday, and his departure soon might be followed by the departures of other veterans.</p><p> After three consecutive seasons of losing records with their aging Stanley Cup core, the Hawks have committed to building through youth moving forward.</p><p> ‘‘Next year’s different,’’ Bowman said. ‘‘We’re going to have a different emphasis, and we’re going to have new players coming. We’re not really looking back. We’re looking forward to where we want to get to, and we’re going to build something exciting.’’</p><p> Crawford, 35, started 473 games and won two Cups as the Hawks’ primary goalie since 2010-11. But he’ll become an unrestricted free agent at 11 a.m. Friday, joining a loaded class of UFA goalies.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center><div class="Enhancement-item">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/crOwMG?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#crOwMG</a> Forever. <a href="https://t.co/gLuSq0bJtS">pic.twitter.com/gLuSq0bJtS</a></p>— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHLBlackhawks/status/1314258000467632130?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2020</a></blockquote>
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</div></div><p> Bowman said he had an emotional conversation with Crawford early Thursday about his departure.</p><p> ‘‘He’s up there with the legends of the Blackhawks,’’ Bowman said. ‘‘The message to Corey and everyone else today is that we’ve decided that we’ve got some goaltenders here in Chicago that we believe in.’’</p><p> The Hawks will turn to Collin Delia, 26, and Kevin Lankinen, 25 — two of the best goalies in the American Hockey League the last few seasons — to take over the goaltending duties at the NHL level.</p><p> Delia made 16 appearances with the Hawks in 2018-19 and had a decent .908 save percentage behind a decimated team. He was projected to be the backup this past season before the sudden addition of Robin Lehner. Lankinen has yet to play in the NHL.</p><p> Bowman also is hoping to re-sign well-traveled backup Malcolm Subban, 26, despite not tendering him a qualifying offer Wednesday.</p><p> ‘‘With any young goalie, there’s always an opportunity where you have to give them a chance to see what they can do,’’ Bowman said. ‘‘We saw that with [Antti] Niemi. We saw that with Crawford. We saw that with [Antti] Raanta.’’</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Collin Delia has made 18 previous NHL appearances but could be the Blackhawks’ starting goalie next season.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images</p></div></div>
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</div><p> With the salary cap staying flat for next season, the space-strapped Hawks and Crawford reportedly had not seen eye-to-eye during contract negotiations. Crawford made $6 million annually during his expiring contract and expected a slight decrease, but the Hawks allegedly were offering barely half that.</p><p> Bowman nonetheless insisted the decision to move on from Crawford was more about the direction of the organization than about financial disagreements. That indicates other long-tenured and/or important players also might be on the move.</p><p> ‘‘Now that we’ve made the decision the way that we’re going to move forward [with youth], there’s going to be a lot more things that we’re going to talk about over the coming days as far as planning next year’s team,’’ Bowman said.</p><p> Bowman avoided explicitly labeling the Hawks’ new approach as a full-on rebuild, but he made it clear this represents a ‘‘philosophical’’ shift in team-building.</p><p> ‘‘I don’t think you have to make a statement where it’s all or nothing,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s not all veterans; it’s not all young players. It’s going to be a mixture, and that’s what we’re looking for.’’</p><p> The Hawks have shopped wing Brandon Saad a moderate amount in recent weeks. The Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun reported the Avalanche and Bruins have shown particular interest. Saad, 27, could fetch an impressive package of draft picks and prospects in exchange.</p><p> Other useful veterans — such as 29-year-olds Calvin de Haan and Andrew Shaw (if he’s healthy) or even 27-year-old Connor Murphy, although the Hawks’ probably would prefer to keep him — also might be used as trade chips.</p><p> Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith — the other core members on the same level as Crawford — are likely safe, but they might be less untouchable than they have been. Brent Seabrook’s contract remains basically impossible to move.</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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</div><p> In place of the veterans moving out, the Hawks will look to find gems among a list of prospects who could compete for NHL jobs: forwards Pius Suter, Philipp Kurashev, Brandon Hagel, Evan Barratt, MacKenzie Entwistle, Cam Morrison and Matej Chalupa and defensemen Ian Mitchell, Lucas Carlsson, Wyatt Kalynuk, Dennis Gilbert, Nicolas Beaudin and Alec Regula.</p><p> Some of those prospects ultimately will flesh out the roster around the Hawks’ pre-existing young core of Kirby Dach, Adam Boqvist, Alex DeBrincat and now Dominik Kubalik. The Hawks also imagine Lukas Reichel, the 17th overall pick in the draft Tuesday, becoming a cornerstone piece in a few years.</p><p> ‘‘When you look at young players, you have to give them the opportunity, you have to guide them, give them feedback,’’ Bowman said. ‘‘There are going to be bumps in the road, but the idea is we’re going to get more out of them as we go along.’’</p><div class="Enhancement" data-align-center>
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Hawks general manager Stan Bowman is changing the “philosophy” of the team’s roster-building strategy.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>AP Photo/Amr Alfiky</p></div></div>
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</div><p> The roots of this decision likely can be traced to April 27, when the Hawks fired longtime president John McDonough.</p><p> Before that day, McDonough’s influence ran through all corners of the organization. Although Bowman had the power to make personnel decisions on a micro basis, he probably wouldn’t have been granted the authority to reimagine the Hawks’ roster-building philosophy.</p><p> But McDonough’s dismissal and Danny Wirtz’s appointment as interim president opened the door for Bowman to assume more power over the Hawks’ hockey operations.</p><p> The NHL’s coronavirus shutdown and the Hawks’ longer-than-expected playoff run in August delayed the visible effects of that power shift. But with the draft and free agency finally taking place this week, Bowman’s macro-level plans are surfacing.</p><p> ‘‘A lot of teams are focusing on looking for young players who can take that next step and play a bigger role,’’ Bowman said. ‘‘That’s really more the direction that we’re headed.’’<br></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/8/21507990/blackhawks-corey-crawford-not-returning-rebuilding-youth-nhl-trades-collin-delia-kevin-lankinenBen Pope2020-10-08T09:21:15-05:002020-10-09T10:02:28-05:00Blackhawks’ qualifying offers: Dominik Kubalik, Dylan Strome remain RFAs
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<div class="Figure-content"><figcaption class="Figure-caption"><p>Young forwards Dylan Strome (#17) and Dominik Kubalik (#8) received qualifying offers from the Blackhawks before Wednesday’s deadline.</p></figcaption><span class="line"></span><div class="Figure-credit"><p>Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times</p></div></div>
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<p>The Blackhawks will retain the rights to young star forwards Dominik Kubalik and Dylan Strome for the duration of the offseason.</p><p>Kubalik and Strome both received qualifying offers — largely a formality to preserve their restricted free agent status — before Wednesday’s deadline, sources confirmed to the Sun-Times.</p><p>Kubalik holds arbitration rights and could use them if contract negotiations with the Hawks, which are currently underway, don’t go as planned. Strome does not.</p><div class="RelatedList Enhancement" data-module data-align-center>
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<a class="Link" href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/8/21507990/blackhawks-corey-crawford-not-returning-rebuilding-youth-nhl-trades-collin-delia-kevin-lankinen" target="_blank" >Blackhawks won’t re-sign Corey Crawford, commit to rebuilding through youth </a>
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<p>Goaltender Malcolm Subban, meanwhile, did not receive a QO and will become an unrestricted free agent Friday, per a source. </p><p>Defenseman Slater Koekkoek and forward Drake Caggiula also did not receive QOs, The Athletic’s Scott Powers reported.</p><p>Unlike most NHL teams, the Hawks don’t announce QOs publicly.</p><p>The Hawks weren’t expected to give QOs to any of their four minor-league RFAs: forwards Alexandre Fortin and Jacob Nilsson and defensemen Ian McCoshen and Joni Tuulola. Nilsson and Tuulola have both already signed with European teams for 2020-21.</p><p>Qualifying offers are, by rule, one-year contracts with salaries equaling 100% to 110% of a player’s previous salary.</p><p>With the salary cap staying flat this offseason and many teams hard-pressed for cap space, Wednesday was a bloodbath for RFAs around the league. </p><p>Edmonton’s Andreas Athanasiou, Vancouver’s Troy Stetcher and three notable former Hawks — Ottawa’s Anthony Duclair, Buffalo’s Dominik Kuhun and Arizona’s Vinny Hinostroza — were among those who unexpectedly did not receive QOs and will hit the open market Friday.</p><p></p>
https://chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2020/10/7/21507012/blackhawks-qualifying-offers-dylan-strome-dominik-kubalik-slater-koekkoek-malcolm-subbanBen Pope