Blackhawks: Division name change shows just how wacky this year will be

The Chicago Blackhawks division will look different next season, and that includes more than just the teams themselves – the name will look different.

In a press release by the NHL on January 5th, it was announced that the NHL was going to partner with some sponsors to help name their new divisions in 2020-21. This should give fans a heads up for what is to come when they see the Chicago Blackhawks with sponsors on their helmets during games.

This is not the first time we have seen sponsors play a key role in the NHL. The Winter Classic has been in partnership with Bridgestone in the past, and it is still hockey.

I understand the need to add some more sponsors and ads when fans can not be in the stands. However, the league’s decision to include sponsors when it comes to the division name is funny to me.

So the Blackhawks will be playing in the Discover Central Division. How about that name! Obviously, there have been some funny tweets out there about the decision to include the sponsors, and at the end of the day, hopefully, there will be fans in the stands in 2021-22 to enable the NHL to own their divisions and not rely on partners like this.

The Blackhawks season is going to be as wacky as their division name. For starters, they will be without some of their most valuable pieces in Toews and Dach. Chicago also will be entering the year with three unknown goalies trying to take over the net. Plus, this will be a season in which Chicago will be forced to play the same team twice almost every game. That makes playing one bad game down in Carolina that much more costly when it is not just one bad game.

Being able to bounce back is going to be critical for the Blackhawks in 2021. While this team might be missing some talent, anything can happen in the Discover Central Division! Maybe some fans can start a GoFundMe to buy back the naming rights for the NHL.