Morning Chirps: 3 Blackhawks honored by CHL, USA dominates Canada

The men’s tournament gets underway at the Olympics this morning. Meanwhile, on the women’s side, Team USA flexed its muscle against its biggest rival. Rockford is getting ready for the AHL All-Star Classic after a fun Skills Competition. Let’s get to Chirping!

Blackhawks Chirps

• The men’s Olympic hockey tournament finally starts today with Finland and Slovakia kicking things off later this morning. I put together a guide for all Blackhawks fans heading into the best-on-best competition.

• The Eastern Conference won the AHL All-Star Classic Skills Competition 18-15 at the BMO Center last night. All three Rockford IceHogs All-Stars, Brett Seney, Kevin Korchinski, and Nick Lardis, were busy. Seney and Lardis kicked the night off in the Puck Control Relay.

• Seney and Korchinski participated in the Rapid Fire competition. Lardis then hit all four targets in five attempts in Accuracy Shooting.

• After Korchinski failed to score in the Pass and Score competition, all three IceHogs ended the night in the Breakaway Relay.

• The Canadian Hockey League (CHL) released its list of the top 50 players of the last 50 years who have played in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), and Western Hockey League (WHL). The list they released was in alphabetical order, with the actual 1-50 rankings to be revealed later this spring. Three Blackhawks made the list: Connor Bedard (Regina Pats, WHL), Patrick Kane (London Knights, OHL), and Denis Savard (Montreal Juniors, QMJHL). There are 34 Stanley Cup Champions and 21 Hockey Hall of Famers on this impressive list.

• The expansion at the Blackhawks Ice Center included the USG Arena, which will be the new home of the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL). On Tuesday, the league announced that Chicago and the USG Arena will host the 11th annual Fall Classic from Sept. 16-20, 2026. The event features the first two regular-season games for every USHL team, and youth tournaments for teams across major age groups.

• On this date in 1967, the Blackhawks extended their 13-game unbeaten streak (10-0-3) in a 4-4 tie with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Bobby Hull led the way by scoring his 19th career hat trick.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Feb 11: Derek King and Jaroslav Spacek.

NHL & Olympic Chirps

• Even though NHL players are taking part in the Olympics this year, the games are played under International Ice Hockey Federation Rules (IIHF). I put together some of the biggest differences in the rules heading into the first day of the men’s tournament.

• On the women’s side, Team USA rolled over Canada 5-0 to finish the preliminary round a perfect 4-0, outscoring their opponents 20-1. Hannah Bilka scored twice for the Americans. Defender Caroline Harvey assisted on both of Bilka’s goals and added one herself. Evergreen Park native Abbey Murphy finished with three assists. Goaltender Aarin Frankel stopped all 20 shots she faced for her second shutout of the tournament. She has allowed one goal on 45 shots in the tournament. Canada was missing their captain, Marie-Philip Poulin, but I don’t think it would have made much of a difference if she had played. There was no answer for Team USA’s speed, skating, and structure.

• According to Brad Elliott Schlossman, Gavin McKenna is expected to play for Penn State this weekend. Apparently, NHL scouts have been notified that he will be in the lineup against the University of Michigan.

• Josh Yohe of The Athletic reports that the Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to add a depth defenseman before the trade deadline. Connor Murphy might be too pricey for what they are looking for, but maybe they’ll be interested in a reunion with Matt Grzelcyk.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Feb. 11: Eddie Shack, Lew Morrison, Greg Stefan, Ville Siren, Alexander Semak, Bruce Gardiner, Jamie Pushor, Bryce Salvador, Maxime Talbot, Mike Richards, Andrew Hammond, Ryan Shea, Mathieu Olivier, Ryan Lindgren, and Trent Frederic.