Morning Chirps: Bedard contract speculation, Marner proving doubters wrong

The Chicago Blackhawks are one step closer to adding one of their top prospects to the NHL roster. Meanwhile, Friday night was kind of a stinker in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hopefully, tonight’s slate is much better.

Blackhawks Chirps

• Roman Kantserov had his contract terminated by Metallurg Magnitogorsk, leaving him free to negotiate with the Blackhawks. Scott Powers of The Athletic spoke to Kantserov on Friday and got confirmation that it’s not a matter of if he signs with the Blackhawks, but when.

• Speaking of Powers, he and Shayne Goldman broke down what Connor Bedard’s next contract could look like and why he has leverage at the negotiating table.

• The Kitchener Rangers are up 2-0 in the Ontario Hockey League Championship Series after beating the Barrie Colts 4-3 in overtime. After New York Islanders prospect Kashawn Aitcheson tied the game with 3.4 seconds left in regulation, Ottawa Senators draft pick Matthew Andonovski won the game 18:03 into overtime. Jack Pridham did not have any points but had five shots on goal. The series shifts to Barrie for Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Tuesday.

• On this date in 1971, the Montreal Canadiens beat the Blackhawks 4-2 in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final. Cliff Koroll and Bobby Hull put the Blackhawks up 2-0 in the first period, but it was all Canadiens after that. Frank and Pete Mahovlich combined for three goals.

• In 1985, the Blackhawks beat the Edmonton Oilers 5-2 in Game 3 of the Campbell Conference Finals. This snapped the Oilers’ NHL-record 12-game postseason winning streak, as they lost for the first time since Game 2 of the 1984 Stanley Cup Final against the Islanders. This was also the beginning of cheering during the national anthem. Makes you wonder if that tradition would have caught on if the Blackhawks had lost that night.

• In 2009, the Blackhawks beat the Canucks 4-2 to take a 3-2 series lead in the Western Conference Semifinals. Dustin Byfuglien scored a pair of goals before Dave Bolland’s late third-period power-play proved to be the game-winner.

• One year later, they lost Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals 4-1 to the Canucks, forcing a sixth game back in Vancouver. Kevin Bieska was the hero with two goals and an assist, while Jonathan Toews had the lone Blackhawks’ tally.

• In 2013, the Blackhawks eliminated the Minnesota Wild with a 5-1 victory in Game 5 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals. Marin Hossa had two goals and an assist, while Marcus Kruger, Andrew Shaw, and Patrick Sharp all found the back of the net.

• In 2021, Alex DeBrincat scored to help the Blackhawks beat the Dallas Stars 4-2, becoming the seventh U.S.-born player in NHL history to score 30 goals in two of his first four seasons. Patrick Kane picked up his 50th assist, passing Phil Housley and Brian Leetch for the most 50-assist seasons by an American player with seven.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, May 9: Brent Grieve and Calvin de Haan.

NHL Chirps

• The Montreal Canadiens evened up their series with the Buffalo Sabres by scoring early and often in a 5-1 victory. Alex Newhook and Mike Matheson put them up 2-0 less than five minutes into the game. Newhook added a second goal early in the second period. Goaltender Jakub Dobes rebounded nicely after struggling in Game 1 by making 29 saves. Game 3 will be in Montreal on Sunday in what should be an electric building.

• The nightcap wasn’t much better; the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Anaheim Ducks 6-2 to take a 2-1 series lead. Defenseman Shea Theodore, drafted by the Ducks in 2013, gave the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead 1:06 into the game. When Mitch Marner completed his natural hat trick late in the second period, it was a 5-0 blowout. Ville Husso replaced Lukas Dostal in the Anaheim net after Dostal gave up three goals on eight shots in the first period. Joel Quenneville is no stranger to goaltender changes in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Ducks will host Game 4 on Sunday night.

• The Minnesota Wild and Colorado Avalanche will resume their series after three days off. The Wild are back on home ice after losing the first two games in Denver. It was originally thought that Joel Eriksson Ek would miss tonight’s game, but he returned to practice for the Wild yesterday, although on a limited basis. Head coach John Hynes said “there’s a possibility” that Eriksson Ek plays in Game 3. On the other side, defenseman Josh Manson will return for Colorado. He’s been out with an upper-body injury since Game 3 of the first round.

• According to Rick Dhaliwal, the Vancouver Canucks are down to two candidates for their general manager vacancy: Ryan Johnson and Evan Gold. Johnson is the Abbotsford Canucks general manager whom the Canucks have denied other teams permission to speak with, so he’s the odds-on favorite. Gold is an assistant general manager for the Boston Bruins, having served as the Providence Bruins’ general manager.

• Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Nathan MacKinnon of the Avalanche, and Connor McDavid of the Oilers are the three finalists for the Hart Memorial Trophy.

• Team Canada has announced their preliminary roster for the upcoming IIHF World Championships.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, May 9: Joe Cirella, Steve Yzerman, Mark Tinordi, Tony Twist, Stephane Yelle, Vernon Fiddler, Riley Nash, and Ben Chiarot.

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