Morning Chirps: Bedard & Nazar's Olympic chances, IceHogs keep on rolling

The Chicago Blackhawks will enjoy a well-deserved morning off before heading to the airport. They begin a season-long six-game road trip tomorrow night against Jonathan Toews and the Winnipeg Jets. We will learn a lot about this Blackhawks team over the next six games and have a better idea if they are contenders or pretenders.

Blackhawks Chirps

• Things got sideways for the Blackhawks in the second period, but they recovered and closed out the Ottawa Senators in the third period. Check out my Postgame Musings from late last night for all my thoughts on the big 7-3 win.

• I stopped by the CHGO Blackhawks Postgame Show and reacted to Connor Bedard’s big night.

• Insider Frank Seravalli was on the Chicago Sports Network’s pregame show last night. He mentioned that Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar remain long shots to make their respective Olympic teams, but Nazar has a better chance to play for Team USA.

• Seravalli also brought up Bedard’s contract extension. He reported the door isn’t closed on a deal happening during the season, but neither side is in any rush to get it done.

• The Rockford IceHogs played a School Day game in Rosemont yesterday and thrashed the Chicago Wolves 6-1 to improve to 6-2-0 and take over first place in the American Hockey League’s Central Division. Nick Lardis’ big day started with a goal and an assist in the first 1:36 of the game. He added a second goal late in the opening frame. The IceHogs also got goals from Jackson Cates, Oliver Moore, Joey Anderson, and Samuel Savoie. Kevin Korchinski picked up two assists to bring his season total up to six. Drew Commesso made 23 saves to earn his fourth victory of the season.

• On this date in 1963, Glenn Hall became the seventh goaltender in National Hockey League history to win 250 games with a 5-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Kenny Wharram was the offensive hero by scoring his first career hat trick.

• In 1999, Doug Gilmour scored his 400th career goal in a 4-2 win against the Red Wings.

• Three years later, Tyler Arnason scored with 6.2 seconds remaining in the third period to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-2. Jocelyn Thibault became the 54th goaltender in league history to win 200 games.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Oct. 29: Pat Shea, Al Suomi, and Nikita Zaitsev.

NHL Chirps

• The Dallas Stars apparently have locked up another big piece of their core. According to multiple reports, including one from Elliotte Friedman, Thomas Harley will be signing an eight-year, $84 million contract extension.

• The St. Louis Blues’ rough start to the season was made even worse with some bad injury news on Tuesday. Forward Jake Neighbours, who was tied for the team lead in points, will miss at least five weeks with a right leg injury. The Blues fell to 3-6-1 after a 5-2 loss to the Red Wings last night.

• If you've been watching the World Series, you may have noticed George Springer’s green and blue batting gloves. The gloves pay homage to the Hartford Whalers, the team he grew up cheering for in Connecticut. According to Julian McKenzie of The Athletic, the gloves will be sent to the Hockey Hall of Fame once the World Series is over.

• Tuesday was the NHL’s first Frozen Frenzy of the season, with all 32 teams in action. Five of the 16 games went past regulation, and four of them featured at least nine combined goals. The highlight of the night was Bobby Brinks' shootout goal against Arturs Silovs to help the Philadelphia Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Oct. 29: Bill Judza, Stan Gilbertson, Denis Potvin, Mike Gartner, Joel Otto, Eric Messier, Eric Staal, Dmitry Kulikov, Oscar Lindberg, Colin Miller, Mikko Rantanen, and Vince Dunn.