Morning Chirps: Big goals for Lardis, Stutzle addresses Tkachuk trade

Is it September yet? Almost! We’ll keep giving you daily content to help pass these last few days of the offseason before the Chicago Blackhawks and the rest of the National Hockey League return to the ice.

Blackhawks Chirps

• Brooke LoFurno previews Nick Lardis’ role for the upcoming season, with bigger offensive goals in mind for 2026-27.

• Ryan Gagne dug deep into former first overall picks to see what history has to say about Connor Bedard’s chances of winning a Stanley Cup.

• Speaking of history, we looked at everyone who wore numbers 31-35. If you love Blackhawks goaltenders, this installment of our series is for you!

• Finally, Maya Smith closes out Stadiums and Cities week by looking at one of the best traditions at the United Center: the national anthem.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Aug. 23: Percy Traub and Igor Radulov.

NHL Chirps

• Eeli Tolvanen remains one of the top unsigned unrestricted free agents left on the market, which is surprising at this point of the offseason. According to Rob Simpson of Pacific North Hockey, the 27-year-old right wing has had contract talks with multiple teams. The former first-round draft pick of the Nashville Predators failed to produce consistently in Music City before he was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Kraken in 2022. He scored 66 goals and 135 points in his 288 games with the Kraken, but has yet to secure a new contract.

• The Ottawa Senators will have a new leadership corps this season after trading captain Brady Tkachuk to the Florida Panthers. Tim Stutzle addressed the trade for the first time while on the European Media Tour:

"It's his decision. There's nothing we can do about it. For me, he was always a great teammate and, obviously, a great hockey player, and we're going to miss him. He was always there for me. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to move on. We're going to miss him as a hockey player, as a person, and as a leader, but it is what it is. We're focused on what we have ahead of us and the team we have right now. So, wish him all the best."

Tim Stutzle

• Goaltender Yaroslav Korostelyov has terminated his KHL contract and will join the San Jose Sharks organization this season. He was a seventh-round draft pick in 2024, so this move is a bit of a surprise. He has never played in the KHL, and he played all but one game last season in the MHL, Russia’s major junior league. He went 14-5-0 with a .917 save percentage (SV%), 2.22 goals-against average (GAA), and five shutouts. The ECHL is his likely destination for the 2026-27 season.

• The NHL Network will release its Top 20 Centers Right Now list later on tonight. There were no Blackhawks on this list a year ago. Do you think Connor Bedard makes the cut this year?

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Aug. 23: John Grisdale, Dave Gardner, Jack Carlson, Glenn Healy, Randy Moller, Ray Ferraro, Jarkko Ruutu, Carl Hagelin, and Brayden Pachal.

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