The Stanley Cup Final gave us yet another instant classic, as somehow these games keep getting better! Enjoy a quiet Sunday morning with some Morning Chirps.
Blackhawks Chirps
- Richard Jelinek outlined how the 2026-27 season marks an historic milestone for the Blackhawks.
- Justin Lynch shared why he thinks Connor Bedard has a lot to prove next season.
- According to Ben Pope, the Blackhawks visited Chase Reid in Michigan and took him out to dinner before the Draft Combine. He’s the top defensive prospect in the draft and could be a target for the Blackhawks with the fourth pick.
- With all the hype over Caleb Williams getting on the cover of Madden 27, Jay Zawaski discussed if anyone besides Connor Bedard could ever land on the NHL cover in this CHGO Blackhawks Mini-podcast.
- On this date in 1983, Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita were inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame along with former rival, Montreal Canadiens netminder Ken Dryden.
- Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, June 7: Leo Reise, Gilles Marotte, and T.J. Brodie.
NHL Chirps
- 2-0 leads have been bad luck in the Stanley Cup Final, but a 4-0 lead is safe, right? RIGHT? Wrong! The Vegas Golden Knights were held to two shots on goal in the first period and then exploded for four goals in the middle frame. Those four tallies came after they had two goals taken off the board after successful coach’s challenges. Mitch Marner assisted on Tomas Hertl’s game-opening goal before netting the fastest hat trick in Stanley Cup Final history, scoring three times in 6:10. Brandon Bussi took over the Carolina crease for the third period and came up big by stopping Marner on a penalty shot. Moments later, Jordan Martinhook, Taylor, and Jordan Staal scored 39 seconds apart to make it a one-goal game. Andrei Svechnikov’s power-play goal tied the game with less than two minutes in regulation. Teams with a four-goal lead in the third period are now 109-0 thanks to Shea Theodore's goal in the second overtime. His shot hit off the end boards, then bounced in off of Bussi's back side. What will these two teams do for an encore in Game 4?
- Pierre LeBrun reported that Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman was given a short list of teams Dylan Larkin would accept a trade to. He mentioned the Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild, and Canadiens as teams that are a good fit for Larkin, but had no info on what teams are on his list.
- Defenseman Bowen Byram would be an attractive target for the Blackhawks if he were to be put on the trade block this summer. That does appear to happen, as The Athletic’s Matthew Fairburn reported that the Buffalo Sabres and his agent have opened a dialogue about signing a contract extension this summer, once he becomes eligible on July 1.
- According to Steve Ewen of The Province, the Canadiens have given Brendan Gallagher’s agent permission to seek a trade.
- Goaltender Alexander Georgiev has been granted a release from his KHL contract by Spartak, and, according to his agent, he intends to return to the NHL next season. Not sure there are many NHL teams clamoring to bring Georgiev in. He has a career .903 save percentage (SV%) and 2.99 goals-against average, which aren’t bad. However, his last two seasons in the league with the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks were pretty awful.
- NHL Birthday Roll Call, June 7: Terry O’Reilly, Willi Plett, Stephane Richer, Mike Modano, Milan Jurcina, Milan Lucic, Matt Beleskey, Michael Stone, Denis Gurianov, Vitor Mete, Filip Gustavsson, Dylan Garand, William Stromgren, and Sam Dickinson.
