Morning Chirps: Commesso skates with the kids, Kaprizov makes history

The Chicago Blackhawks have to get back to work today after a gut-punch loss last night. They are scheduled to practice in Montreal before playing the Canadiens tomorrow night. We’ll see how they respond to losing a game they deserved to win.

Blackhawks Chirps

• The Blackhawks have already some bad losses this season, but last night’s blown lead to the Toronto Maple Leafs was the hardest to digest.

• Artyom Levshunov was late for Monday’s practice, and it cost him his spot in the lineup for last night's game. Head coach Jeff Blashill is setting the tone for a culture of accountability, and this was a teaching moment for Levshunov and the rest of the young core.

• Connor Bedard made the trip to Toronto with the rest of his teammates while he nurses his injured shoulder. Yesterday, he publicly addressed his status for the first time while appearing on a popular podcast.

• Goaltender Laurent Brossoit cleared waivers on Tuesday and was reassigned to the Rockford IceHogs. He is 2-1-0, with a 3.39 goals-against average (GAA) and .900 save percentage (SV%) in his three AHL starts. He even scored a goal against the Milwaukee Admirals over the weekend!

• IceHogs goalie Drew Commesso spent some time giving back to the Rockford community. He dropped by a recent Junior IceHogs practice to help the next generation of hockey stars find their way.

• On this date in 1957, the Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings pulled off the biggest trade in league history. The Blackhawks traded Nick Mickoski, Jack McIntyre, Bob Bailey, and Hec Lalande in exchange for Dutch Reibel, Billy Dea, Bill Dineen, and Lorne Ferguson. These were the most players involved in a single transaction to date.

• One year later, Ted Lindsay scored twice and added an assist in a 5-2 win over the Boston Bruins. His two tallies gave him 271 career goals, making him the highest-scoring left wing in NHL history, passing Aurele Joliat.

• In 1989, Hall of Fame defenseman scored a goal and recorded two helpers in the first period of a 6-5 win over the Edmonton Oilers to give him 700 career NHL points.

• In 1992, Steve Larmer picked up the 500th assist of his career in the Blackhawks’ 5-1 win over the Winnipeg Jets at the Chicago Stadium.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Dec. 17: Samuel Pahlsson.

NHL Chirps

• Brossoit was one of three players placed on waivers Monday, and the only one who cleared. The St. Blues claimed forward Jonathan Berggren from the Red Wings. He was a second-round pick (33rd overall) in 2018 and had a ton of success in the AHL with 49 goals and 127 points in 130 games. However, he’s yet to have consistent success in the NHL, with 31 goals and 64 points in 169 games. He’ll get an extended runway in St. Louis, as the Blues are dealing with a plethora of injuries up front.

• The Bruins claimed defenseman Vladislav Kolyachonok from the Dallas Stars. The 24-year-old was a second-rounder (52nd overall) by the Florida Panthers in 2019. He has five goals and 17 points in 85 NHL games. The Stars acquired him from the Pittsburgh Penguins over the summer for Matthew Dumba.

• The NHL started Tuesday with no Folignos, but could be back to two by the end of the week. Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno made the trip and could return soon, while his brother, Marcus, was activated off injured reserve by the Minnesota Wild. He had missed the last nine games after suffering a lower-body injury against the Blackhawks on Nov. 26. He didn’t find the scoresheet last night, as the Wild beat the Washington Capitals 5-0. Kirill Kaprizov had three points and became the franchise's all-time leader in power-play goals.

• The Penguins hosted the Oilers last night, in a matchup between two goaltenders, Tristan Jarry and Stuart Skinner, who were traded for each other less than a week ago. Neither netminder had a banner night in Edmonton’s 6-4 win. With a first-period assist, Leon Draisaitl became the first German-born player in NHL history to score 1,000 points. He finished his historic night with four helpers, while Connor McDavid had two goals and four points against his former teammate.

• Per Sportnet’s Sam Cosentino, the San Jose Sharks will release Michael Misa to Team Canada for the World Junior Championship. Blackhawks prospect Marek Vanacker is at Canada’s training camp, but is on the bubble for making the final roster.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Dec. 17: Gilles Tremblay, Dave Poulin, Frantisek Musil, Craig Berube, Vincent Damphousse, Erik Christensen, Gregory Campbell, and Mikael Pyythia.