Morning Chirps: Defensemen on the mind, Stars pick new arena project

We are about a month away from the start of training camp, but we’ll keep the Morning Chirps coming even with the news slowing down.

Blackhawks Chirps

• I continued our Blackhawks Number History series with Nos. 11-15, which includes the best “Fun Facts” of the series so far.

• From the past to the future, Gail Kauchak continued her look at the Blackhawks' youth movement, this time focusing on three defensemen to keep an eye on.

• Speaking of the defensemen, Brooke LoFurno wondered if Ethan Del Mastro will have the chance to play into the lineup this season.

• Now that Connor Bedard has inked his contract extension, Spencer Lazary ponders what the next important contract for the Blackhawks is.  

• Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times spoke to Anton Frondell, who is taking in training camp with Djurgardens before heading to Chicago for his first NHL camp. He got some insight from the Blackhawks’ top prospect on how he’s spent the summer preparing to play center.

• On this date in 2007, the Blackhawks traded Radim Vrbata to the Phoenix Coyotes for Kevyn Adams, who played only in 27 games in Chicago and picked up two assists.

• In 2020, the Blackhawks lost 4-1 to the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 1 of their First Round playoff series. Shea Theodore and William Carrier broke a scoreless tie in the second period with a pair of goals less than two minutes apart. David Kampf scored a shorthanded goal to cut the lead in half before Reilly Smith’s two-goal third period put the game out of reach.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Aug. 11: Marc Bergevin, Jari Torkki, Mike Vellucci, and Martin St. Pierre.

NHL Chirps

• The Dallas Stars announced HNTB as the lead design for their proposed new arena in Plano, TX, and included some artist renderings of the potential future stadium. The project is envisioned as a year-round destination including entertainment, retail, dining, and public gathering spaces. In case you’re wondering, Plano is 27 miles north of Dallas, so it would be the equivalent of the Blackhawks moving to Highland Park.

• The Winnipeg Jets signed defenseman Tyrel Bauer to a two-year, $1.75 million contract. Much like Drew Commesso’s deal with the Blackhawks, the first year is two-way and the second is one-way. A sixth-round pick in 2020, the 24-year-old has spent the last four seasons in the AHL and has yet to make his NHL debut.

• The Philadelphia Flyers are loaning forward Jack Berglund to the SHL’s Färjestad BK for the 2026-27 season. The 20-year-old was drafted in the second round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. He served as captain for Team Sweden’s gold medal run at the World Junior Championship last year. He scored seven goals and 12 points in 40 SHL games.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Aug 11: Chuck Rayner, Floyd Curry, Larry Popein, Dave Shand, Ken Linesman, Brad Dalgarno, Aaron Miller, Lubomir Visnovsky, Jason Williams, Alexander Kerfoot, and Cayden Primeau.

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