Morning Chirps: Fan confidence still high, top remaining free agents

It’s already Wednesday, and we’re one day closer to hockey returning! Celebrate with your Hump Day Morning Chirps.

Blackhawks Chirps

• Jeff Maroon is looking ahead to next season and the five Blackhawks who will likely lead the offense throughout 84 games.

• The results of The Athletic’s Blackhawks fan survey are out, and the majority of the faithful are still on board with the rebuild and, in most cases, are downright optimistic.

• We talked about the survey results on yesterday’s CHGO Blackhawks podcast. You’ll want to check out today’s episode, as we’ll be joined by general manager Kyle Davidson at 3 pm.

• On this date in 2020, the Blackhawks beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five Qualifying Round series. Olli Maatta and Jonathan Toews scored in the opening frame, but they trailed 3-2 heading into the third period after two goals from Leon Draisaitl and one from Connor McDavid. Matthew Highmore’s first career playoff goal tied the game before Toews’ second tally of the night won it with 1:16 left in regulation.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Aug. 5: Cy Thomas, Jack Norris, Mark Bell, Dale Weise, and Anders Bjork.

NHL Chirps

• We are roughly six weeks away from the start of training camps across the NHL. There are still some big names without a team, including Patrik Laine, Eeli Tolvanen, Vladimir Tarasenko, John Klingberg, Logan Stanley, and Cam Talbot. Former Blackhawks Philipp Kurashev and Matt Grzelcyk are still without a contract. It will be interesting to see where these veterans end up, and if any of them will have to use a PTO to earn a roster spot.

• Aaron Portzline of The Athletic wrote a great piece yesterday about the future of radio broadcasts across the NHL as five teams have elected to simulcast their TV broadcasts this season.

• According to Herb Zurkowsky of The Montreal Gazette, the Calgary Flames were interested in trading for Montreal Canadiens defenseman Arber Xhekaj before the March deadline. The physical defenseman is a restricted free agent who is still unsigned, but various reports say the Canadiens are not looking to move him despite strong interest in him.

• Defenseman D.J. King, son of former Blackhawks coach Derek King, has signed a one-year AHL contract with the Utica Comets. He spent the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons in the Blackhawks organization, spending most of his time with the Indy Fuel in the ECHL. He played six games for the Rockford IceHogs.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Aug 5: Anton Stastny, Herb Raglan, Jeff Friesen, and Jamie McGinn.

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