Morning Chirps: Kane takes the mound, Zee's final shift

We got to mark another day off in August, the last hockey-less month of the year! As we approach September and the return of the Chicago Blackhawks, we are pumping out the content to get your ready for the new season.

Blackhawks Chirps

• Brooke LoFurno was busy yesterday! Get used to seeing that this season. First, she wrote about Kevin Korchinski wanting to prove that he belongs in the NHL. Then she profiled Spencer Knight and how he can give the Blackhawks more chances to win.

• Jeff Maroon is bringing back his power rankings this season, and he started by ranking how things look after a busy summer.

• EA Sports revealed that Connor Bedard is the highest-rated Blackhawks player in NHL 27 with an overall 90. Ryan Gagne wondered if that was too high, too low, or just right.

• Patrick Kane threw out the first pitch ahead of last night's game between the Cubs and White Sox. He showed up wearing the right colors!

• Corey Pronman ranked the Blackhawks’ pipeline the fourth-best in the NHL, dropping them two spots from a year ago. We discussed his “logic” on the CHGO Blackhawks Podcast.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Aug. 19: Mike Fidler, Darryl Sutter, and Arvid Soderblom.

NHL Chirps

• Detroit Red Wings’ captain Dylan Larkin requested a trade earlier this offseason, but Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now says the belief is that request will not be met. First, the Red Wings don’t even have a general manager right now, as they are searching for Steve Yzerman’s replacement. Second, with supplying such a limited trade list, it’s nearly impossible for Detroit to get a fair return. Makes you wonder if he’ll hold out until he is traded, or if he’ll be at training camp on day one.

• The Philadelphia Flyers signed defenseman Hunter McDonald to a two-year, $1.825 million contract. It’s a two-way contract for year one and a one-year contract for the second season. The 24-year-old blueliner made his NHL debut last April. He had six assists and 92 penalty minutes in 65 AHL games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last season.

• Amalie Benjamin of NHL.com has more details on Zdeno Chara’s farewell game, Zee’s Final Shift. The game will be played on Friday in Trencin, Slovakia, and will feature Blackhawks Hall of Famers Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Aug 19: Jimmy Watson, Andreas Karlsson, Taylor Pyatt, Steve Ott, David Rittich, Joey Daccord, Dennis Hildeby, Thomas Harley, and Quinton Byfield.

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