Morning Chirps: Knight gets some love from EA Sports, another Texas team coming

Saturday’s Morning Chirps seem to hit different than every other day of the week! It’s the weekend, and let’s start it off with some hockey news.

Blackhawks Chirps

• The Blackhawks’ penalty kill was one of the bright spots last season, finishing second in the league. They lost many key members of that effective unit, so Gail Kauchak looked into how they can stay at the top of the NHL.

• I got to talk to head coach Jeff Blashill earlier this week, and he gave multiple reasons why he’s thrilled that Patrick Kane has returned to Chicago.

• Justin Lynch continues to look ahead to the 2026-27 season and asked which Blackhawks will be the most exciting to watch.

• The Blackhawks look to be set in net for years to come with a starter in the NHL and a slew of talented prospects in the pipeline. Jeremiah Lee wondered what they will do with their embarrassment of riches. Personally, you can never have too much goaltending.

• Speaking of goalies, Spencer Knight was given an overall 87 rating for NHL 27, which ties him for the eighth-highest-rated netminder in the game.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Aug. 22: Ray McKay, Dickie Moore, and Olli Maatta.

NHL Chirps

• Is Texas getting another NHL team? In a recent interview with David Alter of The Hockey News, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly made it sound like a second team in the Lone Star State could be a reality in the near future. He said the framework of a deal has been agreed upon, and an official announcement could come as early as December. We could see this franchise as early as the 2029-30 season. Houston and Austin have been discussed as the possible locations for this new franchise.

• If this offseason has taught us anything, it’s that general managers need to sign their talented young players to contract extensions as soon as possible. With that in mind, Washington Capitals general manager Chris Patrick revealed that he has already begun extension talks with forwards Ryan Leonard and Justin Dourdif.

• In a fun story, Alex Burmistrov has signed a one-year contract with the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL. The eighth overall pick of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft has spent the last eight years playing in the KHL. The 34-year-old blueliner has 348 games of NHL experience with the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Arizona Coyotes, and Vancouver Canucks, but has been overseas since 2018.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Aug. 22: George Ferguson, Dean Evason, Brayden Schenn, and Brock Faber.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow