Morning Chirps: Blackhawks named top prospect pool, latest on Wild contract talks

Tuesday was a surprisingly busy news day across the National Hockey League. That must mean the return of hockey and the Chicago Blackhawks is right around the corner!

Blackhawks Chirps

• Oliver Moore is one of the young players who will need to make a big jump if the Blackhawks want to remain in the playoff race this season. Brooke Lofurno says figuring out if he is a center or a wing will remain a prevalent storyline.

• As Best & Worst Week continues, Jeff Maroon gave us the best and worst Blackhawks sweaters. They have worn a lot of special sweaters over the past few years. Find out which ones were hits and which ones were misses.

• Speaking of misses, I followed up Monday’s article about the three best Blackhawks draft classes with one about the three worst.

• The Daily Faceoff’s Stephen Ellis ranked the Blackhawks as the top prospect pool in the NHL. Mario Tirabassi and I discussed this list and looked at the odds for the NHL’s postseason awards on the CHGO Blackhawks Podcast.

• Aug. 26 is a big date for the Wirtz family. On this date in 1971, Arthur Wirtz was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame induction class with Busher Jackson, Gord Roberts, Terry Sawchuk, and Cooney Weiland. Five years later, his son, William, received his call to the Hall of Fame. He was inducted along with Johnny Bower, Jack Gibson, Bill Quackenbush, and Phillip Ross.

• On this date in 1998, the Blackhawks signed free agent Eddie Olczyk, marking a return to the franchise that drafted him third overall in 1984. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1987 with Al Secord for Bob McGill, Steve Thomas, and Rick Vaive. He played the final 94 games of his 16-season NHL career back in his hometown. In 322 games over his two stints with the Blackhawks, Olczyk scored 77 goals and 209 points.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Aug. 26: Bill White and Anthony Duclair.

NHL Chirps

• 32 Thoughts dropped a surprise episode on Tuesday. Elliotte Friedman discussed the inevitable expansion to 34 teams. His theory is that adding two new teams is key before the U.S. television deal expires in two years. He noted that Houston and Atlanta are the two favorites to land new teams because they are the two largest television markets without an NHL franchise. To add to this, the Sports Business Journal reported that Alpharetta, a suburb of Atlanta, voted Monday to “approve a plan to redevelop” North Point Mall in a move “contingent upon its owners landing an NHL franchise.”

• Friedman also reported that talks have gone quiet between the Minnesota Wild and Quinn Hughes, but he’d still be surprised if an extension is agreed upon before the start of the season. Staying in Minnesota, Michael Russo of The Athletic says the Wild are “closing in on extending” head coach John Hynes. He expects a new deal to be announced “as training camp approaches.”

• Bruce Garrioch reported that Tim Stutzle, Jake Sanderson, and Thomas Chabot are the top three candidates to replace Brady Tkachuk as Ottawa Senators captain.

• The Washington Capitals have signed goaltender Cal Peterson to a professional tryout contract (PTO). He is likely being brought in to earn a spot on the AHL’s Hershey Bears, as the NHL roster is set with Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren between the pipes.

• Former Blackhawks first-round pick Kevin Hayes has signed a one-year contract with AK Bars Kazan of the KHL. The veteran of 805 games could not land an NHL contract this summer after an injury-riddled season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

• NHL Birthday Roll, Aug. 26: Ron Stackhouse, Wayne Simmonds, and Dylan Gambrell.

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