Morning Chirps: The Yzerplan is over, another UFA comes off the board

Wednesday was a busy day on the website and across the NHL, with role changes, coaching hires, and new contracts given out. Get caught up with today’s Morning Chirps.

Blackhawks Chirps

• The NHL released the home openers for all 32 teams yesterday, and we learned the first four opponents for the Chicago Blackhawks. Without Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks will start the season with three straight road games against teams that made the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year.

• Richard Jelinek thinks that seventh-round draft pick William Sorbrand could surprise many people and make it to the NHL one day.

• Now that Jonathan Toews is retired, Ryan Gagne wonders how long the Blackhawks will wait to raise his No. 19 to the United Center rafters.

• Our “What If” week continues with a look back at the 2005 NHL Entry Draft and how the golden era of Blackhawks hockey could have been even better by making a different first-round pick.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, July 16: Duncan Keith.

NHL Chirps

• The biggest news of the day came out of the Motor City, as Steve Yzerman is transitioning out of the general manager role and will serve as a senior advisor to Detroit Red Wings CEO Chris Ilitch. The “Yzerplan” has yet to produce a playoff appearance, and this move was long overdue. Waiting until after the draft and free agency to make this move is curious, but Dylan Larkin’s trade demand was likely the final nail in Yzerman’s coffin. This quote below from Ilitch says it all:

• Clearly, we are not where we and our fans expect to be as an organization. I’m looking forward to bringing in new leadership to build the championship-caliber organization Hockeytown deserves.

• Anthony Mantha signed a two-year, $9.5 million contract with the New Jersey Devils. The 31-year-old forward had a career season last year with the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring 33 goals and 64 points.

• Staying in New Jersey, the Devils announced additions to their coaching staff. Among the hires was Ted Donato, the longtime Harvard head coach and Ryan’s dad. They also named Leo Luongo the new director of goaltending. He is Roberto’s younger brother.

• A couple of more players avoided arbitration on Wednesday.  The Winnipeg Jets signed Cole Perfetti to a five-year, $30 million contract. Later in the evening, Trevor Zegras and the Philadelphia Flyers agreed to a four-year, $36.5 million contract.

• The New York Rangers signed defenseman Albert Smits to a three-year entry-level contract. He was the fifth overall pick of last month’s NHL Entry Draft and the second blueliner taken.

• Former Blackhawks assistant coach Mike Haviland has a new gig. He was named assistant coach of the Ontario Reign, the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.

• The Grand Rapids Griffins signed forward Tag Bertuzzi to a one-year AHL contract. He is the son of Todd Bertuzzi and Tyler’s younger cousin.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, July 16: Jay Miller, Claude Lemieux, Jyrki Lumme, Dustin Boyd, Brian Lashoff, Nate Schmidt, and Jonatan Berggren.

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