Morning Chirps: Foligno/Schaefer connect, Blackhawks have a top jersey seller

The Chicago Blackhawks were supposed to have today off, but head coach Jeff Blashill will have them on the practice ice after some execution issues yesterday. They will play the Boston Bruins tomorrow night. Meanwhile, history was made last night in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh, and there is plenty of news around the Central Division.

Blackhawks Chirps

• Spencer Knight had himself quite the game against his former team yesterday. His performance was one of the main focuses of our Postgame Musings.

• The second line of Frank Nazar, Teuvo Teravainen, and Tyler Bertuzzi produced both Blackhawks’ goals last night and was responsible for Ty Glenn’s Play of the Game.

• I hung out in the Second Balcony with my pal Frank Nova after the game, and we broke down the Blackhawks’ effort in Florida.

• Todd Welter writes that Blackhawks fans’ pipe dream of seeing Connor McDavid wear red and black will have to wait a little longer.

• In one of my favorite articles of the year, The Athletic’s Scott Powers asked the entire Blackhawks locker room why they wear their numbers.

• Speaking of jerseys, according to the NHL, Connor Bedard had the second-highest-selling jersey last year behind only Alex Ovechkin.

New York Islanders rookie and number one overall pick, Matthew Schaefer, said he got a phone call from Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno after making the team. Their connection goes far beyond sharing the same agent. They both lost their mothers to breast cancer at a young age. Foligno takes his mentoring seriously, and it goes beyond the Blackhawks locker room.

• On this date in 1957, Glenn Hall blanked the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0 for his 18th career shutout and first with the Blackhawks. Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay had the game’s lone goal.

• In 2002, Alexei Zhamnov was named Blackhawks captain, replacing Tony Amonte. He became the fourth Russian-born player in NHL history to be named a team captain.

• One year later, the Blackhawks beat the Minnesota Wild 1-0. This was the third straight home opener in which goaltender Jocelyn Thibault posted a shutout. Tyler Aranson provided the game’s only goal.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Oct. 8: Art Stratton, Kevyn Adams, and David Rundblad.

NHL Chirps

• Nathan MacKinnon assisted on the Colorado Avalanche’s first goal of the season, scored by Martin Necas. The helper was his 1,016th career point, passing Joe Sakic for the most in franchise history.

• The Pittsburgh Penguins spoiled Mike Sullivan’s debut at Madison Square Garden by beating the New York Rangers 3-0. Penguins rookie Harrison Brunicke made history by becoming the first skater born in South Africa to play in the NHL.

• Multiple insiders, including TSN’s Darren Dreger, reported that the Winnipeg Jets and Kyle Connor are getting close to an extension and want to get it done before they open their season tomorrow. Various reports say it will be an eight-year deal worth at least $12 million per season.

• Speaking of the Jets’ season-opener, they are hopeful that Jonathan Toews will be ready to play in their first game against the Dallas Stars.

• Milan Lucic still might play for the St. Louis Blues at some point this season. He’s currently dealing with a lower-body injury, so the Blues will likely extend his PTO in 10-day increments until he’s back to full health.

• The Minnesota Wild placed forward Nico Sturm (back) and Mats Zuccarello (lower body) on injured reserve ahead of their regular-season opener against the Blues. They have recalled prospect Hunter Haight to help fill the void.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Oct. 8: Fredrik Modin, Raffi Torres, Jordan Schmaltz, Timo Meier, and Alexandre Carrier.