Today’s News Clips June 21, 2018

Chicago Tribune

Bulls and Blackhawks need to make bold moves at drafts, bringing stars to

David Haugh June 20, 2018

On successive summer nights, the ’s co-tenants will use their respective drafts to determine how long the upcoming winters will feel for Chicago sports fans.

The Bulls and Blackhawks, both drafting in the top 10 for the first time in 11 years, need to find a star, a supremely talented player capable of making teammates better and opponents nervous. The Bulls hope to draft one at No. 7, while the Hawks would be wise to try trading the eighth overall selection in a deal for a veteran who fits that description.

If they do this right, neither team will be in this spot again for the foreseeable future. The Bulls can fit a promising rookie onto a young, evolving roster that ends the incessant talk of tanking and starts challenging for an Eastern Conference playoff spot. The Hawks face greater urgency to add immediate help to take advantage of a championship window that threatens to slam shut.

Both approaches require the kind of boldness each team demonstrated a year ago when the Bulls traded All- Star Jimmy Butler to begin rebuilding and the Hawks made two deals they would come to regret. This time around, the stakes are just as high for both teams.

Start with the Bulls.

Conventional wisdom says the team will play it safe and draft a prospect who fits a profile: a high-character, low-risk player who accomplished much at a powerhouse program, a description that makes Duke’s Wendell Carter Jr. or Villanova’s Mikal Bridges the choices likely to produce a collective response of “Meh.’’

Except the Bulls bucked convention when they traded Butler on June 22, 2017 — daring to be wrong about a direction that felt so right. So I suspect Bulls executives John Paxson and Gar Forman will go with that feeling again Thursday night at the Advocate Center and head down a fascinating path lined with as many risks as rewards.

They could trade up to draft Texas 7-footer Mo Bamba, a difference-making defensive force with the kind of personality the Bulls embrace and Chicagoans would appreciate. But is Bamba too one-dimensional?

They could maneuver to take Missouri swingman Michael Porter Jr., a scoring machine with enough confidence and swagger to compare himself to Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. But can an organization set back nearly a decade in 2012 by a knee injury to its franchise player afford another high pick on a player like Porter whose back surgery cost him all but three games of his freshman year?

They could stay at No. 7 and gamble on Oklahoma shooting sensation Trae Young, the draft’s most polarizing player whose selection might crash the Bulls’ Twitter feed. But can a 6-foot-2 defensive liability coexist in the same backcourt with 6-4 Kris Dunn? I would love for the Bulls to find out, but doubt Young is the name they announce.

My guess is the Bulls end up with Bamba, a rim protector with a 7-10 wing span that practically reaches into the 300 Level.

Speaking of defense, that also describes the Hawks’ biggest priority. They could address it during free agency by pursuing top target John Carlson of the Capitals, along with the rest of the league, or by swinging a draft- day trade for an established veteran defenseman such as of the Hurricanes or Tyson Barrie of the Avalanche.

Or maybe Hawks has another impact player he is considering? Would Bowman try to engineer a trade to bring Blue Jackets forward Artemi Panarin, rumored to be on the trade block, back to Chicago? Similarly, would a reunion with Scott Darling solve the backup goalie problem? Any other former Hawks available for another run?

Drafting a tough young defenseman or dynamic forward might look good from a developmental aspect, but Hawks Chairman underscored the importance of next season with recent comments to Crain’s Chicago Business. And if you think Wirtz is getting antsy without a playoff series victory since the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, imagine the way President John McDonough’s stomach is churning.

Solace comes from knowing that if goalie returns healthy, the Hawks have no reason to believe they can’t fill other holes this offseason well enough to return to the .

But Patrick Kane and aren’t getting any younger. Duncan Keith and never have looked older than they did last season. Coach Joel Quenneville likely wouldn’t survive a second straight year of missing the playoffs.

So while drafting and developing players sounds good at organizational meetings, contending now matters more than competing later for a Hawks organization desperate for a return to glory.

That process of boldly building the next championship roster begins Friday for the Hawks. The Bulls can set an intrepid tone 24 hours earlier.

Feel the draft? The winds of change blow through the West Side, where both teams aggressively seek conditions conducive for winning. Chicago Tribune

Blackhawks open season Oct. 4 at Senators, host Maple Leafs three days later

Jimmy Greenfield June 20, 2018 he Blackhawks’ drive to return to the NHL playoffs begins Oct. 4, when they open the 2018-19 season against the Senators in Ottawa, .

Their home opener comes three days later against the Maple Leafs, the team announced Wednesday.

The Oct. 7 home opener will give Hawks fans their first glimpse at a team that still could undergo many changes via trades and free agency after missing the playoffs for the first time since 2008. The Hawks won Stanley Cup championships in 2010, ’13 and ’15.

The full regular-season schedule will be released Thursday.

A strong start could help alleviate fears that the Hawks' window of contention is closing. However, they began 3-0-1 last season, which included a memorable 10-1 drubbing of the then-two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins at the United Center in the opener, a game that proved no harbinger.

Hawks general manager Stan Bowman is scheduled to speak to the media at noon Thursday, a day before the NHL draft begins. The Hawks have eight picks in the two-day draft, including the eighth and 27th selections in the first round.

The Hawks play the first of six exhibitions Sept. 18 against the Blue Jackets in Columbus, Ohio. The preseason home opener is Sept. 25 against the Red Wings. The Athletic

Blackhawks draft guide: What they need, who they’ll pick and things to keep in mind

Scott Powers June 20, 2018

It’s been a while since the NHL draft was as important for the Blackhawks as this one.

They would obviously prefer not to be drafting as early as they are or have two first-round picks, but that’s their situation after missing the playoffs and being sellers at the trade deadline.

How the Blackhawks use the eighth overall pick adds to the intrigue. Do they trade it to improve now? Do they keep it? Do they go with a defenseman or a forward? Who will be available at No. 8? Will they move their other first-round pick? Could they pull the trigger on some bigger trades?

There are plenty of things to consider about the Blackhawks’ 2018 draft, so let’s dig in below.

1. Where are the Blackhawks slotted to draft? First round: The Blackhawks have the eighth overall pick, which they landed in the lottery, and the 27th overall pick, which they acquired along with Victor Ejdsell and a fourth-round pick from the for Ryan Hartman and a fifth-round pick.

Second round: None — their second-round pick was traded to the Canadiens along with for Tomas Fleischmann and Dale Weise in 2016.

Third round: The 69th overall pick and the 87th overall pick. The latter was acquired from the for Michal Kempny.

Fourth round: The 120th overall pick, which was also acquired in the Hartman trade. The Blackhawks traded the 100th overall pick and Mark McNeill to the Dallas Stars for Johnny Oduya in 2016.

Fifth round: The 142nd overall pick, which was acquired from the as part of the Artemi Panarin-Brandon Saad deal. The Blackhawks dealt the 131st overall pick to the Predators in the Hartman trade.

Sixth round: The 162nd overall pick.

Seventh round: The 193rd overall pick.

2. Who will the Blackhawks draft at No. 8? The Blackhawks are expecting the best available player to be a forward. They’re anticipating a run of defensemen right before them. Aside from Rasmus Dahlin, the consensus No. 1 pick, Quinn Hughes, is probably the only other defenseman the Blackhawks really desire with their early pick. It’s unlikely Hughes will still be available at No. 8, but if he is, the Blackhawks would likely select him.

If Hughes is gone, the Blackhawks will likely turn their attention to a forward. There have been four forwards mentioned the most with the Blackhawks in recent weeks: center Jesperi Kotkaniemi, winger Brady Tkachuk, winger Oliver Wahlstrom and center Barrett Hayton.

Kotkaniemi is considered the top center in the draft, and his stock has recently skyrocketed. Plenty of people are convinced he could go No. 3 to the . At this , it’s difficult to envision him dropping to No. 8, but the draft is a crapshoot after Dahlin and Andrei Svechnikov. Mitch Brown recently wrote about Kotkaniemi and here’s an earlier story on him related to the Blackhawks. Kotkaniemi will likely return to Finland for one more season.

Tkachuk is another player who has been projected in various draft spots in the top 10. He could be gone before the Blackhawks draft. He’s considered a power forward type and someone who could be ready for the NHL sooner than later after playing this past season as a freshman at Boston University. Arpon Basu did a Q&A with Tkachuk earlier this month.

“I think he’s going to be a really good power forward,” one scout said. “He plays really smart. He has good mobility, works with the puck really well. Everyone loves his kind of pest mentality. I think his NCAA numbers are a little deceptive. For one, he was a freshman. Scoring is harder to come by. You don’t see guys with crazy numbers.”

Wahlstrom is probably the player most associated with the Blackhawks in mock drafts. He’s a big-time scorer and had 48 goals in 62 games with the U.S. under-18 team this past season. He is committed to Boston College next season. Sunaya Sapurji’s profile on him is worth a read.

“I’d take Wahlstrom over Tkachuk,” a scout said. “That’s not a slight on Tkachuk. I think Wahlstrom’s ceiling is higher. I think Tkachuk can be in the league faster, but I think Wahlstrom will be the more productive player. I think he’s going to be a superstar. He does everything well offensively. His defense needs work, but there’s nothing there that you should be concerned about.”

Hayton was a name The Athletic’s Corey Pronman dropped in his final mock draft this week. Hayton played in the OHL this past season, and Pronman described him as “one of the best two-way forwards in the draft.” Pronman does believe the Blackhawks would take Wahlstrom over Hayton.

3. Why wouldn’t the Blackhawks take a defenseman early? The Blackhawks obviously need to improve their defense after last season, but that’s an immediate need. Outside of Dahlin and possibly Hughes, the draft isn’t likely going to provide an NHL-ready defenseman. The Blackhawks will have to look at trades or free agency to improve their defense now.

Looking ahead, the Blackhawks actually have some young, promising defensemen in their pipeline. They focused on right-handed defensemen early in the 2017 draft and took Henri Jokiharju and then Ian Mitchell. Both played well this past season and could be in the NHL within the next few years. It’s possible Jokiharju even plays for the Blackhawks next season.

Considering that, it’d be surprising if the Blackhawks took another right-handed defenseman so early in 2018. While there are some talented right-handers like Adam Boqvist, Evan Bouchard and Noah Dobson, among others, who could go early in the first round, the Blackhawks will likely look to fill another need with that eighth pick.

The Blackhawks also have a number of left-handed defensemen coming up — seven were included in our top- 20 prospect rankings. None appear to be as elite as Jokiharju and Mitchell, but plenty have potential. Again, the Blackhawks would likely take Hughes to add to that list if he’s available.

4. Who could the Blackhawks select at No. 27? The Blackhawks may move one of their first-round selections as part of a deal to acquire a proven NHL player. They’d probably prefer to trade the 27th pick, so that’s one possibility to keep in mind come Friday.

If the Blackhawks keep the pick, they should still be able to get a quality player, since it’s considered a deep draft. Here are some possibilities:

Nicolas Beaudin, defenseman: The Sun-Times’ Mark Lazerus has reported the Blackhawks like Beaudin as their possible second pick in the first round. Beaudin, a left-handed , played in the QMJHL last season. Pronman wrote of him: “The first thing that stands out about Beaudin is his hockey sense. He’s a very composed and aware defender with the puck who makes plays with pace and displays quality vision. He makes a ton of good decisions, not showing much panic in his game and was a quarterback for a power play filled with talented players.”

Liam Foudy, center: Pronman projected the Blackhawks to select Foudy with the 27th pick. Foudy played center for in the OHL this past season. Pronman wrote: “Foudy is an elite skater who can make some plays and there aren’t many elite offensive characteristics available this late. Chicago typically values skill first, but they’ve also made investments in speedy guys.”

Isac Lundestrom, center: Lundestrom is one of the top young centers to come out of Sweden. Pronman described him as a “do-it-all player.” A Swedish scout said, “I really like Isac. He’s an old-time center. He looks like a young Niklas Backstrom. Not saying he will become that good, but he plays that same kind of game.”

K’Andre Miller, defenseman: Miller, a left-handed defenseman, is headed to the University of Wisconsin from the U.S. national program and will play under Badgers associate head coach Mark Osiecki, who previously coached the Blackhawks’ AHL defensemen. The Blackhawks already like defenseman prospect Joshua Ess being guided by Osiecki. As one scout said of Miller: “He’s really raw. He just switched to defenseman. He’s just a freak athlete. He might be the best athlete in the draft. He has to work on his defensive game and thinking game, but the Blackhawks could afford to give him time.”

Rasmus Sandin, defenseman: Sandin was a left-handed defenseman I took at 27 in one of The Athletic’s mock drafts. I contemplated Miller, too. Pronman thought Sandin was slightly better, but he thought either pick would be fine. Pronman wrote: “Sandin’s best trait is his hockey sense. He’s a very smart puck-moving defenseman. He can see the ice at a high level on outlets, but also up on the attack, hitting tight seams and creating chances with his passes, which occasionally rise to the level of remarkable.”

Akil Thomas, center: Thomas is another center projected late in the first round. He had 22 goals and 59 assists in 62 games in the OHL this past season. He played for the Niagara IceDogs, whose staff included former IceHogs coach Ted Dent. A scout said of Thomas: “He’s very durable. He had a big role for Niagara. He works hard, great attitude. He was a big part of their power play. He can play center or wing.”

5. Do the Blackhawks have any draft needs? The Blackhawks went into last year’s draft with an emphasis on right-handed defensemen. They probably aren’t as focused on one area this year, but there are some different areas they’d probably like to fill.

The Blackhawks could likely restock their shelves with some players who can use three-to-four years of developing before they turn pro. As nice as it may be having Jokiharju, Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Carlsson, Nathan Noel and Blake Hillman all sign within the first two years of being drafted, that can also create a logjam for signed prospects. The Blackhawks had four left-handed defensemen sign in recent months.

Drafting players from the USHL could be one solution to that problem. The Blackhawks utilized the USHL in the past to draft Nick Schmaltz, Vinnie Hinostroza, John Hayden, Luke Johnson, Tyler Motte, Anthony Louis, Matheson Iacopelli and Freddy Olofsson, among others, in recent years.

As for specific positions, the Blackhawks could use a few more centers and goalies in the pipeline. Aside from Max Shalunov and Ivan Nalimov, two older Russian players, Evan Barratt is the lone unsigned center in the organization, and Wouter Peeters is the lone unsigned goalie. The Blackhawks have drafted just one goalie in the past three years.

6. Who else might the Blackhawks draft? Scott Perunovich, defenseman: Perunovich, a left-handed defenseman, attended the Blackhawks draft combine. He may be a stretch at 27, but he might not be there when the Blackhawks are up in the third round. He had a breakout season at Duluth as a freshman this past season. Pronman wrote: “Perunovich displays great vision and offensive instincts with the puck. He has the patience to wait out options and find guys through tight lanes, and the creativity to try things others players won’t. Perunovich also possesses very good puck skills to create space in order to make plays”

Gavin Hain, center: Hain is another player who attended the Blackhawks combine. He’s likely a late-round pick. He played in the U.S. development program this past season and will be at North Dakota next season. The Blackhawks have had some luck with North Dakota centermen in the past.

Adam Samuelsson, defenseman: Samuelsson is the son of Blackhawks assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson. He’s a left-handed shot and played with the U.S. development program and is probably a middle-round pick. He’s going to Boston College.

Vincent Purpura, goalie: Purpura, who is 6-foot-3 and 174 pounds, is among the goalies the Blackhawks may consider with one of their late picks. He attended their draft combine and played in the USHL last season. He’s committed to Boston University and is expected to arrive there in the 2019-20 season. He is also from Lemont, Illinois, the home of Scott Darling.

Jack Randl, winger: Randl is another local product who attended the Blackhawks draft combine. He’s also likely a late-round pick. He had 20 goals in the USHL last season and is headed to Michigan.

7. Who is the first local player likely to be drafted? , a center, is expected to be selected in the first couple rounds. He’s from Winnetka, played for the Chicago Mission for much of his youth career and then played for the Waterloo Black Hawks in the USHL the past two years. He had 24 goals and 41 assists in 56 games last season. He attended Loyola Academy for two years and is committed to Harvard for next season.

Drury comes from a hockey family. His father Ted Drury played 414 career NHL games, and his uncle played 892 NHL games. His father was drafted in the second round in 1989, and his uncle went in the third round in 1994.

Drury grew up in Germany and moved to Chicago when he was 7. He was a promising left-handed pitcher when he was younger, but decided to focus on hockey after his freshman year at Loyola.

“I think it was just what I loved more and what I would be more successful at and what I was willing to sacrifice for,” Drury said this week. “I knew with hockey I wanted it a little more.”

As for the draft, Drury wasn’t trying to think about it too much.

“I’m definitely excited, definitely a little bit nervous, but that’s definitely to be expected,” he said. “I’m just trying to stay mentally grounded.”

Jake Pivonka, Phillipe Lapointe, Tyler Carpenter, Cole Coskey, Joey Keane, Graham Lillibridge, Sean Dhooghe, Jonathan Mor, Purpura and Randl are some other local players who could get drafted.

Bode Wilde and Spencer Stastney didn’t grow up in the Chicago area, but played for the Mission and are expected to be drafted.

8. What to know about trends and draft history under Stan Bowman: The Blackhawks have drafted 71 players since Bowman took over as general manager. They’ve selected 38 forwards, 26 defensemen and seven goalies since 2010.

They’ve made seven selections in the first round, 13 in the second round, 12 in the third round, 10 in the fourth round, 10 in the fifth round, 10 in the sixth round and 10 in the seventh round.

They’ve drafted 23 left-handed-shooting forwards and 15 right-shooting ones. Among the defensemen, they’ve selected 16 left-handed shots and 10 right-handed shots.

Twenty-three of the 71 players have played at least one NHL game. Six of those 17 players were drafted in the first round, seven in the second round, four in the third round, one in the fourth round, one in the fifth round, three in the sixth round and one in the seventh round.

The Blackhawks have only drafted forwards in the first round in six of the last seven drafts. Jokiharju was the first defenseman they took in the first round since in 2009. They haven’t drafted a goalie in the first round since Adam Munro in 2001.

This year will be the first time they draft before No. 18 since 2008. Their last top-10 pick came in 2007. They had six top-10 picks between 2000-2007.

Sixteen players have been drafted from the USHL, 12 from Sweden, seven from the OHL, six from high school, five from the WHL, four from the QMJHL, four from the AJHL, four from Russia, three from Finland and two from college.

The Blackhawks have selected 31 U.S.-born players, 16 from Canada, 11 from Sweden, four from Russia, four from Finland, one from Denmark, one from Slovakia, one from the Czech Republic, one from Germany and one from Belarus.

Thirty players have played college hockey, 21 have played in Europe and 20 have played in the CHL.

Thirty-five players have signed entry-level contracts with the Blackhawks. Twenty-one players’ rights are still owned by the Blackhawks and could sign entry-level contracts.

Fourteen drafted players have been traded. Eight of those players were selected in the first or second round.

9. What to expect Friday and Saturday: I’d be surprised if there wasn’t a trade or two. The Blackhawks haven’t often made splashes before or during the draft.

Last year, the Panarin-Saad and Connor Murphy-Niklas Hjalmarsson trades went down the Friday of the draft. Two years ago, Andrew Shaw was traded to the Montreal Canadiens.

This draft is also packed with drama just because no one seems to have a firm grasp on how the selections are going to go after the first two picks. There are so many possibilities that could play out for the Blackhawks at No. 8. chicagoblackhawks.com

THE VERDICT: History against the Leafs

Bob Verdi June 20, 2018

During this defining decade, the Blackhawks have staged three truly exceptional home openers. In 2010, 2013 and 2015, they began the season as defending Stanley Cup champions. Before a puck was dropped, a banner was raised.

That won't be happening this autumn, but for starters, here is a circle for your calendar. The Maple Leafs, venerable adversaries, will invade the United Center on Sunday, Oct. 7. It will be the 650th regularly programmed confrontation between these rivals, not to mention or forget nine playoff series, many of them impolite.

Among other notable home debuts, the United Center christening on Jan. 25, 1995, surely qualifies. With the campaign delayed by a management-labor impasse, the Blackhawks finally commenced an abbreviated 48-game schedule by defeating the Edmonton Oilers, 5-1. Joe Murphy scored the first goal in the shiny new building, assisted by Jeremy Roenick and Chris Chelios.

Going way back, the Blackhawks played their first game in the Stadium - itself a modern marvel at the time - by whipping the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-1, on Dec. 15, 1929. Before the Stadium was completed for a princely sum of $6 million, the Blackhawks home was the Coliseum, a converted prison at 15th and Wabash that also hosted political conventions, roller derby and wrestling.

It was there on Nov. 11, 1926, that the Black Hawks (as they were then known) arrived to the NHL with a 4-1 conquest over the Toronto St. Pats, who were later renamed Maple Leafs. Some 7,000 fans witnessed the happening, well above seating capacity.

The Black Hawks won their second Stanley Cup in 1938, surprising themselves and the Maple Leafs. With a record of 14-25-9, Chicago somehow tiptoed into the postseason. But the Hawks upset the Montreal Canadiens and to gain a berth in the Final against Toronto. Problem: - the Hawks' no. 1 goalie, their only goalie - broke a toe in the clincher against New York.

In Toronto for Game 1, the Hawks were not only prohibitive underdogs, they had a vacancy in the net. Dave Kerr, an outstanding goalkeeper for the , lived in the area but the Maple Leafs abjectly refused to let the Hawks borrow him as an emergency measure, nearly precipitating a fistfight featuring Chicago's coach, Bill Stewart, and Toronto's general manager, Conn Smythe. When order was restored, the latter suggested , a minor leaguer who also resided nearby.

When the Hawks' search party investigated that "nearby," they discovered Moore in a local watering hole. He asked for tickets to that night's game. The Hawks' counter offer was the best seat in the house: between the pipes. Moore accepted the job, and downed abundant amounts of coffee, suited up and yielded a score by Gordie Drillon on Toronto's first shot.

Then - in an entry to the 'Can You Top This? Derby' - Moore saved everything else, and the Hawks won, 3-1. Paul Goodman, Chicago property, tended goal in Game 2 and lost, 5-1, while the Hawks lost star Mush March to injury along with Doc Romnes, whose nose was rearranged from a cross-check by Maple Leafs' defenseman Red Horner.

Really angry and motivated now, the Hawks went home and, with Karakas back in goal, eliminated the Maple Leafs, 2-1 and 4-1. The Hawks roughed up Horner en route, then gifted Moore with $300 and a gold watch. Where was the Stanley Cup? Still back in Toronto because nobody believed that it would belong in Chicago.

In 1962, their fifth playoff meeting, it was the Maple Leafs who did the upsetting. The defending champion Blackhawks, imagining they would be in for more glory with Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Glenn Hall aboard, lost the Final to Toronto in six games.

More agony befell the Blackhawks in 1967, after they had squelched the "Curse of Muldoon" by finishing atop the NHL for the first time during the regular season. The veteran Maple Leafs were a distant third. But in the semifinals, the Blackhawks were foiled, primarily by Terry Sawchuk. Relieving Johnny Bower in goal, Sawchuk was outrageously airtight in a Game 5 series tiebreaker at the Stadium. This, after he was flattened by a Hull rocket to the shoulder, one of 37 shots Sawchuk faced over the last two periods. He saved all 37 and Toronto prevailed, 4-2. The Maple Leafs eliminated the Hawks at home in Game 6 three nights hence.

That 1967 comeuppance vexed the Blackhawks. Their coach, Billy Reay, began his career behind the bench with the Maple Leafs but was fired by Punch Imlach, who coached Toronto and made the move to replace a shaky Bower with Sawchuk. Toronto went on to win the Stanley Cup in the last hurrah for the all-Original Six NHL before expansion. The Maple Leafs have not won another since. Meanwhile, the disappointed Blackhawks' hierarchy made changes, some forced. Phil Esposito was traded to the . Several players from that first-place team departed as the NHL doubled in size. Most significant: Hall was selected by the St. Louis Blues.

In 1940, the Blackhawks became the first team to charter a flight when they went to Toronto for the playoffs. It didn't help. The Maple Leafs won a best-of-three series in two. In 1962, the two franchises created headlines before the NHL All-Star Game in Toronto, where the defending champions hosted. On the eve of the event - then held prior to the regular season - the Blackhawks offered $1 million for Frank Mahovlich, a 24-year-old scoring machine with the Maple Leafs.

Officials on either side sketched details on cocktail napkins, the Blackhawks paid $1,000 cash in good faith, and newspapers throughout North America blasted the "news." But when Hawks' General Manager Tommy Ivan brought a $1 million check to the Maple Leafs' headquarters the next morning, Toronto president Stafford Smythe intoned, "I will not consider such a deal made at a party." Remember the key to this almost blockbuster story: cocktail napkins.

The Maple Leafs were guests at the Stadium twice for 1994 real news. Hull, Mikita, Hall and Tony Esposito were honored at the final regular season game there. Banners bearing their retired numbers were lowered so as to be transferred across the street. The Maple Leafs won, 6-4, but the two teams would meet again in the playoffs. On April 14, 1994, Roenick's winner in Game 4 of the Conference Quarterfinals tied the series at 2-2. But his would be the last Blackhawk goal at the Stadium. The Maple Leafs registered two consecutive 1-0 victories to win the series.

For the record, the final goal in the Stadium belongs to Toronto's Mike Gartner on April 28, 1994. If, after Oct. 7, the Blackhawks and Maple Leafs play again next season at the United Center, it will be like old times, with a Stanley Cup at stake. NHL.com

NHL salary cap expected to be near $80 million next season

Dan Rosen June 20, 2018

LAS VEGAS -- The NHL salary cap for the 2018-19 season is expected to be between $79.5 million and $80 million, Commissioner Gary Bettman said following the Board of Governors meeting Wednesday.

A final agreement with the NHL Players' Association is expected to come later Wednesday or Thursday.

The salary cap for the 2017-18 season was $75 million, up from $73 million in 2016-17.

Commissioner Bettman said the NHL is projecting the final escrow taken out of the players' contracts for the 2017-18 season to be 8 percent, which would be the lowest under the collective bargaining agreement that was implemented prior to the 2012-13 season.

The players had 11.5 percent of their salaries withheld from their contracts to account for the escrow this season.

The NHL and NHLPA withhold a percentage of player salaries, or escrow, during the season as a mechanism to ensure teams and players achieve a 50-50 split of hockey related revenue, per the rules set in the CBA.

"A large part of our thinking is we want a [salary cap] number that keeps the escrow down," Commissioner Bettman said. "We think by only having a more modest increase last season it was instrumental in keeping the escrow down to what we project will be about 8 percent, which will have been the lowest in years. The amount of the escrow is simply a function of how high the cap is. Higher the cap, higher the escrow. There is no magic to that."

Escrow has been a flashpoint for players in recent seasons, which is why the NHL is attempting to keep it as low as possible while also following the guidelines of the CBA.

Commissioner Bettman said the League is projecting revenue growth to be between 7 percent and 8.5 percent from last season to this season.

"We're having healthy growth," Commissioner Bettman said. NHL.com

5 Questions entering 2018 NHL Draft

Mike Morreale June 20, 2018

DALLAS -- The are expected to confirm what NHL scouts and prognosticators have projected the past two years when they select defenseman Rasmus Dahlin with the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on Friday.

Dahlin (6-foot-3, 185 pounds), No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's final list of International skaters, has been on the radar of NHL scouts the past three years and projected as the top pick of this draft for the past two.

"Dahlin is the diamond of this draft and if he can just get everything going, he's going to be a star before long," said Goran Stubb, Director of NHL European Scouting.

Dahlin, a left-handed shot, had 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 41 games for Frolunda of the , making him the highest-scoring under-18 defenseman in the history of Sweden's top division after two seasons. He was the youngest player by seven years on his country's roster for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.

"Dahlin is an exceptionally talented prospect who will be able to contribute, influence and impact a team's fortunes much in the way that Erik Karlsson () and Victor Hedman () have in the NHL," said Dan Marr, Director of NHL Central Scouting. "If you wanted to pick a player from the 2018 draft who could potentially be viewed as a generational talent, Rasmus would be the only candidate. There is that much respect for him and his abilities."

The first round of the draft is Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN). Rounds 2-7 are Saturday (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN).

Here are five questions entering the draft:

1. Who will be the first forward off the draft board? general manager said on June 6 that forward Andrei Svechnikov of Barrie in the "is certainly at the top of our list." Svechnikov (6-2, 192), No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters, won the Top Prospect of the Year after leading all OHL rookies with 72 points (40 goals, 32 assists) in 44 regular-season games. He missed 17 games because of a hand injury sustained on Oct. 14, and had 58 points (30 goals, 28 assists) in 34 games upon his return. Besides Dahlin, Svechnikov might be the one other player of this draft class to fill a role on an NHL roster in 2018-19.

2. Who will be the second defenseman drafted? There are a number of high-caliber prospects on the list after Dahlin. Our guess is right-hander Noah Dobson (6-3, 177) of Acadie-Bathurst in the Major Junior Hockey League. Dobson set career-high marks in goals (17), assists (52), points (69), power-play goals (11) and shots on goal (276) in his second QMJHL season. He helped Acadie-Bathurst to its first title after scoring seven points (two goals, five assists) in four tournament games. There are three other players in the running to be the second defenseman selected: right-hander Evan Bouchard (6-2, 196) of London, right-hander Adam Boqvist (5-11, 165) of Brynas Jr. in Sweden and left-hander Quintin Hughes (5-10, 173) of the University of Michigan (Big Ten).

3. Who will the Montreal Canadiens choose with the No. 3 pick? The Canadiens will set the tone for the entire first half of the first round, because they can go several different directions, including trading down to gain additional assets. General manager told NHL.com the No. 3 pick isn't necessarily the player who appears to be the best today, but the best in five years. "Sometimes a team will pick someone with an early pick," Bergevin said, "and you'll say, 'Wow, that was a surprise. And then down the road, you find out that, yeah, it was a really good pick." If Svechnikov is selected by the Hurricanes at No. 2, expect the Canadiens to choose either center Jesperi Kotkaniemi (6-2, 181) of Assat in , forward Brady Tkachuk (6-3, 191) of Boston University in Hockey East or forward Filip Zadina (6-0, 197) of Halifax (QMJHL). Each would fill a need; Kotkaniemi is a fabulous playmaker with good hockey sense and shot, Tkachuk is effective in all areas of the ice and Zadina is a natural goal-scorer with a great finishing touch.

4. When will the first be selected? It doesn't appear a goaltender will be chosen in the first round of the draft. That doesn't mean a few NHL clubs wouldn't consider taking a chance on the hardest position to develop beginning later in the second round. The three to consider that early probably are Olivier Rodrigue (6-1, 156) of Drummondville (QMJHL), Justus Annunen (6-4, 207) of Karpat Jr. in Sweden's second division, and Lukas Dostal (6-1, 166) of Trebic in the Czech Republic second division.

5. What could potentially be the top story at the completion of the draft? Forward (6-0, 161), No. 65 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of International skaters, has an opportunity to become the first born and trained player from England to be chosen in the NHL draft. The expectation is Kirk will be selected at some point in the later stages of the draft. He is also expected to be chosen in the Canadian Hockey League import draft on June 28, and play in North America for the first time in 2018-19. Kirk's 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) for were the most scored by an under-18 player in the history of the Elite League in Great Britain. No player born and trained in the has played in the NHL.