It’s training camp day! List reveal, position battles, Reichel Mic’d Up, Eichel drama in Buffalo and other Blackhawks bullets
Celebrate the good times, come on! We’ve finally arrived at the start of the 2021-22 season and the start of Blackhawks training camp! As the players prepare to take to the ice, let’s have one last Blackhawks and NHL tour of the world as the offseason officially ends today.
• Last night, the team announced the 63 players who will take to the ice starting today.
Blackhawks announce 2021-22 training camp roster https://t.co/4ugqfl2d8W
– Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) September 23, 2021
• Marked by the return of Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, there will be thousands if not millions of eyes on Toews, 33, after missing all of last season. There are plenty of reasons to believe that Toews is quite ready to come back in force against the Blackhawks, which is what they have been telling us for about three months. But there should always be limits on what to expect from him as he gets his NHL legs back under him.
• Blackhawks president of hockey operations and general manager Stan Bowman spoke to season ticket holders on Wednesday and told them just that, wait and see what Toews can do before putting it on your newsletter. vote for the Hart Trophy.
Stan Bowman speaks: expectations for Reichel, pumping brakes on Toews, and morehttps: //t.co/InrHPmx58e
– Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) September 22, 2021
• Bowman also spoke about rookie Lukas Reichel and his expectations this season. Another player with a potentially high cap for the 2021-22 season, Bowman expects Reichel to play for the Blackhawks at some point this season, but cannot set a date just yet.
• Reichel was arguably the Blackhawks’ best prospect at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase against the Minnesota Wild before training camp opened. The club gave him a mic for the exhibition games and it’s good content, as usual.
Lukas Reichel picked up a mic at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/vIMZRM2tec
– Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) September 22, 2021
• I wonder if he has ever had his hair cut?
Chicago Blackhawks Training Camp Position Battles: Mid-Six Forwards https://t.co/u33SkM6OQv
– Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) September 22, 2021
• Reichel will be fighting for a berth in the NHL at training camp, with some believing he already has a berth with the Blackhawks that he must lose. He’s going to be fighting for a job alongside some pretty safe names in Chicago, so it’ll be great to see what kind of play comes from Reichel and the others in the competition.
• It caught me off guard yesterday:
It’s strange.
(📸 IG @BlueJacketsNHL) pic.twitter.com/hpguMykmFX– Mario Tirabassi (@Mario_Tirabassi) September 22, 2021
• I’m excited to see what Seth Jones can do for the Blackhawks, but I think I would have been more excited to see what Adam Boqvist could have been with Chicago.
• On the most recent episode of NHL.com’s ‘The Rink’ podcast, Shawn O’Roake and Dan Rosen were joined by EJ Hradek and they talked a bit about the Blackhawks coming up this season. You can check out the full episode below:
NHL Network @EJHradek_NHL joined @LaRink to talk about some of the most interesting stories as training camps begin. Lots of stuff covered, listen to it.
Apple: https://t.co/zr68Wn3aVF
Spotify: https://t.co/ASmKOYmdDo pic.twitter.com/H6zLsmP9HF– LNH.com (@NHLdotcom) September 22, 2021
• According to O’Roake, Patrick Kane’s “nagging” injury problem is a wrist injury, and they all think Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton is in the hot seat heading into this season. They spoke as if Chicago is starting slow, there could be a change of coach. Interesting stuff.
• The NHL has concluded its investigation into San Jose Sharks forward Evander Kane regarding his playing habits.
#LNH announces investigation of charges #sjsharks Forward Evander Kane’s hockey bet has been completed and “has found no evidence to support these allegations.” pic.twitter.com/raNuTsqgER
– Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 22, 2021
• But, in light of new allegations of sexual assault and domestic violence against Kane, the Sharks will not get him in training camp.
Declaration of #SJSharks. pic.twitter.com/ZiKEo8LgmH
– Sharks of San José (@SanJoseSharks) September 23, 2021
• In Buffalo, the Jack Eichel vs Sabers saga continues today as general manager Kevyn Adams announced the Sabers star was not medically cleared to play to start the season (duh) and the club pulled out to Eichel the position of captain of the team.
Buffalo Sabers general manager Kevyn Adams announced Thursday that Jack Eichel has been stripped of the team captain position: https://t.co/nqu7blWLmk #TSNHockey pic.twitter.com/FX54MphvYX
– TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) September 23, 2021
• The Sabers have announced that they will not name a new captain this season. Eichel and the club are at odds over treatment and surgery for a neck injury that has kept Eichel on the sidelines throughout the offseason. Still awaiting treatment, Eichel is at risk of missing the entire 2021-22 season and missing a chance to play for the U.S. team at the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics, which would be his first opportunity to do so.
“I spoke to Jack two days ago, I spoke to the team yesterday and brought this up, Jack Eichel is no longer the captain of the Buffalo Sabers. From our perspective, the captain is the heartbeat of your team, and we’re in a situation where we felt we had to make that decision. ” pic.twitter.com/K0vajWnCR0
– Buffalo Sabers (@BuffaloSabres) September 23, 2021
• From one clown show to another:
Not done yet, but it looks like #stlblues working on an expanded role for alumni #Oilers General Manager Peter Chiarelli, who served as an advisor to Doug Armstrong. Official title to be determined but possibly vice-president of hockey operations.
Also, Ken Hitchcock will join the STL organization as a coaching consultant.
– Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 22, 2021
• Tell me the NHL is an old boys ‘club without telling me it’s an old boys’ club.
• On a lighter note, Seattle Kraken forward Brandon Tanev recreated his infamous Pittsburgh Penguins headshot with his new club.
We are not worthy. #HockeyTwitter pic.twitter.com/h2T9T8Ln0F
– Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) September 23, 2021
• Sometimes in life you just have to laugh at yourself.
• The Blackhawks may have deleted this tweet from Jonathan Toews, but it lingers here.
#Blackhawks Training camp vibes only pic.twitter.com/H4a5dF4TCq
– Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) September 23, 2021
• I can’t wait to see this awesome guy on the ice today.
• And I can’t wait to see this guy in the field on Sunday!
That’s it: Justin Fields will start on Sunday – https://t.co/BgBkSikzQO pic.twitter.com/wDkMIgCK9A
– Bear of the Bleacher Nation (@BN_Bears) September 22, 2021
• A new era begins in Chicago. 🐻⬇️
• It will do it for today. Hope you all have a good Thursday ahead of you!