Blackhawks send Bryan Bickell to Rockford, recall Marko Dano

Bryan Bickell finally ran out of second chances.

The Blackhawks on Monday sent their struggling, $16-million power forward down to Rockford of the AHL and recalled 20-year-old Marko Dano. After they couldn’t find any takers for him in the trade market over the summer, the Hawks tried just about everything to light a fire under Bickell — scratching him, sending him through waivers, and putting him on the top line. Bruins Jersey. But in seven games, Bickell failed to register a point and only put five shots on goal.

He cleared waivers last month, and had the Hawks waited any longer to demote him, he would have had to clear again. Bickell hasn’t been in the AHL since the 2009-10 season, when he spent most of the season there before coming up for the Hawks’ Stanley Cup run (he played just four games that postseason).

“It’s always a tough day when you tell a guy like Bicks, who’s been around a while, that he’s got to go down,” Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. “That’s the business we’re in. I don’t think he was happy. I think when he went on waivers that day, he knew that this day could happen. And it happened. So he was obviously disappointed.”

NHL teams can’t bury contracts in the minors, so the Hawks will only get $950,000 of salary-cap relief by demoting Bickell. He’ll still count as $3.05 million against the cap.

Bickell earned his four-year, $16-million contract after his superb performance in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, when he had nine goals and eight assists in 23 games. He was strong again in the 2014 playoffs, with seven goals, but after another inconsistent regular season (14 goals, 14 assists), he struggled mightily in the 2015 postseason, with no goals and five assists in 18 games. He also had been battling vertigo since the Stanley Cup Final, though Bickell said that hasn’t been an issue lately.

“There’s been ups and downs — healthy scratches to kind of spark me,” Bickell said after he was sent through waivers last month. “This is maybe a [motivation] to really show that I really want to be here and I don’t want to leave, and play like I used to play, and be a physical presence on the ice. That’s what I think we need and I need to bring it every night.”

But he didn’t, and now he’ll have to find his game in Rockford. When asked what he wants to see out of Bickell before he can be recalled, Quenneville simply said, “Consistency.”

Dano was a key part of the Brandon Saad trade, a promising young forward with loads of potential. In 35 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets last year, he had eight goals and 13 assists. He shined during training camp at Notre Dame, but struggled during the preseason and was sent back to Rockford to shore up his defensive game and his understanding of the Hawks’ system.

“I understand it,” Dano said of being cut from camp. “I felt like I hadn’t done that well to make the team. There were better guys who played better than me. So I understand it. It happened last year in Columbus, and now I know what to do and just kept working, and now I’m back.”

He’ll skate on a line with Tanner Kero and Ryan Hartman tonight. The three of them played together in Rockford a little more than a week ago, and Hartman was Dano’s roommate. They’re hoping some instant chemistry can help break the Hawks’ stagnant offense out of its recent funk.

“We all fed off each other,” Hartman said. “We all play different styles, but we had good chemistry. We had a couple goals in Rockford, so hopefully we can continue that.”

Joel Quenneville: No change in Patrick Kane's status with Blackhawks

DETROIT — Patrick Kane Jersey was not on the Blackhawks roster Wednesday night for their 4-1 exhibition loss to the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena.

But for those wondering if that means a change in Kane's playing status, it was only a routine night off — even if Wednesday's developments in the sexual-assault investigation of an alleged incident at Kane's home in western New York were anything but routine.

Several of the Hawks' top players who participated in Tuesday's exhibition against the Red Wings at the United Center — including Kane, Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Brent Seabrook — did not make the trip to Detroit.

Coach Joel Quenneville said he was not going to use his top players much in the preseason, and Wednesday was a rest day for most of those who played Tuesday.

After Thomas J. Eoannou, the attorney for Kane's accuser, said Wednesday that a police evidence bag in the case had been tampered with and the Hamburg Police Department said no evidence had been tampered with under its control, Quenneville said Kane's playing status with the Hawks has not changed.

The Blackhawks bungled Kane crisis: Here's how to fix it

In a world of instant communications and 24/7 news cycles, most organizations protect their image by maintaining a crisis communications manual that is continuously updated and reviewed. Why? Because every PR crisis is an opportunity to place your organization on the right side of the issue in question.

In the case of the Chicago Blackhawks Jersey, it appears their crisis communications manual needs updating.

As soon as word got out that franchise star Patrick Kane had been accused of sexual assault, the crisis manual should have suggested an immediate assessment of all the facts; designation of a representative to speak for the team; and development of a message enlarging the issue's context and repositioning the organization.

By most accounts in the media, the Hawks fumbled the play.

The Hawks are this city's most vibrant sports organization, the premier hockey franchise in North America and fine community citizens—a marketing dream for any communications professional. I wish the Hawks had gotten out front of this before training camp.

The much-criticized news conference of last week, with Kane's awkwardly worded statement and refusal to answer questions, was well-intentioned but bungled.

The crisis manual tells you that targets of legal investigations should never address the media. If necessary, they read a statement but then exit the room. Reporters and lawyers understand and expect this routine.

News conferences with messages about this great hockey franchise, its record of great success, the exciting upcoming season, the new team chemistry, etc., should be left to another time and location. You never mix messages.

Blackhawks' Dano looks to cash in on 'lottery' line

The Chicago Blackhawks appear to be welcoming newcomer Marko Dano with open arms.

Acquired in the blockbuster offseason deal that sent Brandon Saad to the Columbus Blue Jackets, the 20-year-old Dano began training camp by being placed on a stacked line with fellow Slovak Marian Hossa and captain Jonathan Toews Jersey.

"That's the lottery spot when you get to play on that line," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville told CSN Chicago's Tracey Myers.

Dano paid immediate dividends in one scrimmage this weekend by scoring three goals.

The 27th overall selection of the 2013 draft, Dano collected eight tallies and 13 assists in 35 games with the Blue Jackets last season. The 5-foot-11, 178 pounder was acquired a seven-player deal on July 1 that saw forwards Artem Anisimov, Jeremy Morin and Corey Tropp join Chicago for Saad, fellow forward Alex Broadhurst and defenseman Michael Paliotta.

Dano would love to duplicate the success of Saad, who set career highs with 23 goals and 29 assists in 82 games with the Blackhawks last season.

Blackhawks' Dano gets chance on 'lottery line'

Chicago Blackhawks Jersey forward Marko Dano has impressed early in training camp and is relishing the chance to skate on the same line with Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa.

Dano, acquired in the offseason trade that sent Brandon Saad to the Columbus Blue Jackets, is 20 years old and has 35 games of NHL experience, but those facts may not prevent him from skating on the Blackhawks' top line when Chicago opens the season on Oct. 7 against the New York Rangers at United Center (NBCSN).

It's also been beneficial that Dano, like Hossa, hails from Slovakia.

"They're great players and there's a lot of what I can learn from them, so I'm real excited about being in a line with them," Dano told the Chicago Tribune on Sunday. "Hossa is basically helping with everything, what I need. He's a good veteran and also my countryman, so he's helping me out to get to know the guys. He's been real nice to me."

Dano, a first-round pick by Columbus (No. 27) at the 2013 NHL Draft, had eight goals and 13 assists in his brief stint with the Blue Jackets last season. Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville is referring to the Dano-Toews-Hossa trio as the "lottery line" due to what seems to be an infinite amount of chances to score.

"I noticed his quickness, I know he had a little pace to him," Quenneville said. "He's definitely got some size. He doesn't look like he's that big, but he's powerful. Maybe low is stature, but he's thick and he's big and he's got some strength in the puck area. I didn't mind him."

Blackhawks hope to find quality picks on Day 2 of draft

SUNRISE, Fla. -- As they have in the past, the Chicago Blackhawks Jersey were hoping to find some quality prospects outside of the NHL's draft first round.

After having zero picks in the first round on the opening day of the draft, the Blackhawks have seven selections on Saturday's second day.

The Blackhawks Hoodie drafted forward Graham Knott in the second round with the No. 56 overall selection, a compensatory pick for being unable to sign 2010 first-round draft pick Kevin Hayes.

Knott, 18, is a 6-foot-4, 190-pound forward. He had 25 goals and 18 assists in 59 games for the Niagara IceDogs of the OHL last season. Knott said he tries to model his game after the New Jersey Devils' Adam Henrique.

Blackhawks trade rumors 2015: Penguins, Stars, Panthers lead 8 suitors for Patrick Sharp

The Pittsburgh Penguins, Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers lead the list of suitors to acquire Chicago Blackhawks Jersey forward Patrick Sharp, reports Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune. A deal isn't close at the moment because the Hawks' asking price remains too high, though as many as eight teams "have expressed legitimate interest," per Mark Lazerus of the Chicago Sun-Times.

Among those other teams are the Washington Capitals, Montreal Canadiens andDetroit Red Wings.

Sharp is expected to be traded in the next few days as a result of the Blackhawks' need to shed salary before next season. With the salary cap set at $71.4 million and big pay raises coming to Patrick Kane Jersey and Jonathan Toews, Chicago needs to move Sharp and other pieces this summer in order to fill out the rest of the roster.

Chicago Blackhawks Trade Rumors: Kyle Okposo Available

The New York Islanders may be looking to trade winger Kyle Okposo, according to Newsday. Okposo is entering the final year of his five year, $14 million contract and missed 22 games this season after needing emergency surgery on a detached retina.  The 27-year-old finished the 2014-15 campaign with 18 goals and 33 assists.

General manager Garth Snow made it clear that there are a number of different scenarios that can play out when it comes to trade at the draft. Newsday also added that according to their sources, no deal including Okposo is close.  Where do the Chicago Blackhawks Jersey fit in all of this?

The Hawks’ are under a cap crunch once again and need to make some adjustments to the roster. With re-signing Brandon Saad Jersey being the top priority, some money needs to be cut in order to keep Saad in the Indian sweater for the near future. That roster causality appears to be Patrick Sharp, who is owed $5.9 million over the next two seasons.

A report has surfaced saying that a Sharp trade is close, and could happen as soon as next week. With Sharp on the way out, the Hawks are going to need to replace Sharp’s spot of the roster. Sharp played on the first line towards the tail end of the Stanley Cup run this season, and has been a staple of the top six for most of his career. Finding somebody to replace a guy who had 34 goals and 44 assists just two seasons ago won’t be easy. And that person will also have to clock in under $6 million dollars. That is where Kyle Okposo fits in.

Okposo has a cap hit of $2.8 million for next season, and then is a free agent after that. A move for Okposo would give the Hawks’ around $3.1 million more in cap to spend, a suitable replacement for Okposo, and they won’t be committed to somebody long term if one of the kids is ready soon. From the Islanders perspective, Sharp represents a veteran presence for a team that doesn’t have a lot of experience. He has one three cups, still has some gas left in the tank and would be a perfect linemate for John Tavares, who has been starving for somebody to help him out.

Now one wrench in the plan could be that the Islanders don’t pick until the 3rd round, and both of these teams are looking to acquire first round draft picks. Another wrench could be Sharp’s salary, and it would be hard for the Hawks’ to eat any of it in a deal. With the salary cap at $71 million, the Islanders clock in at $54 million at the moment with no massive names to re-sign, so taking on Sharp’s contract wouldn’t cripple the team financially. The Hawks’ seem very eager to move Sharp, needing the cap space to figure out how to re-sign some key players. The Islanders know that they are close to being very good and a Patrick Sharp would be a great piece to add.  These two teams might be able to come together and matchup for a swap of top-six forwards.

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Salary cap elephant in the room as Blackhawks await the coming upheaval

Except for a couple of hours of sleep followed by a meeting with coaches, a session with the media and, for captain Jonathan Toews, a call from President Barack Obama, it has been a raging party for the Blackhawks Jersey since they captured their third Stanley Cup in six seasons.

Few can begrudge the Hawks for letting off steam after a season coach Joel Quenneville described Wednesday as "a grind," but soon reality is going to return in the form of saying goodbye to some teammates.

"When you go through special moments like this you don't want anybody to part ways," a raspy-voiced Toews said at the United Center. "There's something great about this team and we want things to stay the way they are right now but unfortunately that's not the reality. We all kind of understand what might play out this summer."

"Might" is a hopeful word but "will" would be more accurate. There is no question general manager Stan Bowman is going to have to make some moves to the clear space under the NHL's salary cap for next season. Bowman has to deal with dual $10.5 million cap hits for Toews and running mate Patrick Kane Jersey and expected raises for restricted free agents Brandon Saad and Marcus Kruger, among other items on his agenda.

That means decisions are coming — and soon with the NHL draft scheduled for next weekend — as Bowman will attempt to build a roster for the 2015-16 season below a salary cap that is expected to be around $71 million.

Blackhawks beat Lightning, 2-0, to win third Stanley Cup in six seasons

From hand to hand, the Chicago Blackhawks passed the Stanley Cup to one another Monday night with practiced ease, their grins splitting the playoff beards they'd cultivated through two months and four playoff series that challenged them in different ways. For most of them it was like greeting an old friend again, their third time claiming the Cup in six seasons, a triumph that confirms they're as close to a dynasty as the salary-capped NHL is likely to produce.

“I keep saying I don't really know what a dynasty is,” right wing Patrick Kane said, though he can find the definition by looking at a team picture.

Ever improving, the Blackhawks Jersey mustered one of their most complete efforts of the playoffs Monday at the United Center to record a 2-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning and win the Cup in six games. The run-up to their first home-ice win in their ongoing run — and first for the franchise since 1938 — reflected who they are: skillful and swift, gritty but creative. It surely was their most rewarding, said many among the seven core players who became three-time champions Monday.

“It's unreal,” forward Marian Hossa said amid the happy chaos on the ice. “I was hoping to get one, coming to Chicago, and now I've got three. What a feeling and what a great group of guys.

“To win at home, that's what we wanted. We had a big challenge in front of us before this game and we definitely wanted to do it at home, in front of our fans. It was huge.”

Antoine Vermette is latest piece to validate Blackhawks' plan

Trades in March are usually made with the hope that they will pay dividends in June.

When Chicago Blackhawks Jerseys general manager Stan Bowman gave up a first-round pick and a prospect to acquire center Antoine Vermette from the Arizona Coyotes just before the trade deadline, he was clearly hoping that Vermette might provide the scoring depth that the team needed to help them win the Stanley Cup.

Saturday night Vermette showed he was worth the price when he scored two minutes into the third period for the game-winner in Chicago's 2-1 win against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final. The win leaves Blackhawks one win short of earning their third NHL championship since 2010.

Kings, Blackhawks to face off again in rivalry of respect, not hatred

Happy and reassuring playoff memories for the Kings can provide only so much comfort to a faltering hockey team in search of solutions.

The calendar is quickly becoming the Kings’ adversary. They are three points out of a playoff spot, with Dallas and Colorado closing fast and furiously in the Western Conference.

Game No. 48 on the LA Kings Jersey’ schedule is against none other than the Chicago Blackhawks, a familiar postseason antagonist. It is arguably one of the best (current) rivalries, with the Kings winning the Stanley Cup in 2012 and 2014 and Chicago in 2013.

The Blackhawks needed to beat the Kings in the Western Conference finals in 2013 and the Kings defeated Chicago at the same juncture in June, needing overtime in Game 7 at United Center.