Morning Chirps: Knight’s New Mask, Marner Rumors, History for McDavid

The Chicago Blackhawks will take the day off before they wrap up their four-game road trip at the Vancouver Canucks Saturday night. Today’s chirps include some prospect updates and the possibility of a big fish hitting the free-agent market this summer. Let’s get chripin’!

Blackhawks Chirps

• In a game that was supposed to be about the two most recent No. 1 overall picks, Frank Nazar was the best player on the ice in San Jose last night.
• You can head over to San Jose Hockey Now to read the perspective from the Sharks’ locker room by Sheng Peng.
• Spencer Knight finally got his new Blackhawks mask but didn’t wear it against the Sharks, as he likely still needs to break it in.

• Scott Powers of The Athletic has the latest on Ryan Donato’s future in Chicago. There were reports of a three-year, $12 million offer on the table, but a new contract has yet to come to fruition. The veteran forward loves the city and wants stability, and the Blackhawks want him here beyond this season. Now, they have to come to an agreement, but they have until July 1 to do so.
• Marek Vanacker and Nick Lardis led the Brantford Bulldogs to a 2-1 win over the North Bay Battalion on Thursday night. After scoring his 21^st goal earlier in the game, Vanacker set up Lardis for the game-winning goal, his 71^st of the year.

• Dominic James was named a finalist for the NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year. The 2022 sixth-round pick leads Minnesota-Duluth with 28 points in 33 games. He is a plus-7 on the season and has 26 blocked shots.
• Two days after being named to the NCHC All-Rookie Team, Sacha Boisvert was named a finalist for the NCHC Rookie of the Year Award.
• The Blackhawks forfeited their only game in franchise history on March 14, 1933, when they refused to take the ice after head coach Tom Gorman was ejected from the game. The Boston Bruins were leading 3-2 then and ultimately awarded a 1-0 victory.
• On this date in 1991, the Blackhawks beat the Los Angeles Kings 6-3 in a game full of milestones at the Chicago Stadium. Goaltender Ed Belfour earned his 39^th win of the season, breaking the team record held by Tony Esposito. Also, Steve Larmer scored two goals to give 92 points, the most ever in a single season by a Blackhawks right winger. Wayne Gretzky set an NHL record by recording an assist in his 18^th straight game.

NHL Chirps

• Nick Kypreos wrote an editorial for the Toronto Sun saying Mitch Marner should not be a villain if he decides to hit the free-agent market on July 1. That will be a tall ask for Maple Leafs fans if he leaves this summer. I can’t get mad at a player who wants to get paid. This offseason will be his last chance to get a long-term contract with a huge payday. Hopefully, that deal is with the Blackhawks.
• Josh Yohe of The Athletic pondered whether the Pittsburgh Penguins would be interested in signing Marner this summer. There are plenty of reasons to think they could be in the running. Marner has a past relationship with general manager Kyle Dubas, and the Penguins will have about $25 million in cap space. However, Yohe doesn’t believe that Dubas will be looking to make a major acquisition this summer. As Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now points out, the Penguins might be looking to weaponize an offer sheet to sign a restricted free agent instead of taking a big swing.
• If you watched the IIHF World Junior Championship in December, then you are aware of Detroit Red Wings’ defensive prospect, Axel Sandin Pellikka. According to Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now, the 17^th pick of the 2023 NHL Draft could make a late-season appearance with the Red Wings if his season in Sweden finishes in time.
• Quiton Byfield extended his goal streak to five games in the Kings’ 3-0 win over the Washington Capitals last night. Los Angeles is getting hot at the right time, as they are 8-0-3 in their previous 11 games on home ice.
• Connor McDavid assisted on both Edmonton Oilers’ goals in their 3-2 loss to the New Jersey Devils. He became the second player in NHL history to have nine straight seasons of 60 assists or more, joining Gretzky, who had 13.