Morning Chirps: Recent Acquisition Heads to Europe, Embattled GM Gets Extension

All the Chicago Blackhawks at the IIHF World Championships have advanced to the elimination rounds, while one recent acquisition will continue his career in Europe. In NHL news, an embattled general manager got an extension, while the reigning Stanley Cup champions continue to dominate on the road. Time to Chirp!

Blackhawks Chirps

• Our Blackhawks Draft Profiles continued with a look at Boston College center James Hagens. He would be far from a consolation prize if he’s taken with the third overall pick next month.
• Speaking of possible picks No. 3, Porter Martone has been added to Canada’s roster at the IIHF World Championship as an injury replacement for Bo Horvat.
• Staying with the World Championship, Tuesday was the final day of the preliminary round. Frank Nazar was named the Player of the Game after scoring the game-tying and winning goals in Team USA’s 5-2 victory over Czechia. He finished the preliminary round with six goals and 11 points. He is tied for the second-most goals in the tournament.

• The elimination rounds start on Thursday with the quarterfinals. The first quarterfinal match-up will feature three Blackhawks as the United States takes on Teuvo Teravainen and Finland at 9:20 a.m. CT.
• Aku Raty has signed a two-year contract with Finland’s Karpat. The Blackhawks acquired the 23-year-old forward in the deadline deal with the Utah Hockey Club that included Shea Weber’s contract. He had two goals and six points in 15 regular-season AHL games for the Rockford IceHogs, and a goal in the two playoff games he dressed for.
• On this date in 1956, the Blackhawks purchased the contracts of Eric Nesterenko and veteran goaltender Harry Lumley from the Toronto Maple Leafs for $40,000. Nesterenko played 1,013 games with Chicago, scoring 207 goals and 495 points. He was part of the 1961 Stanley Cup championship team.
• On May 21, 1995, Joe Murphy scored a power-play goal in overtime to lead the Blackhawks to a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 1 of the Western Conference Semifinals. Denis Savard scored the other Blackhawks’ goal before picking up an assist on Murphy’s game-winner. Ed Belfour made 26 saves in goal for the victory.
• Fifteen years later, the Blackhawks won another playoff game in overtime. Dustin Byfuglien scored the game-winner in a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Sharks, as the Blackhawks took a 3-0 stranglehold on the Western Conference Finals. Dave Bolland had the primary assist on the game-winning goal after scoring himself in the third period.
• On May 21, 2013, Patrick Kane scored the lone goal in a 3-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings, as they took a 2-1 lead in the Western Conference Semifinals.
• One year later, the Los Angeles Kings scored five third-period goals to beat the Blackhawks 6-1 to even the Western Conference Finals at one win apiece.
• Finally, on May 21, 2015, the Blackhawks lost 2-1 to the Anaheim Ducks in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals to take a 2-1 series lead. Kane scored the lone goal for the Blackhawks.
• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, May 21: Pat Lundy, Reid Simpson, Todd White, and Craig Anderson.

NHL Chirps

• The Boston Bruins signed general manager Don Sweeney to a two-year contract extension. I wonder if he will send Rick Tocchet a “Thank You” card. Andrew Fantucchio of Boston Hockey Now says the contract extension is the Bruins organization backtracking on accountability.
• Murat Ates of The Athletic is fully expecting the Winnipeg Jets to make Kyle Connor’s extension a priority this summer. Connor led the Jets with 41 goals and 97 points this past season. He’s scored at least 31 goals every season of his career, except the COVID-shortened year of 2020-21, when he scored 26 goals in 56 games.
• Staying in Winnipeg, TSN’s John Lu reports that star defenseman Josh Morrissey’s injured knee will not require offseason surgery.
• The Florida Panthers opened the Eastern Conference Finals with a 5-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes. Carter Verheaghe picked up two power-play points with a goal and an assist. He was one of three Panthers with two points, as Evan Rodrigues and Tomas Nosek had two assists. Florida is now 6-2 on the road during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

• The Western Conference Finals kick off tonight with the Dallas Stars hosting the Edmonton Oilers at 7 p.m. CT. ESPN is your home for that series.