Morning Chirps: Remembering the ‘Kubalik Game,” Prospect Landing Spots

We made it to August, the last month of 2025 without a Chicago Blackhawks game! With the World Junior Summer Showcase having an off day yesterday, there is not much to report. However, we can look back to a rare August postseason win!

Blackhawks Chirps

• Don’t forget to vote for the first induction class into the Blackhawks Hall of Fame. I was lucky enough to get a media vote, and if you’ve followed me for a while, it shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out who I voted for.

• The Blackhawks returned to the ice on this date in 2020 in the bubble in Edmonton. The NHL expanded the Stanley Cup Playoffs to 24 teams, and the Blackhawks were the 12^th and final team to qualify in the Western Conference. They opened their best-of-five Qualifying Round series against the Edmonton Oilers for their first game since March 11, 2020. Connor McDavid scored an early power-play goal before the Blackhawks scored four times in seven minutes to open up a 4-1 lead. Captain Jonathan Toews scored twice, with Dylan Strome and Brandon Saad adding to the onslaught. Dominik Kubalik scored a pair of power-play goals in the second period to extend the lead to 6-2. The Oilers scored a couple of goals late in the third period, but the Blackhawks went on to cruise to a 6-4 victory. Kubalik finished his day with five points after assisting on three of the four first-period tallies.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Aug. 1: Harold Jackson, Enio Sclisizzi, Dan Vincelette, and Danny Richmond.

NHL Chirps

• Stefane Matteau retired back in May, and, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, he will be joining the Cleveland Monsters coaching staff. His father, Stephane, played 164 games with the Blackhawks before scoring one of the most famous overtime goals in New York Rangers history in 1994. I covered the 2019 Calder Cup Final when Matteau played for the Chicago Wolves. He suffered a lacerated kidney during the second period of Game 4 and finished the game before going to the hospital.
• The Calgary Flames still need to sign restricted free agent Connor Zary. General manager Craig Conroy told Daniel Austin of The Calgary Herald that the two sides are talking, but the process has been slow. Various reports suggest that the dissent is related to the contract’s duration. Zary wants a long-term contract, while the Flames prefer a bridge deal.
• Tylan Lawrence, a top prospect for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, will not play in the QMHL’s Chicoutimi Saguenéens this season. Jonathan Hudon of Le Quotidien reports that he will return to the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL, where he played with Vaclav Nestrasil last season.  
•  Stefan Rosner of The Hockey News reported that New York Islanders’ first-round pick Victor Eklund will not be joining the team for training camp this fall. He will return to Sweden for the start of the SHL season with Djurgårdens IF, where he will be teammates with Anton Frondell.
• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Aug 1: Gus Marker, Syl Apps, Dave Farrish, Wendell Young, Marc Denis, Anton Stralman, and Uvis Balinskis.