Morning Chirps: Olympic Hopes Still Alive for Young Duo, Blues Sign Controversial Vet

Two of the Chicago Blackhawks’ top young stars are still in the running to play for the United States at the upcoming Winter Olympics. Meanwhile, one of their oldest rivals will retire a legend’s number, while another signs a controversial veteran. Enjoy your Wednesday Chirps!

Blackhawks Chirps

• Yesterday, we took a trip back to the Stanley Cup era of Blackhawks hockey and picked the five most underappreciated players from those three championship teams. Do you agree with the choice, or did we overlook someone?
• Speaking of those Stanley Cup teams, Mike Rupp waxed poetically about Duncan Keith on the NHL Network while unveiling their quarter-century team.

• Alex Vlasic and Frank Nazar were among the 44 players invited to Team USA’s Olympic orientation camp. They are both long shots to make the team, but they are under consideration.

• Lukas Reichel will be part of an NHL Media tour in Milan to promote the league’s partnership with Serie A Soccer in the lead-up to the Winter Olympics. Reichel is already a member of the German team.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, August 20: Ernest Kenny, Ed Sanford, and Robert Dirk.

NHL Chirps

• The St. Louis Blues signed forward Milan Lucic to a professional tryout (PTO) contract. As you can imagine, the reaction to this has not been great. He has not played since October 2023 with the Boston Bruins. While he was on injured reserve, he was arrested and charged with assault and battery for a domestic incident. The charges were dropped the following February, but Lucic remained in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. Even if you ignore this controversy, this is a 37-year-old forward who hasn’t played in two years and hasn’t been good for even longer.
• The Detroit Red Wings will retire Sergei Fedorov’s No. 91 in January. Bob Duff of Detroit Hockey Now answered the question of why this took so long to happen.
• According to PuckPedia, the Colorado Avalanche are signing free-agent forward Victor Olofsson. He scored 15 goals and 29 points in 56 games for the Vegas Golden Knights last season.
• The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed veteran defenseman Brendan Smith to a PTO. He appeared in 32 games for the Dallas Stars last season.
• Former long-time Chicago Wolves coach Bob Nardella has been hired as an assistant for the AHL’s Manitoba Moose. He was an assistant coach with the Wolves from 2014 to 2023, before being promoted to head coach for the 2023-24 season. During that season, he was suspended by the AHL for 10 games for a homophobic slur during a game against the Texas Stars.
• NHL Birthday Roll Call, August 20: Steven Finn, Chris Drury, Joe Vitale, Dan Vladar, and Ivan Ivan.