On the Chicago Blackhawks …
Scott Powers of The Athletic: The Blackhawks won’t draft in the first two rounds this year, and have only selected once in the first, and once in the second round since 2014. To help make up for the lack high draft picks, GM Stan Bowman has the confidence in his staff to be able to convince college and European free agents to sign with them.
“I think that’s true,” Bowman said recently. “There’s players everywhere. Draft is the most logical way because you’re given seven picks to do what you want with, but then free agency is equally as important. I don’t think you can do one more than another. But it is something you can utilize.”
An agent who has had college/European free agents who the Blackhawks were interested in.
“There’s so many guys that are late bloomers whether they’re college free agents like van Riemsdyk or European free agents like Kempny. They have this philosophy, ‘We’ll give the second-round pick for Vermette. We’ll give you Johns. We’ll you give a second-round pick for Timonen.’ They’re aggressive. They don’t tiptoe. They’re all in. got the balls to pull the trigger at the trade deadline because he’s confident in his scouts and ability to draw players to Chicago.”
On the Top Unrestricted Free Agents …
Luke Fox of Sportsnet: Fox’s top 16 NHL free agents.
- Steven Stamkos
2. David Backes
3. Kyle Okposo
4. Milan Lucic
5. Andrew Ladd
6. Keith Yandle
7. Loui Eriksson
8. Dan Hamhuis
9. Brian Campbell
10. Kris Russell
11. Mikkel Boedker
12. Jiri Hudler
13. James Reimer
14. Cam Ward
15. Eric Staal
16. Radim Vrbata
Our Top 10 Unrestricted Free Agents
On Expansion and Las Vegas …
Adrian Dater: A couple of NHL sources have said that Las Vegas is a done deal for 2017-18. Formal approval by the board of governors later this month
Frank Seravalli of TSN: Gary Bettman said the executive committee will meet within the next two weeks to figure out what will be presented to the board of governors at their June 22nd meeting in Las Vegas. There will be a vote then to determine if they will keep the status quo, or expand by one or two teams.
“I’m not going to handicap what is going to happen,” Bettman said at his annual state of the league press conference prior to Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final. “But when the board meets in Las Vegas on June 22, I’m fairly certain we will know more than we do today.”
The executive committee will meet a week before the June 22nd meeting, and Bettman knows the recommendation will be leaked before the board of governors meeting.