Handzus might be back with Blackhawks after all Tim Sassone, Daily Herald

Sassone reports that Tallon had constructive talks with Handzus’ agent on Friday and the two sides will speak again today before ‘Zus’ hits the market at noon tomorrow.

Next up for Tallon, free agent hunt Chris Kuc, Tribune (dated 7/1-tomorrow)

Blackhawks 2007 Draft review John Jaeckel, Hockey’s Future

For Sweatt, Kane's words of encouragement turn prophetic Colorado Springs Gazette

Chelios: Outside perspectives will help PA move forward MLive

**2006 1^st round pick Jonathan Toews was honored yesterday in Manitoba's Order of the Buffalo Hunt, an award that recognizes high-profile Manitoba resident’s contributions to politics, business, entertainment, or sports.  Chicago Bears and former Manitoba University defensive tackle Israel Idonije was given the award this past March.  Other notable recipients of the Order of the Buffalo Hunt are singer/songwriter Neil Young, former Winnipeg Jet Teemu Selanne, and professional wrestler Chris Jericho.  Toews was awarded for his contributions to the Canadian National and International Hockey teams.

**Meanwhile, Toews UND teammate Robbie Bina had reason to celebrate Friday.

**Kyle Calder is expected to be on the Phoenix Coyotes radar come tomorrow at noon Eastern.

**Nashville re-signed Scott Nichol yesterday.  According to the Nashville Tennessean, the contract is for two years at $750,000 a season.

**$50.3 million is the official cap number.  The minimum sits at $34.3 mil.  No word on what Bill Wirtz’s self-imposed salary cap number will be.  If I were a betting man, and I most certainly am, I’d say somewhere between $42-43 million.  It makes sense.  With a half-empty United Center every home game plus a marketing and promotions department chalk full of proverbial mental-midgets, how could anyone justify them spending anything more?

**If the Hawks can’t resign Michal Handzus, look for them to make a competitive offer for NY Rangers UFA, and former Blackhawks centre Michael Nylander.  Mike Comrie is reportedly not garnering interest from most recent employer Ottawa, and would be an affordable option, though not considered to be a top centre.

**For those lucky enough to live in Canada or have the NHL Network, TSN will be broadcasting a three-hour special tomorrow starting at 11am Eastern, covering the start of Un-Restricted Free Agency.  July 1 is also Canada Day, a holiday north of the border.

**Adam Mair was just taken off the market by the Sabres.

**In today’s Herald, Tim Sassone confirms that the Hawks have indeed re-signed David Koci.

Free Agency next on Hawks agenda Tim Sassone, Daily Herald

Info on second player acquired in Aucoin deal, D-Steve Marr ECHL.com

Actor John Cusak is 'Old School'Q&A, SI.com

Today in Blackhawks History

June 29^th

June 29, 1990

In a deal inspired by a slight dip in production and the emergence of recent first-round draft choice Jeremy Roenick, one of the most dynamic players in Blackhawks history was shipped off to the team who’d sheepishly passed over the same player in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft.

17 years ago today, Denis Savard was traded to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for a (even then) veteran defenseman Chris Chelios and a second-round draft pick the following year, who turned out to be Michael Pomichter (zero NHL games).

Chelios was drafted in the second round, 40^th overall by Montreal in the 1981 Entry Draft and has been playing in the NHL since 1983.  In his final season with the Canadiens, Chelios served as co-captain of the Habs with Guy Carbonneau.

Savard spent three seasons with the Canadiens, finishing with the hoisting of the Stanley Cup on June 9, 1993.  Savard did not play in the clinching game against the LA Kings after going scoreless in 14 playoff games.  In the off-season he was picked up by the fledgling Tampa Bay franchise.

In the 1980 draft, Montreal owned the first overall pick and selected centre Doug Wickenheiser.  Denis Savard was selected by Chicago with the third pick.  Wickenheiser played in 556 NHL games with five different teams (MTL, STL, VAN, NYR,WASH) and scored 111 career goals.   Despite putting up decent numbers in Montreal, Doug was never accepted, and almost unanimously despised by passionate Habs fans who wanted the local-boy Savard all along.  After his career ended, he made his home in St. Louis.  Wickenheiser died on January 12, 1999 in St. Louis due to complications from lung and brain cancer.  He was 38. 

Denis Savard was re-acquired by the Blackhawks on April 6, 1995 from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a sixth-round draft pick in 1996.  “Savvy” played his final 145 regular season games with the Blackhawks (95-97) scoring 26 goals and 83 points during that time.

Ironically, upon his return prior to the 1995 playoffs, Savard was looked upon to provide some of the offense the team was lacking with Jeremy Roenick out of the lineup due to a knee injury.  Roenick wouldn’t return to the team until the second round of the postseason against Vancouver.  Savard had eight points (4-4) in twelve regular season games after the trade and a somewhat amazing 18 points (7-11) in 16 playoff games against Toronto (7 gms), Vancouver (4), and Detroit (lost series in 5 games).  Savard’s final season in 1996-97 was the Hawks first without Jeremy Roenick.

On March 19, 1998, before a Thursday evening game with the Montreal Canadiens, the Blackhawks held a ceremony honoring Denis Savard and retiring the legend’s Number 18 jersey.

Chris Chelios played with the Hawks until March 23, 1999 when he was dealt to the Detroit Red Wings for Anders Eriksson, a first round pick in 1999 (Steve McCarthy) and a first round pick in 2001 (Adam Munro).

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Theoren Fluery turns 39 today.  The five-foot, six-inch winger was signed as a free agent by Chicago on August 15, 2002.  Due to violating the league’s substance abuse policy, Fleury played in just one season with the Blackhawks (02-03), his last in the NHL.  In 52 games Fleury scored 12 goals and 33 points in 2002-03. 

Already in Stage 3 of the NHL/NHLPA Substance Abuse Aftercare program, on April 11, 2003 Fleury was suspended for a minimum of six months with re-admission into the league pending a hearing and league approval.  Theo was out of hockey entirely until a stint with the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League in 2005-06.  Fleury compiled 81 points and 274 penalty minutes in only 38 games with Belfast.

Fluery is now retired and resides in Calgary.  Together with his wife Jennifer and brother Travis, he’s founded and operates the new family business, Fleury's Concrete Coatings in the Calgary area.

He didn’t have a chance as this year’s class was academic, but Steve Larmer’s odds of getting in the Hockey Hall of Fame are certainly looking bleaker after being passed over again today as the Class of 2007 was announced in Toronto.

Hockey Hall of Fame – Class of 2007

*Mark Messier – 1,756 career games, 1979-2004, 1,887 points, 6 Stanley Cups (84, 85, 87, 88, 90, 94), 2 Hart tropheys (89-90, 91-92), 1 Conn Smythe-1984, 15 All-Star games, 2^nd all-time in scoring

*Ron Francis – 1,731 career games, 1981-2004, 1,798 points, 2 Stanley Cups (91, 92) 3 Lady Byng trophies, 1 Selke trophy (94-95), 4^th all-time in scoring

*Scott Stevens -  1,635 career games, 1982-2004, 908 points, 3 Stanley Cups (95, 00, 03), 2000 Conn Smythe, 13 All-Star games

*Al MacInnis – 1,416 career games, 1981-2004, 1,274 points, Stanley Cup (1989), Conn Smyth (1989), 98-99 Norris, 15 All-Star games

The induction ceremony will be held on November 12^th in Toronto.  Each class is limited to four player inductions.

Hawks' top pick a hockey lifer-at 18 Mike Downey, Chicago Tribune

Steve Larmer remains a hot commodity Tim Wharnsby, Globe & Mail

Larmer on whether or not he’ll rejoin the player’s union as an executive:

"I don't think so.  I've finally found something I'm good at - doing nothing."

The union will continue to aggressively recruit Larmer back into the fold.

Kane, Toews, Skille Headline Prospects Camp HawksSite

**Interestingly, David Koci is listed as being at the camp, as are Cam Barker and Dustin Byfuglien.

Schedule for Prospect Camp (July2-6) at Edge in Bensenville

**In his column today, Barry Rozner suggests the Hawks are trying to move Nikolai Khabibulin.

**Jacob Dowell has signed a contract with the Hawks.  It’s a two-year deal for an undisclosed salary amount, plus a $250,000 bonus.

**Trent Yawney is one of a few coaches being considered for the Kelowna Rockets (WHL) vacant position.  Yawney has said he’s not interested in up-rooting his family from the Chicago area just yet.

Current 2007-08 Chicago Blackhawks Payroll-Call

as of June 27, 2007  www.TheThirdManIn.com

Players’ ages are listed as they will be on opening night 2007-08.  We can only list the players who are under contract, so as of today consider this the opening night roster.  Read it and weep.

Players appearing in Bold are entering the final year of their current contracts.  Only those players who are scheduled to become un-restricted free agents following the ’07-08 season are listed as such.

The trade with Montreal adds $1.606 million to the total payroll chart.  Essentially, we swapped Magnus Johansson and Tony Salmelainen on the 23-man roster and the difference between Sergei Samsonov’s and Cullimore’s 07-08 salary is where you come up with the $1.606 mil.

Keep in mind that the Hawks actual ‘Cap Hit’ is higher than the $39.616 million figure listed above given that Jonathan Toews’ deal will pay him considerably more in rookie bonuses that do count against the cap.  Should Jack Skille make the team, the same rule would apply.  Cam Barker still has a rookie bonus that is taking up space on the cap as well.  Still, the Hawks should have about seven million dollars of space to work with should they not be able to move any existing salaries.

Amazingly, Adrian Aucoin is no longer a Chicago Blackhawk.  The swap with Calgary involving Andrei Zyuzin saves the Hawks $2.525 mil this season and another $4 million in what was to be Aucoin’s final contracted season in 08-09.  As noted above, Zyuzin will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

Next season’s Salary Cap is expected to be announced on Thursday and is to be somewhere between $48-50 million.  I would not expect Dale Tallon will be able to go much past 42 million if at all.

** I’m not exactly sure of Johansson’s precise salary number, but the unofficial word has it somewhere between $700-800k, so we’ll estimate it here as $750k.

Aliu may turn out to be a steal for Hawks Tim Sassone, Daily Herald

Central Notes: A renaissance in Chicago? Larry Wigge, NHL.com

Blues re-acquire Tkachuk's rights, place Dallas Drake on waivers Tribune

More evidence the system isn’t working: Michel Ouellet, Karel Rachunek among players suddenly becoming UFAs TSN.ca

Rozner comments on how Tallon handled Yawney firing Barry Rozner, Daily Herald

**With so much going on today that we’ll update periodically as the day goes along.  The next few days will be flooded with information as we begin the Restricted Free Agent process leading up to UFA-mania on Sunday.

Reign of Kane begins for Blackhawks Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune

Patrick Kane: “I’m very happy to be a Chicago Blackhawk.  I’m looking forward to our Cup runs in the near future.”

Video: Highlights of Kane media conference 2:38min video, ChicagoSports.com

Video: More video files of Kane presser and more from Blackhawks' site

Limping Hawks need Kane Carol Slezak, Sun-Times

Hawks eager to raise Kane on the ice Mike Spellman, Daily Herald

With Kane, Blackhawks hope to size up greatness Tim Cronin, Daily Southtown

Blackhawks introduce their top pick AP report, NW Herald

Blackhawks counting on Kane AP/TSN.ca

Craig Anderson re-signs with Florida for 2 years THN.com

A look at the trades and first-round draft picks E.J. Hradek, ESPN.com

Blackhawks UC Draft Party photos blackhawks.nhl.com

Patrick Kane Draft photo diary blackhawks.nhl.com

Blackhawks take Toledoan Unice in draft's third round Mark Monroe, Toledo Blade

This is funny Patrick Kane embraces Chicago's proud tradition of losing Dear Lord Stanley blog

Thoughts of an SIU school paper writer Sports Banter, The Daily Egyptian

"The only way the Blackhawks will ever stand a chance at winning or coming anywhere near the playoffs is get Chris Chelios and Jeremy Roenick back."

Daily Egyptian writer Eugene Clark can be reached at eclark@siu.edu or 536-3311 ext 269.

(ed) I love school newspapers in the age of the world wide web.  This guy is important enough to have his own extension?

Anaheim Ducks sign Matt Kieth, make Sebastien Caron an UFA Dan Wood, OC Register

Nashville/JimBalsillie/Bettman saga: Balsillie/Bettman: Do the right thing Jim Kelley, Sportsnet.ca

Another NHLPA exec resignation TSN

**Birthdays over the past few days:  Bernie Nicholls turned 46, Gary Suter 43, and Jean-Yves Leroux 31 on Sunday.  On Monday, Kingston, Ontario’s own Doug Gilmour turned an even creepier 44.  Former Hawks and current Anaheim Ducks 3^rd goaltender Sebastien Caron celebrated his 27^th birthday on Monday.  Greg Millen turned 50 yesterday.

**Former Chicago Wolves standout Simon Gamache signed a two year, two-way deal with Toronto on Monday.

**Add Mike Comrie to your list of available un-restricted free agents.  Although a second-line center, Comrie would best fit into Chicago’s price bracket among the available center-iceman.  Comrie may not be able to retain his $3 million salary of this past season in free agency.

**In case you missed it, Dean McAmmond signed a new multi-year deal with Ottawa last week.

**Patrick Kane will be introduced today at a press conference at the United Center

Hawks certain that Kane is able Len Ziehm, Sun-Times

Hawks' draft, Day 2 Len Ziehm, Sun-Times