In this Monday edition of Hawks Headlines, we get an update on the recovery of former Chicago Blackhawks center Dave Bolland, examine an argument as to whether or not Patrick Kane is the best winger in the NHL, and chuckle at a comic about the reaction of Blackhawks’ fans to the team’s 7-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
-We start off with a simple question: is Patrick Kane the best winger in the NHL today? There are plenty of people who would say that Alex Ovechkin still holds that title, but for Sean Sarcu, there is reason to think that Kane might have surpassed the Great Eight. [The Hockey Writers]
-For any fan who has been watching the Hawks’ recent successes on the power play, one thing has stood out more than any other: Andrew Shaw’s position in front of the net. He is embracing that role, and Mark Lazerus talked to him about it. [Chicago Sun-Times]
-Former Hawk and current Maple Leaf Dave Bolland is slowly on the mend after suffering a severed tendon in his left ankle after being cut by a skate blade. Chris Kuc has an update on his condition. [Chicago Tribune]
-For those of you looking for a laugh, Michael Devine has an accurate description of the foul mood that fell over the Hawks’ Twitterverse after the team’s 7-3 loss to the Leafs Saturday. [Cheer the Anthem]
-With Antti Raanta and Kent Simpson currently manning the crease for the Hawks, the team brought in Jason LaBarbera in a trade with Edmonton on Friday. That swap has left Joel Quenneville with some decisions to make regarding his netminders. [Daily Herald]
-Even though Bryan Bickell will likely travel with the team to Nashville on Tuesday, he probably won’t play. The good news though is that he is targeting a Friday comeback against the Vancouver Canucks at the Untied Center for his return from a lower body injury. [ESPN Chicago]
Sports
-Rooms for the annual Blackhawks Convention, to be held next July, go on sale this Wednesday. [CSN Chicago]
-The Toledo Walleye, the Blackhawks' ECHL affiliate, are giving away a special bobblehead doll on January 3rd. It features the team's head coach Nick Vitucci, but it also features a water bottle and a hockey stick. That's because Vitucci used both of those implements to protest a call by officials in a 2012 game, and the doll is commemorating that achievement. [Puck Daddy]
-Finally, our friend Jen LC has another installment of her excellent series on helping fans to get acquainted with the new metrics that are popping up to help people learn more about the value of players. [Second City Hockey]
