One of the subplots to the renaissance of the Chicago Blackhawks is the rehabilitation of the Wirtz family image, thanks in large part to the accessibility and presence of team owner Rocky Wirtz. Wirtz's media-friendly images belies the bottom line businessman lying underneath. more ›

After two seasons of exile in Rosemont calling the Wolves, legendary play-by-play announcer Pat Foley is returning to the Blackhawks. He'll team up with with Eddie Olczyk to cover all of the 'Hawks games on — gasp! — TV. more ›

In a day packed with college football bowl games, the coolest televised sporting event on New Year's Day had to be watching the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins play an NHL game outside in Buffalo, in front of over 71,000 fans. It brought the game back to its roots, played outside on frozen ponds and lakes throughout the Midwest and Canada. Now imagine that same game outside, only featuring two of the NHL's "Original Six." With the Black Hawks roaring back from the brink of irrelevance in the months after Bill Wirtz's passing, playing hockey in a sold-out Soldier Field, for example, would be the capper on an impressive resurrection. more ›

In a surprising move, John McDonough resigned as Cubs president on Tuesday to become president for the Blackhawks. Isn't that like if Da Mere were to resign so that he could fill a vacancy on the water reclamation district board of trustees? McDonough had spent nearly 25 years with the Cubs organization, working his way up the marketing org chart before landing atop the front office when Andy MacPhail resigned following the 2006 season. McDonough's... more ›

When Bill Wirtz died a few weeks ago, one of the first things on everyone's mind seemed to be does this mean Blackhawks home games will be on TV? It's starting to look that way. According to a memo Rocky Wirtz wrote to the Blackhawks staff, he's in talks with Comcast SportsNet to start broadcasting the games. The memo says that "no definitive agreements have been reached," but that the Blackhawks and CSN are "working... more ›

Starting in the fall, Chicago will add yet another pro hockey team to the area, as the Chicago Hounds join the UHL. They'll begin play in October, playing their home games at the Sears Centre -- currently under construction in suburban Hoffman Estates. Is there enough of a market to support a second minor league hockey team, in addition to the NHL's Blackhawks? Chicagoist believes there is. There are certainly a lot of hockey fans... more ›

The Blackhawks join the rest of the NHL in their return to the ice tonight after losing the entire 2004-2005 season to labor strife. In the opener, the Blackhawks face the Anaheim Mighty Ducks at the United Center. A lot has changed, both for the NHL and the Blackhawks. The Hawks have a new GM in Dale Tallon, a new coach in Trent Yawney and many new faces on the roster. Their biggest signing was... more ›

In a move that seems akin to re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, the Blackhawks hired Dale Tallon as their new General Manager today, who fired Hawks Head Coach Brian Sutter within 10 minutes of beginning his new position. Tallon, who had served as former GM Bob Pulford's assistant since Pulford retruned to the GM job for the third time in 2003, had been groomed for this promotion. Director of Player Personnel for the... more ›

For the three of four Blackhawks fans left in Chicago, they are surely getting more and more concerned that the NHL season will be wiped out entirely. For most Chicagoans we really haven't noticed there's been no hockey, what with Bill Wirtz keeping the games off TV and all. With the worst record in the league last year, he was really doing us all a favor. But in some places, they do care about NHL... more ›