Blackhawks News: New Schedule, Pride Parade, And Video Games

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Jun 22, 2010 4:20PM

NHL 2011 cover, via

What, you thought hockey season was over? Just a few weeks after the Blackhawks brought home the Stanley Cup for the first time in 49 years, there's still plenty of news to report on the team.

The NHL has released the 2010-2011 schedule and the Blackhawks will open the season...on the road? Not quite the reward the defending champions deserve, eh? The 'Hawks will drop the puck on the new season on October 7 in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche. But making up for it will be the home opener on October 9 when the Blackhawks will raise their championship banner with the rival Detroit Red Wings looking on. You can scope out the full schedule, just released this morning, right here. The preseason schedule was announced last week.
The Blackhawks have been taking the Stanley Cup on a tour of predominantly River North bars and media HQ (what does a blog have to do to get a visit, eh?). But the Cup will see more parade action this weekend as the Sun-Times gossip bastion Michael Sneed is reporting that the 'Hawks will accept an invite from the Chicago Gay Hockey Association to bring the Cup to this weekend's big Pride Parade. Brent Sopel will be the 'Hawks rep along with his family.
Sopel also is marching in honor of Brendan Burke, the son of Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke, who was killed in a car accident two months after coming out late last year.
"When Brendan came out, Brian stood by him, and his whole family stood by him, like every family should," said Sopel. "We teach our kids about accepting everybody. Tolerate everybody, to understand where everyone is coming from."

It's a great move on the Blackhawks' part. And while not Blackhawks-related, the Cubs will also have a float in the parade for the first time ever, helmed by legend Ernie Banks.
Here's hoping the Madden Curse doesn't extend to the NHL video games. 'Hawks captain Jonathan Toews has been selected as the cover boy for EA Sports' NHL 2011 video game, due out in September. Of course, Toews already has enough honors, what with that Gold Medal from the Olympics for Team Canada, the Cup win, and that Conn Smythe trophy, but we doubt he has any problem with the honor. Check out a trailer for the game after the jump.