The Chicago Blackhawks have been bottom-feeders for each of the last three years, finishing at the bottom of the Central Division from 2022-24 and looking destined for another eighth place finish this season.
But as general manager Kyle Davidson said in his post trade deadline media availability on Saturday, he’s hoping that will be a thing of the past starting next year.
“It’s safe to say we’re likely moving away from that,” Davidson said when asked about the organization continuing to accumulate draft capital. “We do have all these great assets that are future assets… but we’ve got some really nice pieces that we feel are valuable around the league.”
The Blackhawks currently own a wealth of assets, including multiple first-round picks over the next couple of drafts along with significant salary cap space. But the goal is now to pursue talent that is already NHL ready.
“We’ve got over $30 million in cap space next year and not too many guys to re-sign,” he said on Saturday.
Based on the executive’s comments, it looks like the Hawks will be aggressive both in free agency and on the trade market going forward. They may already have their goaltender of the future after acquiring Spencer Knight from the Florida Panthers in the trade that sent Seth Jones to Sunrise.
After a couple of abysmal seasons in the Windy City, the fanbase is desperate to get back to the level of play that saw the franchise capture three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013 and 2015 — and be a contender for most of the 2010s.
With a young phenom to build around in Connor Bedard, and without a playoff appearance since 2019-20, it’s probably time for the Hawks to start making moves to come out of the rebuild.
And the fact they didn’t trade away pending UFA Ryan Donato, who has been the team’s best player over the last several weeks, says a lot about Davidson’s commitment to continuity and leadership going forward.
After drafting Bedard No. 1 overall in 2023 and selecting Belarussian defenseman Artyom Levshunov second in 2024, the franchise has a great chance for another high pick this time around.
Currently 20-36-9 with 17 games left, it’s almost certain Chicago will finish either 31st or 32nd in league standings. After a shutout loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night, they sit just six points ahead of the last place San Jose Sharks.
The two teams will meet on Thursday night at the SAP Center in San Jose, and that could have serious draft implications. The team who finishes last will have a 25.5 percent chance to select No. 1 overall in June’s draft.
Although it’s been another miserable campaign in Illinois, it looks like there could be much brighter times ahead for the Original Six franchise.
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Jakub Lauko has flashed great potential as an NHLer, but now, the former third-round pick and current Boston Bruin is headed home after signing a new deal overseas. Back in 2018, the Boston Bruins used a third round pick on Czech forward Jakub Lauko, and after some promising seasons with the Providence Bruins in the AHL, it appeared as though they had a solid forward of the future on their hands. Since arriving in the NHL however, the 6-foot-1 centre has tallied just 11 goals and 28 points in 139 games played, and after putting up just 5 points in 18 games a season ago, many wondered if he indeed had a future in the National Hockey League. Now, that question has officially been answered, as the 25-year old has signed a deal overseas with HC Dynamite Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga, suggesting that he'll be heading home in 2025/26. While he was never a prolific scorer, Lauko was always seen as a very dynamic bottom-six player at the NHL level, but unfortunately he just hasn't been able to develop and consistently produce at the next level, and it's clear that he has disappointed in the league so far. At 25-years of age, there's plenty of time for Lauko to turn things around and find his way back to the NHL at some stage, but with the opportunity to play on the biggest stage back in his home country in a league that continues to grow in quality and popularity, he may want to spend the rest of his career there, but for now, he's got a great opportunity to do either one.
At Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, North Carolina, Sunday’s final round of the 2025 Wyndham Championship closed out the PGA Tour’s regular season. It also marked the end of an era for one of golf’s most revered broadcasters. For the last time, Ian Baker-Finch manned the hole-announcing microphone for CBS Sports, capping 30 years in the booth following a playing career that peaked with his victory at the 1991 Open Championship. Before the day was over, Tiger Woods took to X to salute "Finchy." "Congrats Finchy for 30 incredible years behind the microphone. You brought insight into things that the viewing audience could understand and relate to. From all of us—thanks for the memories." The message joined tributes from Jack Nicklaus, Jason Day, Adam Scott and others, underscoring Baker-Finch’s standing among champions past and present. Ian Baker-Finch: From Major Champion to Broadcast Mainstay Baker-Finch turned pro in 1979, winning 17 professional tournaments worldwide. His lone major title came at Royal Birkdale in 1991, where he secured the Open Championship by five strokes. After retiring in the mid-1990s, Baker-Finch transitioned smoothly into broadcasting. He cut his teeth as an analyst on Australian television before joining ESPN and ABC in 1998. In 2007, he became CBS Sports’ dedicated hole announcer, a role he held through 2025, calling golf’s defining moments with a blend of technical acumen and warm delivery. Over 19 seasons with CBS, he covered five Masters and contributed to countless PGA Tour telecasts. Throughout Woods’ five green-jacket haul (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2019), Baker-Finch was a trusted on-course voice that helped demystify championship golf for television audiences. As a player, Baker-Finch remains one of only seven Australian men to win a major championship and is one of a select few to dominate links golf on British soil. As a broadcaster, Baker-Finch’s voice guided generations of fans through golf’s signature moments, shaping how millions understand the game’s subtleties. When the G.O.A.T. of professional golf uses his platform to honor your contribution to the sport, it signals a broadcast career worth remembering.
D.K. Metcalf has faced plenty of steep competition through his first six NFL seasons, both during games and practice, but the star wide receiver has noticed something different in his first training camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers. During an interview with Ian Rapoport and Steve Smith of NFL Network on Sunday, Metcalf discussed some of his first impressions of the Steelers. He spoke about how challenging it has been to go up against cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr., Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay every day. When asked how the practice competition compares to what he saw with the Seattle Seahawks, Metcalf made a bold claim about his new teammates. "You don't want my opinion, because I think they're the best defense I've ever seen," Metcalf said. "There's some dogs everywhere on the field, and I tip my hat to them because they come to work every day and we don't have any choice but to get better." There is no question that the Steelers should have one of the best defensive backfields in the NFL on paper. While they sent five-time Pro Bowl safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Miami Dolphins in the Ramsey trade, their cornerback trio of Ramsey, Porter and Slay is as talented as any in the league. The Steelers allowed 20.4 points per game last year, which ranked eighth in the NFL. Their pass defense surrendered 228 yards per game, which only ranked 25th. If Metcalf's assessment is accurate, Pittsburgh should show great improvement against the pass in 2025.
The Green Bay Packers have decisions to make soon, with the 53-man roster cut deadline on the horizon. Among those hoping to make it to Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season on the team’s main roster is tight end John FitzPatrick, who reunited with the Packers after signing a one-year contract worth $1.5M in April. Green Bay initially signed him to the active roster in 2024 following a practice squad stint with the Atlanta Falcons. He played nine games for the Packers in the 2024 NFL campaign, but did not produce significantly on the field, having also seen just 32% of offensive snaps. He had a catch on a single target for two receiving yards last season. TE loving his Green Bay Packers comeback Competing for a spot behind Tucker Kraft and Luke Musgrave, the 25-year-old FitzPatrick had his moments on the field on Friday with a sliding catch from a Malik Willis pass before scoring a touchdown. FitzPatrick is not hiding his true feelings about being back with Green Bay, as he continues to prove himself to the team. “I always wanted to be back here,” FitzPatrick said, per Wes Hodkiewicz of the Packers’ official website. “I really love it here. I love the people here. When the opportunity presented itself, it was really a no-brainer. It was nice just being able to go through the whole offseason program. The OTAs and the lifting, all the meetings and practices, I think has just helped me a ton.” FitzPatrick entered the pros in 2022, when the Falcons took him off the board in the sixth round (213th overall) of the NFL draft.