Stick-swiping jerk almost finds way to ruin Winter Classic
(Wed, 07 Jan 2009 10:59:05 PST)
So 14-year-old Kalan Plew had his soda commercial moment at the Winter Classic, as Henrik Zetterberg of the...

Lidstrom an All-Star for 10th straight time
(Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:36:17 PST)
Nicklas Lidstrom is headed to the NHL All-Star game for the 10th straight season, but for the first time as captain of the Stanley Cup champion. The six-time Norris Trophy winner, as the league's best defenseman, and Detroit Red Wings teammate Pavel Datsyuk were among 15 players chosen Wednesday to fill out the Western Conference roster for the midseason classic to be played Jan.

Puck Headlines: Phaneuf, Nabokov among West all-star snubs
(Wed, 07 Jan 2009 09:24:58 PST)
Here are your Morning Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest...

NHL Calendar
(Wed, 07 Jan 2009 07:57:35 PST)
Jan 22-26 -- All-Star break. Jan. 24 -- NHL SuperSkills Competition, Montreal. Jan. 25 -- NHL All-Star Game, Montreal. March 4 -- Trade deadline, 3 p.m. EST. April 9-19 -- IIHF Under 18 World Championship, Fargo, N.D., and Moorhead, Minn. April 12 -- Last day of 2008-09 regular season. April 15 -- Stanley Cup Playoffs begin.

Blackhawks Team Report
(Wed, 07 Jan 2009 02:36:32 PST)

The best feel-good story in the NHL this season is getting better with each game.

Without a playoff appearance since 2002, the recharged Blackhawks can do little wrong these days—as long as they're not playing the Detroit Red Wings or San Jose Sharks.

With two lopsided wins since losing two games to the Wings, the Hawks continue their three-game road trip against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday and then wrap it up at Nashville on Saturday.

Lately, they've been winning with leading scorer Patrick Kane sidelined with a right high ankle sprain. He missed the last two games and the Hawks won both, outscoring the opposition a combined 11-2 in those games.

If they only played the Phoenix Coyotes more often.

Puck Headlines: Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals ready to go 'Patrick Division' on each other
(Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:44:46 PST)
Here are your Evening Puck Headlines and Previews: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the...

NHL Power Poll: Teams set sights on playoffs
(Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:07:01 PST)
Toronto coach Ron Wilson noticed it while playing Ottawa this week. The intensity is rising for teams getting...

Puck Headlines: After tragedy, fight debate reaches critical mass
(Sun, 04 Jan 2009 17:15:25 PST)
Here are your Weekend Puck Headlines: A glorious collection of news and views collected from the greatest...

Blackhawks RW Kane out vs. Flames
(Sun, 04 Jan 2009 16:55:05 PST)
Chicago Blackhawks right wing Patrick Kane missed Sunday's game against the Calgary Flames due to a high ankle sprain.

From ratings to reviews, the NHL's epic Winter Classic victory
(Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:10:56 PST)
The concept of "overwhelming success" and Wrigley Field are usually diametrically opposed' but the...

4 Canadiens elected for NHL East stars in Montreal
(Sat, 03 Jan 2009 15:23:18 PST)
Only Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin prevented the Montreal Canadiens from an All-Star sweep. The NHL announced the starting lineups Saturday for the midseason classic, and the host Canadiens filled four of the six slots for the Eastern Conference. Crosby and Malkin, teammates and linemates with the defending East champion Pittsburgh Penguins, both broke the record for the most votes and claimed...

Four Habs, one joke of an NHL All-Star Game fan vote
(Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:22:34 PST)
The starters for the NHL All-Star Game have been announced; and in the spirit of openness and full disclosure...

Winter Classic ratings increase 12 percent
(Sat, 03 Jan 2009 10:17:05 PST)
Ratings increased 12 percent for the second Winter Classic, which featured the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings at Wrigley Field. The New Year's Day event on NBC earned a 2.9 overnight rating and a 6.0 share, the best overnight NHL regular-season rating in nearly 13 years. The Red Wings defeated the Blackhawks 6-4 in the second U.S.

When Vince met Gary and other celebrities at the Winter Classic
(Fri, 02 Jan 2009 13:30:00 PST)
Vince Vaughn hasn't looked this thrilled since the reviews for "Fred Claus" were published.

From the Friendly Confines, it's Puck Daddy's Winter Classic
(Fri, 02 Jan 2009 09:50:50 PST)
Big League Stew editor Kevin Kaduk has been to hundreds of baseball games in Wrigley Field, but like everyone...

Winter Classic showcases NHL's next big rivalry
(Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:50:03 PST)
For the second year in a row, the Winter Classic brought some much-needed attention to the NHL.

Blackhawks invited to open 2009-10 season in Europe
(Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:01:36 PST)
The Chicago Blackhawks were on display on a North American stage for the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field.

New owner, new possibilities for Blackhawks
(Thu, 01 Jan 2009 21:44:00 PST)
The Blackhawks' previous owner, Bill Wirtz, would have scoffed at the Winter Classic. His son, Rocky, is different.

The third time was the charm for NHL'S latest outdoor game
(Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:27:02 PST)
The National Hockey League hosted its third outdoor game and the third time was the charm for hockey's hottest regular-season event.

NHL hits home run at Wrigley
(Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:44:00 PST)
The NHL hit one out of the park with the Winter Classic between Chicago and Detroit at Wrigley Field.

In Classic fashion, Red Wings reassert dominance
(Thu, 01 Jan 2009 17:06:33 PST)
Upstarts abound, including the Blackhawks, but Detroit's recent performance shows it takes a back seat to no contender. The Winter Classic make it cold, hard fact.

Wings' Chelios soaks in hometown spectacle
(Wed, 31 Dec 2008 19:23:00 PST)
The Wings' Chris Chelios on the Wrigley Field skate: "I've never seen a group of guys more excited about a practice."

Blackhawks have 'swagger' heading into Winter Classic
(Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:36:42 PST)
No one was expecting much out of the Blackhawks this season, but the young team is rolling and playing with confidence, and is battling for the top spot in the Central Division.

For Winter Classic, Ice Man becomes Answer Man
(Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:16:10 PST)
Dan Craig's title is ... well, it's the NHL Ice Man, because he's the guy who makes sure everything's cool with the frozen stuff. He has the lowdown on the ice at Wrigley Field.

Great outdoors: 'You never know what's going to happen'
(Wed, 31 Dec 2008 17:06:08 PST)
The 2009 Winter Classic arrives with an air of unpredicability -- which adds to the atmosphere around the game for the players and their teams.

Wrigley Winter Classic notes: Lose an Emrick, gain some ivy
(Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:04:02 PST)
Leading up to the 2009 Winter Classic, the NHL has been very good about playing up the distinctive aspects of...