The belief by Drecktrah and the Sears Centre management is hockey is HOT thanks to the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup. They’ll offer another option for fans that have enjoyed hockey in the past or are just getting into the game.

 

I’m opening this up for your thoughts. Is Chicago hockey crazy? Can three professional teams make it in the area (Blackhawks, Wolves, ECHL)? Or is the town just Blackhawks (and maybe Wolves because they’ve also been winners) crazy?

 

Post your thoughts.

 

Moving on…

 

I admit I spent last Friday on my couch watching the first round of the NHL Draft. I like the Austin Watson pick by Nashville. The kid has won a Memorial Cup and a gold medal at the World Juniors for Team USA. Winning breeds winning. Here’s a segment from the Aug. 27, 2008 Windsor Star when he was just 16 years old: (Windsor Spitfires) general manager Warren Rychel thinks Watson will have more on his mind than any college freshman by 2010, his draft year for the NHL. “He’s got a huge upside with a lot of pro potential,” Rychel said. “He’s tall, he skates well and he drives to the net without the puck. He’s a potential first-rounder in 2010.”

 

It’s going to be interesting to see if Nashville signs Sergei Kostitsyn, who was acquired from Montreal for Dan Ellis and Dustin Boyd. Kostitsyn has a bad reputation after being suspended by the Canadiens for refusing to report to Hamilton. However, he has been an alternate captain in junior hockey with London. The Knights are owned by long-time NHLer Dale Hunter (former Admirals forward Dylan’s dad) and I would assume that a Hunter wouldn’t put up with any crap. Kostitsyn has put up nice numbers nearly everywhere he’s been. He could be a nice (and affordable) addition to the top-9 with the Preds.

 

Former Admirals forward Mathieu Darche re-signed with the Montreal Canadiens and Scott Nichol will be back with San Jose.

 

I'm going to name drop now...I was traveling back from Thief River Falls, MN (the home of my family and former Admirals forward Wyatt Smith) yesterday. Traffic came to a dead stop in Madison, so I pulled over to get a drink at a convenience store. Former UW offensive lineman Jamie Vanderveldt got in line behind me. I worked with Jamie on Badgers football broadcasts about ten years ago in Madison. I hadn't seen him since then. Small world, huh?

 

The Chicago Wolves lost a couple key players before the draft when Atlanta dealt mainstays Joey Crabb to the Blackhawks and Brett Sterling to San Jose. However, that doesn’t mean they’re gone for good. Both players will be free agents July 1. It’s going to be interesting to see how the Wolves do with a new man, Rick Dudley, in charge of Atlanta.

 

BTW...find all the hockey salaries at www.capgeek.com. It's a great site.

 

I leave you with former Admirals goalie Bob Froese. After a handful of games with the Admirals in the 1978-79 season, Froese went onto a very successful career in the NHL. He’s also known as one of the really, really good guys to play the game.