They train all year.
If some team is not in good shape, the hawks steal a game or two...
- wiz1901

Agree, players train all year. There are very few who slack off in the offseason. Byfuglien comes to mind.

Getting up to game speed is another thing, though, so I could see training camp having more scrimmages than in prior years.

Another thing to keep an eye on is a compact schedule possibly meaning more optional skates on off days so to not tire out players between games.

If this were a regular 82-game schedule across 6 months, then I would have mandatory practices in between games, including for the veterans.

Key dates for the upcoming season:

January 13 - season start
January 16 - Blackhawks eliminated from playoff contention
April 12 - trade deadline
May 8 - season end
July 23/24 - entry draft
July 28 - free agency starts
- DarthKane

February 5 - Planned AHL start date

More that 3 weeks after NHL, maybe later. Will be interesting to see how that affects things.

- Young guys kept on practice squad (or active) until AHL opens?
- Lots of roster shuffling (including trades) when AHL starts up?

February 5 - Planned AHL start date

More that 3 weeks after NHL, maybe later. Will be interesting to see how that affects things.

- Young guys kept on practice squad (or active) until AHL opens?
- Lots of roster shuffling (including trades) when AHL starts up?
- totem

Whom will see their shadow Feb 2 Groundhogs day meaning hibernating on taxi squad, to Rockford, back and forth? With three goalenders how often can Delia switch out to Rockford so that he stays fresh

Whom will see their shadow Feb 2 Groundhogs day meaning hibernating on taxi squad, to Rockford, back and forth? With three goalenders how often can Delia switch out to Rockford so that he stays fresh
- jhawk59

Is it for sure AHL will open play this year or are some team's still on the fence?

I would think the real #3 is #1 in Rockford and #4 is on the taxi squad.

I know you have brought this up before and others as well, Boqvist should have been marinating in Rockford all of last year. There’s a reason why certain teams don’t improve even though they keep drafting top ten, they just don’t develop these high draft picks, they just don’t give them an opportunity to grow and learn at the AHL level. When they are rushed to the show, not only are they overwhelmed, the game is just too fast for them, they are thinking too much versus reacting.
- Angotti

Amen to that brother Boqvist could have spent another year in Jr. learning the game under a true pro in Hunter . It a shame that now with the ridicules' cap that young players are forced into the line-ups in the name of money .It really is watering down the product.

Is it for sure AHL will open play this year or are some team's still on the fence?

I would think the real #3 is #1 in Rockford and #4 is on the taxi squad.
- rpeters01

Does anyone have knowledge how the business side of AHL operations can compensate for loss of revenue from ticket sales? There is doubtfully much dollars tied into a televised cable package. Sure they can cut corners, lower expenses including administration cost. But there is not the same insurance coverage if that even applies for AHL as NHL. Ownership at the AHL level surely does not have deep pockets (compare to NHL) so there has to be real concern how to survive a season of games being played.

No games, no season is probably less of a loss, financially, than playing games. The lifeblood for AHL - fans - are not showing up due to governmental restrictions and the fans' own health concern

So maybe LA fan or StLouisBrave and I am sure several other bloggers could weigh in on the viability of an AHL season. Perhaps the AHL cuts back even farther, say 25 games and playoffs. The intra division match ups to eliminate travel expense and lessen covid exposure, obviously would be considered.

Does anyone have knowledge how the business side of AHL operations can compensate for loss of revenue from ticket sales? There is doubtfully much dollars tied into a televised cable package. Sure they can cut corners, lower expenses including administration cost. But there is not the same insurance coverage if that even applies for AHL as NHL. Ownership at the AHL level surely does not have deep pockets (compare to NHL) so there has to be real concern how to survive a season of games being played.

No games, no season is probably less of a loss, financially, than playing games. The lifeblood for AHL - fans - are not showing up due to governmental restrictions and the fans' own health concern

So maybe LA fan or StLouisBrave and I am sure several other bloggers could weigh in on the viability of an AHL season. Perhaps the AHL cuts back even farther, say 25 games and playoffs. The intra division match ups to eliminate travel expense and lessen covid exposure, obviously would be considered.
- jhawk59

First is a huge logistical problem. Since there is going to be an all Canadian division so that teams aren’t crossing borders, what are they going to do with Bakersfield and Stockton which are Edmonton’s and Calgary’s AHL affiliation? Will that mean whoever is sent to the A, can’t come back to the big club? TheAHL also doesn’t t have enough teams in Canada to realign a all Canadian division. Will franchises move to accommodate this?

New blog! A deeper look at what the NHL’s plans for the long-awaited season mean for the Blackhawks. Management has talked the talk so time is coming for the team to finally walk the walk.

https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=108802