From Blackhawks.com:

The 2008-09 regular season marks the Blackhawks’ fifth consecutive on Comcast SportsNet and features a record 58 contests, including 33 at the United Center. Comcast SportsNet will carry both the squad’s season opener against the New York Rangers on Oct. 10 at 6 P.M., and home opener against the Nashville Predators on Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

The Blackhawks' return to WGN Channel 9 officially launches on Sat., Oct. 11 when the team battles the Washington Capitals at the Verizon Center. Chicago will make 20 appearances on the station, which was its home during the 1960’s and early 1970’s.

The Blackhawks will also make at least four appearances on national television this season, highlighted by the NHL Winter Classic 2009 ¬– which pits the Blackhawks against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings – on January 1, one of just two contests the league announced as part of its NBC flex schedule. The Blackhawks will also appear on VERSUS three times during the 2008-09 campaign (Oct. 27 at Minnesota; Jan. 19 vs. Minnesota; March 31 at Montreal).

Might sound funny, but it is really cool to see the name of a TV station next to the home games instead of the usual blank space that we've seen in the past. I didn't even think WGN was going to be showing games until later in the year, but as we see they are going to be showing the second game of the season in Washington. I still can't wait for the drop of the puck.

The Hawks' official site reports that Brian Campbell will be at Wrigley Field tonight, throwing out the first pitch and singing the seventh inning stretch as the Cubs play Houston. It'll be cool to see him out there, about four months before he actually plays a game on the same field.

Also, Duncan Keith will apparently be signing autographs at NAPA Paint And Supplies in West Chicago on September 13th. This is one that I might decide to go and get an auto from Duncan, someone who's turned into one of my favorite players of this bunch.

Also, it's good to know that we are only three weeks away from the first pre-season game, and though I haven't been able to find a definite date on when the Blackhawks begin training camp, it's usually around the 13th or 14th, which would make it only about a couple of weeks away. Can't wait.

This article from Darren Dreger of TSN confirms what I think most of us still believe at this point:

Chicago is in the market for a top left winger, however like so many other teams the Blackhawks deal-making is being held up by the waiting game surrounding Mats Sundin.

Chicago has assets general manager Dale Tallon would consider trading. 

Veteran goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin is at the the top of the list.

Khabibulin has informed the Blackhawks he wants to play 60 games this season.

With newly signed Cristobal Huet soon to make his debut, that's unlikely to happen.

Also unlikely is a team willing to give up more than a draft pick or a prospect for Khabibulin who has one year left at 6.75 million dollars.

Tallon isn't desperate to move Khabibulin, but he is eager, and will patiently wait to see if an injury pops up around the league that may heighten interest.

I wasn't really aware that the Hawks might be in the market for a left winger right now, but it makes sense because that's something they could definitely use, and perhaps they could get a forward in exchange for Khabibulin. As I have said before, I really cannot see this team heading into October with both Khabibulin and Huet both on the roster. As Dreger later mentions in his article, the Hawks could be in cap trouble if they don't move Khabby, and might be forced to put him on waivers, which probably isn't something Dale Tallon wants to do. I see Khabby gone by training camp, if not then, before opening night. If he wants to play 60 games this year, he'll be doing it somewhere else.

Tim Brent, come on down:

The Chicago Blackhawks announced today that they have signed center Tim Brent (6-0, 197) to a one-year contract.

Brent, 24, was acquired by the Blackhawks from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defenseman Danny Richmond (6-0, 194) on July 17. The Cambridge, Ontario, native has recorded one goal and six penalty minutes in 16 career National Hockey League games, which includes being held scoreless in one appearance with the Penguins last season. He also skated in 15 contests with the Anaheim Ducks during the 2006-07 campaign.

I'd assume Brent will be spending most, if not all of the 2008-09 season in Rockford.

No, the Hawks didn't win it yet. Barry Rozner mentions in his article in the Daily Herald today:

Ivan Boldirev-ing

A reminder that Buffalo Grove native Brett Lebda is offering a chance to view the Stanley Cup today from 3-5 p.m. at the Glenview Ice Center. You can also get a picture taken with the Cup for a small donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Runneth over

After Lebda gets his day with the chalice today, Chris Chelios has the Cup Friday, when he's scheduled to sing during the seventh inning at Wrigley Field.

Don't be shocked if he appears during both the Cubs and White Sox games Friday afternoon and evening with the Stanley Cup in tow.

Chelios? Booooooo.

A friend of mine called me this morning, from the line outside the United Center as he is trying to score some 'Hawks tickets. He said there was probably around 80-85 people in line, and a couple of Hawks, Cam Barker and Jack Skille, were there passing out t-shirts, and John McDonough also is greeting fans. Haven't spoken to him since, but I assume the line has probably gotten bigger by now.

Myself? I've decided to go the online route, and have not been able to get any tickets to any of the exciting games I had planned on trying to go to, such as any of the matchups against the Red Wings, and also the home opener. Looks like I will have to settle for anything else I can get, which really isn't a problem. Anyone else with success/failure stories so far today?

I can only sit back and laugh:

Former Calgary Flame captain Theo Fleury is set to make his debut as a professional baseball player this Saturday. Fleury is expected to sign a Golden League contract with the Calgary Vipers, a team he has been taking batting practice with all week. Fleury, who operates a concrete flooring business in Calgary, is expected to play Saturday when the Vipers take on the Yuma Scorpions in a double-header Saturday beginning at 5:05 p.m. (MT).

What in the world? Why would Theo, at age 40, want to try baseball at this point? The guy apparently still isn't quite right in the head, and now he's going to try a new sport? What a joke. I'm still a little bitter over the circus that Fleury created with the infamous Columbus strip club incident back in 2003, and right now this guy should be trying to get his life together instead of trying new sports. Good luck, Theo, you're definitely going to need it.

It's just a rumor at this point, but there's talk that Robert Lang may be headed to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for draft picks. Apparently this was reported on "The Team" 990 AM radio station in Montreal, according to a couple of sites I've read on the web today. Still looking for confirmation but there's nothing official on this yet.

The man who I assume is going to be the Blackhawks' starting goaltender this season, Cristobal Huet, was officially announced in a press conference earlier today at the United Center. The official site has video on their top story.

I haven't watched the video yet, but I wonder what his thoughts were on the fact that there are two top-flight goalies on this team now and only room for one to start.

Another one of the Hawks' restricted free agents have been traded, today it's Martin St. Pierre and he is headed to Boston:

The Chicago Blackhawks announced today they have acquired center Pascal Pelletier (5-11, 190) from the Boston Bruins in exchange for center Martin St. Pierre (5-9, 187).

Pelletier, 25, made his National Hockey League debut last season with the Bruins and was held scoreless in six games. The Labrador City, New Foundland, native spent the majority of last year in the American Hockey League where he led the Providence Bruins with a career-high 37 goals and a career-best 75 points in 73 regular-season contests. He also dished out a career-most 38 assists before leading Providence with 12 points in 10 playoff tilts.

Another "eh" deal. St. Pierre always produced a ton in the AHL but when he came up here he would usually be invisible and get sent back down shortly thereafter. I think his lack of size hurts him in the NHL because he doesn't seem to have any extraordinary skills to make up for it, besides pretty good speed.

I would think Pelletier will probably be another guy you can pencil into the lineup for Rockford, as I doubt he takes anyone's spot up with the big club out of training camp. Looks like a trade similar to the Richmond deal, getting rid of someone who just doesn't have a real spot with the organization any more.