Chicago hockey fans have more than just distain for the Blues as a reason to root for the Bruins to win the Stanley Cup.
Two Bruins players and their head coach have ties to Chicago.
After being drafted by the Blackhawks in the third round in the 2010 NHL draft, winger Joakim Nordstrom split time between the AHL and NHL and even was the Rockford IceHogs captain during the 2014-15 season. He played 38 NHL games that season, including three in playoffs, and was part of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 2015. He was traded to the Hurricanes the following September as a salary-cap cutting measure. The 27-year-old has scored two goals and four points in this year’s playoffs for the Bruins.
Defenseman John Moore is from the Chicago suburb of Winnetka and played junior hockey with the Chicago Steel in the United States Hockey League during the 2007-09 season. The Blue Jackets drafted him with the 21st overall pick in 2009 and he played with Columbus, the Rangers, Coyotes and Devils before landing with the Bruins this offseason. Moore has skated in five playoff games.
Former Blackhawks defenseman Bruce Cassidy is Boston’s head coach. He played parts of six seasons with Chicago, who selected him with the No. 18 overall pick in the 1983 NHL draft. He bounced around the minor leagues for the most part, but did manage to collect 17 points (four goals, 13 assists) in 36 career NHL games. Cassidy also was an assistant for the Blackhawks from 2004-06.
Stanley Cup Final schedule
Monday, May 27: St. Louis at Boston, 7 p.m. (NBC)
Wednesday, May 29: St. Louis at Boston, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)
Saturday, June 1: Boston at St. Louis, 7 p.m. (NBCSN)
Monday, June 3: Boston at St. Louis, 7 p.m. (NBC)
*Thursday, June 6: St. Louis at Boston, 7 p.m. (NBC)
*Sunday, June 9: Boston at St. Louis, 7 p.m. (NBC)
*Wednesday, June 12: St. Louis at Boston, 7 p.m. (NBC)
*if necessary
All times Central