Morning Bag Skate: 12-17-21

This is your daily thread to talk about the latest hockey news.

BLACKHAWKS

Musings on Madison, Episode 73 — Live from Madison Street (SCH)

Seravalli: Blackhawks being “outside the box” leadership analysis (Daily Faceoff)

Blackhawks maintaining consistent top pair with Seth Jones, Calvin de Haan (Sun-Times)

RECAPS: Blackhawks 5, Capitals 4 (SCH) (Japers’ Rink) (Tribune) (Sun-Times)

Blackhawks reach settlement with Kyle Beach (SCH) (Tribune) (Sun-Times) (The Athletic)

How Derek King took the Blackhawks from the NHL’s worst defensive team to one of its stingiest (The Athletic)

As COVID-19 cases spike around NHL, healthy Blackhawks hope to avoid outbreak (Sun-Times)

Blackhawks hoping to finally progress past “one-and-done” offense (Sun-Times)

Five things we learned at Blackhawks practice (Tribune)

Powers Points: Kyle Beach’s mediation with the Blackhawks, Lukas Reichel and the world juniors (The Athletic)

Blackhawks Bits: Reese Johnson to IR; Connolly, Entwistle recalled (SCH)

Brett Connolly ready to seize long-awaited opportunity with Blackhawks (Sun-Times)

Blackhawks game postponed by Flames’ COVID outbreak (SCH) (Sun-Times) (Tribune)

RECAPS: Maple Leafs 5, Blackhawks 4 (SCH) (Pension Plan Puppets) (Sun-Times) (Tribune) (The Athletic)

Derek King should take his lumps like any other coach, but he doesn’t deserve Mike Milbury’s cheap shots (Tribune)

Riley Stillman quietly establishing career stability, third-pair reliability with Blackhawks (Sun-Times)

Philipp Kurashev hoping for December turnaround (Sun-Times)

RECAPS: Blackhawks 2, Canadiens 0 (SCH) (Habs Eyes on the Prize) (Sun-Times) (Tribune) (The Athletic)

CENTRAL DIVISION

RECAP: Predators 5, Avalanche 2 (Mile High Hockey) (On the Forecheck)

RECAP: Sabres 3, Wild 2 (Hockey Wilderness)

Hurricanes-Wild postponed due to COVID-19 (NHL)

Khudobin placed on waivers by Stars (NHL)

Wheeler out weeks for Jets with knee injury (NHL)

Blues place Perron on retroactive LTIR, among other roster moves (St. Louis Game Time)

Coyotes not a threat to relocate, Bettman says (ESPN)

NHL

RECAP: Canadiens 3, Flyers 2 (NHL)

RECAP: Lightning 2, Senators 1 (NHL)

RECAP: Kings 4, Panthers 1 (NHL)

RECAP: Golden Knights 5, Devils 3 (NHL)

RECAP: Hurricanes 5, Red Wings 3 (NHL)

RECAP: Islanders 3, Bruins 1 (NHL)

RECAP: Oilers 5, Blue Jackets 2 (NHL)

Lazerus: With heightened COVID-19 protocols in place, is the NHL doing enough to stop the spread? What’s next? (The Athletic)

Ontario to reduce capacity limits at sporting events (TSN)

Latest updates on the NHL and COVID-19: Postponements, protocols, the Olympics and more (ESPN)

Flames have fourth game postponed (NHL)

Bergeron, Marchand in COVID-19 protocol (NHL)

Fabbri signs 3-year contract with Red Wings (NHL)

Edler placed on injured reserve by Kings (NHL)

NHLPA raises Olympic COVID concerns: report (NHL)

Canucks hire Rutherford to oversee “new vision” (ESPN)

Coyotes pay taxes, won’t be iced out of arena (ESPN)

HOCKEY WORLD

NHL players discuss the Olympics — Are they still on board, or is it a risk too big to take? (The Athletic)

McDavid: Olympics’ COVID protocols “unsettling” (ESPN)

Canada announces roster for World Juniors (NHL)

Women’s hockey is finally coming to EA Sports’ NHL franchise (The Ice Garden)

China in for Olympic hockey despite concerns (ESPN)

What will the moment be like for McDavid to be on the same team as Crosby? (TSN)

Canada closing its border to unvaccinated professional, amateur athletes on Jan. 15 (TSN)