The long wait is closer and closer to being over as preseason begins Tuesday night at the United Center with a matchup against the Red Wings. It won’t be real hockey in the truest, most competitive sense, but we’ll certainly be watching with an eye on some of the notable themes entering the season. With training camp out of the way, let’s catch up with the news.
**Honestly, get ready to have the importance of scoring chances pounded into your head this season. They’re apparently a big focus of the Blackhawks’ analytics staff. (Chicago Tribune)
**Miss the final scrimmage at the United Center on Monday? Here’s a photo gallery to catch up. (Chicago Tribune)
**Lots of optimism surrounding Bryan Bickell entering the season (Chicago Tribune)
**How will young guys like Teuvo Teravainen and Mark McNeill crack the Blackhawks‘ roster? Tracey Myers takes a look (CSN Chicago)
**The team’s new format for the “Shoot the Puck” contest was shown on Monday. No more “The Stripper,” obviously. (Chicago Tribune)
**The Blackhawks are running a promotion with the city’s Divvy bicycles (CSN Chicago)
**Looks like the Capitals‘ vintage-style logo for the 2015 Winter Classic leaked at Nationals Park on Monday before the official Tuesday announcement (Puck Daddy)
**At least one agent doesn’t understand what Ryan Johansen’s agent is doing right now. “I think it’s been terribly mishandled by the player and the agent.” (The Hockey News)
**The Hurricanes are looking for a new ownership partner with a valuation of $420 million. (TSN)
**The Flyers replaced their “Ice Girls” with “Ice Guys” and some fans weren’t too happy about it. Not entirely sure why all these folks care who’s on the ice between periods; you’re paying to see dudes with colorful sweaters and sticks, anyways. (SB Nation)
**Flames coach Bob Hartley says he’s worried about the abdominal injury of top-two center Mikael Backlund, who hasn’t skated since the beginning of camp (NHL.com)
**Teuvo isn’t the only top prospect to see his odds of making the NHL out of camp take a hit due to an upper body injury, as Tampa Bay’s Jonathan Drouin has been sidelined as well (Pro Hockey Talk)
**Ryan Suter discusses the loss of his father, Bob Suter, in a great story that’s as much about family as hockey (Star Tribune)
**A look at the implications of carrying three goalies and three teams — Vancouver, Montreal, Minnesota — that may have to do it (Pro Hockey Talk)