This is your daily thread to talk about the latest hockey news.
Former Blackhawks forward Scott Nichol turns 46 today.
BLACKHAWKS
AHL approves “structural framework” for 2021 season beginning Feb. 5 (SCH)
Bowman: Andrew Shaw ready to go for 2021 NHL season (NBC Sports Chicago)
Play the prospects: 10 ways the Blackhawks can make the most of this season (The Athletic)
Chicago Blackhawks season preview (The Athletic)
Jonathan Toews “out indefinitely” due to illness, will miss start of season (SCH)
The Blackhawks were already short on time and Dach’s injury doesn’t help (SCH)
Lazerus: For the Blackhawks, it’s not tanking when you’re just not very good (The Athletic)
Kirby Dach to miss 4-5 months following wrist surgery (SCH)
What the Blackhawks’ forward lineup could look like without Dach and Nylander (SCH)
How the Blackhawks, Carl Soderberg came together late: Powers Points (The Athletic)
Blackhawks sign center Carl Soderberg to one-year, $1 million deal (SCH)
Blackhawks 2021 schedule released: season opens Jan. 13 at Lightning (SCH)
CENTRAL DIVISION
Breaking down the Blue Jackets 2021 schedule (The Cannon)
Hurricanes players with the most to prove in 2021 (Canes Country)
What the Lightning roster will look like in 2021 (Raw Charge)
Hurricanes sign Jarvis to entry-level contract (Canes Country)
Lightning trade Cobrun and Paquette to Senators (Raw Charge)
Anthony Cirelli re-signed to a 3-year, $4.8 million AAV contract (Raw Charge)
Predators sign Erik Haula on another one-year contract (On the Forecheck)
NHL
Capitals sign Zdeno Chara (Japers’ Rink)
Former Rangers captain Ryan Callahan calls it a career (Blueshirt Banter)
Hischier out for start of camp with Devils (NHL)
Laine set for “one of best years” for Jets (NHL)
Jets F Roslovic asks for a trade (TSN)
Athanasiou gets one year, $1.2 million from Kings (NHL)
Lundqvist scheduled for open-heart surgery (NHL)
Canadiens sign Corey Perry to one-year deal (Habs Eyes on the Prize)
Blues sign Mike Hoffman to a professional tryout (St. Louis Game Time)
Oilers sign Koekkoek to one-year deal (TSN)
WORLD JUNIORS
Czech Republic defenseman (and Blackhawks prospect) Michael Krutil banned one game (TSN)
Russia snaps Sweden’s 54-game preliminary round winning streak (TSN)
Finland remains undefeated, Germany advances into quarters at World Juniors (TSN)
HOCKEY WORLD
NWHL will have all-female officiating crews in Lake Placid (The Ice Garden)
Kovalchuk joins KHL’s Avangard Omsk (TSN)
“We knew we had to do better”: Sarah Nurse, Barbie and the future of Canadian hockey (The Athletic)