Morning Bag Skate: Artemi Panarin, Nick Schmaltz clash at World Championship
Our daily look at Blackhawks news and the happenings around the hockey world.
Chicago Blackhawks forwards Artemi Panarin and Nick Schmaltz clash at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday for the top spot in Group A at the World Championship.
A win for Schmaltz and Team USA over Russia puts them into the quarterfinal game Thursday in Cologne against the fourth-place finisher from Group B. The U.S. can finish no lower than third in its group.
HAWKS
**Why the Hawks championship window runs through 2019 (SCH)
**Panarin gets back into groove at Worlds (Chicago Sun Times)
**Darling was Stars first choice, per report (SCH)
**Bowman denies firing Kitchen to send Quenneville a message (SCH)
**DeBrincat helps Erie win OHL championship (SCH)
CENTRAL DIVISION
**Rinne has strong rebound game (On The Forecheck)
**Cellblock 303 is loudest, rowdiest Preds fans (The Tennessean)
**Preds anthem singer unhappy about being upstaged by country acts (The Tennessean)
**Should Stars consider Ilya Kovalchuk? (Defending Big D)
**Stars will have plenty of cap space for roster upgrades (Defending Big D)
**Stars GM defends Bishop contract, checks goalie purge options (Puck Daddy)
**Bishop: Vegas ‘thinking younger’ for goalie search (Sportsnet)
**What will Jets do in goal? (Winnipeg Sun)
NHL
**Pyeongchang organizers believe NHL still considering Olympics (PHT)
**NHL’s top 17 UFAs of 2017: Latest rumors, reports (Sportsnet)
**RECAP: Kessel pushes Penguins past Sens to tie series (Pensburgh)
**Penguins’ Rust injured on high hit from Sens’ Phaneuf (SBN)
**Panthers to interview Caps assistant Reirden for head coaching job (PHT)
**Lightning sign star prospect Taylor Raddysh (Raw Charge)
**Russell puts Oilers at the top of his options (Edmonton Journal)
**Flames report card: Michael Frolik (Matchsticks and Gasoline)
**Flames report card: Troy Brouwer (Matchsticks and Gasoline)
**Should the Flames look at Jordan Eberle? (Matchsticks and Gasoline)
HOCKEY WORLD
**French star Da Costa drawing NHL interest (TSN)
**Isles prospect Barzal named MVP of WHL playoffs (Lighthouse Hockey)
**WHL Everett hires USHL Bloomington’s Williams (Everett Silvertips)
**USHL Bloomington name Watt head coach, Jewell as GM (The Pantagraph)
**Watch: Italy’s awful own goal at Worlds (PHT)
