The Chicago Blackhawks begin a home-and-home series against the Boston Bruins on Saturday at TD Garden.
The Chicago Fire also open their season at 5 p.m. at home against Sporting Kansas City. All local broadcasts of Fire games will be available exclusively through the new ESPN+ platform. Follow SB Nation’s Chicago Fire site, Hot Time In Old Town, for your latest news on the Fire and NWSL team Chicago Red Stars.
BLACKHAWKS
**Hawks assign Dahlstrom to AHL (SCH)
**For journeymen Berube, Hawks offer fresh chance (Chicago Tribune)
**Hawks turn to last resort: Uniting Toews, Kane (Chicago Sun-Times)
**Hawks to honor gold medalists Kendall Coyne, Alex Rigsby on Sunday (SCH)
CENTRAL DIVISION
**Bettman: NHL ‘could envision’ hosting outdoor game in Nashville (The Tennessean)
**RECAP: Wild defeat Canucks, gain in Central Division (Hockey Wilderness)
**RECAP: Stars power past Ducks with 2-goal in 3rd (Defending Big D)
**Stars’ Hanzal to undergo season-ending back surgery, out 6-7 months (Defending Big D)
**Minnesota hockey fans need to stop using high school tournament attendance to legitimize fandom (Hockey Wilderness)
NHL
**RECAP: Blue Jackets edge Red Wings, take over first wild card in East (Jackets Cannon)
**RECAP: Flames defeat Senators, close gap in wild-card race (Matchsticks and Gasoline)
**Capitals sign GM MacLellan to contract extension (Japers’ Rink)
**Report: Kings give Hurricanes permission to speak to assistant GM Futa (theScore)
HOCKEY WORLD
**Big Read: How Dahlin became Sweden’s next great prospect (Sportsnet)
**NCHC tournament: St. Cloud State takes Game 1 from Miami (SBNCH)
**NCHC tournament: Colorado College shuts out No. 4 Denver (The Denver Post)
**NCHC tournament: No. 8 UM-Duluth breeze past Western Michigan (Duluth News Tribune)
**NCHC tournament: No. 14 North Dakota shuts out No. 13 Omaha in opener (Grand Forks Herald)
**QMJHL Roundup: Hoyt nets winner as Screaming Eagles top Islanders in OT (Sportsnet)
**WHL Roundup: Raiders beat Warriors for 8th win in a row (Sportsnet)