Pierre McGuire on the Chicago Blackhawks: “I believe we can start to use the D word with Chicago…Dynasty.”
Yes, Sports Illustrated predicted the Blackhawks to repeat as Stanley Cup Champions. And both the local and national media are all about sky high expectations for the Hawks. Yes, it’s still hot out and summer just barely ended, and we’re all still preoccupied with NFL and college football, but hockey season is here. Yes, it’s less than a week away.
Which is good for Chicago. The Blackhawks have served as a welcome distraction from the Cubs and White Sox for so many second city citizens in 2013. But if you actually still cared about baseball here, now you can go all in on hockey.
The Blackhawks will get things started against the Washington Capitals Tuesday, October 1 at 7 p.m. CDT on NBC SN.
But you also have something to watch on the day before. NBCSN will air an NHL Season Preview special on Monday at 6 PM followed by a special program highlighting the Blackhawks Stanley Cup run last season at 7.
‘Doc’ Emrick, Eddie Olczyk and Pierre McGuire will call the game. NHL Live will feature the banner raising ceremony for the Blackhawks, live from the United Center.
Edzo on the Capitals: “If you ask me if I am buying or selling the Capitals, I’m buying.”
The debut episode of NHL Rivals on NBCSN will be Oct. 9 and it will feature the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues, who have been division rivals since 1970 and face off Oct. 10. There has been a lot of realignment this year, but the Blackhawks maintain their rivalry with the Blues in the Central Division. Yes, it’s still called the Central division, even if the Blues and Nashville Predators are the only two teams remaining in the division with the Blackhawks.
Obviously, the early season tilts against the Blues and Capitals are big, but we know what game is truly circled on the schedule.
The Penguins at Soldier Field, home of the Bears, March 1st.
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. An analyst for 95.7 The Fan and 1620 The Zone, he also writes for Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks) and Facebook