Blackhawks, Blues Unveil 2025 NHL Winter Classic Uniforms in New Photos
Nov 20, 2024
ST. LOUIS, MO - SEPTEMBER 28: St. Louis Blues leftwing Brandon Saad (20) controls the puck with pressure from Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Kevin Korchinski (14) during a preseason NHL game between the Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues, on September 28, 2024, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/IconSportswire)
The Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues are embracing a vintage look for their New Year's Eve Winter Classic at Wrigley Field.
The Blackhawks and Blues unveiled the uniforms on Wednesday ahead of the Dec. 31 outdoor game.
The St. Louis uniform marks the first time in franchise history the Blues will wear a sweater without a music note as the team's primary logo, according to the NHL.
The Blackhawks uniform features red stars representing the flag of the city of Chicago. The back numbers feature pinstripes in a nod to Wrigley Field's baseball history, according to the league.
The Blues sweaters are "inspired by an unworn prototype Blues uniform from 1966," according to the NHL.
The St. Louis jerseys also contain a nod to their own city's flag by incorporating a fleur-de-lis inside the back of the uniform's neck, the league noted.
The Dec. 31 clash between Central Division opponents marks the 16th Winter Classic in NHL history, as well as the 42nd regular-season game played outdoors.
The Blues and Blackhawks previously met in the 2017 Winter Classic. The Blues won 4-1 at Busch Stadium thanks to a pair of goals from former St. Louis winger Vladimir Tarasenko.
This year it will be Brayden Schenn, Jordan Kyrou and Pavel Buchnevich facing off against Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks.
The Blues head into the matchup with a 2-0-0 record in outdoor games, while the Blackhawks are 1-5-0. The Hawks last won outdoors in 2014, when the team defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins at Soldier Field.
Bedard, then eight years old, told NHL.com's Tracey Myers he remembers watching the win at Soldier Field. He will now look to cap off the 2024 calendar year by leading the Blackhawks to the franchise's second outdoor victory.
Connor Bedard Talks Blackhawks, 1st NHL Game in Vancouver and More in B/R Interview
Oct 31, 2024
DENVER, COLORADO - OCTOBER 28: Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks skates against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena on October 28, 2024 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
The NHL game looks different for Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard at the start of his second season in the league.
The No. 1 pick of the 2023 draft may already be coming off a Calder Trophy-winning rookie campaign, but he told Bleacher Report he feels more comfortable with the pace of play heading into the 2024-25 season.
"I maybe haven't been producing at a crazy level, but I feel like I'm creating a lot of opportunities for myself and everyone, and I feel like the game's slowed down a little bit from last year," Bedard told Bleacher Report. "I think that's positive."
Although Bedard has been projected as a potential generational talent since he became the first player to be granted exceptional status for early entrance to the WHL at age 14, the 19-year-old still showed some growing pains adjusting to his first year in the NHL.
One of those adaptations was figuring out how not to overdo practice. Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson told ESPN's Emily Kaplan last season that at one point he hid Bedard's sticks before an optional practice in an effort to encourage the rookie to rest.
Heading into Year 2, Bedard says he has adjusted to a practice schedule that allows him to retain enough energy for the high intensity of NHL play.
"Now I'm here a few years, you kind of have your routine and stuff down and you know what you got to do to feel good," Bedard said. "When you kind of know what it would take for you to be feeling like that, and everything, I think that's a huge bonus."
Other things about playing for the Blackhawks have changed since last season. The team let players like Taylor Raddysh and MacKenzie Entwistle walk in free agency, then added veteran players like Patrick Maroon and Tyler Bertuzzi this summer.
"All the new guys have been great, and we brought a lot in, and it's fun to build some new relationships," Bedard said.
One of those additions to the roster is veteran winger Teuvo Teräväinen, a member of the Blackhawks' 2015 Stanley Cup-winning team who spent the last eight seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes before signing in Chicago this summer.
Since clicking in the preseason, Bedard and Teräväinen have become regular linemates and one of the Blackhawks' most effective offensive duos. Through ten games the Hawks have outscored opponents 5-4 when this top line is on the ice, a positive sign for a team that is as a whole getting outscored at 5v5.
"I think a lot of our chemistry is talking about what we've seen out there," Bedard said about skating with Teräväinen. "He plays the game at such a high level, and I feel like for me, kind of best part of my game is how I think the game. So we just re-up each other... it's been fun to grow that chemistry."
Teravainen clanked this one off the crossbar after Bedard shoveled it across with one hand while falling down 😳 pic.twitter.com/r0vij0J27X
After going 2-2-1 to start the 2024-25 season, the Blackhawks fell into a slump with four straight losses in the fourth week of October.
The team was outscored 17-9 over the span. Bedard was held without a goal despite putting six shots on net against his childhood team, the Vancouver Canucks. And despite Bedard finding the back of the net twice in a pair of back-to-back games the following weekend— one goal that gave the Hawks a 2-0 lead over the visiting Nashville Predators, and another that cut the host Dallas Stars' lead to 3-2— the Blackhawks lost both games.
On the ice, the Hawks looked like a different team from last season. The final scores were closer, and the losses felt more competitive. But on the scoresheet the Blackhawks headed into the 10-game benchmark with a 3-6-1 record, a lower mark than last season's 4-6-0 season-opening record.
"I think just sticking to what you know works," Bedard said about breaking out of the slump. "Obviously, we had a much slower start to our first few games than we would have liked to. I think the rest is just knowing what we do to be our best selves, and that goes on a personal level too. You've got to know what it takes for you to be playing your best. I always want to be getting better, having more of an impact on the game, and hopefully I can do that."
The Blackhawks got back in the win column on Monday with a 5-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche in Denver.
"We were on a little cold streak there... obviously, a happy plane after," Bedard said.
Navigating his second season in the NHL has involved more than Bedard adjusting to roster turnover. As lululemon's NHL ambassador, he has also served as the face of the brand's recent announcement of a multi-year partnership with Fanatics and the NHL.
The collaboration involves lululemon designing apparel for 11 teams including the Blackhawks this season, followed by a full 32-team lineup for the 2025-26 campaign, according to the brand. The products will be available through Fanatics, Lids stores and some NHL team shops.
Bedard, who signedan apparel deal with lululemon last June and inked a memorabilia deal with Fanatics earlier this month, went through product testing with the Vancouver-headquartered brand this summer ahead of the collaboration with the league, according to lululemon. He said his involvement in the campaign made him feel "a little bit" like a trendsetter.
"I know a lot of the guys on our team are always wearing the stuff," Bedard said.
His role as the league's brand ambassador involved posing for shots in a modeling campaign that also featured other NHL stars like the Toronto Maple Leafs' John Tavares and the Vegas Golden Knights' Mark Stone.
"It's definitely out of my comfort zone," Bedard laughed about modeling. "It was cool. It's good to do something that you're not used to, and you're not that comfortable with."
Connor Bedard for the new Lululemon x Fanatics collab in partnership with the NHL🤩 pic.twitter.com/FIv4q8Ivcx
Bedard finished his rookie season with 22 goals and 61 points despite being limited by injury to 68 games. The Blackhawks meanwhile finished the campaign a 23-53-6 mark and 52 points, good for 31st in the league.
The second-year forward could be on pace to beat his rookie production totals after recording three goals and six assists through ten games. The Blackhawks will be challenged similarly challenged to take a step forward from last year's record, starting with some wins this week during a West Coast road trip to visit the San Jose Sharks, Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks.
One matchup coming up over the next month has particular meaning for Bedard, a Vancouver local who was sidelined with a fractured jaw when the Blackhawks visited his hometown last season. The Hawks' Nov. 16 matchup against the Canucks will mark Bedard's first trip to Rogers Arena as an NHL player.
"I'm really excited just to play in front of friends and family," Bedard said. "I grew up going to games, watching the team I grew up cheering for. Excited to go home, and see everyone, and yeah, I'm looking forward to that one."
Bedard and the Blackhawks return to action on Thursday night with a road game against the 2-7-2 Sharks at 10:30 p.m. ET.
Jake Oettinger, Stars Agree to 8-Year, $66M Contract After Swayman, Ullmark Deals
Oct 17, 2024
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - OCTOBER 10: Jake Oettinger #29 of the Dallas Stars tends net against the Nashville Predators during an NHL game at Bridgestone Arena on October 10, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images)
The Dallas Stars have locked in starting goaltender Jake Oettinger for eight more seasons.
The Stars and Oettinger agreed on Thursday to an eight-year, $66 million extension that will keep him with the team through the 2032-33 season.
His $8.25 million AAV matches the contracts recently given to the Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman and Ottawa Senators' Linus Ullmark.
Oettinger was previously set to become a restricted free agent following the expiration of his current three-year, $12 million deal in 2025.
The netminder, who turns 26 in December, is in his fifth season with the Stars after being selected in the first round of the 2017 draft out of Boston University.
Oettinger became the Stars' first-string goaltender during the 2021-22 campaign. He has since marked 30 wins, and backstopped his team to the playoffs, in three straight seasons.
He made 54 appearances (53 starts) for the Stars in 2023-24, marking a .905 save percentage and 2.72 goals against average while helping Dallas finish the regular season at the top of the Central Division.
Oettinger capped off last season by helping the Stars to a second straight appearance in the Western Conference Finals. In the conference semifinals, he held the Colorado Avalanche to one goal in a 29-save double overtime Game 6 victory that sent the Stars on to the third round.
The goaltender inked his deal following a strong start to the 2024-25 season. He has so far marked a 3-0 record with a .948 save percentage and one blank sheet.
He heads into the new deal with an overall record of 116-48-23, including a career .914 save percentage and 11 career shutouts.
The contract is set to make Oettinger one of the five most highly-paid goaltenders in the NHL in terms of average annual value starting next season.
The Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy will earn a league-high AAV of $9.5 million AAV, while the Winnipeg Jets' Connor Hellebuyck ranks second with an annual salary of $8.5 million. Oettinger will tie the former Bruins tandem of Saros and Ullmark and the New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin for third place on the list.
The deal will allow Stars to avoid any conflict over Oettinger's next deal after watching the Bruins lose Swayman for the preseason amid contentious contract negotiations in Boston.
Instead, Dallas will be able to focus on making it back to the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2020. The team entered the season as favorites for a deep playoff run, with Oettinger backstopping a strong roster staffed by young stars including Miro Heiskanen, Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston and led by veterans like Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin.
Utah Hockey Club Wins NHL Debut vs. Blackhawks: Top Highlights and Fan Reaction
Oct 9, 2024
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 08: Dylan Guenther #11 of Utah Hockey Club celebrates his first period goal against the Chicago Blackhawks at Delta Center on October 08, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. This game is the first for the franchise in Utah following their relocation from Arizona. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Tuesday marked the start of a new era in the NHL.
The Utah Hockey Club made its debut against the Chicago Blackhawks at Delta Center, marking the beginning of the team's highly anticipated inaugural season.
Utah secured a 5-2 victory in its first game, racing out to a 3-0 lead that shrunk to 3-2 before Utah scored two goals in the final minute of the game to put it away.
The team, which is composed of players from the now-defunct Arizona Coyotes, is looking to make a splash in its first year in its new location. To help them do that, Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen participated in the inaugural puck drop.
The season started strong with Dylan Guenther scoring in the first period. The Utah Hockey Club added another in the first from captain Clayton Keller.
Teuvo Teravainen put the Blackhawks on the board in the second period, Nick Foligno then scored early in the third, shrinking Chicago's deficit to one.
However, Guenther scored his second goal of the game on an empty net with 42 seconds remaining in regulation to put a stop to the Chicago comeback, and Lawson Crouse added another goal 20 seconds later for good measure:
While the Utah Hockey Club will likely have a new name, jerseys and team colors in the near future, residents of Salt Lake City were nonetheless excited to bring a team to their city.
For years, Utah has had just one professional sports team in the Utah Jazz. Now residents of the mostly empty market have another team to cheer on, so they're likely going to bring the energy this year.
Prior to relocating to Utah, the Coyotes had missed the playoffs in four straight seasons and hadn't made it out of the first round since 2012.
That suggests Utah could have an uphill climb in terms of making a postseason run in its inaugural year as a franchise, but there is plenty of reason for optimism.
Young players such as Guenther, Hayton, Logan Cooley, Mattias Maccelli and Josh Doan will have a chance to come into their own in new surroundings, and Tuesday's opener proved that the Utah fanbase has already embraced them.
Now that Utah has its first win under its belt, it will look to turn it into a streak when it goes on the road to face the New York Islanders on Thursday.
Video: Nick Foligno Named Blackhawks' Captain; Gifted Jersey by His Children
Sep 18, 2024
CHICAGO, IL - APRIL 14: Nick Foligno #17 of the Chicago Blackhawks points to the crowd after a game against the Carolina Hurricanes at the United Center on April 14, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Chicago Blackhawks winger Nick Foligno, who was named the 35th captain in team history on Wednesday, received his first sweater stitched with a "C" from three special guests.
Foligno's children Milana, Landon and Hudson presented him with his new sweater during the Blackhawks' captaincy announcement.
The Foligno fam were the first to present new Hawks captain Nick Foligno with his new sweater featuring the “C” 🔥❤️
The Blackhawks acquired Foligno via trade in June 2023, then signed him to a two-year extension in January. He served as an alternate captain for the team during the 2023-24 season.
Originally selected in the first round of the 2006 draft by the Ottawa Senators, Foligno spent the first five seasons of his NHL career with the Sens before skating for eight full seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Foligno was named captain of the Blue Jackets following the 2014-15 season, earning the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2017. He held the leadership role for the majority of six seasons in Columbus until his 2021 deadline trade to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
After a brief stint with the Leafs, Foligno spent two seasons with the Boston Bruins prior to his trade to the Blackhawks.
He is the first player to wear the C for the Blackhawks since former Chicago leader Jonathan Toews stepped away from hockey following the 2022-23 season.
Foligno recorded 17 goals and 20 assists for 37 points in 40 games during his first season in Chicago.
The veteran winger, who turns 37 in October, is currently set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2025-26 season.
Should he decide to retire at the end of his current contract, all eyes would turn to reigning Calder Trophy winner Connor Bedard as the team's next potential leader. Bedard will be 20 at the end of Foligno's current deal, the same age Toews was when he had the C stitched on his sweater following the 2007-08 season.
Bedard will now have the opportunity to watch a veteran NHL captain lead the team next season in Foligno, who said when he was first traded to Chicago that he was excited to help mentor the 2023 first overall pick.
"I'm excited about giving him what I've learned," Foligno said told Sportsnet before Bedard's rookie 2023-24 season (h/t NBC Sports' Tori Rubinstein.) "I came into an incredible locker room in Ottawa with some of the leaders and people that I worked with, and feel very fortunate that I've been able to use that... There's so many young players that hopefully we can make a great impression on."
Foligno will now continue that mentorship work with the Blackhawks' young stars as he heads into his seventh season as an NHL captain this fall.
Utah Hockey Club Unveils Jerseys for 2024-25 NHL Season in Video, Photos
Sep 9, 2024
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 28: Cole Beaudoin is selected by the Utah Hockey Club with the 24th overall pick during the first round of the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Sphere on June 28, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
The Utah Hockey Club will make its NHL debut in the 2024-25 season. And now we officially know what digs they'll be wearing when they first hit the ice.
On Monday, the new team released images of the new home and away sweaters the team will be rocking in its maiden NHL season:
The Utah Hockey Club will be based in Salt Lake City and compete in the Central Division of the NHL's Western Conference.
The club made a number of big moves this offseason to fill out its initial roster, swinging trades to acquire defenseman Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino and drafting Tij Iginla and Cole Beaudoin in the first round of the NHL draft. The majority of the roster was filled by assuming the former roster of the Phoenix Coyotes, which suspended operations after the 2023-24 campaign.
Utah Hockey Club Debuts Full Uniforms for Inaugural NHL Season in New Photo
Sep 4, 2024
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 28: Cole Beaudoin poses for a portrait after being drafted by Utah Hockey Club with the 24th overall pick during the 2024 Upper Deck NHL Draft at Sphere on June 28, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Candice Ward/Getty Images)
NHL fans have received a first look at the Utah Hockey Club's inaugural uniforms.
The Hockey News' Sammi Silber shared a photo of Utah rookie Josh Doan wearing the uniform at the NHLPA Rookie Showcase in Washington, D.C.
The new Utah look wasn't the only jersey that made its debut at the rookie showcase, where trading card company Upper Deck takes official photos of select rookies for their 2024-25 cards.
Anaheim Ducks rookie Cutter Gauthier also displayed his team's new look, which mixes the club's historic Mighty Ducks logo with its modern orange color scheme.
Josh Doan and Cutter Gauthier showing off the new Utah and Ducks duds respectively at the NHLPA rookie showcase. pic.twitter.com/PjcdkUsr7h
The NHL's newest club began its relocation to Salt Lake City following the sale of the Arizona Coyotes in April.
The Utah Hockey Club announced the franchise's temporary name in June but stated that a permanent name would be chosen before the 2025-26 season.
Unlike the hockey club's name, the colors the franchise described as "rock black, salt white and mountain blue" will remain the team's official color scheme.
That means that even if the club adopts a new name and primary logo in 2025, Doan's rookie showcase look offers a good idea of what Utah players will be wearing going forward.
Brock Faber, Wild Agree to 8-Year, $68M Contract Extension Before 2024-25 NHL Season
Jul 29, 2024
ST PAUL, MINNESOTA - MARCH 30: Brock Faber #7 of the Minnesota Wild skates with the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period at Xcel Energy Center on March 30, 2024 in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
The Minnesota Wild and defenseman Brock Faber agreed to an eight-year contract extension worth $68 million, the team announced on Monday.
The extension begins before the 2025-26 season and runs through the 2032-33 season. Faber appeared in 82 games with the Wild during his 2023-24 campaign, becoming the fourth player in franchise history to earn a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team.
The 21-year-old also finished with the second-most votes for the Calder Memorial Trophy.
When Faber's extension kicks in, the $8.5 million average annual value will put him in a tie with Utah's Mikhail Sergachev at No. 13 among the highest-paid defensemen in the league (via Spotrac).
Faber served as the top defenseman for the Wild for most of the 2023-24 season, as Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon missed time due to respective leg and hip injuries. The Minnesota native finished with eight goals and 47 points to go along with 150 blocked shots.
Grew up in Minnesota rooting for the Wild. Played at the University of Minnesota. Got traded to the Wild. And has now signed an EIGHT year extension with his hometown team.
After Faber was selected in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Los Angeles Kings, he was dealt to the Wild in a June 22 trade that involved forward Kevin Fiala. The defenseman discussed his affinity for the team and his desire to stay with the organization on June 27.
"I'm a Minnesota kid, so, yes, I love it here but at the same time, I think we're fair on both sides and that's the goal," Faber said, per Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic. "I love it here and I'd do anything to bring a Stanley Cup here. That's the main goal for me. The contract's always going to work itself out here."
After missing the playoffs last season with a 39-34-9 record, Faber will look to help Minnesota return to the postseason with his future as a member of the organization secured.
Blackhawks' Connor Bedard, Gatorade Reveal Endorsement Contract in Epic Video
Jul 17, 2024
PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC - MAY 26: Connor Bedard of Canada in action during 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship Czechia Third Place Match between Sweden and Canada at Prague Arena on May 26, 2024 in Prague, Czech Republic. (Photo by Jari Pestelacci/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Connor Bedard is the face of the Chicago Blackhawks and, now, one of the faces of Gatorade Canada.
Gatorade revealed it signed the Blackhawks center to be part of its team with a video that showed off the youngster's shot:
"I'm proud to join the Gatorade family and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a team that helps fuel some of the best athletes in the world," Bedard said in a press release. "Like so many kids who grew up playing hockey, Gatorade has been a part of my journey from day one. Gatorade is committed to excellence and is passionate about sports at all levels—I am really looking forward to working together."
It comes as anything but a surprise that Gatorade entered into a partnership with Bedard.
After all, the rising star was the Calder Memorial Trophy winner as the NHL's top rookie while finishing with 61 points on 39 assists and 22 goals. He still has a ways to go to live up to the sky-high expectations that were put in place when the Blackhawks selected him with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2023 NHL draft, but it was quite the start to his career.
Fanatics also revealed in March he was the highest-selling jersey in the league for the 2023-24 campaign:
Bedard only figures to get better with more experience under his belt, and the next step will be leading the Blackhawks back into the playoff picture.
Gatorade surely believes he can do just that given its decision to add him to its roster of athletes.
NHL Rumors: Juuse Saros, Predators Agree to 8-Year, $7.7M AAV Contract Extension
Jun 28, 2024
VANCOUVER, BC - APRIL 30: Nashville Predators goaltender Juuse Saros (74) stops the puck during Game Five of the First Round of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs between the Nashville Predators and the Vancouver Canucks on April 30, 2024, at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. (Photo by Ethan Cairns/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Nashville Predators and goaltender Juuse Saros have agreed to an eight-year extension worth $7.74 million per year, according to The Athletic's Chris Johnston and Hunter Patterson.
Saros plans to sign the deal when he becomes extension-eligible on July 1, Johnston and Patterson reported.
The 29-year-old is currently signed through 2024-25. His new deal is set to keep him in Nashville through the 2033-34 campaign.
Saros has played nine seasons with the Predators, including three as their undisputed starter, since Nashville drafted him in 2013. He has led the NHL in starts, saves and shots against for the past two seasons.
Saros earned a 35-24-5 record through 64 starts for the Predators last season as he faced an NHL-high 1,845 shots against. He stopped 1,672 shots to mark a .906 save percentage and 2.86 goals-against average.
Those numbers, which marked a down year for a goaltender with a save percentage of .918 or above in each of the three seasons prior, still allowed Saros to backstop the Predators into the playoffs.
Nashville has every reason to hope Saros will bounce back in 2024-25. Since Pekka Rinne's retirement in 2021, he has been a consistently strong performer while taking on one of the heaviest goaltending workloads in the NHL.
No goaltender has made more than Saros' 194 regular-season starts over that span, over which the Predators netminder has averaged a .915 save percentage and 2.73 goals-against average.
Saros has accordingly finished top-six in Vezina Trophy voting in each of the past four seasons.
The goaltender's consistency and ability to stay healthy has been a central part of the reason the Predators have qualified for the playoffs in two of the last three seasons.
Although the term of the extension is somewhat a risk for the Predators, the Florida Panthers' Stanley Cup win in front of 35-year-old stalwart Sergei Bobrovsky proved the value of long-term deals for proven goaltenders.
Nashville now has its star trio of Saros, Filip Forsberg and Roman Josi signed through at least the 2027-28 season.
Having not made it past the first round since 2018, and last vying for a title during their 2017 run to the Stanley Cup Final, the Predators will now hope to retool into a contender around this core.
