After a long layoff for both teams, the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights opened the 2018 Stanley Cup Final with one of the most memorable Final games in history. For the first time ever in the championship round, a single game featured four different lead changes as the Golden Knights defeated the Capitals 6-4 to take a 1-0 series lead.

The puck dropped about 30 minutes after the originally scheduled start time due to the flashy Vegas pregame festivities. After Michael Buffer introduced both starting lineups, the Golden Knights were awarded the game’s first power play six minutes in. Vegas capitalized when Colin Miller blasted a shot from the point past Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby to give the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead at 7:15 of the opening frame.

Washington responded seven and a half minutes later when Brett Connolly deflected a shot past Vegas goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to tie the score 1-1. Just 42 seconds later, Niklas Backstrom was able to slide a backhander past Fleury to give the Capitals a 2-1 lead with 4:37 left in the opening period.

Vegas was able to tie to score before the period ended when William Karlsson sent a wrist shot past Holtby to make it 2-2 with 1:41 left in the first, then retook the lead when Reilly Smith scored his third goal of the playoffs to make it 3-2 Vegas at 3:21 into the second period. Washington tied the score again with a John Carlson goal at 8:29 of the second.

The score was knotted at 3-3 going into the final period of regulation. Just 1:10 into the third, Tom Wilson gave the Capitals a 4-3 lead with his fourth goal of the playoffs. Just 1:31 later, however, a questionable backcheck by Vegas’ Ryan Reaves on Capitals defensemen John Carlson left him all alone in front of the Washington net. The puck found him and he was able to sneak it past Holtby to tie the score at 4-4.

Seven minutes later, Vegas defensemen Shea Theodore made a quick play to keep the puck in the offensive zone and passed it to Tomas Nosek at the side of the net. Nosek one-timed it into the net to give Vegas a 5-4 lead with 10:56 left in regulation. After a half a period of frantic play on both sides of the ice, Nosek added an empty net goal to seal the victory for the Golden Knights.

The team that has won Game One of the Final ended up winning the Cup in each of the last six years. Game Two of the series will take place Wednesday night in Vegas at 7 pm Central Time and can be seen on NBCSN.

Raise your hand if you had the Washington Capitals against the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals.

Now put your hand down, liar.

In one of the most unexpected Finals matchups ever, an all-time great player faces off against an all-time great story.

Alexander Ovechkin, perhaps the greatest goal scorer of this generation, leads the Capitals into their first Finals appearance in 20 years. On the other side, the Golden Knights are making their first Finals appearance in franchise history. Oh, it’s also their first SEASON in franchise history.

That’s right, after not having a team just 365 days ago, Vegas is playing on hockey’s biggest stage for its ultimate prize….the Stanley Cup.

Let’s look at how both teams got here.

Washington Capitals

It wasn’t an easy road for the Capitals. After falling behind 2-0 in their first round series to the Columbus Blue Jackets, Washington made a goaltending change when they benched Philip Grubauer in favor of more seasoned Braden Holtby. In a must win game three on the road, the Capitals won a double overtime thriller and never looked back. They ended up winning the next three games to advance to the next round. After defeating one of their biggest rivals, the Pittsburgh Penguins, in six games in the second round, they needed seven games to knock off the Tampa Bay Lightning to punch their tickets to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance since 1998.

Vegas Golden Knights

The Golden Knights have taken the sports world by storm since their first ever game back in October. They finished the regular season with a 51-24-7 record and won the Pacific Division title.

They began the playoffs with a sweep over the Los Angeles Kings in the first round, then dispatched the San Jose Sharks in six games in the second round. After dropping game one of the third round on the road, the Knights won the next four to shock the Winnipeg Jets and the rest of the hockey world to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals.

My prediction

It has been eight days since the Golden Knights last played, but they’ve shown time after time that long layoffs don’t affect them very much. Their record in these playoffs is an impressive 12-3. Everybody expected them to come back down to earth ever since the season started, and it still hasn’t happened.

Their main strength is their goaltending, as Marc-Andre Fleury is having a legendary season. He has a .947 save percentage and a 1.68 goals against average, cementing himself as the front runner for the Conn Smythe Trophy for playoff MVP. Vegas’ top line of Jonathan Marchessault, William Karlsson and Reilly Smith have powered the team forward all season long, and if they continue their scoring ways they will be in great shape.

The Golden Knights might have the advantage in goaltending, but the Capitals have the slight advantage in scoring depth and star power. Ovechkin has long been criticized for his lack of meaningful wins, but this postseason has done a lot to get rid of that reputation. If he can add a Stanley Cup to his resume, he can finally be considered amongst the all-time greats of the game.

Of course, the Capitals aren’t a one man show, and players like Evgeny Kuznetsov, Niklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie have helped carry Washington to this point.

I feel that the power play will be a big part of the final outcome of this series. The Capitals have a 28.8 percent conversation rate on the man-advantage, while the Golden Knights have a 17.6 percent conversation rate. Vegas especially will need to stay out of the box in order to have the best chance to win this series.

In the end, I’m going with the Capitals in six games.

On New Year’s Day, the UCF Knights defeated the Auburn Tigers 34-27 in the Peach Bowl. The win ensured the Knights will be the only Division I college football team to finish the season undefeated, posting a 13-0 record.

UCF has been one of the best stories of this college football season. Just two years ago, they finished the 2015 season with a winless record of 0-12. Now they are undefeated and considered one of the best teams in the country. 51 players on their roster experienced both a winless and a perfect season.

But even though their season is over, UCF’s story isn’t over just yet.

Since the Peach Bowl victory, the UCF team, fans and school administration have continuously referred to themselves as “National Champions.” The UCF football team’s Twitter page header has “2017 National Champions” on it. The school’s athletic director has stated that the football program is claiming a National Championship for the 2017 season, despite not getting into the college football playoff or the national championship game. UCF will hang a national championship banner in their stadium and hold a parade for the team on Sunday.

The move has divided the college football community, with some praising UCF’s actions as a fair reward for their spectacular season, while others are criticizing the move as UCF plays in a non-power conference and are undeserving of the title for a number of reasons.

One reason is their strength of schedule. According to ESPN’s RPI rankings, UCF’s strength of schedule ranks 77th in the nation. Their only win against a ranked team before the Auburn game was against Memphis.

However, claiming an unofficial National Championship is not an unprecedented move in college football. Before the BCS was created in 1998 to help determine one universal national champion, most seasons had more than one team crowned as the national champion. Scott Frost, who was UCF’s head coach this past season, was the quarterback of the 1997 Nebraska team that was declared co-National Champions that season with Michigan. Many programs still acknowledge unnoficial national championships. Alabama recognizes their 1941 team as national champions despite finishing that season 9-2 and ranked 20th in the final AP poll.

We’ll never know if the 2017 UCF team could be able to beat the likes of Georgia or Alabama in the playoff for the national championship. But we shouldn’t lose sight of what this national championship campaign by UCF is trying to accomplish.

Many college football fans are still heavily critical of the current four team playoff format. Many people think a four team playoff is not big enough to crown a true champion, as many worthy teams get left out. Also, the new format puts the highest ranked team from a non-power conference in one of the six major “New Years Six” bowl games. This system makes it virtually impossible for a small school like UCF to make it into the four team playoff.

The national championship campaign by UCF is not just a way to reward the team for their hard work this season. It’s an effort to bring attention to the current playoff format and how hard it makes teams like UCF have a shot at competing for a legitimate national championship, and an attempt to change the format to make sure small schools have a fairer chance at making the playoff. UCF is standing up for the little guy and attempting to change the current system so small teams won’t face the same dilemma they are currently facing.

There isn’t any indication that the playoff will expand to six or eight teams in the near future. But the issue is being raised more and more, which is exactly what teams like UCF want.

The NFL playoffs begin this weekend with the Wild Card Round. This was truly an unusual year in the NFL and things didn’t go according to plan for some teams. Playoff regulars like the Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks didn’t make the 12 team playoff field, replaced by teams like the Los Angeles Rams (first playoff appearance since 2004), Buffalo Bills (first appearance since 1999), Tennessee Titans (first appearance since 2008), and Jacksonville Jaguars (first appearance since 2007). Let’s dive in and look at some of the matches.

AFC Wild Card: Tennessee Titans vs. Kansas City Chiefs – Saturday at 3:30 pm Central Time on ABC

This is probably the least exciting matchup of the weekend. The most intriguing aspect of it won’t be on the field, but in the announcers booth as Jon Gruden is scheduled to call the game for ABC/ESPN while reports of him becoming the new head coach of the Oakland Raiders spread like wildfire. It will be interesting to see how Gruden/ESPN approach the entire situation.

As far as the game itself, I expect the Chiefs to take advantage of the home field advantage they will have Saturday afternoon. The Chiefs started the year as the best team in the league, starting off 5-0 including winning at New English on opening night. They stumbled during the middle of the season, but have seemed to regain their footing by finishing the regular season with four straight wins. Quarterback Alex Smith leads the league in total QBR with a rating of 104.7, and the Chiefs offense also features super rookie Kareem Hunt, the NFL’s rushing leader. The Titans have some young and talented playmakers on their offense, and should be a force in the league for years to come. For now however, I expect the more experienced Chiefs to take care of business on Saturday.

My prediction: Chiefs win 21-10

NFC Wild Card: Atlanta Falcons vs. Los Angeles Rams – Saturday at 7:15 pm Central Time on NBC

Two high powered offenses will face off in this matchup. Reigning NFL MVP Matt Ryan leads the Falcons back into the playoffs looking to redeem themselves after their collapse in the Super Bowl last season against the New England Patriots. The Rams are led by second year quarterback Jared Goff and running back Todd Gurley, a candidate for this year’s MVP Award. I give the edge in this matchup to LA. The Falcons have played inconsistent throughout the season, and the Rams defense is for real.

My prediction: Rams win 28-20

AFC Wild Card: Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars – Sunday at Noon Central Time on CBS

You read that right. The Bills and Jaguars are playing a game against each other. In the playoffs. In 2018. Nobody saw that coming at the beginning of the year.

After barely squeaking into the playoffs at literally the last possible second, quarterback Tyrod Taylor and the Bills will have to solve the Jaguars tough defense, which has given opponents fits all season. The Jags also have quarterback Blake Bortles and rookie running back Leonard Fournette to cause damage on the offensive side of the ball.

My prediction: Jaguars win 21-7

NFC Wild Card: Carolina Panthers vs. New Orleans Saints – Sunday at 3:30 pm Central Time on FOX

This should be the best game of the weekend. Two 11-5 division rivals who have played each other twice this season. New Orleans won both of the earlier matchups and will have home field advantage on Sunday. Drew Brees is second in the league in QBR with a rating of 103.9, and running back Mark Ingram is fifth in the league in rushing yards on the season. I think the tough New Orleans defense will frustrate Carolina quarterback Cam Newton all afternoon.

My prediction: Saints win 28-7

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors will most likely meet each other in the NBA Finals this upcoming June. You know it. I know it. Even NBA Hall of Famer and current TNT analyst Charles Barkley knows it.

In a recent interview with NBA reporter Marc Stein, Barkley said “The toughest thing for me is I have to get on tv and fake it for the next seven months that it’s not going to be the Warriors and the Cavs in the Finals again.”

It’s hard to disagree with him. The Warriors and Cavs once again have the deepest rosters in the NBA and are led by superstars such as Kevin Durant and Steph Curry for the Warriors and Lebron James and Kevin Love for the Cavs.

The biggest threat to another Cavs-Warriors Finals rematch appears to be the Boston Celtics, who acquired free agent forward Gordon Hayward and traded with the Cavs for superstar point guard Kyrie Irving during the summer. The Celtics met the Cavs in last year’s Eastern Conference championship and were severely outmatched and eliminated in five games. Boston fans (and a lot of NBA fans) are hoping that these new additions will help the Celtics knock off the Cavs and claim the East title.

During the summer, it was reported that Lebron James wasn’t satisfied with what the Cavs had done during the offseason to improve the team after they lost in five games to the Warriors in the Finals. This led to speculation that Lebron would leave Cleveland for a second time and sign elsewhere as a free agent when his contract expires after this season. This motivated the Cavs to go out and improve the depth of their roster, adding veteran free agent players like Derrick Rose and Dwayne Wade. The Cavs also acquired all-star point guard Isaiah Thomas along with small forward Jae Crowder from the Celtics in the Kyrie Irving trade. Knocking off the Cavs in the East playoffs is now going to be harder than ever.

The Warriors have a firm grasp of dominance over the West, although several Western Conference teams added a few players that should improve their teams and make the West playoffs a little more interesting, like the Houston Rockets adding all-star point guard Chris Paul and the Oklahoma City Thunder adding all-star forwards Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. Although these additions make these respective teams better, it still isn’t enough to overcome the Warriors incredible roster that includes Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

While the NBA regular season might include some interesting moments and storylines, but it won’t matter in the end. Expect to see the same old story in June when the Warriors and Cavs meet again in the NBA Finals.

Now that NHL free agency is calming down and we’re getting deeper into the dog days of summer, let’s take a moment to review all of the offseason moves made by the Chicago Blackhawks so far.

Trades

It’s been an incredibly busy summer for Stan Bowman and company. After one of the worst playoff losses in franchise history, Bowman said that changes were coming. He’s been true to his word, and just a week after the Hawks were eliminated from the playoffs by the Nashville Predators, backup goalie Scott Darling was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for a 2017 third round draft pick. Darling was set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and the Hawks weren’t in a position to give him a new contract with a pay raise. They moved him for a draft pick instead of letting him walk for nothing, which was the right move.

The Hawks them lost defenseman Trevor Van Riemsdyk to the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL Expansion Draft. Van Riemsdyk played three years with the Hawks and mostly served as a bottom pair defenseman.

In June, the Blackhawks hosted the 2017 NHL Draft at the United Center in Chicago. On the morning of the first round of the draft, the Hawks made a number of shocking moves. The first trade they made that day was sending longtime defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson to the Arizona Coyotes for defenseman Connor Murphy and centre Laurent Dauphin. Murphy was a first round draft pick by the Coyotes in 2011 and plays a similar game to how Hjalmarsson plays. He will attempt to replace Hjalmarsson on the Hawks’ blue line. However, Hjalmarsson is one of the best defensive defenseman in the entire NHL, and Murphy is still unproven. It’s a big gamble to take, but Bowman has thought very highly of Murphy since their time together at USA Hockey. Dauphin was a third round pick from the Coyotes in 2013, and could be a potential bottom six depth forward for the Hawks in the future.

While Hawks fans were still trying to process this trade, another even more shocking trade made by the Hawks happened just minutes later. In this trade, the Blackhawks sent forward Artemi Panarin, forward Tyler Motte, and a 2017 sixth round draft pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Brandon Saad, goaltender Anton Forsberg and a 2018 fifth round draft pick. There was a lot to process in this trade. Panarin was an unbelievably good player during his two year stay in Chicago, winning the rookie of the year award after the 2015-16 season. He recorded over 70 points each season and became a fan favorite playing on a line beside Artem Anisimov and Patrick Kane. However, Panarin has been criticized for being too much of a one-dimensional player, and didn’t contribute very much during the Hawks’ first round playoff exits the past two seasons. Saad, on the other hand, is a dynamic winger who can score, forecheck, and contribute on the power play and penalty kill. Saad helped the Hawks win two Stanley Cups before he was traded to Columbus when the Hawks couldn’t afford to give him a new contract. After Saad was traded away, the Hawks had a tough time trying to fill his role on the first line left wing beside Jonathan Toews. Toews’ production has dipped since Saad left, and the Hawks hope the return of Saad will bring Toews back to his old self.

Forsberg has been a career minor league goalie since turning professional, and could potentially compete for the Blackhawks’ backup goalie spot behind Corey Crawford.

Although there are several reasons these trades happened from a hockey standpoint, contractual and financial reasons also played a part. Both Hjalmarsson and Panarin are signed through 2019. They are then set to become unrestricted free agents. It is hard to imagine the Hawks being able to sign both of those guys to new contracts based on the high salaries the Hawks are committing to other players on the team. Saad and Murphy are signed through 2021 and 2022, respectively. They are also younger players than Hjalmarsson and Panarin are. By trading Hjalmarsson and Panarin for younger players with longer contracts, the Hawks are hoping to extend their championship window beyond what it would have been had Hjalmarsson and Panarin remained on the team.

On July 2nd, the Hawks traded centre Marcus Kruger to the Vegas Golden Knights for future considerations. Kruger helped the Hawks win two Stanley Cup championships during his time with the team and played an integral role as a bottom six centre and penalty killer. However, Kruger’s cap hit of a little over $3 million became too much for the Hawks to afford, and the Hawks shipped him off to Vegas.

Free Agent Signings

The NHL free agency period began on Saturday, July 1st. The Hawks made a big splash early by signing winger Patrick Sharp to a one year contract. Sharp played for the Hawks from 2005-2015 and helped the Hawks win three Stanley Cup championships. He became a fan favorite during his time with the Hawks, and the news he was coming back made a lot of Hawks fans happy. However, there are some who believe Sharp’s best days are behind him. He’s older now, and he struggled with a number of injuries last season. The Hawks are hoping Sharp can provide a veteran presence for a younger locker room while also serving as a reliable depth player. The Hawks also signed free agent forwards Lance Bouma and Tommy Wingels to one year contracts. Both will be looked upon to serve as depth players in the bottom six forward group. Bouma previously played for the Calgary Flames, where he played a number of roles. He can play both the centre and winger positions and scored a career high 34 points three seasons ago. Wingels is a Chicago native, and took a discount to play for his hometown team. He previously played for the San Jose Sharks and the Ottawa Senators, and helped the Sharks reach the 2016 Stanley Cup Final and the Senators reach the conference final round last season.

The Hawks also signed free agent goaltender Jean-Francois Berube to a two year contract. Berube previously played for the Los Angeles Kings and New York Islanders, mostly serving as a backup. He is expected to compete with Forsberg for the Hawks’ backup goalie roster spot.

Marian Hossa

The most shocking offseason news for Blackhawks fans came on June 21 when it was announced that forward Marian Hossa will miss the entirety of the upcoming 2017-18 season due to a progressive skin disorder he has been receiving treatment for. The disorder has progressed to the point where Hossa might have to retire for the betterment of his health. This is a huge blow for the Blackhawks, as Hossa has proven himself to be one of the best players in the league. Despite his age, Hossa has been one of the most reliable top six forwards the Hawks have had since he came to Chicago in 2009. He helped the Hawks win three Stanley Cup championships and is considered a future first-ballot hall of famer. The Hawks will miss his veteran leadership in the locker room and his physical presence on the ice. Part of the reason the Hawks re-acquired Saad is to fill the physicality void that Hossa leaves.

Many people are calling this Blackhawks offseason the most dramatic the franchise has had since 2010. A lot of uncertainty still surrounds the roster, but one thing that is certain is next year’s Hawks team will look dramatically different than the one that won 50 games last season.

Last week was truly a horrible week for football. All four games ended up being blowouts and not entertaining at all. Hopefully this week will be better with some more quality matchups.

AFC Playoffs

Houston Texans vs. New England Patriots

Saturday at 7:15 pm on CBS

There’s nothing really to say about this matchup.

My Prediction: Patriots win 35-7

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs

Sunday at Noon on NBC

This should be a good game. The Steelers looked dominant in their win against the Dolphins last week, and the Chiefs have consistently looked like one of the best teams in the AFC all year. The key matchup here is how effective Antonio Brown will be against the Chiefs’ secondary. If he’s able to make some big plays, the Steelers will be in good shape.

My Prediction: Steelers win 24-21

NFC Playoffs

Seattle Seahawks vs. Atlanta Falcons

Saturday at 3:30 pm on FOX

This is another intriguing game. The Seahawks have been the team that turns it up a few notches in the postseason the past couple of years. They certainly looked good against the Lions last weekend. But they face a much tougher team in the Atlanta Falcons this week on the road. The Falcons are coached by former Seahawks defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, who will be looking to knock his former team out of the playoffs. Matt Ryan will be looking to quiet the critics who say he can’t win in the playoffs.

My Prediction: Falcons win 30-27

Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys

Sunday at 3:30 pm on FOX

The Cowboys beat the Packers in Green Bay earlier this season. The Packers have won seven straight games, and Aaron Rodgers has looked like the MVP of the NFL during the streak. But the Cowboys have looked like arguably the best team in the league all season behind superstar rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot. If the Cowboys can get a big game out of Elliot, they’ll be in good shape. They Cowboys will also be getting some key players returning from injury on the defensive side of the ball, including cornerback Morris Claiborne.

My Prediction: Cowboys win 31-28

Lets hope this weekend will be better than last week, or else Meryl Streep will be right.

Well, we’re here. After the Bears played sixteen games this season and won only three, they will miss the NFL Playoffs for the sixth straight year. Shockingly, the playoffs will continue without them. Here’s a quick preview of the games that will be happening this weekend.

AFC Playoffs

Raiders vs. Texans

Saturday at 3:30 pm CT on ABC

This game is going to be garbage. Both teams are on their backup quarterbacks and whoever turns the ball over three times instead of four will end up winning the game. The Raiders have the second best record in the AFC, but they’ve looked totally inept the last few weeks of the season and the loss of quarterback Derek Carr has only made things worse. The Texans are injured still can’t figured out their quarterback situation. This truly is a toss up.

Prediction: Texans win 10-6

Dolphins vs. Steelers

Sunday at Noon CT on CBS

This game also isn’t a very good matchup. The Dolphins are on their second string quarterback, while the Steelers are experienced and just look like a better team.

Prediction: Steelers win 28-7

NFC Playoffs

Lions vs. Seahawks

Saturday at 7:15 pm on NBC

The Lions are limping into the playoffs having lost their last three games of the regular season. The Seahawks, usually dominant during this time of year, are 3-3 in their last six games. Seattle’s defense and 12th man should be too much for the Lions.

Prediction: Seahawks win 31-10

Giants vs. Packers

Sunday at 3:30 pm on FOX

This is by far the best game of the weekend. Two of the hottest teams in the NFL meet up at historic Lambeau Field. The Giants have a history of winning big playoff games in Lambeau in recent years, but Aaron Rodgers has looked incredible during the Packers’ current win streak.

Prediction: Giants win 28-21

It was an unusually long offseason for the Chicago Blackhawks. After a first round playoff exit at the hands of the St. Louis Blues back in April, the Blackhawks were left with a longer rest period then they are accustomed to. Some believe the extra rest will be good for the Hawks, who have played more hockey in the past four years than any team ever has during a four year span. Others believe it is the beginning of a possible decline for the  Hawks due to the dreaded NHL Salary Cap.

During the NHL offseason, the Blackhawks had their annual salary cap crunch. On June 15th, the Hawks traded forwards Bryan Bickell and Teuvo Teräväinen to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for a 2016 2nd round draft pick and a 2017 3rd round draft pick. The move was made purely to move Bickell’s ludicrous cap hit of $4 million off of the Blackhawks’ salary books, and although it succeeded in doing that, it cost the Blackhawks a young and promising forward in Teräväinen. A week later at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, the Blackhawks traded versatile forward Andrew Shaw to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for two 2nd round draft picks in the 2016 Draft. Shaw was a fan favorite in Chicago, and used his agitating style of play and net-front presence to become a key contributor on the Hawks’ Stanley Cup teams in 2013 and 2015. The Blackhawks are going to miss his personality on the ice as well as in the locker room.

The Blackhawks worked to limit the blows of those departing players by adding new, similar players.

Four days after the Hawks traded Bickell and Teuvo, they signed 2014 1st round pick Nick Schmaltz. Last season, Schmaltz scored 46 points in 37 games as a sophomore at the University of North Dakota, helping the Fighting Hawks win the 2016 NCAA ice hockey national championship. Like Teuvo, Schmaltz is a versatile forward who can play both center and wing anywhere in the top six or bottom six forward groups. It will take Schmaltz some time to adjust to the speed and rigors of the NHL, but the Hawks are hoping he will be an effective replacement to Teuvo.

The Hawks also signed forward Jordin Tootoo to a one year, $750,000 contract. The Hawks will look upon Tootoo to duplicate Shaw’s agitating style of play on the fourth line this season.

The Achilles heel of the Blackhawks last season was their inconsistent scoring lines and their lack of defensive depth. Throughout last season, the bottom defensive pairing was a revolving door that was frequented by Michael Rozsival, Trevor Daley, Rob Scuderi, Erik Gustafsson, and Viktor Svedberg. The Hawks wanted to find a defenseman that can solidify the bottom pairing.

On July 1st, they signed free agent defenseman Brian Campbell to a one year, $1.5 million contract. Campbell previously played with the Hawks from 2008-2011 and was a part of the Hawks’ Stanley Cup team in 2010. Campbell is a solid defenseman who has good puck moving skills and the ability to make the transition plays the Hawks were unable to make last season.

The Hawks also signed 26-year-old Michal Kempny to a free agent contract. The defenseman from the Czech Republic had a solid season last year in the KHL and uses his strong frame to break up opposing rushes. He’s also not afraid to lay big hits on opposing players.

During Training Camp, Blackhawk fans were formally introduced to 20-year-old Swedish defenseman Gustav Forsling. The Hawks acquired Forsling in a trade with the Vancouver Canucks back in January 2015 that sent Adam Clendening to the Canucks. Forsling impressed the Blackhawk coaches enough during training camp and six preseason games to earn a roster spot on opening night. Forsling is a fast skating defenseman who is a good puck handler and can also chip in offensively.

With the additions of Campbell, Kempny and Forsling, the Hawks should have a much improved defensive unit. The performance of the new forward additions along with how balanced each line is scoring wise will determine how successful this season will be for the Blackhawks.

The Hawks have six rookies on their opening night roster; Nick Schmaltz, Tyler Motte, Vince Hinostroza, Ryan Hartman, Gustav Forsling, and Michal Kempny. How Schmaltz, Motte, Hinostroza and Hartman contribute offensively will be a major key to the Hawks’ success. Head coach Joel Quenneville has been known to be impatient with younger players, and if any of them fail to meet expectations, they will find themselves in Rockford playing in the minors before they know it.

Last season, the Hawks were powered by their second line of Artemi Panarin, Artem Anisimov and Patrick Kane. Most of the Hawks’ scoring came from that line. If they want to be successful this season, that can’t happen again. The Hawks need consistent scoring from all four forward lines in order to compete for a playoff spot. Expect Quenneville to be creative with his forward groupings early on to see who fits where.

The Blackhawks missed out on trading for former #1 overall pick Nail Yakupov, so for now they have to make due with the forward group they have. If the Hawks get off to a good start in the regular season, expect the roster to remain relatively untouched. However, if they struggle out of the gate, major changes could be made.

For now, the Hawks are hoping to catch lightning in a bottle and compete for their fourth Stanley Cup championship in eight years.

When the final second ticked off the clock at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday afternoon, it didn’t seem real.

Team Europe absolutely dominated Team USA on their way to a 3-0 victory in the opening game of the 2016 World Cup of Hockey in Toronto. Europe scored first less than two minutes into the game and never looked back. Team Europe looked faster, more skilled, and more motivated than the Americans, who were supposed to dominate their way to a 1-0 record entering their Tuesday night matchup with Team Canada.

Group A of the tournament consists of Canada, USA, Europe, and the Czech Republic. It was basically constructed so Canada and USA are the two teams that make it out of the Group and into the playoff round. But now, unless USA wins their last two games of group play (including the game against Canada), that might not happen.

Team USA is in a tough spot, a spot that they put themselves in.

USA looked uninterested and uninspired during the game, and that falls on the players and coaching staff. Many were critical when John Tortarella was hired to be the head coach the USA team instead of a coach with more recent success, like Dan Bylsma or Peter Laviolette. Tortarella’s hard nosed style of coaching worked in the past (including a Cup win with the Lightning in 2004), but hasn’t resulted in the same success in recent years. After the game yesterday, many criticized Tortarella’s decision to keep goaltender Jonathan Quick in the game when USA started to fall behind big, and his decision to make defenseman Dustin Byfuglien a healthy scratch.

The criticism isn’t just with the players and coaches, but USA Hockey management and the way they constructed the team. Instead of selecting the most skilled American born players, which is normal for a best-on-best tournament, USA Hockey assembled a team with a clear top 6 and bottom 6 forward group, leaving off top scorers like Phil Kessel and Kyle Okposo in favor of more “gritty” players like Justin Abdelkader and Brandon Dubinsky. Yesterday, Team USA looked no match for a Team Europe with a roster full of skilled players.

Despite being favored to make the playoff round, Team USA might end up missing the playoff round all together. And they have no one to blame but themselves.