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CHICAGO -- Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville wasn’t pleased with forward Bryan Bickell after a shift during the third period Tuesday, and Bickell heard all about it when he returned to the bench.

Bickell sat there and accepted the criticism. He knew he’d get another chance on the ice and planned to redeem himself.

“I know Q wasn’t happy with me on one shift in the third and gave me a little wrist slap, but he threw me back out there,” Bickell said. “He has confidence in our line and knows what we can do.”

Bickell and the third line rewarded that confidence by putting together the game-winning goal, which was finished by Bickell, to defeat the Minnesota Wild 2-1 in overtime in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series.

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Here's what you need to know about the Chicago Blackhawks' first-round opponent, the Minnesota Wild:

• The Wild sputtered into the playoffs. They went 5-8-1 and were outscored 41-25 in April. They scored more than two goals just twice in the month, were shut out three times and allowed four or more goals five times. They fought off the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final playoff spot by winning two of their final three games. In between their two wins, the Wild lost 6-1 to the Edmonton Oilers.
  
  
• The Wild haven't appeared in the playoffs since the 2007-08 season. This will be their fourth playoff appearance in franchise history. They haven't advanced past the first round since the 2002-03 season.
  
  
• Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom has been as inconsistent as his team. He was pulled from three games in April. He's allowed three or more goals in seven of his last 14 games. But he also held the Los Angeles Kings and Colorado Avalanche to one goal in two of his past three starts to help secure the playoff spot. He's been just as up-and-down against the Blackhawks this season. He replaced starting goaltender Josh Harding in the first period of the Wild's first meeting with the Blackhawks, and he stopped all 28 shots he faced in leading the Wild to a 3-2 shootout win. In their second game, Backstrom allowed four first-period goals and was pulled. In the final game of the series, he stopped 30 of 31 shots and the Wild lost, 1-0. He was 24-15-3 with a 2.48 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage on the season.
  
  
• The Wild are in the middle of the pack in most categories. They rank tied for 22nd in goals per game at 2.46, tied for 15th in goals-against per game at 2.60, 16th in power-play percentage at 17.9 and 18th in penalty-kill percentage at 80.7.
  
  
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  Hannah Foslien/Getty ImagesJonathan Toews was second in the league in faceoffs won this season, a stat the Hawks need him to replicate in the playoffs.
• One of the Wild's greatest strengths is their faceoff ability. They ranked third in the league with a 52.4 faceoff percentage. The Blackhawks and Wild were nearly even in faceoffs in their three games this season. The Blackhawks won 92 faceoffs, and the Wild won 89. Both teams have two players ranked among the top 25 in faceoff leaders.
  
  
• The Wild's offseason acquisitions of forward Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter -- two players the Blackhawks went after -- paid off this season. Parise led the Wild with 18 goals and 38 points. Suter had a team-high 28 assists and was third on the team with 32 points. The two players weren't at their best in April, however, when they combined for four goals and eight assists, after combining for 10 goals and 22 assists in March.
  
  
• Two of the three games between the Blackhawks and Wild this season were decided by one goal. The Blackhawks won 1-0 in regulation and the Wild won 3-2 in a shootout. Both teams excelled in close games all season. The Blackhawks were 19-3-5 with a .704 winning percentage in one-goal games, and the Wild were 13-5-3 with a .619 winning percentage. The Blackhawks ranked second in the league, and the Wild were sixth.
  
  
• Rookies Charlie Coyle, a 21-year-old forward, and Jonas Brodin, a 19-year-old defenseman, have been key to the Wild's success this season. Coyle has 14 points on the season and had four goals and three assists in April. Brodin is in the running for the Calder Memorial Trophy. He has two goals, nine assists, a plus-three rating, 60 blocked shots and 18 takeaways on the season.
  
  
• Forward Jason Pominville, who was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres at the trade deadline, helped the Wild in their playoff push. He had four goals and five assists in 10 games since being acquired. He is considered day-to-day after taking an elbow in the face recently.
  
  
• The Blackhawks and Wild made a trade in February 2010 that sent Kim Johnsson and the rights to Nick Leddy to the Blackhawks and defenseman Cam Barker to the Wild. Johnsson played eight games for the Blackhawks and was a free agent after the season. The 22-year-old Leddy has played in 176 games for the Blackhawks in the past three seasons. Barker finished the 2009-2010 season with the Wild and also played the 2010-2011 season with them before being bought out of his contract. He had 12 points in 71 games for the Wild.

The Blackhawks shouldn't feel too bad in losing out in the Zach Parise/Ryan Suter sweepstakes. After all, the Nashville Predators lost a key player in the deal and the Detroit Red Wings weren't able to acquire either one of the stars. Suter would have at least been a nice replacement for Niklas Lidstrom, who is retiring.

So who's worse off? Not the Hawks. And they gain in the division by subtraction.

It's simply not fair to say "Stan Bowman can't get it done" solely based on the two players signing in Minnesota, where Parise is from. Other teams offered more money -- more money in terms of cap space than the Hawks even have -- and still Suter and Parise went to Minnesota. They wanted to play together and they wanted to play near home -- Suter is from Madison, Wisc. -- and they were able to accomplish both. It remains to be seen if the Hawks could have pulled off something similar, but massive changes to the roster would have been coming if the duo came to Chicago instead.

Looking at the glass half-full the Hawks still don't have to do much heavy lifting this summer if they choose not to or are unable to. As has been well documented they have a full squad, one which can compete, and if things like special teams and goalie play improve --- then they might actually surprise some fans. Those two aspects getting better isn't wishful thinking -- necessarily. There is no guarantee but the Hawks can make the case they can be better than a year ago by staying the course. It doesn't mean you don't try to improve and that's what the Hawks attempted in recent days, in some big ways.

Martin Brodeur was offered a two-year deal, Suter and Parise were extended huge offers, but nothing came to fruition. These were long shot plays -- did anyone really think Brodeur was going to leave New Jersey after two decades? The point is you turn over every stone and if you come up short you can at least say you gave it your best shot.

Now, it's not completely unfair to ask why Chicago isn't the destination the Hawks might think it should be. And did the recent front office dysfunction play a part or did whispers about Joel Quenneville's job security trickle down to Suter or Parise? That would be a problem. But there is no indication that was the case, not that those players would admit to such. As is, when you're committing to 13 years you're probably not thinking the same coach is going to be there the whole time anyway.

So at the end of your holiday, ask this question: Would you rather be the Hawks today or the Predators or Red Wings? The answer doesn't get you a Stanley Cup but at least it should make you feel better on a day when only one fan base is ecstatic while others are left wondering ‘now what?'

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman confirmed Wednesday that his team made offers to high-profile free agents Ryan Suter, Zach Parise and Martin Brodeur before missing out on all three.

Suter and Parise signed with the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday morning, turning down offers from multiple teams, including the Hawks.

Read the entire story.

Call it a Wild day for Minnesota: On Wednesday, the team landed not one but both of the NHL's top players available in free agency: forward Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter.



Sources told ESPN.com's Pierre LeBrun that both deals are worth $98 million over 13 years.



"WE GOT 'EM!" the Wild announced on their Twitter account early Wednesday afternoon.

Read the entire story.

CHICAGO -- Day 2 of NHL free agency brought plenty of rumors but little action -- at least when it comes to the big names who might be switching teams. The Blackhawks didn’t sign any of them but -- save for New Jersey, who re-signed goalie Martin Brodeur -- neither did anyone else. Which means there remains a chance for the Hawks to make a big acquisition before it’s all said and done.

New Jersey star and captain Zach Parise is the latest name to be linked with the Hawks, but as of Monday he decided to hold off on making a decision on where he will play for the foreseeable future.

"I'm getting closer but haven't made a decision. I haven't set any deadlines,” he said in Toronto on Monday afternoon.

So the waiting game continues for him and the other prize unrestricted free agent, Ryan Suter. Between the Predators defenseman, Brodeur and now Parise, the Hawks have seemingly been linked to all the big names.
So what’s going on with the team from West Madison Street? Give them credit, they aren’t letting a player slip by them that could help improve their team. At least not without trying.

Suter was the common name linked to the Hawks as free agency opened but the mutual interest faded quickly, either because of contractual concerns or some other unknown reason. At the same time that Suter was being wooed by teams, Brodeur quickly took center stage. Just days earlier the all-time leader in wins declared he would become a free agent after 19 years in New Jersey.

The Hawks aren’t looking to replace Corey Crawford with just anyone or at any cost, but Brodeur would have fit what they want: a short-term upgrade. If Tim Thomas had not decided to take a year off, a play for him would not have been a surprise. But gambling on Roberto Luongo isn’t just a small risk and trading for, say, Jonathan Bernier of Los Angeles, doesn’t guarantee an upgrade. No, Crawford moves to the background or is sent packing only if the Hawks know they are getting better and the price is right. But when the Hawks offered two years, according to a source, the Devils stepped up and Brodeur opted to return to New Jersey for his 20th season.

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CHICAGO -- A pair of developments in the NHL over the past two days could have an impact on the Chicago Blackhawks as free agency is set to begin on Sunday morning.

First, the league announced the salary cap increased to $70.2 million for the coming season. The second, and more stunning development, was that New Jersey Devils goaltender Marty Brodeur is likely to test the market, though he could still re-sign with the Devils.

The Hawks now have approximately $8 million in cap space, which means they can add without having first to subtract. Though they may still cut hefty contracts -- league sources continue to indicate dealing Niklas Hjalmarsson is a strong possibility. But those types of moves could happen in a day, week or month. The extra cap space has given them flexibility.

Even still, to max out on a trade, moving Hjalmarsson or any other player with a significant price tag before Sunday has more logic to it. Once the Hawks are at or over the salary cap, trade partners have all the leverage. Look at the summer of 2010 for proof. General manager Stan Bowman probably could have gotten more in return for Dustin Byfuglien, Andrew Ladd, Kris Versteeg, et al. if he wasn’t under the gun to rid so much salary -- and everyone knew it.

Either way, nothing has changed in weeks. Nashville All-Star defenseman Ryan Suter likes the Hawks, and the Hawks, undoubtedly, like him. But there will be plenty of suitors for Suter. If they do add him, a trade or salary dump of another defenseman will become a sure thing. Maybe it’s best the Hawks don’t make a move before Sunday. If they strike out on Suter, trading Hjalmarsson might not be necessary. It’s a cat-and-mouse game in which maxing out money and trade value is the goal. Can Bowman pull it off? It remains to be seen.

Marty in the Midwest?

The thought of the winningest goaltender in league history leaving the Devils seems improbable but stranger things have happened. There is no concrete proof the Hawks are looking at netminders to replace Corey Crawford, but it makes sense they would kick the tires on something that could be easy and fall into their lap. Roberto Luongo doesn’t fit that description. Brodeur does -- simply because it would be a one- to two-year deal likely at a reasonable rate for the 40 year-old. That’s in the Hawks wheelhouse.

Hitting the ground running

Last year the Hawks signed four players who contributed to the team on Day 1 of free agency -- Dan Carcillo, Jamal Mayers, Andrew Brunette and Sean O’Donnell. As has been well documented, they have less holes and roster spots to fill this time around. And with the emergence of Andrew Shaw and Jimmy Hayes, the re-signing of Johnny Oduya and improved health of Carcillo, the Hawks won’t be as busy. The quantity won’t be there, but they are hoping the quality will be.

Suter would be a top-flight addition. Another name that has emerged to a lesser degree is Jason Garrison, who had a stellar year for Florida, particularly on the point on the power play. The Hawks would more than likely look to add penalty-killing depth at forward as well -- another sore spot a season ago.

If the Hawks miss on Suter, it’s not clear if they have another All-Star caliber player in mind. There’s no sure-thing second-line center on the market this offseason. Also, Chicago isn’t the only marquee franchise with money to burn. The Detroit Red Wings have about $24 million in cap space. They are in more need of a top defenseman after the retirement of Niklas Lidstrom and could use a forward or two with Jiri Hudler and Tomas Holmstrom becoming free agents on Sunday.

Speaking of Holmstrom, even at 39, he’d be an upgrade on the power play in front of the net. Hawks’ players talked of missing that kind of net presence every power play needs -- they even tried 37-year-old Jamal Mayers there last season for basically the first time in his career. They were and still are, desperate.

Ten of Holmstrom’s 11 goals last season came on the power play. That would have led the Hawks. He would be a specialist, but a good one if he plays near to form. It’s the role that Brunette was unable to take ownership of despite some good moments—he just didn’t have enough of them. Holmstrom might retire if he doesn’t re-sign with the Wings, but couldn’t the Hawks make a decent offer for him to move west a few miles for one season? It makes sense on several levels.

The only surprise relating to the Chicago Blackhawks on draft weekend was the player available to them at No. 18 on Friday night. If Tevo Teravainen is the real deal -- as many teams claim him to be -- then the Hawks truly got a steal late in the first round.

But Teravainen is about the future not the present. The Hawks were quiet on the trade front around draft time for the first time in several years, but the rumors persist. They would like to move Niklas Hjalmarsson and possibly Steve Montador in order to gain extra salary cap space for a run at another defenseman, most likely Ryan Suter of the Nashville Predators. He becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1. It would also open up more playing time for Dylan Olsen, who the Hawks are high on.

There’s little doubt if the Hawks are motivated to move Hjalmarsson, they will. Even if you’re not the biggest fan, he has value. Plenty of it for teams in need of defense and that have cap space to burn. His salary, $3.5 million for two more years, isn’t an anchor for a team and there are plenty that could use his skills.

But if Hjalmarsson is a wanted man, what does that make Suter? Plenty of teams will show interest, and the Hawks have to hope Chicago’s proximity to his home in Madison, Wisc. is the difference. Other teams in the mix for the 27-year-old All-Star include Detroit, Pittsburgh and Dallas. Those are some good organizations but, again, Chicago can sell itself to Suter while those other teams will have to do some aggressive pursuing to obtain him. The Red Wings, in particular, are sure to be players in this. And then there is Suter’s teammate, Shea Weber. He’s a restricted free agent, and while offer sheets from other teams are rare in the NHL, this would be the one guy worth giving up a boatload of draft picks to obtain. But for now, the Hawks are focused on Suter.

But they better have a backup plan ready in case he goes elsewhere. Florida Panthers defenseman Jason Garrison is someone to keep an eye on if the Hawks don’t get Suter. Garrison, 27, is a late bloomer, having played just two full seasons in the NHL, but he made a huge leap in the offensive side of his game last season, scoring 16 goals after tallying five the year before. Nine came on the power play. That’s as many goals as the Hawks’ top scoring defenseman, Brent Seabrook, scored last season in combined 5-on-5 and special teams play. Reports indicate the Panthers have made an offer to Garrison but he has yet to sign. Garrison’s salary cap figure was only $675,000 so he’s line for a huge raise, but it should be one the Hawks can afford -- if they trade Hjalmarsson. And strike out on Suter, of course.

General manager Stan Bowman talked with his former boss, current Florida GM Dale Tallon, several times this past weekend. When asked if it was business or pleasure, Bowman replied, “What do you think?”

“Both?”

“Good answer,” Bowman said.

Could the two have been talking about trading for Garrison’s rights before July 1 if he doesn’t re-sign with the Panthers?

It’s possible but that means he would come before Suter.

There are plenty of moving parts when it comes to the hot stove season in the NHL, especially with an expiring collective bargaining agreement. Top tier free-agents will want big signing bonuses so they can cash in before a possible lockout. Add that as another layer to all the free agency talk.

As for the forwards there are some big names who may be on the move. Zach Parise is a free agent to-be and Rick Nash is on the block but neither is the answer at center on the second line and neither is coming to the Hawks. It looks like the Hawks are focused on changing up their defense, but first things first -- room has to be made for future additions. Hjalmarsson’s time as a Hawk might be winding down but that’s about where the certainty of the situation ends.

It’s always nicer to answer the mail after a playoff win:

Q: Hey Jesse, I know you usually don't comment on rumors, but I heard that [Kim] Johnsson isn't playing because he doesn't get along with the team. I've always heard the Hawks are a very tight group of guys, and this surprises me. Is there any merit to this rumor? Thanks. -- Rebecca, Chicago

A: I understand the confusion over Johnsson, and no offense to you of course, but that’s about the dumbest thing I’ve heard about him yet. People like to pretend they are in the know about things when they are not. There very well may be more going on with Johnsson, but from all the people within hockey that I have talked to, he has a bad concussion, and that’s it. Why he’s not around the team at least a little is up for debate, but organizations act weird toward injured players so who knows? He and Patrick Sharp, for example, go way back, so I don’t think there’s a rift. The Hawks and the NHL could do a much better job of explaining these things, but they choose not to, so I don’t blame people for speculating, but guessing or making things up is different than speculating.

Q: Jesse, both games have been very similar in style of play. Do you see the Hawks exploding in either the Tuesday or Thursday’s game? I feel like they are close, and if some of their passes start connecting they could put up 4 or 5 easily. Or will Nashville's D (especially Shea Weber and Ryan Suter) just not let that happen? -- Fitz, My Cube

A:Anyone who has read my blog knows I’ve been comparing this series to the Vancouver Canucks series last season. Just like then, if the Hawks stay the course and are able to win games in this gritty style they may be able to frustrate Nashville and force them into a more wide open game. Take a look back at Games 3-6 against Vancouver. After wide open affairs in the first two games, it went the other way but slowly it came back because the Canucks got antsy culminating in that 7-5 finale. The only difference is Nashville is more disciplined than Vancouver, and they really only know one style, so the Hawks just might win this thing in six games with nearly every game the same.

Q: Big game last night from Dave Bolland ... had the one goal and, if not for a quick whistle, would have had two. My question is, is he starting to get back to form? I'm not sure if the back is still bothering him, but he hasn't been the same since returning. Hopefully this kick-starts him to the level he was at last spring. -- Aaron, Aurora, Ill.

A:The goal was nice but bigger than what it did on the scoreboard is hopefully what it will do for his confidence. He’s a very smart player, and he needs to get back to playing with an edge and taking some chances. He seems to be playing it safe so maybe that back-hander will spark him. Anyone can put that in if they bear down, it’s what he does to create and help out the rest of the game that I want to see more from him. Maybe this is a start.

Q: So it's looking more and more like Brian Campbell might make an appearance in this first-round series. What kind of boost do you expect adding Soup back to the blue line? What does it do to the defense and the power play? -- Michael, Chicago

A: I think some fans are acting like he’s the savior. He simply adds another puck moving player to the lineup. Over time, that’s only going to improve all aspects of the offensive game, but he can get bogged down just like anyone else against this Nashville team. If you can skate out of trouble and into the offensive zone or near it so you can dump it in, you can only help. Campbell adds that to both five on five and power play.

Q: Jesse, first off, huge fan of the blog. I've heard a lot of talk about the Hawks making adjustments to meet the Predators' style of play, but watching [Sunday night's] game, I can't help but think that the Hawks' biggest problem is the breakout. When the Hawks slowed things down and made clean, simple passes out of the zone, they were able to more quickly revert to their solid puck-possession game. Do you think that the changes being made by Joel Quenneville relate more to addressing internal changes rather than adapting to an opponent? -- David B., Chicago

A: I’m not exactly sure what you’re asking regarding internal changes, but I think the breakout thing is a good point, however, I think they are trying to be extra careful for the most part so it doesn’t look as smooth. There are exceptions, like when Dustin Byfuglien tried a couple of fancy plays. Here’s the bottom line. If the Hawks play smart and patient, they still have more talent than Nashville. Don’t let that be negated by mistakes. They learned that Sunday night, and I think it will hold true for the rest of the series.

Q: Everything was better after the win last night, however if you look at tweets during the game, it was a bit rough-going for a while. Did anyone [players/media] talk about the "difficult" part of the game, when you actually heard a few boos directed at our guys? I was wondering if you think it got the team's attention, because they seemed to play with more energy to me. -- JM, Naperville, Ill.

A:I think everyone was just antsy for a second goal. Until that came, it felt a little like it might be deja vu all over again. No one in the dressing room addressed anything about it except to say they knew that second goal was huge and it probably relaxed everyone in the building. I think they were focused on finishing the job. Simple as that.

It may not be a sexy matchup, but expect a tough, grind it out series when the Chicago Blackhawks face the Nashville Predators in the opening round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

"They play a really good team game," Marian Hossa said after the Hawks' 3-2 overtime loss to the Detroit Red Wings on Sunday. "I feel like they kind of wait for mistakes. They don’t rush anywhere and play well defensively. They have good shooters from the blue line. We have to make sure we cover those guys."

Defense seemed to be the theme when players were asked to recall the first thing that came to mind about the Predators.

"They have some of the best D [defense] in [Shea] Weber and [Ryan] Suter and [Daniel] Hamhuis," Patrick Sharp said. "They don’t give up much in their D zone. They’re tough to create chances against."

Weber and Suter are Olympic defensemen who bring the whole package. For a purely offensive player like Patrick Kane, they pose some problems but Kane might have some answers that differ with Hossa.

"The biggest thing with them is they are a pretty physical team, and they are not afraid to run out of position," Kane said. "Biggest thing for me is probably move the puck as quick as you can and take advantage."

Amazingly, the Predators made the playoffs as the No. 7 seed with a zero goal-differential. They scored 225 goals and gave up 225. For comparison, the No. 8-seeded Colorado Avalanche were plus-11 for the season. The Hawks were plus-63. The implication is the Predators win tight games and the stats prove it.

The Predators were second in the NHL with 28 one-goal game wins and had the second highest winning percentage in one-goal games overall. They are a patient, well-coached team.

"We’ve had some tough goes with them," John Madden said. "We've had some leads on them slip. We have our work cut out for us. They’re a hard working hockey club. And have some great young D [defensemen] over there."

The Hawks and Predators played their entire season series before New Year so there are bound to be differences in their play since then. Nashville had closed to within three points of the division lead right before Christmas, but the Hawks came out of the holiday and made a statement with back-to-back 4-1 and 5-4 victories to win the season series 4-2. Again, it was a long time ago.

"It’s been so long since we played them," Joel Quenneville said. "I don't think it will take long to recapture the intensity of the series."

Probably not. But ask any Hawk who would be truthful and other than the Red Wings, this was the team they would least want to see. It won’t be a fun series nor an easy one, but it had to start somewhere so why not against someone you know?

"A playoff opponent from the division," Sharp said. "It should be a good one."