Ducan Keith Suspended Six Games For Slash On Charlie Coyle

You can watch the video here.

 The hearing is over, Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Ducan Keith has been suspended for six games. In my opinion, that suspension is a joke. This should be a 10-15 game suspension.

The conspiracy theorist will say since Keith is a star player on the Blackhawks, he's been afforded some leeway by the NHL. It almost appears that this is the truth. If the NHL is serious about removing thuggery from the game, they would punish the star players more severely.

First, this isn't the first time that Keith has viciously slashed someone during the 2013 Stanley Cup Playoffs. If you haven't seen it, Keith viciously slashed Jeff Carter of the L.A. Kings. Nowhere, in any league of hockey is it acceptable to slash a player in the face with your stick.

For those that are defending this hit. Don't. This bush league hit is indefensible. This is a barbaric, thuggish, dangerous act. The cross check was labeled as a light hit by the NHL. I agree. There was no slew foot, either. Even if there was, there's no defending this hit. If a third line player had slashed Charlie Coyle we would be seeing a long suspension.

Blackhawks Forward Patrick Kane grand jury investigation postponed

According to the Chicago-Sun Times, the Patrick Kane grand jury investigation has been postponed. One has to wonder if this is the end of this case?

Per the Chicago-Sun Times:

A grand jury investigation into the allegations made against Blackhawks star Patrick Kane has been abruptly postponed, a source told the Sun-Times, confirming a report in the Buffalo News. The Buffalo News report suggested that a settlement could be in the works between the attorneys for Kane and the alleged victim, but the Sun-Times’ source could not confirm that.

Kane has been at the center of an ongoing investigation by Hamburg, N.Y., police and the Erie County district attorney in Western New York for more than a month. The 26-year-old has not been charged with a crime, but the Buffalo News had reported that subpoenas had been issued and that witnesses would be meeting with the grand jury starting Tuesday. The grand jury would then decide whether there was enough evidence to charge Kane.

More Patrick Kane News

The investigation moves forward for Patrick Kane. These types of investigations take time. Here's the statistics for rape convictions. (RAIIN). I have no idea how this turns out.

Per ESPN.COM:

So Phase Three of the NHL’s expansion process has now begun for Las Vegas and Quebec City.

What does that really mean? Quite frankly, not as much as the title would indicate. As Bill Daly told The Associated Press last week, “It does not necessarily constitute the end of the process.”

Maybe, just maybe, we are not really close to a decision.

Some are saying that we probably shouldn’t get our hopes up for a while, which means there won’t be an announcement in the next three weeks that both cities — or either city, or neither city — will join the exclusive NHL club.

More bad news for Patrick Kane. This time, it's his old major junior team.
Per Sportsnet.CA:

First EA Sports, and now the London Knights.
Highly regarded hockey institutions are taking a step back from endorsing Chicago Blackhawks superstar Patrick Kane this summer, as the three-time Stanley Cup champion is under police investigation in Hamburg, N.Y.

According to a report in Tuesday’s London Free Press, the Knights had planned to divide its 80 training camp invitees into four teams named after the Ontario Hockey League club’s esteemed graduates: Corey Perry (white), Rick Nash (black), David Bolland (green) and Kane (gold).

The gold team will instead represent another, yet-to-be-named Knights alumnus.

Kings want to close out series tonight

#493975977 / gettyimages.com

While I think that the L.A. Kings are saying all of the right things, I also think this series is over tonight. Just my prediction, and we will know tonight about 10:00 pm., baring overtime. Thoughts?

I just happen to think this is the Kings year. As a UND hockey fan, there's a very good chance that the a former UND hockey player will again be a Stanley Cup Champion. Whoever advances from the Western Conference, is going to be the favorite to win the Stanley Cup.

Thomas Drance, the score -- Though the Kings - who still hold a three-games-to-two lead in the series - have some margin for error, they're well aware that you can't let a dangerous, experienced team like the Blackhawks off the mat.

"We know we can't let it go to Game 7," Doughty told Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times. "They're a good team in their home arena. They feed off their fans. It's a tough arena to play in. So we need to win [Friday]."

Continued Doughty: "No matter what, this game has to be ours. It's so important for us to advance to the Stanley Cup Final that we win this game. If we give them this game they're going to have so much more life and they're going to be a different team."

Blackhawks player to Backes "wakey, wakey"

s/t to Kukla's Korner. At about the 45 second mark of the video, you can hear an unidentified Blackhawks player say "wakey, wakey." That's low class and bushleague. I didn't catch the comments the first around. Oh boy, this series could get really nasty.

Shocker. Listen closely during this video and you can hear a Hawks player saying "wakey, wakey" to Backes https://t.co/h6ZwNssD3k #stlblues
— Norm Sanders (@NormSanders) April 20, 2014

Report: Huet to Switzerland

Redwing_77's favorite NHL sieve might be headed to Europe this season. That would be a good move for the Chicago Blackhawks because they wouldn't have to pay the dead weight his huge salary.

According to a report on the Swiss site 20 Minutes Online, Cristobal Huet will be loaned to Fribourg-Gotteron for the 2010-11 season by the Chicago Blackhawks. Loaning Huet will save the Blackhawks over $5 million.

Huet's agent, Stephen Bartlett, told ESPN the signing was not official.

"We've talked, but it's not definitive at this point," Bartlett said. "We'll know if it will happen probably in the next couple of days."

With Marty Turco signed to replace Antti Niemi and Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman a backer of Corey Crawford, a move of Huet to Europe or the minor leagues had been expected.

Huet appeared in 48 games for the Blackhawks last season, starting the season as the No. 1 goalie. He was 26-14-4 with a 2.50 goals-against average and .895 save percentage. He appeared in just one game, in the Stanley Cup Playoffs playing 20 minutes in relief of Niemi.

Pronger responds to Burish...

Wouldn't you love to see about a four games series between these two team next season? I think it would be a lot of fun. Seriously! This on going drama making for some great theater. In today's sports world we need rivalries and villains. I think to Chicago Blackhawks fans Pronger is a villain.

"He had his chance during the series, didn't he" Pronger said. "Why is he worrying about me instead of celebrating winning the Cup? Boy, it just goes to show how much I was in his kitchen for him to be talking about me five minutes after he wins the Cup."

Burish, 27, played a minor role in helping the Blackhawks win the Cup. In the 15 games he dressed - he was a healthy scratch in seven - he managed one assist playing an average 5:34 per game and was minus-1. Pronger, meanwhile, was his team's best player and led all defencemen in playoff scoring with four goals and 18 points in 23 games. Despite the fact he was minus-5 in Game 4 of the final, Pronger finished plus-5 in the playoffs.

Still, he was a very controversial figure, because he picked up the game pucks in Games 1 and 2 of the final in Chicago.

"Who cares if I take the game puck?" Pronger said. "The media blew that way out of proportion."

Pronger won over many members of the media during the final with his sarcasm and humour during Q&A sessions. As for Burish, well let's just say there won't be too many people who look back at the Blackhawks championship season and think they wouldn't have done it without him.

When told about Burish's comments, Pronger said: "I could care less what somebody on another team says about me. I don't play this game to make friends. I play to win." [Sports Net.CA]

Chicago Blackhawks Jonathan Toews talks to the media.

Check out that beard. As a UND alum I happy to say that Jonathan Toews is one of us, a former UND student, a Fighting Sioux. All I can say, make us proud, win the Stanley Cup and bring the cup back to Grand Forks, ND.

This time I am going to see the Stanley Cup if Toews brings the Stanley Cup to Grand Forks, ND. The Blackhawks are my pick to beat the Flyers, I can not stomach the Philadelphia Flyers winning the Stanley Cup.