Chicago Sports

A gunman fatally shot a man and wounded a woman at an office building in Burr Ridge before killing himself as officers tracked him down Tuesday afternoon, according to police.

Police were called to 15W475 South Frontage Road in the southwest suburb around 3 p.m. after the gunman shot two co-workers, Burr Ridge Police Chief John Madden told reporters.

“The offender then fled the scene on foot and was ultimately located in the 7900 block of Madison, which is approximately a mile and a half to two miles from the scene,” Madden said.

“We had a perimeter set up, he was within our perimeter,” Madden said. “When officers closed in on him, he took his own life by gunshot. He is deceased.”

Burr Ridge Village President Gary Grasso told the Daily Herald that the gunman was being fired or laid off from his job. Grasso said the man who was killed was the gunman’s supervisor.

Grasso said the woman was taken to Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, where she underwent surgery for a leg wound.

The names of the victims and the gunman were being held until their families were notified, police said.

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GLENDALE, Ariz. — Lucas Giolito expressed frustration and disappointment Wednesday over having to go through the arbitration process with the White Sox after the two sides, $200,000 apart in their filings Tuesday, failed to make a settlement.

Giolito, arguably the ace of the White Sox staff and their Opening Day starter last season, filed for $7.5 million. The Sox filed at $7.3 million. Giolito said the difference was actually $50,000.

“Very frustrating,” Giolito said at the team’s spring training complex at Camelback Ranch. “I love White Sox fans and I appreciated all the love from those guys [on social media] last night. It’s just very unfortunate, disheartening.”

The Sox had three players eligible for arbitration. Outfielder Adam Engel avoided it with a $2 million agreement and right-hander Reynaldo Lopez avoided arbitration with a $2.625 million deal.

Giolito, who earned $4.15 million in his first year of arbitration last season, will be eligible for free agency after the 2023 season. He will likely go elsewhere if he doesn’t sign an extension.

“Like I’ve always said about extensions, I absolutely love this team,” he said. “For me, the more I play the more I understand my value as a player. And I just want fair. It’s always fair for me, that’s where I’m at.”

After posting a 6.13 ERA and walking 90 batters in 2018, numbers that classified him as arguably the worst starting pitcher in baseball, Giolito bounced back in a big way, finishing sixth, seventh and 11th in AL Cy Young voting the last three seasons. He has an All-Star Game appearance and no-hitter on his resume and is one of the biggest and brightest personalities on a team full of them.

“Honestly, I love this team — you guys how I know how I feel about this team and for it to come down to a 50K difference prior to the filing, it’s like, ‘Come on,’ ” Giolito, the team’s player representative, said. “It’s an upsetting part of the process. It’s why a lot of us don’t enjoy the business side of the process.

“You want to enjoy the fun stuff but I guess that’s just part of the process.”

Because of the lockout, hearings for arbitration cases will take place during the season. The Sox historically have a good track record of settling cases and avoiding the hearing process, which can become contentious.

“At that point it’s out of your hands and I am able to focus on the team and what we’re trying to accomplish,” Giolito said. “It has no effect on that whatsoever. I’m always going to give 100 percent for the guys behind me and we’re trying to do something special this year.

“It was just frustrating. You want to get something fair done and it’s unfortunate this is the spot we’re in today.”

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As Editor/Publisher of the City/Suburban Hoops Report, a longtime recruiting service for college basketball programs across the country and a high school basketball publication that began in 1996, there has been a 10-player all-state first-team and a 10-player all-state second team for the past 26 years. Here is the 27th edition of the City/Suburban Hoops Report All-State Team.

City/Suburban Hoops Report All-State Team

First Team

Darrin Ames, 6-0, Jr., Kenwood

A dynamic guard in the junior class with game-changing scoring ability, averaging 24 point. He’s among the top players in the state and helped Kenwood to a historic season: the program’s first-ever sectional championship.

“He’s a leader on and off the court and brings a ton of excitement to Kenwood basketball. He’s one of the best players in the country,” Kenwood coach Mike Irvin said.

Xavier Amos, 6-8, Sr., Young

The senior big man was a consistent force for the Dolphins in helping lead his team to a state runner-up finish in Class 4A and a city championship. He put up 18 points, nine rebounds and four blocks and is headed to Northern Illinois.

“The impact Xavier made for us these past two years was instrumental in our success. He impacted in so many ways and was a matchup problem for opposing teams, continually showing he’s one of the best players in the state,” Young coach Tyrone Slaughter said.

Robbie Avila, 6-9, Sr., Oak Forest

A two-time City/Suburban Hoops Report all-stater. Over the course of his career the highly-efficient Avila proved to be one of the most productive players in his class. Avila, who has signed with Indiana State, averaged 23.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.1 assists and two blocks. He finished his career as the all-time leading scorer with 2,032 points and was the third all-time rebounder with 936.

“Robbie was able to dominate basketball games in many ways during his four years. But what makes him special is that he puts winning before everything else. Robbie made everyone around him better and allowed us to elevate our program,” Oak Forest coach Matt Manzke said.

Cameron Christie, 6-6, Jr., Rolling Meadows

Christie is a smooth scoring threat from the perimeter who shined as a junior, averaging 22 points while shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc. The long, wiry guard is among the top returning players in the state next season.

“Cameron really had a breakout season. The efficiency with which he scored was amazing. He is incredibly unselfish. His ability to see things on the court is like having a coach on the floor,” Rolling Meadows coach Kevin Katovich said.

Brock Harding, 6-0, Jr., Moline

The consummate point guard fueled a Moline team that finished 28-5 on the season. Harding, who showcases great court awareness and confidence, makes any offense hum. He averaged 19.8 points, 5.2 assists and 3.6 rebounds and will be among the state’s top players next season.

“Brock puts up great numbers on game night but what separates him is his ability to lead a team on a daily basis. The passion and energy he brings everyday helps to improve his game but also raises the level of his teammates. Because of this our team consistently improved. The consistency with which he did this separates him from many others,” Moline coach Sean Taylor said.

Braden Huff, 6-11, Sr., Glenbard West

The City/Suburban Hoops Report Player of the Year is as skilled as any big man in the country. Plus, he plays with such a high basketball I.Q. He showcased extreme efficiency while leading the Hilltoppers to their first state championship in program history, averaging 16.3 points and over three assists. The Gonzaga recruit was as versatile of a threat as there was in the state and played his best in the biggest games.

“I am just proud of the person he is and how genuine and caring he is to others. He exhibits a confidence about him and a poise where he never gets rattled. The other thing about him is he just demonstrates winning characteristics on and off the court. He only cares about the team,” Glenbard West coach Jason Opoka said.

Nick Martinelli, 6-7, Sr., Glenbrook South

The unique style and creativity Martinelli plays with led to dominating numbers and a ton of wins in his career. With Martinelli putting up 22.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game while shooting 66 percent from the field, the Titans won their first sectional championship in program history. Martinelli, who is headed to Elon, finished his career as the third all-time leading scorer in school history with 1,331 points.

“He’s been one of the most enjoyable young men that I have had the honor of coaching. A lot of our team achievements this season are correlated to Nick’s constant push to get better and to push his teammates to become better. He is like the pied-piper in our community. His legacy will last a long time in Glenview,” Glenbrook South coach Phil Ralston said.

Ty Rodgers, 6-5, Sr., Thornton

Maybe the most college-ready player in the class due to his physicality, athleticism and off-the-charts mindset. A top 100 player in the country, Rodgers is headed to Illinois. In his one year in Illinois, Rodgers was terrific. He put up numbers, averaging 17.3 points and 15.4 rebounds a game, while lifting up those around him with energy, hustle and unselfishness.

“He’s just a winner. He’s always won and is such a great kid. He plays super, super hard and is a throwback who competes on every possession,” Thornton coach Tai Streets said.

Jaden Schutt, 6-6, Sr. Yorkville Christian

A Duke recruit, top 100 player in the country, Gatorade’s Illinois Player of the Year and a repeat all-state selection. Schutt put up some staggering numbers in his career from a point total (over 2,000 career points) and with his three-point shooting. Led Yorkville Christian to a Class 1A state championship as he averaged 27 points. Finished his career with a whopping 334 career three-pointers, including a state record 17 in one game.

“Jaden proved he is the best player in the state this year by going against the top schedule and producing at an elite level. His talent and leadership propelled us to a state title,” Yorkville Christian coach Aaron Sovern said.

Jalen Quinn, 6-3, Sr., Tuscola

Even while missing at least 15 games as a junior due to the Covid-shortened season, Quinn still scored over 2,300 career points. The Loyola-bound Quinn led Tuscola to a sectional final appearance while putting up massive numbers. Quinn, who is blessed with ideal point guard size and frame, averaged 24.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.8 steals.

“It’s incredible to look at his stats and also know he’s a pass-first kid who is not a high-volume shooter. He was born with some obvious abilities but his work ethic and commitment to improve on a daily basis are some of his best qualities,” Tuscola coach Justin Bozarth said.

City/Suburban Hoops Report’s All-State Second Team

NJ Benson, 6-8, Sr., Mt. Vernon

AJ Casey, 6-8, Sr., Whitney Young

Zach Cleveland, 6-7, Sr., Normal

DeAndre Craig, 6-0, Jr., Mount Carmel

Jackson Munro, 6-9, Sr., New Trier

Amarion Nimmers, 6-2, Sr., Rock Island

Caden Pierce, 6-6, Sr., Glenbard West

Macaleab Rich, 6-5, Jr., East St. Louis

Asa Thomas, 6-6, Jr., Lake Forest

Ben VanderWal, 6-6, Sr., Timothy Christian

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Tough lessons aren’t being learned.

That’s the most concerning trend with this Bulls team with just 10 regular-season games left.

A trend that continued to spiral downward Tuesday night in Milwaukee, as the defending NBA Champions welcomed in their rival neighbors from Chicago and then promptly took them to the woodshed for a 28-point beat down.

Not the only ugly numbers to come out of the showdown with the Bucks, either.

The latest loss left the Bulls 0-16 against the top three teams in each conference, and 3-19 against teams currently sitting with a winning percentage of .600 or higher. Only one of those three wins came on the road, beating Boston on Nov.1.

Even more head-shaking was the Bulls haven’t beaten a team with a .600 winning percentage since Nov. 10, when they beat Dallas. Since then they were 0-17.

Preparing for the NBA’s elite has been talked about in the Bulls locker room before games, after games, in between games, and during games, yet it’s seemingly falling on deaf ears.

“If we haven’t got it, we’re getting it now,” veteran DeMar DeRozan said, when asked about being better prepared to play at a high level against top-tier competition. “Understanding what it’s going to be like, and even tougher come playoffs. We’re going through it right now, what you call battle wounds, battle scars. We’re kind of taking them all on the chin right now. It’s going to show us what we’re made out of.”

But at what cost, and when?

It wasn’t long ago that this Bulls roster was the talk of the East, sitting atop the conference and looking like a tough out come playoff time. Now they’re sitting in the No. 5 seed, on the outside looking in on a first-round series with home-court advantage.

An advantage that means a lot more to the Bulls than some other teams. The 26-10 record at the United Center was second to only Miami’s on Wednesday morning, as far as the conference. Meanwhile, the road record for the Bulls was 16-20, which was sixth worst in the East.

Of the 10 remaining games, five will be on the road.

“It really is on the road for us,” guard Alex Caruso said of one glaring problem. “I feel like at home we play fine. We have to have a different mindset going on the road, especially when shots aren’t going in on a back-to-back playing against the reigning champs. You’ve got to know what you’re in for. You’ve got to be ready for things not to go your way and respond. Whether it’s settling for the easy route on offense or not competing enough on defense in little instances like box outs and one on ones, forcing catches out farther, getting covers right. You want to win on the road, you can’t mess many of them up. We’re messing too many of them up.”

So what’s the counter-punch as far as Caruso was concerned? It’s not talent, it’s not rotations or who was still not 100% on the health front. It’s understanding the details that go into winning NBA games, but more importantly, executing on those details.

“We’ve got plenty of talent on our team,” Caruso said. “It’s not about a talent issue. It’s about executing. Basketball at any level, middle school, high school, college, pro, winning basketball is winning basketball. It doesn’t change no matter what level you’re at. If you want to win an NBA championship, you want to compete in the playoffs, you want to play in March Madness, get to the state finals in high school, you have to execute and do your [bleep] really well. We’re not doing our stuff good enough right now.”

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LONDON — The owners of the Cubs, who are bidding for Premier League club Chelsea, touted their anti-racism credentials Wednesday after a backlash in England about offensive comments by the father of the baseball team’s chairman.

It has been three years since family patriarch Joe Ricketts apologized after online media outlet Splinter News published emails featuring him making Islamophobic comments, such as “Islam is a cult and not a religion.”

The racist comments have gained a renewed focus during the competitive bidding contest to buy Chelsea, which has been put up for sale after Russian owner Roman Abramovich was sanctioned by the British government over his ties to President Vladimir Putin amid the war on Ukraine.

Paul Canoville, Chelsea’s first Black player, tweeted “a big fat anti racism NO to the Ricketts bid.”

The London communication firm tasked by the Ricketts family with advancing the bid says Joe Ricketts is not involved in the bid, which is led by his son, Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts. They have also linked up Chicago hedge fund manager Ken Griffin for the bid.

“Our family rejects any form of hate in the strongest possible terms,” the Ricketts family said in a statement. “Racism and Islamophobia have no place whatsoever in our society.

“We have developed deep and abiding partnerships with the Muslim community in Chicago, as well as with all communities of color.”

Tom Ricketts was due in London this week to discuss the bid with fans.

“Respect for diversity and inclusion are central to our family’s values,” the family statement said. “If we prevail in our bid for Chelsea, we commit to the club and to the fans that we will actively promote these values.”

There are at least seven known bidders for Chelsea and the British government has to approve a license for the buyout which cannot see Abramovich receive any proceeds from the sale.

The sale price could reach 3 billion pounds ($4 billion).

A consortium that features Todd Boehly, part-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss, and Jonathan Goldstein, a London-based property investor who is CEO of Cain International is also among the bidders.

Michael Broughton, the former chairman of Liverpool and British Airways, is leading a consortium that includes track great Sebastian Coe, who is president of World Athletics, an IOC member and a Chelsea fan.

British property tycoon Nick Candy is behind “The Blue Football Consortium” that features proposed investment from South Korea companies including Hana Financial Group, C&P Sports Group and a third undisclosed entity.

The London-based global investment firm Centricus, which says it oversees $38 billion in assets, has also submitted a bid.

Amr Zedan, a Los Angeles-born Saudi investor, has also registered his bid with the Raine Group — the bank overseeing the sale of the reigning European and world champions.

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Free agent safety Deon Bush, a valuable back-up who started 13 games in six seasons with the Bears — including four last year — has signed a one-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs, ESPN has reported.

Bush, 27, was a fourth-round draft pick out of Miami (Fla.) by previous general manager Ryan Pace in 2016. He never won a starting job but played a key role as a replacement — for injured starter Eddie Jackson in 2018 (including the playoff game against the Eagles) and injured starter Tashaun Gipson last season. He also was in a rotation at safety when he wasn’t starting — leading to a career-high 377 snaps on defense (44%) in 2021.

The Bears still are looking for a starting safety opposite Jackson for 2022, with veteran Tashaun Gipson in free agency and not expected to be back. The Bears signed veteran safety DeAndre Houston-Carson on Sunday. Houston-Carson, a sixth-round draft pick by Pace in 2016, is a special teams leader in the mold of Sherrick McManis, but also emerged as a contributor at safety, with his first three NFL starts and a career- high 419 snaps (50%) on defense in 2021.

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The family that owns the Chicago Cubs, who are bidding for Premier League club Chelsea and facing social media criticism in England due to past anti-Islamic comments made by the family’s patriarch, released a statement condemning racism on Wednesday.

The Ricketts family has agreed to meet Chelsea fans amid a social media backlash to their bid to buy the Premier League club due to comments made by Joe Ricketts in a leaked email exchange several years ago that “Muslims are naturally our enemy.”

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It has been three years since Joe Ricketts apologised after online media outlet Splinter News published emails featuring him making anti-Islamic comments, such as “Islam is a cult and not a religion.”

The Ricketts family, who have partnered with billionaire hedge fund tycoon Ken Griffin in their attempt to buy Chelsea, are one of several bidders to have publicly declared a formal offer for the club with New York-based merchant bank Raine Group now in the process of identifying preferred bidders.

Sources have told ESPN that two or three bids are expected to be advanced to the next stage this week, when senior figures at Chelsea — excluding sanctioned owner Roman Abramovich — will make their choice before the U.K. government has final sign-off on the identity of Chelsea’s new owner.

This has led to #NotoRicketts trending on Twitter as Chelsea fans voice their opposition to the family’s offer, while Paul Canoville, the first Black footballer to play for the club and an anti-racism campaigner, stating on the platform that he is “saying a big fat anti racism NO to the Ricketts bid!!”

Brian Wolff, the head of the Chelsea Chicago Supporters Club who is also a Cubs fan, claimed the Ricketts family bid was met with “universal disdain” by supporters and urged Raine Group to reject their offer.

A statement from the Ricketts family read: “Our family rejects any form of hate in the strongest possible terms. Racism and Islamophobia have no place whatsoever in our society. We have developed deep and abiding partnerships with the Muslim community in Chicago, as well as with all communities of colour.

“Respect for diversity and inclusion are central to our family’s values. If we prevail in our bid for Chelsea, we commit to the club and to the fans that we will actively promote these values.”

According to ESPN sources, Joe Ricketts is not part of the bid, which is being conducted by the family investment group, led by his three children: Tom, Todd and Laura.

It was also pointed out that the Ricketts family had always intended to discuss their plans with supporters, insisting that the meetings set to take place this week are not a spontaneous reaction to recent events but the product of lengthy conversations taking place over recent months.

The source added that fan engagement has been a consistent and prominent part of the Ricketts family’s ownership of the Cubs.

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The Bulls are 0-3 against the Heat with one more meeting left.

They are an embarrassing 0-4 against the 76ers.

And now they are 0-3 against the Bucks after the 126-98 pasting at the Fiserv Forum on Tuesday night.

That 0-10 record against the top three teams in the Eastern Conference leaves the Bulls with more questions than answers as the end of the regular season nears.

Then again, maybe the Bucks’ laugher was just a reminder that teams are who they are. Milwaukee is the defending champion, while the Bulls are a second-tier playoff team, hoping that iron sharpens iron . . . at some point.

It doesn’t appear to be this season, as the Bulls (42-30) also are a combined 0-6 against the top three teams in the West.

“You can’t just flush it,” guard Alex Caruso said. “This has happened too many times. You gotta learn from it. It’s just something about being on the road where we gotta lock in and get better. We have to have a different mindset going on the road, especially when shots aren’t going in, on a back-to-back, playing against the reigning champs, you gotta know what you’re in for.”

The Bulls soon found out.

Coach Billy Donovan couldn’t have asked for a better eight-plus minutes to start the game.

Both teams played with urgency and physicality. Even better? The officials let them play with the intensity of a playoff game.

Nikola Vucevic seemed to thrive in that climate, single-handedly keeping the Bulls afloat. After the big man hit a 15-foot jumper with 3:33 left in the first, the score was tied 20-20 and the Bucks called timeout.

Vucevic had scored 11 points at that point, going 4-for-5 from the field, including 3-for-3 from three-point range.

Unfortunately, the Bulls’ bench soon came in, and the bottom immediately fell out.

Milwaukee went on a 13-0 run to close out the first quarter, and then kept the pain coming well into the second, stretching the lead to 26 with 2:50 left in that first half.

The game could have been mailed in at that point, but the Bulls did close out the second quarter by cutting the deficit to 16.

Besides the numbers on the scoreboard, it was obvious how the latest hole against an elite team was dug.

Not only did the Bulls’ offense get stagnant and employ too much isolation — evident by Caruso and Zach LaVine being the only Bulls to register assists in the first 12 minutes — but the Bucks outrebounded the Bulls 28-16 by the half.

“I thought when we came out in that second unit, we really struggled there,” Donovan said. “It wasn’t one person, it was collectively that group. You can’t have breakdowns.”

The Bulls didn’t completely flat-line, as they cut the 16-point deficit to 10 in the first three minutes of the second half, Momentum seemed to be slowly easing its way to the visitors.

Jrue Holiday had other plans, however, hitting a 13-footer and then cutting to the rim for a layup. By the end of the third, the Bucks’ lead was up to 22, and the bus was once again being warmed up.

“It’s frustrating because I think we know how good we can be when we play at our best, play at a high level,” Caruso said. “To go out there and not do it a couple times in-a-row [against elite teams], it’s just frustrating.”

Sixteen total to be exact, but who’s counting?

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PEORIA, Ariz. – More pressing than a possible extension, the Cubs and Willson Contreras have to decide what the catcher will be paid this season.

Unable to settle on a contract for 2022, the two parties will schedule an arbitration hearing, ESPN reported. Tuesday was the deadline to exchange salary figures with any unsigned arbitration-eligible players.

The Cubs had only two: Contreras and outfielder Ian Happ. Happ and the Cubs avoided arbitration, settling at $6.85 million, FanSided reported. Opening Day is scheduled for April 7, making it likely that hearings extend into the regular season.

Usually the deadline to exchange figures would come in January, with hearings in February. But the Major League Baseball lockout, which lasted 99 days and ended less than two weeks ago, pushed back the arbitration calendar.

The deadline doesn’t cut off negotiations between teams and players, although many teams take a “file and trial” approach, making agreements made between the exchange date and hearing uncommon.

“I think if we had the regular time that we’ve had in years before, we would probably work it out,” Contreras told the Sun-Times Tuesday morning. “But this year, there’s basically no time to negotiate anything.”

Coming into camp, Happ acknowledged that the process this year, overlapping with spring training and the season, would be “strange.”

He continued: “But my team, and everybody, has spent a lot of time preparing for this.”

Arbitration hearings have been rare for the Cubs. When Happ won his hearing last year, in his first year of arbitration, his was just the Cubs’ third arbitration hearing since 1993. Happ was also the first player to beat the Cubs in arbitration in 31 years, earning a $4.1 million salary last year.

In an arbitration hearing, each side makes their cases to an impartial panel. The panel decides between the two figures, taking into account comparable players’ recent contracts.

Contreras carried a heavy workload for the Cubs last season, as the team went through eight backup catchers. By June, Contreras was leading MLB in innings caught by over seven games-worth of frames.

He didn’t finish that way, due to a combination of injuries (a knee sprain in August and hip inflammation in October, according to the Cubs) and the team falling out of playoff contention.

At the plate, Contreras had an up and down year, posting a .237 average and .438 slugging percentage – the former a drop from last season and the latter an improvement. But with a designated hitter in the National League and an experienced backup catcher in Yan Gomes, the Cubs have tools to keep Contreras’ legs fresher this year.

Contreras recorded a .919 OPS last September and October, when he came back from the injured list and was getting more consistent rest.

The larger question surrounding Contreras’ final year of arbitration and club control is whether the Cubs will extend his contract, trade him, or let him hit free agency. Contreras confirmed Tuesday morning that the parties had not yet picked up extension talks this spring.

“They’re adding players, they’re adding pitchers, and that’s totally fine,” Contreras said. “They know what they’re doing. I’m really good where I am right now, and I feel happy to be here once again.”

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ANAHEIM, Calif. — Calvin de Haan spent his Monday playing Xbox, waiting for an indication he’d been traded.

His agent, Andy Scott, did call a couple times, checking in. But that particular type of call never came.

“I did think I was going to get traded, but I don’t know what goes on behind closed doors, and it’s not my decision,” de Haan, upbeat as always, said Tuesday after the Blackhawks — down three players, but only three — held practice on the first day of their West Coast trip.

“All those days, whether you’re playing or sitting at home waiting to go to the plane or whatever, it’s always an awkward time for everyone. You don’t know who’s going to get moved. Did everyone think Brandon Hagel was going to get traded? Probably not. It was a weird few days for everybody. But at the end of the day, I’m happy to be a Chicago Blackhawk. We really enjoy being here, my wife and I.”

De Haan headlines the group of players who thought they might be on other teams by now, but instead find themselves still on the Hawks for this season’s stretch run. Dylan Strome, Dominik Kubalik, Henrik Borgstrom and Erik Gustafsson remain, too.

“We lost some good players, but we could’ve lost more,” interim coach Derek King said. “I addressed them today just [saying] like, ‘Hey, this is our team. We have a job to do, and that’s to compete every game. And we have something to play for: it’s our pride.”

The Hawks have 19 games left to play over the next 38 days, starting Wednesday against the Ducks, continuing Thursday against the Kings and lasting through the season finale April 29 in Buffalo.

The team results will hardly matter whatsoever, but the individual results will, whether it’s Kevin Lankinen trying to re-prove his starting goalie chops — King said he’ll start most of the 19 games — or Taylor Raddysh trying to show his potential in a bigger role.

And de Haan — who, as a 30-year-old pending unrestricted free agent, was understandably convinced he’d be “moved for assets” to jumpstart the Hawks’ rebuild — falls in that group, too, of players with something to prove.

The fact he wasn’t traded signaled to him that “maybe I’m more valuable than people think in this organization,” he said bluntly. General manager Kyle Davidson more broadly said the same thing Monday, that the Hawks value the players they kept “more than other teams around the league, clearly.”

But either way, de Haan has his future to figure out. His first time in this position, he tested the open market and signed a four-year, $18.2 million contract with the Hurricanes. Four years later, as that contract expires, so does the relative certainty it afforded.

“The interesting thing about being a UFA is it’s not always your choice,” he said. “Teams need to call you and want your services. It’s not a free-for-all for us. So it’s kind of like a mini-tryout for me these last [19] games to try to make an impression around the league. I’ve been around long enough that teams know what I bring, but I can always try to work on something new and try to improve.”

A new contract with the Hawks seems unlikely, considering the organization’s rebuilding direction and the logjam of young defensemen waiting in the wings, but de Haan would happily consider it himself.

“There has been a dark cloud over this organization this year, but behind the scenes, the players get treated really well here and they’re great with the families,” he said. “That’s a big part that I think about when a summer like this is approaching. It’s a ‘Grade-A’ organization. It’s really hard to complain here. We like being Blackhawks.”

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