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Bears rookie QB Justin Fields to return for season finale at Vikings

Bears coach Matt Nagy said he expects rookie quarterback Justin Fields to practice in full Wednesday and start the season finale at the Vikings on Sunday.

Fields has been out two games with an ankle injury he suffered against the Vikings in Week 15. Third-stringer Nick Foles started in his place against the Seahawks and backup Andy Dalton started against the Giants. The Bears won both games.

Nagy’s original plan for Fields was for him to sit behind Dalton all season, but that changed when Dalton suffered a bone bruise in his knee in the second game. Fields made his starting debut in Week 3 against the Browns, played well the next week against the Lions and was named permanent starter heading into the Week 5 game against the Raiders.

Fields has started 10 games. He has completed 58.9% of his passes for 1,870 yards with seven touchdowns and seven interceptions for a 73.2 passer rating.

Bears rookie QB Justin Fields to return for season finale at Vikings Read More »

Blackhawks’ Alex Nylander experiment ends feebly with trade to Penguins

Alex Nylander’s fruitless tenure with the Blackhawks ended Wednesday with a whimper.

The Hawks traded Nylander, who hadn’t made an NHL appearance since the 2019-20 season, to the Penguins for Sam Lafferty.

Lafferty adds some depth and physicality to the Hawks, but he’s a known commodity at this point. The 26-year-old forward has tallied 15 points and 218 hits in 94 games for the Penguins over the last three seasons.

He’d struggled to crack their lineup this season, making only 10 appearances with two points — and with Evgeni Malkin likely to return soon, he might’ve been bound for waivers if not traded.

Far more meaningful than the Lafferty acquisition, however, is the end of the Nylander era, which will go down as one of ex-general manager Stan Bowman’s most egregious mistakes.

While Henri Jokiharju — the man traded for Nylander in summer 2019 — averages more than 21 minutes per game as a 22-year-old top-pairing defenseman for the rebuilding Sabres, Nylander never came close to panning out as the top-six playmaking winger Bowman envisioned.

He missed all of last season recovering from knee surgery and appeared nowhere near the necessary fitness levels in NHL training camp this season. Although he had been scoring at a decent clip — 12 points in 23 games — in the AHL, he no longer seemed to be on the call-up radar.

This story will be updated.

Blackhawks’ Alex Nylander experiment ends feebly with trade to Penguins Read More »

For second time this season, Bears coach Matt Nagy says he has not been fired

It’s never a good sign when a head coach is having to shoot down rumors of his firing, but Matt Nagy must be getting used to it by now.

CBS’ Boomer Esiason reported on a WFAN radio show Wednesday that the Bears had already informed Nagy he’d be let go after the season finale against the Vikings on Sunday, but Nagy firmly disputed that.

“I can clear it up,” he said. “I’m very honest and open with you guys. That has not been told to me.

“I haven’t been told anything. I’m a pretty good source to ask. Anybody that has a report that is gonna talk to somebody who talked to somebody who talked to somebody, it’s probably best to just call me up and ask me. I promise you, I’ll tell you the truth. I’m a pretty good source.”

Nagy’s denial, of course, doesn’t invalidate Esiason’s report, which he said, “came through a really, really good, tight source.” Nagy is widely expected to be fired after the game, and that has been a frequent topic in his press conferences throughout the last two months.

In November, coming off a brutal collapse against the Ravens, Nagy was left to fend off a report by Patch.com that the team told him he’d be fired after the Thanksgiving game against the Lions. When the organization made no effort whatsoever to squash it, Nagy spent nearly an entire press conference answering questions about the report.

Nagy began his Bears career by going 12-4 and winning the NFC North in 2018, but has gone 22-26 since. The Bears have scored the ninth-fewest points in the NFL during his tenure.

For second time this season, Bears coach Matt Nagy says he has not been fired Read More »

Oddsmakers favor White Sox to win AL Central

A lockout won’t stop oddsmakers from posting predictions for the 2022 Major League Baseball season.

SportsBetting.ag has the White Sox as favorites to win the AL Central this season and the Cubs coming in fourth in the NL Central:

AL Central

White Sox -175

Detroit Tigers +550

Cleveland Guardians +600

Minnesota Twins +750

Kansas City Royals +1200

NL Central

Milwaukee Brewers +150

St. Louis Cardinals +225

Cincinnati Reds +300

Cubs +650

Pittsburgh Pirates +2500

The Sox are listed behind the Astros and Yankees on the oddsmakers’ board to win the AL championship:

AL pennant

Houston Astros +550

New York Yankees +575

White Sox +600

Tampa Bay Rays +700

Toronto Blue Jays +700

The odds are much longer to win the World Series:

2022 World Series

Los Angeles Dodgers +600

New York Mets +850

Atlanta Braves +950

Houston Astros +1000

New York Yankees +1200

San Diego Padres +1200

White Sox +1600

Tampa Bay Rays +1600

Toronto Blue Jays +1600

Oddsmakers favor White Sox to win AL Central Read More »

3 people die in River Grove house fire

Three adults died and another adult was injured in a wind-whipped house fire in west suburban River Grove Wednesday morning.

The fire began in a garage and spread to the rest of home around 7:30 a.m. in the 2300 block of Grove Street, River Grove Fire Chief Sean Flynn said.

Three family members died inside the home, two on the second floor and one on the first, Flynn said.

A fourth adult was hospitalized at Loyola University Medical Center, where he was listed in critical-but-stable condition.

Firefighters struggled with high winds and frozen hydrants, Flynn said. The fire was extinguished in a few hours.

The state fire marshal was assisting in investigating the fire’s cause.

It was unclear if there was a working smoke detector in the home.

3 people die in River Grove house fire Read More »

Two reports suggest Ryan Pace will remain with Chicago Bears

The final regular season game is upon us for the Chicago Bears and we are just days away from the start of the most important offseason in a long time for the franchise. While it’s pretty well known that Matt Nagy likely isn’t coming back, Ryan Pace’s future with the franchise is in serious jeopardy as well.

But there’s one problem.

There hasn’t been a ton of smoke one way or the other regarding Pace and that’s not a great sign if you want a complete overhaul with this franchise. On Tuesday night, however, we got our first real report about what could happen with Pace and sitting here on Wednesday, it sounds like the Bears are set to retain him.

Longtime Bears and NFL reporter Hub Arkush was on the Parkins and Spiegel Show on 670 The Score and revealed that he believes Ryan Pace will be back next season:

Hub Arkush just told us @670TheScore he has “very good sources” that say Ryan Pace is likely going to remain with the organization. https://t.co/T5GXWyYPga & https://t.co/RkrJrBFJWA

— Shane Riordan (@shane_riordan) January 4, 2022

A day later on Wednesday, Bears beat writer Brad Biggs echoed those same thoughts in his latest column. Biggs talked about the Bears situation and wrote this:

I can tell you in talking to people around the league, there definitely is a portion of folks who believe he has a good chance of remaining with the Bears either in his current role as general manager or in some other capacity on the football side of things. Others believe the Bears will make more sweeping changes than just replacing coach Matt Nagy.

I can tell you once source I spoke to earlier this week said a little more than a month ago, he would have put the chance of Pace staying at slightly higher than 50%. Now his belief is Pace’s chances of remaining with the Bears is greater than that. We know Chairman George McCaskey has held Pace in high regard for some time. He’s not going to let him be a guiding voice in a more than $100 million upgrade at Halas Hall without having total trust in him. It’s possible McCaskey wants to allow Pace to see through the development of quarterback Justin Fields and maybe McCaskey likes some of the younger players on the roster.

Speculation regarding the futures of Pace and Nagy has been the driving story this season, especially when the team went in a five-game spiral beginning in mid-October. Fortunately, we’ll have some clarity by the time the next mailbag drops.

Just be prepared on Monday for this to happen as it appears as if the Bears are leaning towards bringing Pace back for another run at this.

Make sure to check out our Chicago Bears forum for the latest on the team.

Two reports suggest Ryan Pace will remain with Chicago Bears Read More »

Cale Makar’s GWG wasn’t even slightly Kirby Dach’s faultVincent Pariseon January 5, 2022 at 2:00 pm

Jan 4, 2022; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) scores the winning goal in overtime against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Blackhawks were defeated by the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday night by a final score of 4-3. The loss came in overtime as each team battled hard to earn at least one point. Cale Makar made an amazing play on Kirby Dach and Marc-Andre Fleury for the win. The Avalanche are a significantly better hockey team than the Blackhawks but Chicago deserves credit for sticking in there.

They even had a few chances to win where some bad luck just didn’t allow it. The most glaring example is when Jonathan Toews hit the post in overtime after deking out Colorado’s goaltender Darcy Kuemper. It was a great game for the captain as he had a goal earlier in the contest.

Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane each deserve credit for the Hawks reaching overtime as well. DeBrincat had two power-play goals scored 40 seconds apart. Kane had the primary assist on both. Seth Jones assisted on one of them and the Toews goal so it was a two-point night for him as well. Seeing the top players play like top players is really good for the Hawks.

Jonathan Toews came THIS CLOSE to winning the game for the #Blackhawks! pic.twitter.com/gHK75qD7nd

— DaWindyCityFS (@DaWindyCityFS) January 5, 2022

After Toews hit the post in overtime, it didn’t last much longer. The puck found itself on Cale Makar’s stick in the offensive zone which is never a good sign. Out of every defenseman in the NHL, there might be two or three that are better than him and that is it. You can even argue that there are zero better than him but that is a story for another day.

Cale Makar made a sick play on Kirby Dach to give his team the win on Tuesday.

Makar took the puck and made it look like he was going for a skate. He then stopped in his tracks with a clear lane to Marc-Andre Fleury where he roofed one over his shoulder and sent the United Center crowd home silently. It was one of the more remarkable goals that you will see in the National Hockey League this season.

UNREAL play by Cale Makar. One of the best defenseman in the NHL. Tip your cap, #Blackhawks fans! pic.twitter.com/Pmj2zJKUjV

— DaWindyCityFS (@DaWindyCityFS) January 5, 2022

When Makar made his move towards Fleury, it was deking out Blackhawks forward Kirby Dach. Dach is a former third overall pick that is taking a little bit of time to develop offensively. Dach, as a result, receives some criticism but this isn’t the time.

Makar was his man in this play but it wasn’t even slightly his fault if you think about it deeply. There are only about four or five players in the National Hockey League that would have made the right move to defend Makar’s play here. Dach was just simply beat and has to tip his cap.

It isn’t a pretty highlight to be a part of if you are Dach but that happens in this league sometimes. The only way to forget about it is to try and make the play next time. If his offensive numbers jumped just a little bit, that would happen even quicker. It was a tough play but Makar deserves stick taps more than Dach deserves blame.

Cale Makar’s GWG wasn’t even slightly Kirby Dach’s faultVincent Pariseon January 5, 2022 at 2:00 pm Read More »

Chicago Bears are still thinking about bringing back Ryan PaceTodd Welteron January 5, 2022 at 1:00 pm

Chicago Bears (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

Are the Chicago Bears considering keeping beleaguered general manager Ryan Pace?

That is what two Chicago Bears beat reporters recently told local sports talk station, 670 the Score.

Pro Football Weekly Executive Editor and long time Chicago Bears insider, Hub Arkush, told the Parkins & Spiegel show his sources say Pace is returning.

His sources did say Pace’s future role is yet to be determined.

.@Hub_Arkush on Ryan Pace’s future with #Bears: “What I’ve heard from several good sources is that Ryan is probably going to be remaining with the organization (in some capacity) … It’s better than 50-50 that Ryan Pace sticks around.”

Listen: https://t.co/dozT2brTxP pic.twitter.com/shDts5zhky

— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) January 4, 2022

Chicago Tribune Bears beat reporter, Brad Biggs said on Mully & Haugh, Pace coming back next season is possible.

“You get vastly different opinions when you talk to people who have been in or are right around the league and have been in those positions for a long time. I talked to a guy last night, who doesn’t work for the Bears and he is just reading the tea leaves but he is involved with coaches.

He said, ‘If you would have asked a month ago, he would have put Ryan Pace’s chances of staying somewhere around 55%’

He thinks those chances are considerably better now. Not based on anything they have done on the field but just based on his sort of reading of the situation.

Then you talk to other people and they are throwing out names like look for this guy to be the hot candidate, look for this guy to be in the mix, and for them, it is sort of fait accompli that the Bears are going to fire the GM and the coach.

I don’t know. I can’t imagine they are still trying to figure out specifically what they want to do. If that is the case at Halas Hall, then there is a bigger problem than certainly meets the surface when you are just looking at the roster and the record over the last couple of seasons.”

Biggs did say a potential three-game win streak to end the season will not save Matt Nagy as the decision to relieve him of head coaching duties after the season has been made. He believes the possible season-ending win streak will not factor into Pace staying or going.

CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora is usually not reliable on his Bears “insider” information but he also has reported Pace’s fate has not been decided.

General manager Ryan Pace could still survive the overhaul there, with him and team president Ted Phillips aligned, sources said. However, the McCaskey family is also considering making major changes to their hierarchy, sources said, that could potentially include someone else overseeing football operations and/or serving in that team president role. There are numerous opposing factions within that organization with change on the horizon, and various scenarios for the family to consider as they try to put together a contending team again.

The McCaskey family is once again considering keeping Pace in the organization because they like him personally and professionally according to Arkush.

“The McCaskey family is happy with him as a football executive, not just as a person.”

There is a serious debate about keeping a general manager who is 48-64 in seven seasons with one winning season and no playoff victories. Winning franchises would have shown Pace the door last season but not the Chicago Bears which is why they are currently a losing franchise.

Instead, Bears’ ownership focus on things like renovating a practice facility, likability, and good collaboration skills as keys to a successful general manager. They ignore a fundamental football principle-you are what your record says you are.

Pace’s record screams not good enough and time to move on.

There are some other arguments for keeping Pace in the organization. The biggest argument is Pace has a solid draft record. NBC Sports Chicago Bears beat reporter, Adam Hoge took a look into that and found that Pace’s record is not as good as some make it out to be.

Still, the McCaskey’s own the Bears. It is their call to retain Pace. The only way-fans will not like it-he can stay is if he is given a boss with football expertise.

Pace cannot report to the team president and CEO, Ted Philips. His record and his failures prove he cannot be trusted as the football operations president that is being speculated about.

Someone with football expertise-something Philips admits he does not possess-needs to be able to overrule Pace when he thinks it is a good idea to trade multiple picks to move up a few spots to nab an undersized wide receiver or a tackle with an injury history.

The McCaskeys would finally be doing the right thing by removing Philips from the football side, hiring a football person to oversee the football side but forcing that person to keep Pace because he is a good guy.

Chicago Bears are still thinking about bringing back Ryan PaceTodd Welteron January 5, 2022 at 1:00 pm Read More »

Blackhawks midseason prospect rankings: Shallow forward pool needs addressing

The Blackhawks’ future doesn’t look much more promising than their present.

The 2021 calendar year gutted their prospect pool, partially because Adam Boqvist and the 13th overall pick were traded and partially because several other prospects graduated or flamed out.

When breaking the pool down by position, though, the Hawks look fairly well off defensively. Seven of the 10 players ranked below are defensemen — and that’s not even including Wyatt Kalynuk because he’s 24, and these rankings historically have used an age limit of 23 to define prospects.

But outside of Lukas Reichel, the Hawks lack forward prospects with potential. The cupboard of scorers is almost bare, and the Hawks won’t have their first-round pick after this season — unless they win the lottery — to help restock it.

It’s a massive organizational weakness that interim general manager Kyle Davidson has identified but doesn’t have the assets to fix at the moment. And it makes it hard to be optimistic about the Hawks’ long-term outlook.

As always, these rankings are determined partially by NHL readiness and partially by upside.

No. 1: Lukas Reichel, forward, age 19

Previous ranking: No. 1

Stat line: 14 points in 18 games with Rockford (AHL)

There hasn’t been much recent Reichel news. Because of a concussion and a bout with COVID, he has played in only three AHL games since Nov. 29 — stalling his momentum after a furious 12-points-in-11-games start to the season.

But Hawks interim coach Derek King hinted Tuesday that the German center’s much-anticipated NHL call-up might not be too far away, saying the Hawks “could use somebody like him” once he’s back up to speed. That’ll be an exciting day for the team’s lone elite prospect.

No. 2: Ian Mitchell, defenseman, 22

Previous ranking: N/A

Stat line: 12 points in 20 games with Rockford (AHL)

Twenty of Mitchell’s 26 games this season have been in the AHL, bumping him back to “prospect” status after he previously seemed to have graduated.

There’s still time for him to develop into the dynamic top-four offensive defenseman that he once looked certain to become — and playing big minutes and building confidence in the AHL right now give him his best chance — but his stock is falling.

No. 3: Arvid Soderblom, goaltender, 22

Previous ranking: N/A

Stat line: .915 save percentage in nine games with Rockford (AHL)

The Hawks’ famed European scouting department might’ve struck gold yet again with Soderblom.

He has followed his .921 save percentage last season in Sweden, which earned him his Hawks contract, with another good-looking average this season in Rockford, which looks even better when considering he’s facing 33.4 shots per game. He’s remarkably calm and technically sound and efficient with movement in the crease.

No. 4: Wyatt Kaiser, defenseman, 19

Previous ranking: No. 5

Stat line: Seven points in 16 games with Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)

Kaiser was one of three American Hawks prospects — along with Landon Slaggert and Drew Commesso — who missed out on valuable experience when the World Junior Championships were canceled.

But the 2020 third-round pick remains a key cog for Minnesota-Duluth after his breakout 2020-21 freshman season, showing the versatility to play in all situations.

No. 5: Alex Vlasic, defenseman, 20

Previous ranking: No. 10

Stat line: Seven points in 19 games with Boston University (NCAA)

Vlasic’s strongest suit is his 6-6 frame, and he makes full use of it, not only for hits but also to muscle away opponents to win and protect the puck.

He was seen as a project prospect when drafted in the second round in 2019. But as a college junior, he’s getting closer to pro readiness.

No. 6: Isaak Phillips, defenseman, 20

Previous ranking: No. 8

Stat line: Eight points in 18 games with Rockford (AHL)

Phillips has been a fast-rising prospect ever since he was rather innocuously drafted in the fifth round in 2020. His brief NHL call-up in October, ahead of his IceHogs teammates, indicated the Hawks are watching him closely.

No. 7: Alec Regula, defenseman, 21

Previous ranking: No. 6

Stat line: Four points in 11 games with Rockford (AHL)

Regula got a late start to his AHL season after suffering a back injury during NHL training camp. With his 6-4, 207-pound frame and decent puck-moving ability, he shares a lot in common with Vlasic, although his ceiling — as a sturdy third-pairing guy — caps out a bit lower.

No. 8: Landon Slaggert, forward, 19

Previous ranking: No. 9

Stat line: 10 points in 19 games with Notre Dame (NCAA)

Slaggert’s production has dipped slightly from his freshman year, when he had 22 points in 25 games. But the 2020 third-round pick has retained his Brandon Hagel-like work ethic that makes for an effective center or wing in all three zones.

No. 9: Nicolas Beaudin, defenseman, 22

Previous ranking: No. 3

Stat line: Six points in 22 games with Rockford (AHL)

After taking a sizable step forward last season, Beaudin has made it into only one NHL game this season. Even more alarming is that he has been on the third pair for the IceHogs most nights.

The 2018 first-round pick is skirting dangerously close to bust territory, although his timer hasn’t run out yet.

No. 10: Jakub Galvas, defenseman, 22

Previous ranking: Unranked

Stat line: Six points in 20 games with Rockford (AHL)

Galvas came out of nowhere to nearly make the Hawks’ opening-day roster. He hasn’t resurfaced on the NHL radar, but he has been a notable contributor for the IceHogs.

Honorable mention: Alex Nylander, forward, 23

Stat line: 12 points in 23 games with Rockford (AHL)

Nylander ranks third on the IceHogs in points and is tied with Reichel for first in goals, so he’s scoring at a decent clip. It’s just debatable whether he still qualifies as a prospect, even at 23, given all his previous NHL opportunities.

Other prospects to watch: Evan Barratt (F, 22), Nolan Allan (D, 18), Drew Commesso (G, 19), Colton Dach (F, 19), Ryder Rolston (F, 20), Taige Harding (D, 20), Louis Crevier (D, 20), Antti Saarela (F, 20).

Blackhawks midseason prospect rankings: Shallow forward pool needs addressing Read More »

3 intense Chicago Blackhawks trade packages for Jake DeBruskVincent Pariseon January 5, 2022 at 12:00 pm

BOSTON, MA – APRIL 13: Jake DeBrusk #74 of the Boston Bruins skates enroute to scoring a goal in a shootout in double overtime against the Buffalo Sabres at TD Garden on April 13, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

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(Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

The Chicago Blackhawks have had a very interesting season. They were off to a terrible start before they fired the coach. Derek King has come in and done a nice job but the hole seems too big to climb out of. They have played well under King but they are still going to lose some games and they need to be basically perfect to get back into the race.

The organization may or may not be sellers already but there is a hockey trade that they can make in order to enhance their future. They can give some players on their current roster a change of scenery to resurrect their careers and they can also take on a young player to give him a chance on a new team.

One player that fits the bill of a player somewhere else that needs help is Jake DeBrusk of the Boston Bruins. He was a first-round pick for them in 2015. He was one of three straight selections that Boston made in the first round of that draft. DeBrusk has had really good years with the Bruins early on but has since fallen off a bit.

He needs a chance to play significant minutes with some good players. He hasn’t gotten that consistently with the Bruins because their top six have been pretty set since he started to struggle. If he came to Chicago, he might get a legit chance.

The Chicago Blackhawks could really consider a Jake DeBrusk trade this winter.

There have been rumors about his eventual trade for a few weeks now. The Blackhawks are a team that makes perfect sense in a variety of ways. DeBrusk is still very young so it isn’t like he is a rental player that needs to go to a “win now” team. The Hawks could make one of these three trades with the idea of helping him get his career back on track:

Next: Trade One