The Latest Breaking News on NHL

The news passed quickly and quietly last week, lost in the hype surrounding phenom Connor Bedard as the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL entry draft and the impending start of NHL free agency.

Bedard jerseys are replacing Kane and Toews jerseys as the standard uniform of any Hawks fan — in Chicago and around the world. But behind that jersey is a down-to-earth 17-year-old kid who just happens to excel at hockey.

PITTSBURGH — Much is still to be learned about new president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas and his long-term vision for the Penguins, and we will need more than one month before we can draw conclusions about his tenure. But one thing was apparent in recent days. The man sure…

Korchinski, the Hawks’ best defensive prospect, has accomplished everything one can at the junior level. If he can hold up physically against NHL competition, he has a real chance to make the Hawks’ roster.

Michael Bunting wasn’t your average NHL rookie in 2021-22 with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

PITTSBURGH — You know the names.

The Hawks used their fifth-round draft pick on Marcel, who is 6-4 and 243 pounds, a surprisingly decent skater and a hilarious personality. And, yes, there’s a story behind his name.

The Paisley hockey stalwart sadly passed away last week.

Kyle Dubas had a history of failing with his goaltenders during his otherwise solid five-year run as Toronto Maple Leafs general manager.

TAMPA, Fla. — Remember this:

Gajan, whom the Hawks drafted 35th last week, was the goaltender victimized by Bedard in his famous world-juniors highlight. But Gajan’s overall performance for Slovakia still caught the Hawks’ eye in a good way.