Photo: Cheryl Adams/flickr

Has the battle for backup goaltender become more interesting?

ESPN.com reported that Ray Emery has been invited to training camp by the Blackhawks on a tryout basis. Emery, who started his comeback from a devastating hip injury with the Anaheim Ducks late last season, is hoping to play himself into the backup position behind Corey Crawford.

Since the Blackhawks let go of Marty Turco this off-season, it has been assumed that Alexander Salak, the goalie prospect picked up in the Frolik trade, would be Crawford’s backup. However, by inviting Emery to training camp, Stan Bowman is making sure that everyone at that camp knows that no job is guaranteed this year — not even in net. It’s also a low-risk gamble for everyone involved; no one is expecting Emery to be the starting goaltender (unlike in recent years, where the veteran free agent was expected to assume that mantle). If it works out, great — and if it doesn’t work, we have two goaltenders who are more than capable of handling things.

A goaltending situation in Chicago that isn’t a crisis? This is a strange and wonderful feeling!

I'd laugh at him, too, but for different reasons. Probably. (Photo: 25Stanley.com)

Jonathan Toews was caught on camera during a Cubs game a couple of days ago, enjoying the company of a blonde who wasn’t Patrick Kane. Soon after, it came out that the young woman’s name is Gabrielle Velasquez (oh, wait, hold up. She’s a Latina like myself? Well, as they say, Mr. Toews — find out what brown can do for you. Mmm-hmm), and 25stanley.com posted a few pictures of Ms. Velasquez.

Little girls everywhere lost their damn minds.

Now, if you came here, looking for insults and cattiness directed at this woman whom I don’t even know (because this is a female-driven site, and you know how them girls can get, amirite?)… you must be new. If you need your fill of slut-shaming and stranger-bashing, Tumblr is over that way. I save my insults for the players — kind of like this: Toews is covering up his giant forehead so that the shine from said forehead doesn’t reflect into Gabrielle’s eyes and blind her permanently.

I could not care less about who Toews chooses to date, so I just wish him and Gabrielle the best, whether it’s for forever… or a few hours. Bow-chicka-bow-wow!

“But, Kat,” you might ask, “if you don’t care, why did you write this story?” Well, folks, there is one thing I care about — site hits. See, right now, somebody is typing in “jonathan toews girlfriend slut” into Google, and if all goes to plan, they should land on my site. This equals a site hit. Site hits eventually equal money. Money equals coffee. Coffee fuels this site, and the circle of life starts anew.

And it moves us all.

Hello again.

The Blackhawks Convention recap will be coming soon. I just had to recover from the Convention hangover, and then recover from the sickness that followed the hangover.

Here’s what we’ve missed.

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome baaaaack. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

Michael Frolik finally re-signed! On July 15, Frolik signed to a three-year, $7 million contract, according to ESPN Chicago. This works out to $2.33 million per year, which seems a little on the high side. However, since the Blackhawks managed to sign Stalberg to a bargain contract, it all balances out in the end.

Here’s what Stan Bowman had to say about Frolik:

“Like I said when we started this whole process, Michael’s an important part of the team. He’s the guy that we expect to be part of our group for a while. He played some of his best hockey in pressure situations down the stretch, in particular in the playoffs, and I think there’s a lot more to his game. We’re excited to have him here for three more years.”

Who else signed? Who’s leaving the team? You probably already know, but click on the jump, anyway.

» Continue reading “Your Daily Cup: All The News I Missed”

I’ll be running comics by Ashley Mandel (Brent Seabrook’s Hair) on Sundays during the summer.

Dave Bolland obviously thought twice about trolling Duncan Keith once he saw what Duncs was reading. And to be honest, I would, too.

Happy Birthday, Dunc! (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

Today is a special day for Runs On Duncan, for it is the day our namesake, Duncan Keith, was born, all the way back in 1983.

I know I bust his chops a lot on here (it was so easy to do last year — let’s be honest), but he really is one of my favorite players on the Blackhawks, and I’m proud to have named my site after a terrible pun involving his name. So, happy birthday, Mr. Keith. I hope you wished that next year goes better for you than last year. It’s already taking a step in the right direction with your wedding (congrats on that, by the way), am I right?

White And Nerdy himself welcomes you.

The 4th Annual Blackhawks Convention starts tomorrow at the Hilton Chicago (720 S. Michigan)! Hope you’ve already got your ticket, because it’s been sold out for months. While this year will probably not be as crazy as last year (how could anything compete with the allure of the Stanley Cup?), the convention is still always full of good times, embarrassing stories, and other things that appeal to the hardcore Blackhawks fan.

And, like I’ve been for the past two years, I will be there, reporting on all of it. I hope. If I can fight with the hotel’s crummy wi-fi. God, I hate their wi-fi.

Anyway! After the jump is the schedule that has been released so far, as well as the list of Blackhawks attendees, along with a couple of surprises…

All times listed are CT. The schedule is put together using the following links:

• http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569201
• http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569254
• http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569359
• http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569405
• http://blackhawks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=569142

» Continue reading “The 4th Annual Blackhawks Convention Preview”

Okay, so as you may have heard (definitely have heard, she announced this on Twitter like she was John McDonough), it’s Kat’s big 3-0 today.

Guuuuurl, it's yo' birthday?! (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

Since I’m pretty much the birthday fairy, I figured I’d gather some peeps and wish her a happy birthday.

Let’s come meet some of our guests…

» Continue reading “Happy Birthday, Kat!”

Happy Birthday, Smitty! (Photo: Cheryl Adams/flickr)

Ben “F—ing” Smith was born on July 11, 1988. He’s been kicking ass and taking names ever since.

I know he’s not technically a Blackhawk right now, but we all know that he’s pretty much penciled in on the roster unless something drastic happens. So I’m wishing him a happy birthday. Screw the facts — I do what I want!

Welcome back, Stalberg! (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)

The Blackhawks have announced that Viktor Stalberg has signed a two-year deal, avoiding arbitration.

According to ESPN Chicago, the deal is worth a total of $1.75 million, for a cap hit of $875,000 — a real bargain. Stalberg had 12 goals and 24 points in his first season with the Blackhawks. He also ranked fourth on the team with 102 hits.

The Blackhawks still have two more restricted free agents to re-sign, Chris Campoli and Michael Frolik. Campoli’s arbitration hearing is set for August 3.

As you may remember, Frolik is not eligible for arbitration; this is because he has not had four years of NHL experience from the time he signed his entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers. Stalberg doesn’t, either — but since he signed his entry-level contract after the age of 20, the term is reduced. (Thanks to this site for that information.)

Update: CapGeek reports that goaltender Alec Ricards was also signed to a two-year deal worth $525,000 per year.

Seriously, though, f--- this guy.

Pat Foley is a Blackhawks fan. It seems weird to have to say that about the Blackhawks announcer, but after listening to some other announcers around the league, it seems as if having a fan call your games without being the biggest homer ever is rarer nowadays.

So Foley is a fan. And, during the early 2000′s, he was forced to watch a lot of terrible hockey. His frustration with this culminated in the greatest airing of grievances I have ever heard from him — the last game Alexander Karpovtsev ever played as a Blackhawk. See, Karpovtsev had a reputation for being “soft,” and, well, Foley added fuel to those rumors with this rant.

It is a thing of beauty.

» Continue reading “From The Vault: Pat Foley Rips Alexander Karpovtsev”