Eat The Hatchet is Back

 

Three years ago, I started a blog called Eat The Hatchet. 

I had just left the Marine Corps for the second time and found myself with a lot of downtime in between careers. While I was waiting for my new workplace to get set up (which took nearly six months), I wanted to start writing. I picked hockey. 

I've talked about my connection with hockey and the military in the past. In short, it became a way to escape the military day-to-day life and a way to help transition (both times). My blog gave way to a couple of writing opportunities, and then over the summer, I planned on putting the blog on the shelf. 

Well, I decided to change that. 

My grandpa recently passed away, and while he wasn't a hockey fan, he did enjoy reading my stuff. He always pushed me to keep going. Maybe it's a way to feel connected to him, but I decided to bring the blog back. 

Because I'll be going back to school, I don't expect my coverage to be as in-depth as in the past. I'll still write for Second City Hockey, but you can find my Blackhawks thoughts here in the meantime. 

The new home (with all my old posts) is: eatthehatchet-hockey.com

In other news, as to why I've been quiet here, well,  I've been posting my writing updates to my newsletter, which you can find on the right sidebar. I plan on doing a post with some writing updates here soon. 

Thanks to everyone who has ever supported me in my writing journey. 

Patrick Kane Returns to Chicago

It happened. The Chicago Blackhawks signed Patrick Kane to a two year deal with a $8 million cap hit and a full no-move clause. Many fans are beyond thrilled to have 88 back in Chicago. But how much will Kane add to the Hawks?

Let's get my reaction out of the way first. The fan inside of me is thrilled. I can't wait to see Kane in a Blackhawks sweater again. But I don't thick this was the best move.

In his three years with the Detroit Red Wings, Patrick Kane scored 163 points in his 189 games. Last season, Kane scored 57 points (16 goals, 41 assists) in 67 games. For fancy stats, he posted a 50.32% Corsi and a 52.77% expected goals share (both at 5v5). His expected goals per 60 on the power play ranked 54th overall on a Red Wings power play that ranked 12th overall.

And it's on the power play for the Blackhawks that Kane will likely have the largest impact. Especially when Connor Bedard is healthy again and if Bowen Byram is everything Kyle Davidson hopes that he is.

But was this the right move for the Hawks.

Much like how the Byram trade in a vacuum makes the blue line better, Kane helps a squeamish looking top-six. No, Kane's contract won't hurt the Hawks' cap. But he's not the big top-six free agent signing that automatically makes this team a playoff team. 

If the Hawks do somehow make the playoffs, that's because a lot went right with the kids. 

Looking at this with rosy glasses, Kane will help Frank Nazar at 1C and Roman Kantserov (who we still don't know what exactly he is). 

Looking at this with a glass half empty, and this move really feels like something Kyle Davidson did to please the fans who are slowly growing more impatient with the rebuild. Last season, it was Davidson who firmly shut down any prospect of Kane returning to the Hawks. 

So, what gives? Why the turnaround?

I have a feeling there was some pressure from Danny Wirtz. Kane will fill the United Center, day one of the 2026-27 season. This is guaranteed to generate revenue that I have a feeling was going to take a slight dip with Bedard being absent the first month and a season that might not be too different from last year.

Either way, welcome back to Chicago, 88.

The 2026 Blackhawks Offseason Bananza

It's time for my annual Chicago Blackhawks offseason preview. 

Thanks to the Connor Bedard injury and the Bowen Byram trade, my passion for this team is at a low not felt in a while. It's like a dying flame spurred on by the embers of loyalty. I am not excited for the season to start, and that hurts to say as a Hawks fan. 

Bedard's injury really is the icing on the cake (a shit cake). With him being out until November (and that's not definite), this roster is going to look quite bleak. Here's what the forward projections are from The Athletic:

Tyler Bertuzzi — Frank Nazar — Roman Kantserov
Ryan Donato — Anton Frondell — Nick Lardis
Andrew Mangiapane  — Oliver Moore — Teuvo Teräväinen
Jordan Greenway — Ryan Greene — Cole Smith
Extra: Landon Slaggert 

An optimist might look at the opportunity for Frank Nazar to prove himself at center, which he did last season in the very low-calorie October games. Anton Frondell might make a nice impression, but that's doubtful given that he's very young. Roman Kantserov, despite how much Kyle Davidson wants us to believe in him, is a total unknown. 

The best case scenario is that the kids look excellent. And that's where there is a positive side to this. We get to see more of Nazar at 1C and another look at Frondell (who I think will be an excellent player). Kantserov could be something special too.

But I've said that at the start of every season for the past couple of years. There's potential in the kids and it could go well, or it could go badly.

The Byram trade is what it is. Davidson threw No. 1 defenseman money at an unproven No. 1 defenseman. Even if he hits I have major questions about the GM who once said that you find your No. 1 defenseman in the draft, not on the market. 

Regardless of Bedard being out or not, they still need top-six talent. Not unproven youth. Matthew Knies would have been my pick. Jason Robertson if that was ever a real possibility. But instead, the rumblings are of Patrick Kane making a possible return to Chicago. The nostalgic person in me would love this, but beyond that, I'm not so sure how much this helps Chicago (or Kane)... if it even happens. 

Anyway, that's my thoughts on this circus. I might expand more on the Byram stuff. I might not. Depending on my schedule for next season, I'll lay out expectations.  With school, work, and writing two books, I may have to really limit myself this fall. As for the summer, I might put out a couple of pieces expanding on the ideas mentioned above. 

The next time I speak about the Hawks I'll have an update on how I'll be covering them in the future.

Blackhawks Pre-Draft Thoughts Part II

                                

Moments after I posted yesterday's musings about the Blackhawks and their lack of trades (and the potential for a lackluster draft), they go ahead and do this shit:

FULL TRADE: #Blackhawks acquire Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway from #Sabres for the 4th overall pick in the 2026 draft, the 45th overall pick (NYI 2nd), and Louis Crevier (per @frank_seravalli)

— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) June 24, 2026

So it looks like there isn't going to be a top-five pick this year and certainly not one involved in a trade that got Connor Bedard a top-six winger. That's still the Hawks biggest need this offseason. And yes, the Hawks could still theoretically grab that (although I don't see that happening, especially since they seem high on Roman Kantserov). Why not have both? Settle for the high-end defenseman prospect from the draft, go find yourself the top-six winger, GM. 

Bowen Byram makes the Blackhawks blue line better. But the price to get him was steep. The No. 4 pick, a second rounder, and Louis Crevier. And if you've read my other Hawks articles, you know how I feel about Crevier. 

Byram is also a free-agent with a contract that expires next year. The real twist in the gonads isn't that he could wait out the year and head off into free agency, it's that he can ask Kyle Davidson to pay him No. 1 defenseman money, which is north of $10 mil. He'll get to do this before he's even proved to the Hawks that he can be that guy. And by most pundits, it's unlikely that he is. 

So, what gives? Is the Hawks defenseman pipeline not as good enough as Davidson believed? 

Like all (or most) Hawks fans, I hope I'm proven wrong and that this actually pans out. Otherwise, this is a serious mark against Davidson amongst a growing list of serious concerns. 

Blackhawks Pre-draft Thoughts

                                                

It's been a minute since I've written about the Blackhawks, hasn't it?

The NHL Entry Level Draft is this Friday. I'll be honest, with work and the two books that I'm working on, I haven't had much time to devote to hockey. I didn't catch as much of the Stanley Cup Playoffs as I'd normally like. I'm sure as shit not following prospects to an in depth level. 

And that's the thing, with every year since Bedard's draft year, I've grown less and less interested in prospects. Most of these kids aren't going to play in the NHL. There's a high likelihood of Kyle Davidson drafting a player you don't like. It's just a crap shoot. 

With Gavin McKenna going at No. 1 (most likely), Caleb Malhotra and Ivar Stenberg are the two next forwards likely to be gone by the Hawks pick at four. However, there is the likelihood that San Jose drafts a defenseman (Chase Reid). See below on that San Jose pick.

The possibility of Kyle Davidson trading the No. 4 overall pick to acquire a player is also being floated around. If it's Matthew Knies, sure. Anyone else and it'd have to be a big surprise. 

Much like the end of the season where my interest in this team plummeted, I'm not all too excited for the draft. If we end up with Stenberg, I'll be happy. 

Second City Hockey: Artyom Levshunov

Happy Draft Lottery day. 

For some Blackhawks fans, today was a circled event and another "win" for Kyle Davidson and his rebuild. For others, it's another reminder of a lost season. 

Today's post isn't meant to debate the merits of the rebuild. It is what it is, and we are here. 

Instead, I present to you: Artyom Levshunov.

Clicking that link brings you to an article I wrote last week. I just forgot to share it here. Depending on how the lottery balls roll tonight, I may or may not have thoughts. That also depends on my motivation to write Hawks stuff. Which is fleeting these days.