The wait for Day 1 of NHL free agency felt like the days leading up to Christmas. We all had our Christmas wish lists for Santa and set out cookies and milk for him on Christmas Eve night. But, instead of getting that Xbox One with the coolest new games, you got an Atari with Pong. That’s what Chicago Blackhawks fans got on Day 1. Atari with Pong.
Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman came to agreements with free agents Cam Ward, Chris Kunitz and Brandon Manning. Pong. They’re all great guys (although Connor McDavid might not say that about Manning) but not the right guys for the moment.