In Chicago, Chris Hine reported Blackhawks Senior VP & GM Stan Bowman and the team "agreed to a three-year extension" that keeps him there through the '20-21 season. Bowman’s new deal "represents the Hawks bringing to fruition one of the tenets that has been a pillar of their three Cup runs -- continuity within the organization." Bowman is in his "15th season with the Hawks, his seventh" as GM (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/27). Also in Chicago, Mark Lazerus notes Bowman's deal comes just two weeks after coach Joel Quenneville also "received a three-year contract extension." Both men now are "locked up for the foreseeable future, the two most central off-ice figures in the NHL's most successful organization" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 1/27). SI.com's Allan Muir wrote Bowman is "more than one of the best in the game." Muir: "He's the best" (SI.com, 1/26).
WAITING GAME: In Pittsburgh, Bombulie & Fontaine noted Penguins co-Owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle argued that they are "still talking with potential buyers," despite a report that said otherwise. But as the "pursuit of a buyer approaches the eight-month mark, observers say several factors could have an impact on a would-be deal." Those factors include proposed NHL expansion, the Hurricanes "also being on the market," and the "changing politics in Washington and Ottawa." Another factor is the "plunging value of the Canadian dollar" (PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW, 1/24).
STAR GAZING: In Ft. Worth, Mac Engel noted the Stars, who have the third-most points in the NHL, rank 14th "in attendance averaging 18,273 fans per home game." American Airlines Center "actually has an atmosphere again" for home games, as fans no longer can "sling a herd of elephants at home games and know no one will be hit." The Stars have "been one of the best teams in the league since the season started, and players have noticed the fans are showing up." For the "first or second time in nearly a decade the Stars are consistently attracting fans outside of their core fan base, which routinely arrive no matter how irrelevant the team or the game" (FT. WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM, 1/22).
