CHGO Digest: Blackhawks take Levshunov, Bulls re-sign Williams, NBA & NHL free agency begins

Good morning, friends!

Every Kane needs his Toews. Every Toews needs his Kane.

But every championship-caliber team needs a franchise cornerstone on the blue line, too. Artyom Levshunov might be that for Kyle Davidson’s Blackhawks.

Now it’s Davidson’s duty to surround Connor Bedard with talent in free agency that can bring playoff hockey back to Chicago.

— Patrick Norton

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What drafting Artyom Levshunov means for the Blackhawks’ offseason

Don’t expect to see Levshunov in Chicago until 2025, whether that’s at the end of the upcoming season or the start of the 2025-26 campaign. Instead, Davidson said Friday that he’ll speak with Levshunov’s agent about his developmental path.

But that shouldn’t prohibit the Blackhawks from signing adequate linemates for Connor Bedard when free agency opens today at 11 a.m.

• Jake Guentzel is off the board after the Hurricanes shipped the winger to Tampa on Sunday. But his former teammate in Carolina and former Blackhawks Stanley Cup champion Teuvo Teravainen could be an option. Steven Stamkos will hit free agency. Could Tampa’s captain make his next home in Chicago?
  
• The Blackhawks tried to set the draft on fire according to The Athletic’s Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus. Davidson reportedly offered the Blackhawks’ 2025 1st-round pick unprotected and a 2025 2nd-round pick to the Blue Jackets for the No. 4 overall pick on Friday to take Ivan Demidov. The deal was “close” but fell through.
  
• Patrick Kane re-signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings on Sunday night before he could hit the open market today.
  

📺 WATCH | The CHGO Blackhawks crew breaks down the Blackhawks’ 2024 NHL Draft class and previews free agency.

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Join CHGO and ALLCITY’s Big Drive Energy at St. Andrews Golf and Country Club in West Chicago on July 22 for the inaugural Cookout Classic Golf Tournament! Sign up as an individual, twosome, or foursome!

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Bulls re-sign Patrick Williams, free agency begins

If there’s one area where Arturas Karnisovas thrives, it’s re-signing young talent to value contracts. Last offseason, it was Coby White. This year, it’s Patrick Williams.

The Bulls inked Williams to a 5-year extension worth $90 million on Saturday night. It’s another sign that the Bulls believe a youth movement is the first step to building a contender.

• What does that mean for DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine, and Nikola Vucevic? The Sun Times’ Joe Cowley believes that if Karnisovas gets his way, none of the three will be in Chicago when the dust settles after free agency. DeRozan can sign elsewhere in free agency, or to maximize his contract’s value, can opt to trigger a sign-and-trade with the Bulls and his next team.
  
• LaVine is a different story. ESPN’s Bobby Marks said, “There is no market for Zach Lavine. They are trying to give him away and attach a first round pick. I’ve been told that by multiple, multiple people.” As for Vucevic, his contract is easier to deal, but it’s about finding a suitor for a shooting big that only hit 29.4% from deep last year.
  

🔎 GO DEEPER | CHGO Bulls’ Will Gottlieb tells us why Patrick Williams’ contract could be a bargain for the Bulls.

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Roundup: Escalator malfunctions at Cubs-Brewers, White Sox shopping Crochet

• Eleven people were injured at American Family Field in Milwaukee on Saturday when an escalator from the terrace level to the loge level malfunctioned. The incident occurred as Cubs and Brewers fans were filing out of the ballpark upon the game’s conclusion. According to eyewitnesses, the escalator jerked before it rapidly increased speed, resulting in a massive pile of people at the bottom.
  
• USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported on Sunday that the White Sox expect to trade Garrett Crochet before the July 30 trade deadline. The team approached Crochet about a contract extension, but talks fell apart quickly between the two sides. However, Luis Robert is expected to remain with the team beyond the deadline according to Nightengale.
  

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2024 Cubs during CHGO Takeovers? 2-0.

People are saying we came to save the season. pic.twitter.com/JUVguEesTx

— CHGO Cubs (@CHGO_Cubs) June 29, 2024

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⚾ 7/5: Friday 1:20 Club at Wrigley Field – vs. Los Angeles Angels
⛳️ 7/22: Cookout Classic Golf Outing at St. Andrews!
⚾ 8/9: Crosstown Classic Takeover at Guaranteed Rate Field

Check out our full calendar here!