Le Journal

RALEIGH, N.C. — With Frank Nazar and Connor Bedard back in action, the Blackhawks’ lineup is the deepest it has been all year.The Hawks’ lineup -Thursday against the Hurricanes was jumbled by veteran center Jason Dickinson falling ill, but that isn’t a long-term concern.Bedard centered Ryan Greene and Andre Burakovsky, Nazar centered Ilya Mikheyev and Tyler Bertuzzi, Oliver Moore centered Ryan Donato and Nick Lardis and Nick Foligno centered Landon Slaggert and Colton Dach.Even once Dickinson returns, it sounds as if coach Jeff Blashill intends to keep Moore at center for the time being. Blashill brought up Moore’s recent growth as one of the biggest silver linings to come out of Nazar and Bedard’s absences.“Since [Oliver has] gone to center, his game has improved,” Blashill said. “Now is it because of that, or is it because he’s gotten more comfortable? I can’t answer that. But I do know that he looks like a guy who potentially is better at center than at wing.”With Bedard, Nazar, Dickinson and Moore all playing center, the solution might be to keep their respective workloads relatively balanced, especially since Thursday marked the first game in a busy stretch of six in nine days.“I want four lines that can go out [frequently], so the minutes will be a little more equal than they were prior,” Blashill said. “That can be a positive for us.”Balanced lines might also help make up for the Hawks’ lack of high-end scorers beyond Bedard. One way to frame it: If you don’t have a formidable top six, why have a top six at all?Rockford optionsNot only will Dickinson’s return force one forward out of the lineup, but Teuvo Teravainen’s return from his upper-body injury — which Blashill said Wednesday isn’t too far off — will force another out.At that point, the Hawks might have no choice but to send one or two players down to Rockford. Lardis, Slaggert and Dach are all exempt from waivers, so they would be the most likely candidates. Entering Thursday, Lardis had five points in 18 games, Slaggert had five points in 23 games and Dach had nine points in 48 games.Slaggert has already been up and down several times, whereas Lardis might benefit most from more AHL development time in a starring role.Dach’s physicality and toughness add specific elements to the lineup, but Blashill has talked about how Dach needs to move his feet more consistently — “skating to disrupt,” he called it — to make a greater impact. He appeared on track to be a healthy scratch Thursday before Dickinson fell ill.Since Rockford has three games scheduled during the NHL’s Olympic break in February, the Hawks could also send players there temporarily. But Blashill mentioned that getting some rest could be more valuable for them.Extra guySam Lafferty, a healthy scratch 32 times now, would pass through waivers if the Hawks wanted to explore that option. His $2 million salary-cap hit ensures it.The Hawks seem to like keeping Lafferty around as roster insurance. Blashill recently raved about the veteran’s admirable attitude in a tricky situation.“If he’s frustrated, which I’m sure he is at times, he never, ever lets it take away from the team,” Blashill said. “He’s the best ping-pong player. He’s the best golfer. He’s a guy who guys love being around. And he’s been an awesome pro.” Latest on the Blackhawks Blackhawks Blackhawks forward Frank Nazar set to return from broken jaw Nazar, who has six goals and 15 assists, will play Thursday against the Hurricanes. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]   By Kyle Williams read Blackhawks Will Blackhawks goalie Arvid Soderblom's subpar results open the door for Drew Commesso? Soderblom ranks 62nd out of 64 NHL goalies this season with an .868 save percentage, and the Hawks ought to figure out what they have in Commesso before his contract expires this summer. [month] [day], [year], [hour]:[minute][ampm] [timezone]   By Ben Pope read Blackhawks Blackhawks shut out Jets as Caleb Williams,…

Bears coach Ben Johnson hates ambiguity. His clarity and precision will continue to be vital next season as the organization seeks to win its first championship since 1985.Johnson spoke from the heart this week when he said he would “forever be grateful” to players and staffers for their efforts in turning the Bears from a pitiful mess to a team that went 11-6 and won a playoff game. But his mind raced to what’s next. The urgency in his voice sounded like next season was right around the corner, not about eight months away.“We go back to square one,” Johnson said. “We’re back at the bottom again. . . . If you feel otherwise, you’re probably missing the big picture. We’ve got to start from scratch.”He even fired a warning shot about training camp, which, by the way, isn’t until July.“A lot of guys talked about how difficult [last] training camp was,” he said. “I didn’t feel like it was anything out of my ordinary. They know what the expectation is.”This guy has no chill.Thank goodness.The Bears have been missing that kind of fire for a while. Matt Nagy always tried to put a sunny spin on their struggles and offered exasperatingly vague solutions. He’s still looking for those elusive whys. Matt Eberflus constantly claimed it wasn’t as bad as it looked. It was.Johnson, who just took the NFL by storm in his debut head-coaching season, is mad that it wasn’t better. He bordered on sounding angry at times as he targeted specific improvements that must take place this offseason:† Johnson needs to “shore up” his offensive play-calling.† Quarterback Caleb Williams has to fix his footwork.† Williams and his receivers’ cohesion has a long way to go.† Receivers can’t keep dropping passes.† An offense that was No. 6 in the league in the regular season hasn’t “even scratched the surface of what we’re fully capable of yet” because of various hiccups.His refusal to sugarcoat has become standard practice at Halas Hall. General manager Ryan Poles echoed Johnson by saying as impressive as the playoff performances against the Packers and Rams were, “it’s important to take a step back” and evaluate the entirety of the season rather than allow the analysis to be skewed by those games.Johnson was particularly irritated by dropped passes. Imagine the time that goes into engineering and practicing a play, then it works in a game but fails because a ball bounces out of someone’s hands. It must be maddening.The Bears had 29 drops, according to Pro Football Reference, the fifth-most in the NFL. That total included six by running back Kyle Monangai, five by wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus and four apiece by wide receiver Luther Burden III and running back D’Andre Swift.No. 1 wide receiver Rome Odunze was charged with two drops out of 90 passes thrown to him but had a brutal one in the divisional-round playoff game against the Rams that cost the Bears a touchdown.“I can tell you right now: That’ll be a point of emphasis for us when they come back in the springtime,” Johnson said, undoubtedly dreaming up drills for organized team activities in May.None of Johnson’s points should be news to anyone on the Bears. He has been voicing them all season. It has been one of the most effective — and refreshing — aspects of his coaching style.That’s especially true for Williams, who has embraced Johnson’s blunt feedback. They’ve reached a point where Johnson can say, as he did this week, he’s “his No. 1 believer” and still hammer Williams’ throwing accuracy, footwork and chemistry with receivers.It goes back to one of his core philosophies.“If you live in the gray, that’s where the bad stuff happens,” he told the Sun-Times last year. “I’ve seen more bad football in this league than good football, and one of the issues with some of those bad teams is the ambiguity. . . . The clearer we can be, the better off we’re all going to be.”He was speaking specifically about player development, but that truth applies broadly, as well.The Bears are in the gray right now. They’re…

Please send scores and corrections to preps@suntimes.com. Schedule provided by Jack Gleason. Send schedule updates to hsbballjg@gmail.com.Thursday, January 22, 2026WHITE NORTHSteinmetz at Senn, 5:00WHITE WESTNorth Grand at Raby, 5:00CENTRAL SUBURBAN NORTHVernon Hills 55, Highland Park 42CENTRAL SUBURBAN SOUTHNew Trier 55, Deerfield 45CHICAGO CATHOLIC BLUEDePaul Prep 58, Mount Carmel 50CHICAGOLAND CHRISTIANWheaton Academy at St. Edward, 7:00LITTLE TENIMSA 77, Leland 51METRO PREPMCC Academy at Hinsdale Adventist, 6:30MID-SUBURBAN EASTBuffalo Grove 52, Elk Grove 40Schaumburg 64, Wheeling 37MID-SUBURBAN WESTBarrington 52, Rolling Meadows 47Fremd 59, Prospect 34Palatine 50, Hersey 37NOBLE BLUEMansueto 54, Pritzker 52NOBLE GOLDRauner 47, Hansberry 39Bulls Prep at Johnson, 7:00Comer at UIC Prep, 6:30NORTH SUBURBANWarren 74, Lake Forest 42NORTHEASTERNSchaumburg Christian 59, Alden-Hebron 47Christian Liberty at Westlake Christian, 7:30RIVER VALLEYSt. Anne 85, Grant Park 32SOUTH SUBURBAN BLUEOak Forest 61, Bremen 49SOUTH SUBURBAN REDRichards 71, Eisenhower 51Shepard 75, Argo 55SOUTHWEST PRAIRIE WESTBolingbrook 83, Oswego 60Yorkville 54, Minooka 30UPSTATE EIGHT EASTGlenbard East 49, West Chicago 15Ridgewood 49, Elmwood Park 41Riverside-Brookfield 53, Glenbard South 46UPSTATE EIGHT WESTBartlett 59, East Aurora 57Elgin at South Elgin, 7:00West Aurora at Streamwood, 7:00WEST SUBURBAN SILVERHinsdale Central at Proviso West, 7:00NONCONFERENCEClemente 70, Rickover 38DuSable 59, Woodlawn 36Hinckley-Big Rock 75, Parkview Christian 50Larkin 49, Fenton 39Nazareth 44, Proviso East 31Ottawa Marquette 56, Newark 41Reavis 47, Hancock 46Speer 49, Chicago Academy 44TF North 49, Ag. Science 47Chicago Richards at Clark, 6:30EPIC at Catalyst-Maria, 6:30Golder at Oak Park-River Forest, 7:00Hope Academy at Latin, 6:30Horizon-Southwest at Hirsch, 5:00Noble Academy at Urban Prep, 5:30Orr at Chicago Tech, 5:00Roosevelt at Morgan Park, 6:30Trinity Oaks at Chesterton-IH, 6:00

When Alex Maragos joined NBC 5 Chicago as a reporter in 2015, he began eyeing the Olympics. NBC had been the U.S. rights holder for the Games for over a decade, and he figured if he could prove himself in his day-to-day work, he might get a chance to cover them.He raised his hand for the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea and again for the 2020 Summer Games in Tokyo that were delayed a year because of the pandemic. His third try was the charm. He got the call to cover the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.“The funny thing is, other than Dyersville, Iowa [for MLB’s Field of Dreams game], and a couple stories in Wisconsin and Indiana, my first time ever getting on a plane for a story was going to China,” said Maragos, a Chicago native.After also covering the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, Maragos, 34, will be in Italy for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics next month. The weekday news anchor again will be the only local-TV reporter on site for the Games, which run from Feb. 6 to 22. He departs next Friday.Maragos will be joined by NBC 5 videographer Mike McGovern, who will be covering his fifth Olympics. The two will collaborate with their counterparts from 11 other NBC owned-and-operated affiliates to cover their local athletes.Preparation began about six months ago, with Maragos compiling a list of potential Olympians with Chicago-area ties. Eight are set to compete, four of whom are on the women’s hockey team. Maragos connected with each and even attended the U.S. speedskating trials in Milwaukee. He has become an authority on the local Olympic community.“Alex is one of the most committed people that we have in this building,” NBC Chicago president and general manager Kevin Cross said. “When we gave him the Olympic assignment years ago, he put everything he had into it. He’s now our go-to expert when it comes to who are our local Olympians. Alex has kind of cornered the market here in Chicago.”In Milan, Maragos will put in long hours. He’ll follow a schedule nearly identical to the one he followed in Paris because Milan is in the same time zone. He’ll wake up at 4 a.m. so he can be on camera at 5, which in Chicago is the start of the previous night’s 10 p.m. newscast. He’ll do his live shots across the street from the Duomo di Milano cathedral.He’ll return to his hotel for breakfast and to plan the day. His next hit is at 1 p.m. local time, which is the start of that day’s 6 a.m. newscast at home. Then his day begins in earnest covering the competitions, which go well into the night. Afterward, he’ll put together videos from the events and write scripts. If he’s lucky, he’ll be in bed by midnight, only to get up four hours later.“I love it,” Maragos said. “The energy of the Olympics, it’s infectious. Between the world’s best athletes and their fans being in one place, the energy is all around. I’ve never covered a Super Bowl, but I imagine it’s like that for 17 days because all the energy is there. It’s a privilege to be able to present it.”Maragos isn’t just presenting it on TV. He has social-media obligations, as well. He’ll be on Instagram posting videos of his coverage and experiences and filing more to NBC 5 digital producer Gabi Rodriguez for other use. Maragos wants to bring viewers to Milan and give them a taste of Italian culture.“What I’m always trying to do every day I’m working is: What do you, the audience, want to see?” Maragos said. “How does it serve you? Not how easy is it for me to put together. How does it help you understand this thing that I’m talking about. In that mindset, you have to do each thing a little differently according to what the audience expects from that.”Maragos is looking forward to the winter athletes celebrating the Games’ return to normalcy after the Beijing Games were burdened by the lingering effects of the pandemic.“Summer got theirs,” he said. “They had Paris, and it was beautiful in every way. Winter athletes haven’t had that yet. That’s also a great human connection I’ll try to…

The annual When Sides Collide at Benet this Saturday will bring six of the top nine ranked teams together. That should heat up the weekend and, possibly, shake things up at the top.Here is a look at the weekend’s top games and predictions.Season record: 16-3No. 2 DePaul Prep (18-3) at No. 15 Mount Carmel (15-6), ThursdayBig, big weekend for DePaul, facing the Caravan in a big Catholic League battle before playing Marist in Saturday’s When Sides Collide.The young Caravan were brimming with confidence since the holidays, taking down Loyola on the road and holding off St. Laurence last week in overtime. But H-F brought them back to earth on Monday in a 17-point loss.With seasoned seniors Rashaun Porter, Rykan Woo and AJ Chambers, DePaul’s experience will be enough against the upstart Caravan.The pick: DePaul 55, Mount Carmel 46No. 8 Bolingbrook (13-5) vs. No. 9 Neuqua Valley (19-1) at Benet, SaturdayAt first glance, this is a showdown featuring the two best sophomore talents in the state: Bolingbrook’s Brady Pettigrew and Neuqua’s Cole Kelly. They are both high-major college talents and nationally-ranked players.But it’s also a battle of two teams ranked in the top 10.Neuqua Valley has been rolling. The biggest test of the season came last weekend and Neuqua rolled Normal (17-3) 96-74. The Wildcats have reeled off 17 straight wins and feature the headline-grabbing tandem of Kelly and junior Mason Martin. They combine to put up 40 points a night between them and can instantly change a game with their three-point shooting.Kelly has evolved into a complete, all-around talent whose passing is way overlooked. Martin, who committed to Illinois last week, is an absolute three-point marksman as he’s already made 70 threes on the year. But the supporting cast of Carter Coviello, Danny Mikuta and Lucas Balgro, has been coming along nicely.Pettigrew carries a large load for the Raiders, putting up 19 points a game and filling the stat sheet in other areas as well. Athletic guard TJ Williams (16 ppg) has been coming on while Elijah Anderson adds eight points a game.But Bolingbrook is badly missing all that the injured Trey Brost (11 ppg) brings to the table. That’s one less defensive stalwart the Raiders can throw at Neuqua’s potent duo, and it’s a significant difference.The pick: Bolingbrook 70, Neuqua Valley 66No. 7 Marist (19-2) vs. No. 2 DePaul Prep (18-3) at Benet, SaturdayThis is a big stage and moment for Marist, fresh off a rivalry win over Brother Rice on Tuesday. With depth and versatility, size and length — and very balanced — the RedHawks are as talented as any team in the state. Coach Brian Hynes’ team has yet to lose to an in-state opponent.But the résumé, which does include quality wins over Centralia, Evanston and Waukegan, is still in the process of being built with a couple of monster games — vs. No. 2 DePaul this weekend and No. 1 Benet at the end of the regular season — still coming.Even in his leading role, Charles Barnes has blended in nicely since his arrival. He leads the RedHawks with 17 points a game. Unheralded Adoni Vassilakis, a steady influence at point guard, adds 10 points a game, while emerging 6-5 junior Kendall Meyers chips in another eight.DePaul is a different animal with its winning culture, led by Rashaun Porter. The 6-7 big man is a remarkable defender who blends instincts and physicality with intelligence and will.Can Marist match the toughness and physicality of the Rams? DePaul has three productive seniors to lean on in Porter, who is a Toledo recruit, Brown-bound Rykan Woo and AJ Chambers, who will be headed to Division II Michigan Tech. But some help from the supporting cast would be welcomed.The pick: Marist 58, DePaul Prep 56No. 1 Benet (21-1) vs. No. 6 Warren (16-1) at Benet, SaturdayThese two last met in the Class 4A state championship in Champaign last March, a game that went down to the wire with Benet winning 55-54. They could very well meet again in a high-stakes matchup this March.But…