The Blackhawks continue to make changes within their operation. Latest was the switch in radio outlets from WSCR (670-AM), which had been the club's radio home since 2000-01, to WGN (720-AM).

This is a big deal, because the Hawks were buying air time at WSCR. They won't be getting a rights fee from WGN, but the team and station have a shared revenue three-year agreement. WGN is a radio powerhouse. Its 50,000-watt signal reaches 38 states and Canada and offers live Internet streaming available world-wide.

Along with the radio change comes a change in announcers for the TV games. All of them will be carried next year, either on WGN, NBC, Versus or Comcast SportsNet. Dan Kelly, who had been the team's TV play-by-play man, was fired and Pat Foley, who had been play-by-play man under a simulcast arrangement for 25 years, is strongly rumored to be returning to the franchise.

Foley, let go by the Hawks when they dropped their simulcast format, has been handling play-by-play for the American Hockey League's Chicago Wolves the past two seasons. The Wolves are in the AHL playoffs, and an announcement on Foley's hiring probably won't be made until after the Wolves' season is over.

SEASON HIGHLIGHT
No doubt it was the last home game, a 3-1 win over Nashville. The victory came one night after the Predators had killed the Hawks' playoff hopes with a 3-2 win over St. Louis. The Hawks finally got to six games above .500 and -- though the game meant nothing -- their fans, a season-high 21,959, gave them a standing ovation.

TURNING POINT
As far as their playoff chances, the Hawks were done in by an 0-6-2 stretch from Dec. 30 to Jan. 11. It was during this period that Toews was out with a knee injury. While he was sidelined, the Hawks were 5-11. They played catch-up the rest of the season and, though they made it interesting, never quite recovered.

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