John Dietz, Daily Herald Journalist Profile

Articles

Dietz: Ten thoughts on the Blackhawks’ season

3 weeks ago | dailyherald.com | John Dietz

Blackhawks center Connor Bedard is eligible for a contract extension in July AP In the world of poker, the best bluffers leave their opponents befuddled and baffled en route to bulldozing their way to title after title. Pretty soon we'll know if Kyle from Chicago — aka Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson — was channeling his inner Daniel Negreanu or if he was simply telling the truth when he told reporters Thursday that “in all likelihood” significant additions will not be made this off-season.
Dietz: The player traits needed to rebuild the Blackhawks

1 month ago | dailyherald.com | John Dietz

The Blackhawks Nick Foligno, middle, and Connor Murphy, right, celebrate a goal with Jason Dickinson during a game earlier this season. AP How do you know the soul of a man? While perhaps a bit melodramatic, that's the question I posed to Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno and alternate captain Connor Murphy after a recent practice. We dove into the subject because the Hawks are at an important stage of the rebuild that GM Kyle Davidson began 3.5 years ago.
Dietz: Blackhawks general manager Davidson can't let youth run wild next season

1 month ago | dailyherald.com | John Dietz

Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser is a near lock to open next season with the team, writes columnist John Dietz. AP While another disappointing season is coming to an end for the Blackhawks, there is nonetheless a bit of excitement in the air. It stems from the additions of forward Oliver Moore and defenseman Sam Rinzel, two guys hoping to help the Hawks become Stanley Cup contenders down the road. Expect them to see plenty of ice time in the final five games.
Dietz: Blackhawks’ rebuild starts with coaches

1 month ago | dailyherald.com | John Dietz

Blackhawks Interim head coach Anders Sorensen talks to players during a game this season. AP Since Joel Quenneville was fired on Nov. 6, 2018, we've watched Jeremy Colliton, Derek King, Luke Richardson and Anders Sorensen take turns at guiding the Blackhawks. The results have been downright atrocious. Of course, considering the dearth of talent it's debatable how much blame each man deserves.
Dietz: Time to kick Blackhawks’ rebuild into overdrive

1 month ago | dailyherald.com | John Dietz

Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson speaks at a news conference earlier this season. AP Few NHL coaches garner more respect than Tampa Bay's Jon Cooper. Obviously, the 57-year-old has been blessed with loaded rosters, but he knows how to get the most out of every player and has guided the Lightning to four Stanley Cup Final appearances in 10 years. Players love him and the feeling is mutual. The result is a winning culture matched by few other franchises over that span.
Dietz: Talk to your children about sports betting

1 month ago | dailyherald.com | John Dietz

Betting odds for Super Bowl LIX are displayed on monitors at the Circa resort and casino sportsbook in Las Vegas. AP Sheer Madness. That's the thought that went through my head three seconds after my son showed me a $5,300 parlay betting victory by one of his friends. It took three seconds because my initial thought was: Wow. Cool! But after looking at the amount wagered — $3,000 — I realized this young man has a serious problem.
Dietz: Analyzing the Hawks’ recent moves

2 months ago | dailyherald.com | John Dietz

Despite rumors he might be dealt, Blackhawks center Ryan Donato remained with the team through the trade deadline. AP Stop the presses! It seems the Bears and Blackhawks might just be on roads to success. On the gridiron, general manager Ryan Poles hired the most sought-after head coach in Ben Johnson then remade his offensive line by acquiring guards Joe Thuney and Jonah Jackson.
Dietz: Hawks’ Davidson gets big ‘W’ for Jones trade

2 months ago | dailyherald.com | John Dietz

The Blackhawks traded defenseman Seth Jones to Florida for goaltender Spencer Knight and a first-round draft pick. AP Victories have been in short supply for Chicago's major pro sports teams over the past few years. But on Saturday, the Blackhawks won twice: On the ice in Anaheim, 6-3, and — far more important — off the ice by trading disgruntled defenseman Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers. Without a doubt, it's the biggest “W” of Kyle Davidson's three-year tenure as general manager.
Secretly Swapping Clouds While Everybody Is Watching

2 months ago | thenewstack.io | John Dietz

Earlier this year, our team began secretly working on a new bare metal product called Colony. At the time our company was called Kubefirst, a brand shared with our popular Kubefirst platform. With the addition of the Colony product line, it was time to rebrand our company to Konstruct. Since the motivation behind the rebrand was being developed in secret, it gave us a neat opportunity to build out our new company in secret as well.
Dietz: How to create more buzz with the NHL

2 months ago | dailyherald.com | John Dietz

The United States' Jack Eichel celebrates a goal against Canada during the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in Montreal. AP Hockey rocks! That was the consensus after more than 16 million viewers — many of whom are not tried-and-true hockey fans — tuned in to watch Canada's 3-2 OT win over the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off final on Thursday.