Author: staff

Three women were found dead Saturday in a Rogers Park senior housing facility that the local alderman said lacked air conditioning.Throughout the day, the three women…

The Chicago White Sox have three more games against the New York Yankees next weekend in the Bronx, so there’s still a chance to show they’re in the same league.They might have been considered equals at the outset of the 2022 season, but the four-game series that concluded Sunday suggests they’re in different stratospheres.AdvertisementThe Yankees are the best team in baseball. The Sox are a talented team that isn’t living up to its own lofty expectations. And it showed this weekend on the South Side.Four home runs and a seven-run eighth inning paced the Yankees to a 15-7 win in Thursday’s opener, and they busted out to a 5-0 lead after two innings Friday, pounding out four more home runs in a 10-4 shellacking.AdvertisementAfter the Sox eked out a 3-2 win Saturday on Luis Robert’s walk-off hit, Michael Kopech imploded during a 41-pitch second inning Sunday, issuing four walks, forcing in two runs and allowing a third to score on a wild pitch.It was a prolonged hiccup during an otherwise dominant outing by Kopech, who allowed only one hit in six innings. But the walkathon and Joey Gallo’s two-run homer off José Ruiz in the ninth proved to be enough in the Yankees’ 5-1 win before 29,500, giving them three of four in the series.[ [Don’t miss] Column: A crazy week for the White Sox shows off the many moods of manager Tony La Russa ]“We had a chance, we were competing today,” Sox manager Tony La Russa said. “We got blown out of one game. That one score (15-7) was deceptive, so, I mean, I think we can compete with anybody.”Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu concurred.“I feel like our team just has a lot of ways that can lead to a win,” LeMahieu said. “We play pretty good defense and have really good pitching, which keeps us in every game. Offensively, we just have a lot of ways to score. A couple games there where we just found a way to win.”We see them three more times pretty quick. They’re a good team, one of the better teams we’ve seen this year.”Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu ducks out of the way of a pitch by White Sox starter Michael Kopech in the second inning Sunday, May 15, 2022, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Sox pitchers allowed only two hits Sunday, but the offense managed only four, including an infield hit by Robert when they trailed by four with two out in the ninth.A lot can change between now and October. Perhaps the return of injured Sox stars Lance Lynn and Eloy Jiménez would be a difference-maker if the two teams meet in the playoffs, or maybe the Sox can win next weekend’s series in New York and show they’re in the same area code as the Yankees.Advertisement“We came in here and played good baseball, and at the end of the day we took three of four,” Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson said. “I know they’re probably a little banged up right now. Look, they played well last year, but like I said, they’re a little banged up and we were ready to go.”Dylan Cease struck out 11 Yankees in four innings in the opener, but every mistake he made was costly. Ditto Kopech with his brief loss of control. How much was Kopech and how much was the Yankees’ patience?“A little bit of both,” LeMahieu said. “We do a good job of keeping the pitcher in the zone. But he wasn’t making his pitches either.”[ [Don’t miss] Eloy Jiménez is recovering after surgery. So when will the White Sox LF be back? ‘You can ask that to Rick Hahn.’ ]Even if the Sox win the American League Central, they might have to beat the Yankees at some point in the postseason to make it to the World Series, a goal that seemed doable at the start of the season.They can replay the ending of last year’s Field of Dreams game from now until the apocalypse, but until the Sox show they can consistently beat the Yankees, that magical night last August will be treated as an outlier.La Russa on Sunday inserted José Abreu in the designated hitter spot for the sixth time this season, giving his struggling first baseman a day off his feet. Abreu snapped an 0-for-21 drought Saturday but has yet to find his stroke and has been subpar defensively.AdvertisementAbreu always has been a reluctant DH. And like managers Robin Ventura and Rick Renteria before him, La Russa appears reluctant to make Abreu at least a part-time DH.“He plays first most of the time, but he knows that once in a great while (we’re) just getting him off his legs out there because he’s so active,” La Russa said. “It’s hard not to (leave him at first) because you watch him, he makes a lot of plays. But I think he understands, and this year actually he’s been good as a DH. It hasn’t taken away from his hitting.”White Sox designated hitter José Abreu strikes out to end the first inning Sunday, May 15, 2022, at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)Abreu went 0-for-4 and watched his average dip to .197. He has a .190 average and .551 OPS while playing first. At age 35, it might be time for Abreu to at least share first base with Andrew Vaughn because it’s going to happen sooner or later anyway.La Russa was blunt before Sunday’s game while discussing Dallas Keuchel’s comment about wanting to pitch longer than five innings Saturday, assuring the media that lifting his starter was one of the easier moves he has made.“We, the team, are mostly appreciative and excited about the five innings he pitched,” La Russa said before pointing out that Keuchel has been “not good” when pitching past the fifth. “With the guys that were coming up, I think the team would have appreciated him saying, ‘Boy…’”[ [Don’t miss] Yoán Moncada gives the White Sox lineup some needed pop in his return from the injured list ]La Russa didn’t finish the thought. He went on another tangent, so we can’t really say what he thought the team would’ve appreciated Keuchel saying after Saturday’s win. We can only speculate that La Russa wished Keuchel had thanked Kendall Graveman for two solid innings and Robert for coming through in the clutch instead of bringing up the managerial decision.AdvertisementIt’s not easy telling players you like and respect they are getting older, but it has to be done. La Russa once credited his close friend and former coach Jim Leyland for persuading him to tone down his tough guy act during his first go-around as Sox manager.“Jimmy’s always had the gift of being able to chew somebody out today and be laughing with him tomorrow,” La Russa told Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci in 1996. “He was the one who told me in 1982 that I had to let the players see the other side of me, a lighter side, or else they would flame out.”Unfortunately, a lighter side of La Russa isn’t what the Sox need right now.

PITTSBURGH — Cincinnati Reds starter Hunter Greene and reliever Art Warren combined to allow zero hits in a complete game, but it didn’t count as a no-hitter — or even a win — because the Pittsburgh Pirates eked out a run in the bottom of the eighth inning for a 1-0 victory Sunday at PNC Park.Ke’Bryan Hayes’ RBI grounder helped the Pirates become the sixth team since 1901 to win despite not getting any hits. It last happened in 2008, when Jered Weaver and Jose Arredondo of the Los Angeles Angels held the Los Angeles Dodgers hitless in a loss.AdvertisementBy Major League Baseball’s record-keeping rules, the Reds’ accomplishment isn’t an official no-hitter because their pitchers didn’t go at least nine innings. And in a season in which almost everything has gone wrong for the Reds, this surely had to be the topper.Greene (1-6), the prized Reds rookie, struck out nine and was pulled after one-out walks in the eighth to Rodolfo Castro and Michael Perez. Greene threw 118 pitches, the most by a pitcher in the majors this year. Seven of his heaters reached 100 mph.AdvertisementWarren relieved and walked Ben Gamel to load the bases. Hayes followed with a grounder to second baseman Alejo Lopez, who bobbled the ball before throwing to shortstop Matt Reynolds for one out. Reynolds’ relay was a fraction late to get the speedy Hayes at first base.Reds batters went down in order in the ninth, and that was it — no celebration for the Reds, who have the worst record in the majors.“I mean, to not even get a hit in a game and to get a win, I’m sure that hasn’t happened a lot since baseball’s been going on,” Hayes said.There have been two no-hitters in the majors this season. Angels rookie Reid Detmers pitched one last Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Rays, and five New York Mets pitchers combined to hold the Philadelphia Phillies hitless on April 29.Rays pitchers combined to hold the Boston Red Sox hitless into the 10th inning last month and wound up winning 3-2. That wasn’t an official no-hitter, either, because the Rays didn’t throw a complete game without giving up a hit.The second pick in the 2017 amateur draft, Greene suffered an injury in 2018 that required Tommy John surgery in 2019. After the COVID-19 pandemic, he didn’t return to minor-league play until 2021. He made the Reds roster for the first time coming out of spring training this year.In his second start of the season, he set an MLB record with 39 pitches over 100 mph, but he carried a 7.62 ERA into Sunday’s game thanks in part to allowing a major-league-high 11 home runs this season. He also has 15 walks in 26 innings.Pirates starter José Quintana held the Reds scoreless through seven innings, giving up three hits while striking out five.AdvertisementChris Stratton (2-1) pitched around a two-on, one-out jam in the eighth. David Bednar worked a clean ninth for his seventh save.

PHOENIX — The Chicago Cubs hoped Nico Hoerner’s fluke injury wouldn’t require time on the injured list.Unfortunately for Hoerner, the Cubs couldn’t continue to wait and see how his ankle progressed as they deal with thin infield depth. So Hoerner went on the 10-day IL with a right ankle sprain before Sunday’s series finale in Arizona.AdvertisementThe Cubs activated shortstop Andrelton Simmons off the IL. Simmons spent the Cubs’ first 34 days sidelined with right shoulder soreness, an issue that emerged shortly after he signed in March.Hoerner hurt his ankle getting tangled with second base umpire Dan Iassogna during an outfield collision in the first inning Tuesday in San Diego. He remained in the game, striking out in the top of the second before leaving in the bottom of the inning. Hoerner had not appeared in a game since then.AdvertisementHoerner can’t seem to catch a break. It’s the fifth time in the last two seasons the 25-year-old infielder spent time on the IL. He was getting in a groove before the fluky injury, hitting .305 with a 328 on-base percentage to accompany stellar defense to anchor the Cubs’ middle infield.Simmons wasn’t in the lineup Sunday, but should provide defensive stability at shortstop for however long Hoerner is sidelined. Simmons went 2-for-24 with seven strikeouts and two walks in six rehab games at Triple-A Iowa.

MLB’s broadcasts aren’t just play by play and commentary of the action on the field.We get little stories of the broadcast teams’ personal lives. We get umpires that actually make the home crowd happy … and a happy crowd that does funny things.AdvertisementSo every week this season, we’re rounding up some of our favorite hilarious, botched, and/or outlandish calls and moments over baseball’s broadcasts.Advertisement

PHOENIX — When Willson Contreras came to the plate in the ninth inning Saturday, he was sporting his first three-strikeout game of the season.But that didn’t carry into his plate appearance that sparked the Chicago Cubs’ 4-2 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Contreras’ eight-pitch lead-off walk against closer Mark Melancon led to a three-run ninth inning and, despite the earlier strikeouts, continued a sizzling start to the season with free agency months away.AdvertisementManager David Ross attributes Contreras’ success and maturation to being comfortable with himself and understanding what he can control.“This is as good as I think I may have ever seen Willson. … Super happy with where he’s at right now physically, mentally,” Ross said. “I think he knows he’s going to be a really good major-league player for a really long time. He’s going to make a lot of money, and he’s just focused on helping support his teammates and having a really good season and having fun playing baseball. And I’ve seen that pretty much every day.”AdvertisementContreras leads all big-league catchers in numerous offensive categories, including batting average (.286), wOBA (.397) and wRC+ (155). He believes he’s making the right mental adjustment in the batter’s box, looking to create contact with every plate appearance.[ [Don’t miss] Willson Contreras’ bigger Chicago Cubs leadership role is fueled by years of listening — and putting in work ]This approach has resulted in striking out less — his 19.7 K% is currently almost 9% lower than last year — and walking more. Contreras has reached base in 18 of his last 19 games and he has only struck out more than once three times in 27 games. And when he’s making contact, Contreras is hitting the ball hard. His 49.3 HardHit% leads the majors while his 116.2 mph exit velocity is a career high and seventh-best in the league.Willson Contreras reacts after scoring the go-ahead run during the ninth inning against the Diamondbacks on May 14, 2022. (Chris Coduto/AP)But perhaps most importantly: Contreras is hitting the ball to the opposite field at a career-high clip.“I realized what brought me to the big leagues was to make contact to the opposite way,” Contreras said Saturday. “I did it in Double A, did it Triple A, that’s what made me a better hitter.“My mindset right now is to try to make contact and whatever happens after that, I can’t control that. It’s keeping it simple at home plate.”In the past, going the opposite way has typically been a good indicator of when Contreras is locked in. Except now, he’s doing it at a career-high level over an extended stretch. Only two big leaguers are hitting the ball to the opposite field at a greater clip than his 37.3%, according to FanGraphs.Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.Part of that approach stems from Contreras valuing being a good all-around hitter and wanting quality contact. How teams pitch to him can determine his approach, but hitting coach Greg Brown credited Contreras for doing his homework on pitchers and applying it in-game.[ [Don’t miss] Column: Anthony Rizzo has no regrets over his ‘bad breakup’ with the Chicago Cubs — ‘I wish them well’ ]“Willson is one of the most talented hitters I’ve ever been around, and it’s because of that ability to drive the ball the other way, it’s the ability to take his hips the other way,” Brown said. “He’s got enough bat speed and he understands space where he doesn’t need to try to pull a ball. He can create to the big part of the field and I think that’s what you’re seeing.Advertisement“Even when his numbers weren’t there necessarily at the beginning, he was steadfast on staying in the process of knowing that better days were coming.”Willson Contreras flips his bat after earning a walk as Diamondbacks catcher Daulton Varsho pauses at home plate during the first inning on May 13, 2022. (Ross D. Franklin/AP)The addition of the designated hitter to the National League and the Cubs having a backup catcher of Yan Gomes’ stature has allowed Ross to keep Contreras’ bat in the lineup while reducing the wear and tear from everyday catching. That means Contreras gets more days like Saturday when he starts as the DH and can focus solely on his hitting.Contreras, who turned 30 on Friday, seemingly hasn’t let his contract situation and impending free agency affect his performance. He still has an arbitration hearing next month to determine his 2022 salary. Since he reported to spring training, Contreras made clear his focus was on the season and not worrying about his future or inking a big contract extension. He is clearly at peace with whatever his future holds, whether that’s getting traded this summer or experiencing free agency for the first time in his career.It helps that Contreras knew how he wanted to take on the season. He watched firsthand last year as longtime teammates Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Báez dealt with the same situation. Contreras recalled hearing contract stuff discussed within the clubhouse nearly every day and realized he did not want to replicate that this year.“I don’t want my team to lose focus on winning the game or playing the game hard — I don’t want different people to be bothered by my personal stuff,” Contreras said. “That’s something personal. I don’t think anybody needs to need to hear what I think, needs to know what my thoughts are. But I’m glad that I watched them go through it and I learned from it.”

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Federal agents interviewed the parents of the teenager accused of shooting and killing 10 people at a Buffalo supermarket and served multiple search…

The 2021-22 Chicago Blackhawks season probably has faded from fans’ memories already — because who really wants to remember anything that transpired on — or off — the ice during that turbulent time?The team would rather have fans look forward as they begin to reinvent the franchise, including introducing potential season ticket holders to their hockey operations’ new executive team Monday during an event at the United Center Concert Club.AdvertisementThat braintrust includes general manager Kyle Davidson and associate GMs Norm Maciver and Jeff Greenberg.And likely in attendance will be Brian Campbell, who still doesn’t have an official title but has been a fixture at Davidson’s side since October.Advertisement“I’ve always wanted to bring people in around me that bring different perspectives,” Davidson said in April, adding that Campbell and Maciver were former players, while Greenberg was a Cubs executive. “Looking forward, I’d like to take that outside hockey, definitely outside the Blackhawks, and really build that breadth of expertise.”Davidson also is keeping his eye on how some of the younger Hawks perform during the AHL Calder Cup playoffs. The Rockford IceHogs advanced to face the Chicago Wolves in a best-of-five divisional semifinal series that started Thursday.“It’s an exciting time and it’s a great opportunity for us to really enhance our evaluation and understanding of where they’re at,” Davidson said.Here are the key dates and topics to track for the Blackhawks offseason.May 29-June 4: NHL scouting combine at the KeyBank Center and LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo, N.Y.June 30: Last possible date of the Stanley Cup Final.July 1: First buyout period begins.July 2: First deadline for teams electing salary arbitration to notify.July 7-8: NHL draft at the Montreal Canadiens’ Bell Centre.July 11: Deadline for qualifying offers.July 12: Restricted free agents may contact teams; first buyout period ends; last day for teams to offer their unrestricted free agents eight-year deals.July 13: Restricted and unrestricted free-agent signing period begins; players may accept qualifying offers.July 17: Deadline for players electing salary arbitration to notify.July 18: Second deadline for teams electing salary arbitration to notify.July 22: Qualifying offers expire automatically.July 27-Aug. 11: Salary arbitration hearings period.The Hawks lost their first-round pick to the Columbus Blue Jackets when lottery-ball luck bounced the New Jersey Devils’ way — the team slotted just above them before the drawing.Under the terms of the Seth Jones trade, the Hawks needed to win one of the top two spots to keep the pick, but those picks went to the Montreal Canadiens and Devils, respectively.But the grass might be greener in 2023.The consensus among experts is that next year’s draft class is stronger and deeper.AdvertisementThe Hawks could have as many as four picks in the first two rounds if they land the Tampa Bay Lightning’s top-10 protected first-round pick (which is likely unless some disaster befalls the Bolts next season), courtesy of the Brandon Hagel trade.The Hawks also own the Lightning’s second-round pick, part of the acquisition of Tyler Johnson that allowed the Lightning to use Brent Seabrook’s contract for salary-cap relief.ExpandAutoplayImage 1 of 21Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz and CEO Danny Wirtz introduce Kyle Davidson as their new general manager with Jaime Faulkner, president of business operations, on March 1, 2022, at the United Center. (Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune)With the Blue Jackets getting the Hawks’ 2022 first-round pick, the Hawks keep their 2023 first-rounder, and with a full-blown rebuild in effect they could be in the lottery again.Draft experts are as wild about Regina Pats center Connor Bedard as they were about Connor McDavid. Another top center prospect, Adam Fantilli, plays with the USHL Chicago Steel and physically fits the mold of players the Hawks want in the future.Sweden’s Leo Carlsson is a center-wing who has size at 6-foot-3 and can skate. And keep an eye on 5-10 left-handed Winnipeg Ice forward Zach Benson, whom TSN analyst and former Calgary Flames general manager Craig Button called “Patrick Kane-esque.”“I always said this about Patrick Kane: He’s got the guts of a cat burglar,” Button said. “Zach Benson has those qualities.”AdvertisementBut those prospects are for down the road — the Hawks must start with the draft capital they have in 2022.Québec Remparts center Nathan Gaucher (6-3, 207 pounds) is a physical two-way forward with scoring ability who could fall to the Hawks at No. 39.Noah Östlund torched the U.S. for two goals May 1 to help Sweden win gold at the IIHF under-18 World Championship.Draft-watchers have noted London Knights defenseman Isaiah George (6-0, 195) is a smooth and efficient skater who makes good decisions in the defensive zone and is versatile enough to play special teams.The Hawks might want to shy away from smallish skill players, but even at 5-foot-11 and 172 pounds, forward David Goyette’s combination of puck handling and vision could be hard to pass up in the second round. The fact he wears No. 88 and plays for Davidson’s hometown Sudbury Wolves is just a bonus.AdvertisementNorth Barrington native Lane Hutson is undersized (5-8, 148), but the defenseman led the U.S. national development under-18 team with 53 assists, something to consider given the Hawks finished in the bottom three in points by defensemen two seasons in a row.At least this year Davidson and his new front office will benefit from having a scouting combine after the previous two were canceled because of the pandemic.Teams also had fewer junior and tournament games to evaluate players, but Nolan Allan impressed then-Hawks GM Stan Bowman at the IIHF under-18 world championship in Texas — including when he plowed Russia’s Nikita Chibrikov into the bench early in the gold medal game.“He’s got the size, the skating and the physicality,” Bowman said after drafting Allen 32nd overall last year. “He was a big workhorse for the Canadian team that won the gold medal.”Fast-forward to this month, when Allan and second-round pick Colton Dach earned assignments to the Rockford IceHogs for the AHL playoffs.Even if Allan doesn’t play, it’s another phase of his development.Advertisement“That doesn’t matter for me,” Allan said this month. “There’s other guys, they played here the whole year so they deserve to play.“It’s just soaking everything in and using this as experience.”Chicago Blackhawks coach Derek King looks at players after a Minnesota Wild goal in the second period at the United Center, Feb. 2, 2022. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)Davidson set early July as a target for a candidate list and the middle of the month to settle on his choice.“We want to be pretty nimble with it,” Davidson said. “So much going on at the same time right now.”Davidson laid out some of the characteristics he’s looking for in a coach during a May 3 briefing with reporters.“We want the coaches that are able to communicate, able to drive a message and create a positive culture and get players to want to come to the rink and compete every single night,” he said. “And that’s based on track record and that’s also based on how they deliver a message, so we’ll learn that based on what they’ve done in the past but also through the interview process.”AdvertisementOne might think, given Derek King’s 27-33-10 finish as interim coach and Davidson’s firing of assistant coaches Marc Crawford and Rob Cookson, that King might be at a disadvantage to get the permanent gig, but Davidson dismissed that notion.“It doesn’t impact Derek at all,” he said. “He’s going to be a candidate in the coaching search.“With respect to Marc and Rob, we want to have a bit of a clean slate as we go into the next … coaching regime.”Outside of King, it’s an interesting landscape.Could the Hawks take a hard look at Barry Trotz, recently fired by the New York Islanders, or longtime understudy Lane Lambert? Rick Tocchet could be another to watch if the Philadelphia Flyers don’t get to him first. John Tortorella comes with a wealth of experience (and baggage) and was Jones’ coach in Columbus.In his first season as an NHL assistant coach, 40-year-old Spencer Carbery guided the Toronto Maple Leafs’ power play to a No. 1 regular-season finish (27.3%). As bench boss of the Hershey Bears, he was named AHL’s Most Outstanding Coach in 2020-21 after finishing with the league’s best record.AdvertisementRocky Thompson, a former Wolves head coach, had to step away from his position as San Jose Sharks associate coach in September because he couldn’t take the COVID-19 vaccine for an undisclosed medical reason. Is that issue resolved?Derek Lalonde helped collect back-to-back Stanley Cups as assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning.Marco Sturm, 43, aided the Los Angeles Kings’ turnaround as an assistant. His deep ties to German hockey could help him make an instant connection with Lukas Reichel.Defensemen Seth and Caleb Jones and forward Sam Lafferty are playing for the U.S. team in the IIHF Men’s World Championship, which started Friday and runs through May 29. Patrick Kane and Alex DeBrincat declined to participate.Caleb Jones hopes to make a case to be re-signed by the Hawks.“Obviously playing with Seth is a bonus, but what they’re trying to do here, they’re trying to rebuild a little bit and maybe look for a little bit younger guys coming up that can contribute for the future, and I think I fit that mold,” he said in late April.AdvertisementLafferty felt “a lot of satisfaction” after being rewarded with a two-year extension ($1.15 million cap hit) on April 29.“It’s nice to have that (security), but at the end of the day, you’ve got to improve and get better,” Lafferty said. “When you stop doing that, you’re in trouble. The process doesn’t change.”Chicago Blackhawks center Dylan Strome (17) celebrates his hat trick in the third period against the Anaheim Ducks at the United Center, March 8, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune)Davidson hasn’t outright said the Hawks are out of the unrestricted free-agent market, but it’s a safe bet given the plans for an overhaul.“I would say it’s unlikely we’re going to sign some long-term deals. Very unlikely,” he said. “But that’s not to say we won’t fill some spots in the UFA market if the right opportunity presents itself.”Just don’t expect anything splashy.Davidson has made it clear he probably is going to be stingy with cap space — which he might need down the line when the team becomes competitive again.Advertisement“We’ve been in a situation for so long that we’ve had none,” he said. “It would be nice to have some and really be able to dictate how we use our budget and use our salary-cap dollars from a strategic standpoint rather than just being reactive to it.”Chicago Tribune SportsWeekdaysA daily sports newsletter delivered to your inbox for your morning commute.With the Hawks trying to preserve cap space, will it affect their willingness to spend on Dylan Strome and Dominik Kubalík, two restricted free agents with arbitration rights?“It definitely goes into the conversation,” Davidson said. “Any time a player is due for a raise or a new contract, you have to be looking not just for the next season but for the seasons moving forward.“That definitely goes into the decision-making process when it comes to any RFA or UFA or player you’re going to bring in or contract you’re going to sign.”Free agents: Defensemen Erik Gufstafsson, Calvin de Haan (unrestricted), Caleb Jones (restricted, arbitration eligible), Wyatt Kalynuk (restricted, arbitration eligible, currently in AHL); forwards Kirby Dach (restricted), Philipp Kurashev (restricted), Dylan Strome (restricted, arbitration eligible), Dominik Kubalík (restricted, arbitration eligible); goalies Kevin Lankinen (unrestricted), Collin Delia (unrestricted).AdvertisementUnder contract: forwards Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat, Jonathan Toews, Tyler Johnson, Sam Lafferty, Taylor Raddysh, Henrik Borgström, Reese Johnson, MacKenzie Entwistle, Boris Katchouk, Jujhar Khaira (long-term injured reserve), Lukas Reichel (currently in AHL), Brett Connolly (currently in AHL); defensemen Seth Jones, Jake McCabe, Riley Stillman, Alex Vlasic; and goalie Arvid Söderblom (currently in AHL).Eligible for extension: Kane, Toews, DeBrincat, Borgstrom, Khaira, Connolly.

A decade ago, Chicago was on the verge of getting its first-ever casino, a controversial idea that nevertheless received legislative approval before it was vetoed by…

Would you like to dress up your tree with a garden around it? That’s fine — as long as it consists of compatible plants in the ground, and is not a raised planter.Raised planters are a common sight around the bases of trees. They are often built of pavers, bricks or stones and filled with soil and plants. But they’re not a good idea: “That can do the tree serious harm,” said Stephanie Adams, a plant pathologist in plant health care at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle.AdvertisementConstructing a planter around the trunk of a tree risks seriously harming the tree. (Morton Arboretum)The bed will bury the bottom part of the tree’s trunk in moist soil and mulch, encouraging diseases and infections. “It’s a favorable environment for fungi, which are the primary cause of most plant diseases,” Adams said.“The bark of a tree is meant to be above ground where it can stay dry,” she said.AdvertisementA raised planter can also smother the tree’s roots by piling soil too deep on top of them. Tree roots normally grow just a few inches below the soil’s surface, where air and water can readily filter down to reach them. Piling a foot or more of soil on top of the roots can cut them off from the air and water they need.What can you do around the base of a tree without damaging it? Here are some suggestions from Adams:Spread mulch. A wide, level area of mulch on the soil around a tree has many benefits. It insulates the soil against extreme temperatures. It prevents moisture from evaporating during hot weather. As the mulch decays, it enriches the soil for plants’ roots. “Just be sure it’s not too deep or heaped against the trunk,” Adams said. Spread your mulch in an even layer 3 to 4 inches deep, and right at the base of the tree, keep it 2 to 3 inches away from the bark of the trunk. “If you have a garden under your tree, those plants can share the mulch patch,” she said.Grow good companions. Trees can coexist happily with many kinds of plants. After all, they don’t grow alone in the forest. However, it’s important to choose carefully. Tree companions must be shade-tolerant species, because they will be under the tree’s branches in summer. They should be perennials or woody plants that last for years. “Long-lived plants don’t cause as much damage to the tree’s roots because you don’t have to dig all the time,” Adams said.Adams likes small shrubs, such as compact cultivated varieties of hardy hydrangea. It’s best to plant them early in the life of the tree, so you aren’t digging large holes among established tree roots.Many shade-garden perennials also work well, such as hostas, brunnera, ferns, columbine, and lungwort. “Perennials will improve the soil, because they contribute organic matter when they die back each winter,” she said. Add spring bloom with long-lived bulbs like early-flowering varieties of daffodils and shade-tolerant squill, puschkinia, snowdrops or glory-of-the-snow. Low-growing plants often used as ground covers include Canadian wild-ginger, sweet woodruff, bishop’s wort (Epimedium) and spotted dead-nettle (Lamium maculatum). Find more inspiration by visiting the Arboretum’s Ground Cover Garden (mortonarb.org/explore).Use containers for annual flowers. Impatiens and begonias are not good choices around a tree, because digging to plant these annuals in the ground every year damages the tree’s roots again and again. Instead, use these colorful flowers in containers filled with potting mix. Set the pots under the tree on plant stands or elevate them on bricks or sticks so they don’t block water and air from flowing through the soil to the tree’s roots.Give up on grass. Turf grass grows poorly under trees because it requires sun, and trees create shade. It’s also not good for the tree, because it competes too much with the tree roots. “Perennials and shrubs grow in clumps, so the tree’s roots can find a way in between them,” Adams said. “Grass roots are more like a blanket that blocks everything.” Replace grass under a tree with mulch or a perennial garden.AdvertisementAvoid edging. Let your garden or mulched area have a soft, natural boundary rather than pounding metal or plastic edging into the soil around a tree. “The edging can interfere with tree roots,” Adams said. If the roots are trapped by the edging, they start to circle inside it rather than stretching out from the tree the way they should. Over time, circling roots can begin to strangle the tree’s trunk. “Skip the edging and let your tree’s roots grow free,” she said.For tree and plant advice, contact the Plant Clinic at The Morton Arboretum (630-719-2424, mortonarb.org/plant-clinic, or plantclinic@mortonarb.org). Beth Botts is a staff writer at the Arboretum.