Good morning, Chicago

The Los Angeles Kings’ winter wonderland tour has shifted west for a Sunday evening game at the United Center. The team left Ottawa not a moment too soon, as weather was rolling into the area last night, and the possibility of travel delays loomed for those leaving later in the day or Sunday morning.

I’ve heard many Hoth references over the last week, though Chicago Sun-Times Blackhawks writer Mark Lazerus wins the award for the most accurate depiction of the fictional ice planet.

This was Toronto, yesterday morning:

By our completely skewed frame of reference, it was downright balmy when we landed in Chicago last night. The first step off the plane elicited a “Hey! This comfortable compared to Ottawa!” before a second step landed in an inch and a half of snow, and the winter chill resumed.

Our uneventful landing:

The team isn’t holding a morning skate today, though there will be some limited media availability outside of the hotel’s meeting rooms, and I’ll have a few posts up before it’s time to head downstairs. Until then, here are some south-looking views towards the skyscrapers across from our Streeterville hotel, and one east-looking view towards Navy Pier extending into an icy and bleak Lake Michigan.