How We Got The Story: Breaking the news on the Kane trade

"The deal's done. Will be announced tonight or tomorrow."

When those words from a trusted Blackhawks source appeared on my phone at 9:44 a.m. Tuesday, I was on my way to Fifth Third Arena to see if by some miracle Patrick Kane might be willing to talk about his impending trade to the New York Rangers.

But those two sentences - plus a follow-up message that really confirmed this move was imminent - quickly changed everything.

While other big-time national reporters were tweeting tidbits about when everything would likely go down, nobody had released an actual story with the exact timing.

Upon entering Fifth Third, I saw two Hawks on the ice - neither of whom was Kane - and raced upstairs to write.

This has been THE story in the NHL for months. Would Kane be traded? And if so, where? Now we had a chance to tell the world that, yes indeed: The deal's done.

After alerting our deputy managing editor for online content, I wrote about 200 words and pasted them on top of one of the two pre-written pieces I had already completed in the system. (I had a second ready in case of a possible Kane-to-Vegas deal).

In my nine years on the Hawks beat there have plenty of huge storylines to cover.

The 2015 Stanley Cup run. Kane being accused of sexual assault. Joel Quenneville's firing. John McDonough resigning. Stan Bowman's departure in the wake of the Kyle Beach sexual abuse scandal. Jonathan Toews' illness.

Then this. While the last month was hectic at times, this is also what reporters live for: Don't be afraid to ask the tough questions. Poke around as much as possible. Keep texting those in the know.

Then hope something breaks your way.

In this case, it did. And then it was Showtime.