Several judges from Chicago could be in the mix for the Supreme Court vacancy.

On the widely-reported list of candidates the president is expected to consider are at least two federal judges from his home town. One often-mentioned name is Diane Wood, an appellate court judge who also teaches at the University of Chicago law school, as did Mr. Obama. Another name is Ruben Castillo, a U.S. District Court judge, and an adjunct professor at Northwestern.

LUBET: [Castillo is] very highly regarded as a trial judge by lawyers on all sides of all issues. That’s an extremely difficult thing to accomplish.

Steven Lubet is a Northwestern law professor. He taught Castillo and now works with him.

LUBET: He’s also a great hockey fan. I don’t know if the president is a hockey fan, but I think Judge Castillo would bring an appreciation of ice hockey to the bench.

President Obama is not talking publicly about possible nominees - or their sports preferences. But he says he hopes his pick is confirmed by the Senate in time for the Supreme Court’s fall session.