Tonight’s the night! The Chicago Blackhawks are set to face off against the Detroit Red Wings in a preseason game. After a week of scrimmages among themselves, the Blackhawks are finally ready to compete against another team in different uniforms.
Fans will get their first glimpse of several new players tonight. While preseason games may not fully reflect an NHL team’s competitiveness, they provide a good kickoff to the season.
The early preseason matches typically focus on young talent. In practice on Tuesday, Chicago lined up a strong mix of veterans and younger players. Here’s how the lineup might look tonight based on what Richardson practiced:
Blackhawks projected lineup against Detroit:
- Teuvo Teravainen — Connor Bedard — Tyler Bertuzzi
- Taylor Hall — Frank Nazar — Nick Lardis
- Ryan Donato — AJ Spellacy — Craig Smith
- Joey Anderson — Paul Ludwinski — Samuel Savoie
Defense:
- Alec Martinez — Seth Jones
- Alex Vlasic — TJ Brodie
- Kevin Korchinski — Connor Murphy
Goalies:
- Petr Mrazek
- Mitchell Weeks
The Blackhawks’ defense could be similar to what fans will see on opening night against Utah. It will be intriguing to see how they perform against Detroit, especially with Mrazek expected to be the starting goalie.
Here are three players to keep an eye on for the Blackhawks:
First up is Frank Nazar, who is making a strong impression early on. He’s teaming up with veteran Taylor Hall, and if Nazar secures a spot on the team, they could potentially play together in the NHL this season. After a solid performance at the prospect showcase, tonight is a crucial opportunity for Nazar to prove himself further. It’s also worth mentioning Nick Lardis, who has impressed during camp and is in a prime position with two strong linemates. We might see Lardis score a goal tonight!
In the center position, AJ Spellacy has also had a standout camp. His performance at the rookie showcase demonstrated his ability to impact the team’s future. Playing in front of a home crowd tonight, Spellacy’s physical style could resonate well with the fans.
Lastly, there’s Kevin Korchinski, whose future this season remains uncertain. General manager Kyle Davidson noted last week that it’s up to Korchinski to demonstrate whether he belongs in the NHL or the AHL.
“We’ll work together to find the best situation for his development,” Davidson stated. “We’ll let the players indicate where they should be, and Rockford is a vital resource for helping them improve and stay on the right track for the long term.”
Korchinski may benefit from some AHL time as a top-pair defenseman, but this preseason will be key in making that decision.
The game between the Blackhawks and Red Wings starts at 7 p.m.
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