NEWSLETTER
The Chicago Blackhawks are back in action tonight as the preseason begins to come to a close and the start of the 2021-22 regular season approaches in less than a week. Tonight, the Blackhawks get reacquainted with the Minnesota Wild after the two Central Division rivals played in different divisions last season. The Blackhawks’ roster tonight features nearly a dozen “bubble” players hoping to make the opening night NHL roster. Plenty to keep an eye on for Chicago, who have won their last two preseason games.
Broadcast Info
Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH, ESPN+ (Stream Out of Market Only)
Radio: WGN 720 AM
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (2-1-1)
Borgström – K. Dach – Hagel
C. Dach – Strome – Gaudette
Barratt – R. Johnson – Osipov
Khaira – Entwistle – Hardman
McCabe – Murphy
de Haan – Mitchell
Stillman – Galvas
Lankinen
Subban
Wild (2-2-0)
Kaprizov – Eriksson Ek – Zuccarello
Duhaime – Hartman – Foligno
Boldy – Gaudreau – Fiala
Beckman – Rossi – Bjugstad
Goligoski – Spurgeon
Brodin – Dumba
Merrill – Addison
Talbot
Kahkonen
What To Watch For
• Kevin Lankinen is scheduled to play the entire game for the Blackhawks tonight in what will likely be his last game before the final roster cuts are made. Lankinen came into training camp penciled-in behind Marc-André Fleury as the backup with the Blackhawks. Through the preseason, neither of Malcolm Subban or Collin Delia have really done enough to take Lankinen out of that spot. With a quality start against an NHL-heavy lineup from the Wild should be enough to lock Lankinen into an NHL spot with the Blackhawks.
• Also looking to lock-up an NHL roster spot with the Blackhawks are forwards like MacKenzie Entwistle, Adam Gaudette, Jujhar Khaira, Mike Hardman, and Reese Johnson. All of whom are on the bubble of making the final roster out of camp with Dylan Strome and Henrik Borgström also out there with something to prove. Tonight’s game will be make-or-break for a few of these players as the regular season approaches.
• Defensively, the Blackhawks will not have Caleb Jones or Wyatt Kalynuk for the foreseeable short-term future due to injury. Both of those players were in the middle of a defensive battle for the last few spots in the blue-line group for Chicago, opening the door for guys like Riley Stillman and rookie Jakub Galvas tonight to take a step forward and make a case for an NHL roster spot. Also, don’t count out Ian Mitchell potentially staying with the Blackhawks out of camp after looking like he was Rockford-bound earlier in the preseason.
Get Caught Up …
Kevin Lankinen is slated to play the whole game tonight vs. Minnesota. Malcolm Subban will serve as the backup. #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 7, 2021
Caleb Jones didn’t practice for the second straight day because of left wrist soreness. The team is still trying to determine the severity of the injury. #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 7, 2021
Jeremy Colliton said roster decisions are going to be harder than he thought: "The younger players who we weren't sure how close they were going to be, it turns out they're really close, arguably playing well enough to make the team." #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 7, 2021
Jeremy Colliton talks about why Lukas Reichel was sent down to Rockford Wednesday: “Is he going to be here at some point? Probably.” pic.twitter.com/sjgz344kth
— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) October 7, 2021
