One final preseason game for the Blackhawks tonight before the 2021-22 regular season can begin. After dropping a 3-2 game in overtime to these same Wild on Thursday night, the Blackhawks get one last crack at them in the preseason to finish the exhibition portion of the season with a winning record. Not that it means anything, but it could be a confidence-builder. The Wild are icing their NHL lineup tonight after making their final roster cuts earlier in the day. All opening night rosters must be finalized by Monday.
Broadcast Info
Puck Drop: 7:30 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH, ESPN+ (Stream Out of Market Only)
Radio: WGN 720 AM
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (2-1-2)
Blackhawks' lineup tonight is basically the full NHL lineup:
F (13): Kane, DeBrincat, TJohnson, Toews, Kubalik, Kurashev, Dach, Hagel, Borgstrom, Carpenter, Khaira, Entwistle, Strome
D: SJones, Murphy, McCabe, de Haan, Stillman, Mitchell
G: Fleury, Lankinen
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 9, 2021
Wild (3-2-0)
Here's the lineup card for tonight's final #mnwild preseason game at the @NHLBlackhawks at 7:30 pm on @KFAN1003 (@WildJoeRadio and Tom Reid). pic.twitter.com/YM7H38sg1P
— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) October 9, 2021
What To Watch For
• One last look at Blackhawks Captain Jonathan Toews. Earlier today, Toews said he plans to play on opening night for the Blackhawks on Wednesday night. He’s looked good through the preseason and tonight serves as his last game action before the real comeback on Wednesday night.
• While the Wild have made all of their cuts and roster moves, the Blackhawks still have to send a bunch of players down before Monday’s roster deadline. Tonight is the final audition for number of players on the NHL bubble like Henrik Borgström, Ian Mitchell, and MacKenzie Entwistle.
• Chicago’s penalty-kill has been hot garbage in the preseason. While the games don’t “count” in the preseason, the performance on the PK has given us no reason to have confidence in the Blackhawks’ abilities a man-down. If there ever was a game to have a clean-sheet on the penalty-kill, tonight is that night for another opportunity to build confidence.
Get Caught Up …
Marc-Andre Fleury is working in the starter’s net this morning. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/oCqzR9KPAR
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 9, 2021
Marc-Andre Fleury is slated to play the whole game tonight vs. Minnesota. #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) October 9, 2021
Notable #Blackhawks bubble players on tonight's roster:
Forwards Henrik Borgstrom, Dylan Strome and MacKenzie Entwistle.
D-men Ian Mitchell and Riley StillmanJonathan Toews is playing. Goalies: Marc-Andre Fleury and Kevin Lankinen.
— John Dietz (@johndietzdh) October 9, 2021
Colliton on meaning of tonight's final preseason game:
"It’s easy to say: 'This is it, this is your last chance…If you’re great you’re in, if you’re bad you’re out.' That’s not how it is. It’s a body of work throughout camp… [Tonight] we want to see the group, how it works." https://t.co/u2mUugw5iP
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 9, 2021
Colliton said he likes Borgstrom on the left wing of Dach and Hagel. On the fourth line, Colliton said Khaira and Carpenter can play center, but he’s open to putting a center on that line and having them as wings. That’s where Entwistle, Gaudette and Strome are competing for.
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) October 9, 2021
No morning skate line rushes, but here are the Blackhawks' special teams units:
PP1: Kane, DeBrincat, Toews, Johnson, Jones
PP2: Kubalik, Dach, Borgstrom, Kurashev, MitchellPK1: Murphy, McCabe, Khaira, Strome
PK2: Stillman, de Haan, Carpenter, Entwistle— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) October 9, 2021
Update: #mnwild goaltender Cam Talbot will not play tonight in Chicago due to a personal matter.
Kaapo Kahkonen will start and Andrew Hammond has been recalled from the @IAWild.
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 9, 2021