NEWSLETTER
Stan Bowman is gone. Jeremy Colliton is gone. Kyle Davidson is here. Derek King is behind the bench. So much has happened over the past few weeks for the Blackhawks both on and off the ice that the games being played have almost become a side-note to their drama. But their 1-9-2 record very much cannot be ignored. Tonight is the first game for Derek King as interim head coach of the Blackhawks, his first NHL game behind the bench. Chicago welcomes the Nashville Predators to town for the first time this season after the Predators owned the Blackhawks last year, holding a 7-0-1 record over Chicago. Nashville comes into tonight’s contest having won five of their last six games.
Broadcast Info
Puck Drop: 6:00 p.m. CT
TV: NBCSCH, ESPN+, SN1
Radio: WGN 720 AM, TUDN 1200 AM (Spanish)
Expected Lineups
Blackhawks (1-9-2)
DeBrincat – Dach – Kane
Kubalík – Toews – Hagel
Hardman – Strome – Entwistle
Khaira – Carpenter – Kurashev
Stillman – Jones
McCabe – Murphy
de Haan – Gustafsson
Lankinen
Predators (6-5-0)
Kunin – Granlund – Duchene
Tolvanen – Johansen – Grimaldi
Trenin – Sissons – Jeannot
Cousins – Novak – Tomasino
Josi – Fabbro
Ekholm – Carrier
Harpur – Benning
Saros
Injury Report
Blackhawks:
Wyatt Kalynuk (Week-to-Week – Ankle)
Caleb Jones (Week-to-Week – Wrist)
Tyler Johnson (COVID-19 Protocol)
Isaak Phillips (COVID-19 Protocol)
Predators:
Filip Forsberg (Week-to-Week – Upper Body)
Mark Borowiecki (Day-to-Day – Upper Body)
What To Watch For
• A response. Any response. The Blackhawks have looked awful all season and Friday night’s game against the Jets was a quintessential 2021-22 Blackhawks loss. They were out of it within the first three minutes and had no response. It cost Jeremy Colliton the final straw on his time as head coach in Chicago. Now, under Derek King, the Blackhawks will hopefully have some sort of new life to their game. A fresh perspective. Hopefully.
• Kevin Lankinen gets the start for the Blackhawks tonight, his fifth of the season and still looking for his first win of the year. Goaltending as a whole for Chicago has been putrid to say the least. Even last season, with a trio of unproven goaltenders, was better than what we have seen so far this season from Lankinen and last season’s Vezina winner, Marc-André Fleury. Of the 39 NHL goalies who have made at least five appearances this season, Lankinen and Fleury ranked 38th and 39th in save percentage and the Blackhawks rank 32nd, last in the NHL, in High-Danger Save Percentage (.717). The defense in front of them has been bad, yes, but these guys need to make timely saves.
• Seth Jones ranks second on the Blackhawks in points with 10, all assists. Jones has recorded eight helpers over his last eight games, including three-straight. While his defensive responsibilities have left something to be desired since coming to Chicago, his offensive output has been welcomed. If Jones, who was originally drafted by the Predators fourth-overall in 2013, can continue to trend in the right direction on the back-end, which he has been doing over the past handful of games, maybe the trade to acquire won’t be a total bust after all.
Get Caught Up
Derek King is on the ice for his first morning skate as Blackhawks interim coach pic.twitter.com/OdbBTTDFod
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) November 7, 2021
Marc Crawford, the one assistant coach kept around, is talking the team through a long whiteboard session as morning skate begins: pic.twitter.com/saDhcTWavM
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) November 7, 2021
Derek King closed out practice bringing the team together pic.twitter.com/exaArp03pk
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) November 7, 2021
Derek King going into his first game as an NHL head coach: “I’m nervous. I’m scared. I’m anxious. I’m excited. A lot of emotions.” #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) November 7, 2021
Derek King on the players: “I want these guys to feel relaxed. They’re tight. It’s just time to go back to playing some good, solid, hard hockey.” #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) November 7, 2021
#Preds Captain Roman Josi on facing the Blackhawks: “In this League, every game is tough…and this has become a rivalry over the years… [No matter the situation], they’re going to be ready. We have to worry about our own game and make sure we bring our best.”
— Brooks Bratten (@brooksbratten) November 7, 2021
