Lafferty Returns, Lineup Adjustments For Winnipeg, Scheifele’s Milestone, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

With the Winnipeg Jets coming into the United Center on a snowy Friday night in early December, it’s good to see the Blackhawks getting healthier. There will be a few tweaks made to the lineup for tonight’s game, one with a player returning from injury and another just to mix things up on the blue line.

  • Sam Lafferty is back in the lineup and will center the fourth line tonight between Reese Johnson and Colin Blackwell. MacKenzie Entwistle will slide into a wing spot on the third line with Jason Dickinson and Jujhar Khaira.
  • Tyler Johnson skated with the team again before the morning skate and is still progressing. Still no timetable on his return to the lineup, however.
  • Boris Katchouk is going to be the odd man out for this one, a role that I suspect he might find himself in more frequently when the Blackhawks have a more complete compliment of forwards.
  • Caleb Jones is drawing back into the blue line group in place of Filip Roos. He’ll skate with Connor Murphy. Ian Mitchell will stay in the lineup and skate with Jake McCabe. Head coach Luke Richardson said after the morning skate that he likes McCabe being a vocal veteran with Mitchell; he lets the younger player know what’s happening and where to be.
  • Alex Stalock was part of the morning skate but is still out of the lineup, so Jaxson Stauber will backup Arvid Söderblom this evening.
  • Stalock spoke with the media after practice on Thursday about being close to a return. He said he hadn’t dealt with a concussion before, and it’s been a tough experience.
  • “It’s been a few times now where you feel like you’re ready to give it a try and then, next day, you wake up and it’s not even close to what it was,” Stalock said on Thursday. “I was warned earlier that you’re going to have setbacks, but you never feel like it’s going to happen, and sure enough, it happens a few times and it’s not fun to deal with something like that mentally.”

  • Last night, Winnipeg’s Mark Scheifele of the Jets reached 600 career points with the assist in the video below. Scheifele, the seventh overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, becomes the fourth player from his draft class to reach 600 career regular-season points, but just the second from that year’s first round. Nikita Kucherov (second round) and Johnny Gaudreau (fourth round) are the points leaders from the Class of 2011 with 654 and 637, respectively. Jonathan Huberdeau (629) was the third overall pick that year and ranks third, just ahead of Sheifele. The good news is the milestone is already out of the way so he doesn’t need to put any points on the board against the Blackhawks tonight.
  • Finally, Blackhawks fans can sit back and watch the two baseball teams in town spend money. Well, at some point. At least the Cubs are in on the biggest fish left in the water, but when will one of them sign? And with which team? And for how many years? And for how much money? So many questions…
  • written by

    Tab Bamford has been writing about the Chicago Blackhawks for almost two decades. He joined Bleacher Nation as the lead Blackhawks writer in May 2022. Tab is a member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association and is the author of two books about the Blackhawks: "100 Things Blackhawks Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die" (Triumph Books) and "Chicago Blackhawks: An Illustrated Timeline" (Reedy Press, 2021). Find him on Twitter/X/Instagram/Threads at @The1Tab

    more blackhawks news

    Connor Bedard Named NHL’s No. 2 Star of the Week

    On Monday, the NHL named its three stars for last week. Blackhawks rookie center Connor Bedard was named the league's No. 2 Star of the Week. Tampa's Nikita Kucherov was the No. 1 star and Minnesota's Marc-Andre Fleury was No....

    Korchinski Praise, Kaiser Recalled, Big City Bedard, Ludwinski, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    Luke Richardson had some nice things to say about Kevin Korchinski last night. He was asked about Korchinski scoring the game-winning goal, and complimented him for taking the shot rather than deferring in that moment. The coaches have loved his...

    Blackhawks 5, Sharks 2 — Three Stars, Key Takeaways

    The Blackhawks' defense picked up where they left off on Friday night, watching the Sharks take a two-goal lead in the opening period. Not a good start by any means; the Hawks were out-shot 11-8 in the opening 20 minutes...

    You’ve Gotta See This Blackhawks Prospect’s Game-Winning Goal Celly

    Blackhawks prospect Paul Ludwinski is having a really good year as the captain of the Kingston Frontenacs. On Sunday, wearing all green for St. Patrick's Day, Paul "O'Ludwinski" (as they called him on their social channels) finished his hat trick...

    BN Blackhawks Prospect Watch: College Three Stars (March 18)

    We're reaching the point of the college hockey schedule that fewer Blackhawks prospects are in action. Taige Harding and Connor Kelley saw their Hockey East run come to an end, and Michigan went into Minnesota and pulled off the upset;...

    Blackhawks vs Sharks – Lineups, Broadcast Info, Game Thread

    Welcome to the Tankathon, folks! Slackin' for Macklin is on display tonight. The worst two teams -- by point percentage -- in the National Hockey League will take the ice this evening at the United Center with the Sharks in...

    Reichel Returns, Dach’s OT GWG, College Action, and Other Blackhawks St. Patrick’s Day Bullets

    Happy St. Patrick's Day to those celebrating (or hydrating after Saturday). The Blackhawks have an early evening puck drop against the only team in the league with a worse record than them, the San Jose Sharks. With today being a...

    2024 NHL Mock Draft: Post-Trade Deadline First Round Projections

    We're now more than one full week past the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline, so we're able to sort out all of the picks that have been moved (thus far). And, as you might assume, a good number of the first-round...

    Rookie Learning, Reichel Recalled, Perry Payoff, College Action, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

    A subtle little moment last night in the Blackhawks' room after the game. Jason Dickinson spoke with the media first, and was his usual, eloquent self. The other player available was Landon Slaggert after his NHL debut. Predictably, the smile...

    WATCH: Landon Slaggert Takes Rookie Lap (Without A Bucket)

    Landon Slaggert got the rookie lap treatment before making his NHL debut for the Blackhawks on Friday night. Fittingly, the team was beginning its celebration of St. Patrick's Day, so the former Notre Dame captain took the ice surrounded by...

    Latest News

    Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Prediction: Expert Picks, Odds, Stats and Best Bets – Tuesday, March 19, 2024

    The Minnesota Timberwolves (47-21) are underdogs (+7) as they try to build on a three-game win streak when they host the Denver Nuggets (47-21) at 9:00 PM ET on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at Target Center. The game airs on...

    Mavericks vs. Spurs Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Tuesday, March 19, 2024

    Southwest Division opponents square off when the Dallas Mavericks (39-29) visit the San Antonio Spurs (15-53) at AT&T Center, tipping off at 8:00 PM ET on Tuesday, March 19, 2024. The Mavericks are 8.5-point favorites in the game, the fourth...

    Pelicans vs. Nets Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Tuesday, March 19, 2024

    The Brooklyn Nets (26-42) will try to break a three-game losing streak when they host the New Orleans Pelicans (41-26) on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at Barclays Center as 8.5-point underdogs. The matchup airs at 7:30 PM ET on YES....

    Nuggets vs. Timberwolves Predictions, Best Bets and Odds – Tuesday, March 19, 2024

    The Minnesota Timberwolves (47-21) are 7-point underdogs as they try to extend a three-game winning streak when they host the Denver Nuggets (47-21) on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at Target Center. The contest airs at 9:00 PM ET on NBA....

    Canucks vs. Sabres Prediction: Live Odds, Stats, History and Picks – Tuesday, March 19, 2024

    The oddsmakers give the edge to the Vancouver Canucks on home ice (-198) over the Buffalo Sabres (+164) when they play on Tuesday, March 19 at 10:00 PM ET.Canucks vs. Sabres Favorite, Moneyline, TotalFavorite: Canucks (-198)Underdog: Sabres (+164)Total: 6Best Canucks...

    OH MY: ANTHONY EDWARDS JUST HAD THE BEST DUNK OF THE YEAR

    Anthony Edwards has done it again. The emerging Minnesota Timberwolves superstar jammed the most impressive poster dunk of the season against the Utah Jazz on Monday night. Pushing the pace in transition during the third quarter, Edwards passed the ball...

    De’Aaron Fox Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Grizzlies – Monday, March 18, 2024

    To beat his 3-point prop, De'Aaron Fox must make three from beyond the arc on Monday, when his Sacramento Kings face the Memphis Grizzlies, tipping off at 10:00 PM ET.De'Aaron Fox's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the GrizzliesDe'Aaron Fox's over/under for...

    Malik Monk Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Grizzlies – Monday, March 18, 2024

    Will Malik Monk make three 3-pointers when the Sacramento Kings face the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday at 10:00 PM ET? If so, he'll beat his prop for the game.Malik Monk's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the GrizzliesMalik Monk's over/under for three-pointers...

    Bogdan Bogdanovic Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Lakers – Monday, March 18, 2024

    At 10:30 PM ET on Monday, it'll be the Atlanta Hawks against the Los Angeles Lakers, with Bogdan Bogdanovic needing three trifectas to beat his 3-pointer prop.Bogdan Bogdanovic's Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the LakersBogdan Bogdanovic's over/under for three-pointers in this...

    Anthony Davis Player Props: Three-Pointer Props and Odds vs. the Hawks – Monday, March 18, 2024

    The Los Angeles Lakers face the Atlanta Hawks at 10:30 PM ET on Monday, and one of the 3-pointer over/unders available for this clash requires just one make from Anthony Davis.Anthony Davis' Three-Pointer Prop Odds vs. the HawksAnthony Davis' over/under...

    more blackhawks news