The Chicago Blackhawks are looking to bring some stability back to their lineup after a tough night at the United Center. Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers wasn’t just a setback on the scoreboard-it snapped a three-game point streak and served as a reminder that this young team is still finding its identity.
The third period was where things unraveled. Chicago gave up four unanswered goals, and any momentum they had built over the past week vanished in a hurry. It was a frustrating finish, especially considering the Blackhawks had shown signs of cohesion and growth in recent games.
One of the more notable developments during the loss was the shake-up in the forward lines. Head coach Jeff Blashill, who’s been fairly consistent with his line combinations this season, opted to mix things up mid-game. That’s not typically his style-Blashill has made a point of keeping lines steady to help build chemistry-but against a juggernaut like Florida, he clearly felt the need to try something different.
After the game, Blashill acknowledged the changes but made it clear he doesn’t plan on making a habit of it. “It’s something we’ll look at and decide: okay, what are we going with?
And just stay with that,” he said. Translation: expect more consistency moving forward.
And that consistency might already be taking shape. At Monday’s practice, all 15 forwards were on the ice and healthy, giving the Blackhawks a full deck to work with. Here’s how the lines and defensive pairings looked:
Forwards:
- Nazar - Bedard - Teravainen
- Bertuzzi - Dickinson - Mikheyev
- Greene - Moore - Burakovsky
- Donato - Foligno - Slaggert
- Dach - Lafferty - Lardis
Defense:
- Vlasic - Crevier
- Kaiser - Levshunov
- Grzelcyk - Murphy
Goaltenders:
- Knight
- Soderblom
That fifth line-Colton Dach, Sam Lafferty, and Nick Lardis-appears to be the odd group out for now, likely serving as the extras heading into their next matchup. Whether one or more of them gets reassigned before the team heads to Minnesota remains to be seen, but the picture should become clearer after Tuesday’s morning skate in St. Paul.
The top line of Frank Nazar, Connor Bedard, and Teuvo Teravainen is particularly intriguing. Nazar brings speed and energy, Bedard is the franchise centerpiece, and Teravainen offers veteran savvy and playmaking. If that trio sticks, it could become a real problem for opposing defenses.
Further down the lineup, the mix of experience and youth continues. Tyler Bertuzzi and Ilya Mikheyev flanking Jason Dickinson gives the Blackhawks a second line with grit and scoring potential. The third and fourth lines, featuring names like Joey Anderson, Nick Foligno, and Ryan Donato, provide depth and versatility.
On the blue line, the pairings suggest a continued effort to balance development with stability. Kevin Korchinski and Alex Vlasic have shown flashes of promise, while veterans like Matt Grzelcyk and Connor Murphy are there to anchor things when the game tightens up.
The loss to Florida stings, no doubt. But the bigger picture here is that Blashill is still evaluating what combinations give his team the best shot to compete night in and night out. With the roster healthy and the lines starting to take shape, the Blackhawks have a chance to build some rhythm as they head into a crucial stretch of the season.
We’ll learn more in the coming days, but one thing’s clear: the Blackhawks are trying to find their identity-not just game to game, but shift to shift. And getting back to consistent lines might be the first step in the right direction.