The Blackhawks are back home with some momentum and, for once, a lineup that’s starting to look whole.
Chicago enters Game 9 at 3-5-0 after back-to-back home wins, and the matchup with Dallas comes with Connor Bedard back in the fold and the club’s full group of forwards available. That’s a big step for a team still trying to settle into the right habits. The bigger picture remains the same: play the game the right way, and the wins should come as the young players keep developing.
Dallas arrives at the United Center at 3-3-1, which is not a disastrous start on paper. But for a team viewed as a Stanley Cup contender in the middle of its competitive window, it has been a rough opening stretch.
The Stars still have the kind of top-end talent that can tilt a game quickly. Mikko Rantanen stands out as their best forward, with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz right there in that top tier as well.
Wyatt Johnston was recently announced, though it’s still unclear exactly where he will fit into the mix. He is a dangerous weapon, especially on the power play, and Dallas looks a lot more threatening when he’s on the ice.
That strength runs through the rest of the lineup, too. Miro Heiskanen anchors the defense, while Esa Linell and Thomas Harley give the Stars a blue line that can match up with just about anyone. In net, Jake Oettinger brings Olympian caliber credentials with Team USA, which is why mistakes against this group have to be kept to an absolute minimum.
Chicago’s own lineup is getting closer to full strength as well. Bedard is back from injury, Frank Nazar has returned from suspension, and Anton Frondell continues to emerge.
Patrick Kane gives the group a veteran presence that can still change a game. The only wrinkle on the back end is Bowen Byram, who is set to miss his second straight game with what remains a day-to-day injury.
Spencer Knight will get the start in goal, and the Blackhawks are expected to roll out this group:
Kantserov-Bedard-Kane
Bertuzzi-Frondell-Teravainen
Moore-Nazar-Donato
Smith-Greene-Greenway
Vlasic-Cole
Kaiser-Levshunov
Del Mastro-Rinzel
Knight
The game will be on AM 720 WGN locally in the Chicagoland area and on CHSN in the local TV market. It will also stream nationally on ESPN+. Puck drop is set shortly after 6:00 PM CT.
In Other News...
Anton Frondell Is Giving Blackhawks Fans Hope They Desperately Needed
The early weeks of the Blackhawks season were a grind, with Connor Bedard sidelined for the first six games and the team trying to steady itself around a thin margin for error. In the middle of that uncertainty, Anton Frondell has given Chicago something it badly needed: a young forward who looks comfortable handling real responsibility, not just flashes. He has already become a notable part of the Blackhawks effort on faceoffs and the penalty kill, the kind of usage that says the coaching staff trusts him in situations beyond the usual rookie runway.
Frondells rise has fit neatly alongside the return of Bedard, whose presence has helped the team string together consecutive wins and ease some of the pressure that had built during the rough start. For Chicago, the encouraging part is not just that Frondell has produced, but that he has done it while looking like a player who can be leaned on in a variety of roles. The Blackhawks are still sorting out what this season can become, but a rookie earning that kind of trust gives them a much better reason to believe. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Finally Have A Real Chance To Build On This Start
After a rough opening stretch, the Blackhawks have started to look more like a team with some direction, and a big reason is simple: the forward group is finally getting healthy. Connor Bedards return earlier than expected from shoulder surgery gave the lineup an immediate lift, and the recent reinforcements have helped stabilize a group that needed more skill and more options up front. The difference has shown up in the results, with the team playing better hockey as the roster has filled back in.
Jeff Blashill has talked about what it means when the forwards are available and contributing, and the confidence level around the team has clearly changed with that fuller group on the ice. Frank Nazars return from suspension, along with Patrick Kane and Anton Frondell being back in the lineup, gives Chicago more speed, more depth and more ways to attack. The bigger question now is whether this stretch can become something more than a brief reset, because this is the first real chance the Blackhawks have had to see what this version of the roster can actually build toward. [Read more 🡒]
Roman Kantserov Is Giving Blackhawks Fans A New Reason To Watch
Roman Kantserov has started to look more comfortable in a Blackhawks sweater at just the right time, and his recent run has given fans a fresh reason to tune in. After settling in through his early games, he has found his footing on the first line with Connor Bedard and Patrick Kane, a spot that can accelerate a young players growth in a hurry. The result has been a burst of offense, highlighted by his first career goal and a multi-goal night that showed why the organization has been eager to see what he can do.
The bigger question now is how much of this stretch can carry over as the season goes on. Playing alongside Bedard and Kane gives Kantserov a chance to learn from two of the most influential players on the roster while also giving the Blackhawks another developing scorer to watch closely. For a team looking for signs of progress, his recent production has been one of the more encouraging developments, and it may only be the beginning of a much more interesting rookie year. [Read more 🡒]