The Blackhawks are expected to look a lot more like an NHL team on Monday night when they host the Wild for their second preseason game, and that should make this one feel different from Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss in Grand Casino Arena.
Minnesota’s first exhibition lineup was AHL-heavy, and that approach figures to continue here. Chicago, though, is bringing a stronger group to its first home preseason game, with the 100 and 200 levels full of fans and the organization giving them, as the source puts it, what they want “for the most part.”
That doesn’t mean the Wild are short on talent in this one. Their top line of Shabanov-Yurov-Brink carries NHL-caliber skill, and Chicago’s top defenders and defensive forwards will have their hands full trying to slow it down. The rest of Minnesota’s projected group is full of players trying to force their way into the organization’s plans:
Shabanov-Yurov-Brink
Kirkland-McCarron-Trenin
Lorenz-Haight-Shaw
Heidt-Stramel-Kumpulainen
Hunt-Spacek
Gustafsson Nyberg-Lambos
Kiersted-Dexheimer
Pickard
Ruzicka
For Chicago, the lineup has a much more familiar preseason shape, with a few notable names set to sit out. Patrick Kane will not play, and Landon Slaggert, Kevin Korchinski, and Ethan Del Mastro are also among the extras who won’t dress from the NHL practice group.
That still leaves the Blackhawks with a lineup that has plenty of intrigue:
Kantserov-Nazar-Teravainen
Bertuzzi-Frondell-Lardis
Donato-Moore-Mangiapane
Smith-Greene-Greenway
Vlasic-Byram
Kaiser-Levshunov
Cole-Rinzel
Knight
Söderblom
Teuvo Teravainen has been one of the rotating pieces throughout camp, and Monday gives him another chance to make a case for opening night while skating on the top line with Frank Nazar and Roman Kantserov. For Kantserov, it’s his preseason NHL debut. It’s also the first time Bowen Byram, Cole Smith, Jordan Greenway, and Ian Cole will dress in a Blackhawks sweater.
In goal, Spencer Knight is expected to get the same workload Arvid Soderblom had on Saturday, when he started and played the full game against Minnesota.
The puck is set to drop shortly after 7:00 PM CT. The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area and watched locally on CHSN.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Just Started A Camp Trim That Says Plenty About Their Prospects
After a busy Rookie Camp and Prospect Showcase, the Blackhawks have already begun trimming the edges of their training camp roster. Ryan Roobroeck, Parker Holmes, and Ty Henry all got a look in the teams recent prospect events before being sent back to their Ontario Hockey League clubs for the 2026-27 season, a reminder of where each young player stands in his development and how quickly the path narrows once camp turns serious.
Chicagos camp group is now down to 47 players, and theres likely more movement ahead as the preseason schedule continues to tighten the competition. Another round of cuts could come after Mondays preseason game against Minnesota, which should give the Blackhawks another chance to separate the hopefuls from the players who are starting to look ready for the next step. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Defense Battle Is Putting Real Pressure On Ethan Del Mastro
Training camp has turned the Blackhawks blue line into one of the more interesting battles on the roster, and Ethan Del Mastro is right in the middle of it. Chicago has eight defensemen who can make an NHL case for themselves, but only six openings in the lineup, which makes every preseason shift matter a little more than usual. Del Mastro helped himself in the first preseason game, and the organization has already shown faith in him by extending his contract, so this is no longer just about making an impression. It is about forcing his way into a real role.
For Del Mastro, the path forward is tied to the details that can separate an NHL regular from a depth option. He has been working on his skating and defensive mobility to make himself harder to play against, and those improvements could be what keeps him in the conversation as camp tightens. The Blackhawks like the potential enough to keep testing him, but with the numbers game already crowding the defense, every practice and exhibition game is adding pressure to prove he belongs. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Cut Leaves Veteran Defenseman In Roster Limbo
The Blackhawks latest training camp cuts have pushed Derrick Pouliot into roster limbo, with the veteran defenseman now waiting to see where he lands after being moved out of the NHL picture. Pouliots arrival in the organization gave Chicago another experienced blue-line option, and his game has still shown enough offensive touch to matter, even as his scoring rate has trended downward in recent seasons.
For now, the next stop appears to be Rockford, where Pouliot is expected to play a major defensive role for the IceHogs in the 2026-27 season. It is a familiar kind of pivot for a player at this stage of his career, one who can still help an organization depth-wise even as the path back to Chicago becomes less certain. [Read more 🡒]