The Chicago Blackhawks are heading into their first preseason game with a roster built more for evaluation than for opening night. After a morning skate at Blackhawks Ice Center, they travel north to face the Minnesota Wild, who are also beginning their exhibition slate.
Chicago officially opened training camp on Thursday, so the turnaround into game action comes fast. A number of the club’s top prospects already got a look during the Prospect Showcase the week before camp, and several of them are expected to dress again on Saturday against Minnesota.
The Wild are taking a similar approach and are rolling out a mostly non-NHL lineup. Veterans Nick Foligno, Nico Sturm, and Oli Maatta are in the mix, but Quinn Hughes, Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Brock Faber will not play.
Calvin Pickard is expected to start in goal and handle the game from start to finish. Foligno, the former Blackhawks captain, is on the top line and gives this group a veteran presence.
Minnesota’s projected alignment features Shaw-Haight-Gambrell, Pitlick-Heidt-Kirkland, and Joshua-Bankier-Lorenz up front, with Maatta-Hunt, Lambos-Kiersted, and Koster-Schmidt/Spacek on defense behind Pickard.
Chicago is also keeping its NHL group out of this one. Landon Slaggert, Ethan Del Mastro, and Kevin Korchinski are among the players who will suit up, though they remain bubble players for opening night. The Blackhawks are also expected to bring several prospects from the Prospect Showcase, including Sacha Boisvert, AJ Spellacy, Ashton Cumby, and Marek Vanacker.
In net, the Blackhawks are carrying three goaltenders on the trip, and Arvid Soderblom is expected to get the start and play the full game. Jeff Blashill said he wants Soderblom and Knight to get preseason reps.
Puck drop is shortly after 7:00 PM CT. The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area and viewed locally on CHSN.
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