After five months of waiting, the Chicago Blackhawks will play their first game on Thursday night (Sept. 28), hosting the St. Louis Blues in their preseason opener. After a week of training camp, the vibe around this season’s group is much better compared to last, with Connor Bedard at the forefront. Though training camp has offered perhaps a sneak peek into what the opening-night roster might look like, these next six games will be important for many players.
Here are five storylines to follow as the team begins preseason action.
Lukas Reichel Will Make the Cut
It’s all but certain that Lukas Reichel will make Chicago’s opening night roster. He has dominated in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the last two seasons and put up 15 points in 23 NHL games in 2022-23. However, instead of his normal role on left wing, Reichel appears to be Chicago’s No. 2 center behind Bedard, as general manager Kyle Davidson alluded to last week. This is an interesting choice, given Reichel has won just 21 of 59 faceoffs at the NHL level. That said, the Blackhawks aren’t in a rush to compete, and it makes sense why management wants to see what he can do before his entry-level contract (ELC) expires next summer.
Related: Chicago Blackhawks’ 2023 Offseason Overview
During training camp, Reichel centered a line with Philipp Kurashev and Andreas Athanasiou on his wings. This line offered speed, versatility, and some offensive firepower. Much of the attention during camp was deservedly on Bedard, but Reichel will be one to watch as well. Since making his Blackhawks debut in Feb. 2022, he has bulked up nicely at 6 feet and 170 pounds and appears ready to shine in the NHL.
Wyatt Kaiser’s Push for a Roster Spot
There was perhaps no bigger surprise in training camp than defenseman Wyatt Kaiser’s presence. The 2020 third-round pick and Minnesota native has made an impact these last few weeks; he wore the “C” at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase earlier this month and skated with Seth Jones during training camp. Kaiser looked confident and aggressive during the team’s scrimmages earlier this week, and Jones even praised his game. While this is good news for Kaiser and the Blackhawks, it’s a bit of a surprise given he’s entering just his first professional campaign after three seasons at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
Along with Reichel, Kaiser’s another young Blackhawk I’ll be watching closely during preseason. He had some nice flashes during his nine-game NHL stint last season but was often in and out of the lineup after making his debut on March 18, a 4-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes. Kaiser’s a great skater, and it feels like he’ll make the opening-night roster, but it’ll be interesting to see how much momentum he’ll carry from camp into the preseason.
Blackhawks’ Other Defensive Prospects
Obviously, Kaiser has been the story of the Blackhawks’ defense for the last week, but let’s not forget the other defensive prospects. Alex Vlasic, Kevin Korchinski, Isaak Phillips, Filip Roos, and even Nolan Allan could all be in the mix for a spot in the lineup. It seems like a safe bet that at least two, if not three of them, could make the final roster.
Should Kaiser stay on the top pairing with Jones, this begs the question of where Vlasic will play, assuming he makes the final roster. After an impressive campaign with the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs last season, Vlasic appears ready for the NHL and seems like a safe candidate to skate with Jones entering camp. The same is also true for Korchinski, although it would be less surprising if he doesn’t make the cut and gets more time to develop in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Granted, all three of Kaiser, Vlasic, and Korchinski could make the lineup, but it would likely mean one of them skates on the third pairing, probably with Nikita Zaitsev, as opposed to Jones or Connor Murphy in the top four.
Related: Blackhawks’ Prospect Nolan Allan Brings Silent Edge to Team
Phillips is interesting. He and the Blackhawks may be reaching a crossroads, as he might be getting pushed out on the left side by the aforementioned trio. He demonstrated growth in his 16-game stint with Chicago last season, recording five points (one goal, four assists), but he doesn’t quite offer the same upside as Korchinski, Vlasic, and Kaiser. Don’t get me wrong; he could still be a solid NHL player. It just seems like he may need to exceed expectations to stay around long-term at this point, given how crowded the blue line is becoming. If not, perhaps he will become a trade chip, similar to Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula this offseason.
As for Roos, it doesn’t seem like he’ll be more than a complementary piece long-term, but he could still be a serviceable third-pairing/depth option. Allan is the real wild card here; the 2021 32nd-overall pick is coming off five WHL seasons, and while it may take a lot for him to make the NHL roster, head coach Luke Richardson complimented his abilities earlier in camp. Similar to Vlasic, Allan has a nice frame at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds. At the very least, he should gain incredible experience in Rockford this season and perhaps sometime in Chicago if and when injuries persist.
Foligno, Dickinson & Perry
Davidson wasted no time improving the Blackhawks’ forward depth this offseason, signing veteran forwards Nick Foligno and Corey Perry to one-year deals. If camp is any indication, they’ll skate on a line together come the regular season, with Jason Dickinson at center. This line should offer great experience and toughness, which is sure to benefit a Blackhawks’ team that’ll be younger than last season.
Despite being new faces, Foligno and Perry have quickly made a positive impression on the team. Both will wear an “A” in tonight’s preseason game, and it would not be shocking if either of them wore one during the regular season. With his upbeat personality and sense of humor, Foligno should slowly become a fan favorite. Though it may still take some time to get used to Perry in a Blackhawks sweater, his experience should also help, especially having played under Richardson during his Montreal Canadiens’ tenure.
Let’s also not forget Dickinson and Perry were Dallas Stars teammates in 2019-20. The two jelled nicely during the team’s Stanley Cup Final run in the 2020 bubble, and it should be fun to see them reunited. Throw in Foligno, and you have three veterans together who are still capable of making an impact.
Bedard’s First Taste of the NHL
Since he was drafted first overall in June, Bedard has met, if not exceeded, all expectations. Not only did he impress in the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase and training camp, but he has also carried himself tremendously well off the ice. While it may be another 12 days before he faces Sidney Crosby in his NHL debut, Bedard will get his first glimpse of the league, beginning Thursday night.
As the odds-on Calder Trophy favorite, Bedard’s rookie season could go many ways. He could absolutely crush expectations and have a Crosby or Connor McDavid-like campaign. He could also post similar numbers to Matty Beniers who scored 57 points (24 goals, 33 assists) last season. This wouldn’t be as impressive, but by all means it would still be Calder-worthy. If Bedard proves he can quickly adjust to the NHL with an impressive preseason, it could be a fun first season for the team’s new face of the franchise.
The big theme for the Blackhawks is development, and it’s a refreshing change from last season. It remains to be seen how much they improve in the standings, but there’s every reason to be excited as Bedard, Reichel, and other young players enter the fold. The Blackhawks have a home-and-home series against the Blues (home Sept. 28, away Oct. 7), Minnesota Wild (away Sept. 30, home Oct. 5) and Detroit Red Wings (away Oct. 1, home Oct. 3) as part of their preseason before the regular season starts Oct. 10 against Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.
