Game Day Preview: Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks Open Preseason vs Detroit Red Wings

Chicago Blackhawks (0-0-0) vs Detroit Red Wings (0-0-0)

7 pm CT – United Center

TV: Blackhawks website & app

Radio: 720 AM (Wiedeman/Murray)

Chicago Blackhawks hockey is back at the United Center as they kick off their six-game preseason schedule against the hated Detroit Red Wings. There will be far less fanfare tonight than there was the last time Detroit was in town in February. There is no Chris Chelios jersey retirement and no return of Patrick Kane, but there will still be excitement in the building.

The Blackhawks will dress a lineup full of players either playing their first game for the team or making their return after a long absence. Taylor Hall will see his first game action since Nov. 19 after a knee injury cost him all but 10 games last season. Connor Murphy missed three months before returning to the lineup for three games in April. He is back on the blue line tonight and looking to stay healthy. Teuvo Teravainen will dress in the home locker room for the first time since 2016. Tyler Bertuzzi, Craig Smith, Alec Martinez, and T.J. Brodie will all wear the red Blackhawks sweater for the first time tonight. Even Connor Bedard will take to the ice without his protective faceguard for the first time since last January.

Related Article: Do Frank Nazar, Lukas Reichel fit on opening roster?

Kane will not be traveling with the Red Wings tonight for their first preseason game. However, five players who were once part of the Blackhawks organization will be playing tonight: Alex DeBrincat, Tyler Motte, Ollie Maatta, Erik Gustafsson, and Justin Holl.

Petr Mrazek will start for the Blackhawks tonight. Head coach Luke Richardson said he will play 30-40 minutes with Mitchell Weeks coming off the bench. Ville Husso is expected to start for Detroit, with former first-round pick Sebastian Cossa getting some time too.

Quotables

“Just see some speed in our attack. That would be great. Even in our defense, if we could be a fast-playing defense, that would work well for us because we’ll have the puck more. That’s the game plan of every NHL team, but if we can do that from Day 1, then we can build on that, and it’d be a good benchmark.” Richardson on his expectations for tonight.

“At the NHL level, you have to learn to have patience, and even Connor (Bedard) learned a little of that last year. Not forcing the play, lay it behind the D, and go to work and let other guys do some work for you as well. If you start forcing things and it’s not your night, it’s going to get turned over, and you’ll get more frustrated. You waste all your energy being frustrated instead of using it for your good, offensive sense and vision and all the other attributes that have made them great. Frank (Nazar), (Nick) Lardis, even Connor starting off: it’s the NHL, and they have a pretty good lineup tonight. It’ll be a good challenge for us.” Richardson on assessing the young players in the preseason.

“Playing the scrimmages is one thing; the next is exhibition games. I do feel like the start of the season, the first 5-10 games are different from the next 10-40 games. The speed really picks up as you’re into Christmas. I can’t wait to play a hockey game. I can’t wait to eat a pregame meal, take a long nap and enjoy the day. Just to go through all the things to go with playing an NHL game.” Hall on returning to game action.

Blackhawks Probable Lines

Forwards

Tyler Bertuzzi-Connor Bedard-Teuvo Teravainen

Taylor Hall-Frank Nazar-Nick Lardis

Samuel Savoie-Paul Ludwinski-Joey Anderson

Ryan Donato-A.J. Spellacy-Craig Smith 

Defensemen

Alec Martinez-Seth Jones

Alex Vlasic-T.J. Brodie

Kevin Korchinski-Connor Murphy 

Red Wings Probable Lines

Forwards

Alex DeBrincat-Dylan Larkin-Lucas Raymond

Tyler Motte-Joe Veleno-Austin Watson

Elmer Soderblom-Marco Kasper-Michael Brandsegg-Nygard

Amadeus Lombardi-Emmitt Finnie-Carter Mazur

Defensemen

Simon Edvinsson-Jeff Petry

Ollie Maatta-Erik Gustafson

Albert Johansson-Justin Holl

Goaltending Matchup

Petr Mrazek (Mitchell Weeks) vs Ville Husso (Sebastian Cossa)

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