Friends, we’ve finally made it. The 2024-25 NHL season is here, and while the Chicago Blackhawks may not yet be Stanley Cup contenders, their opening-night roster indicates a team that should be competitive most nights. Let’s take a look at how Chicago is expected to line up in Utah and what some roster decisions might indicate.

Forwards

(Expected line combinations for Tuesday’s opener in Utah)

Ilya Mikheyev- Connor Bedard-Teuvo Teräväinen

Taylor Hall-Philipp Kurashev-Tyler Bertuzzi

Nick Foligno- Jason Dickinson-Joey Anderson

Pat Maroon-Ryan Donato-Craig Smith

Extras: Lukas Reichel, Andreas Athanasiou

Defensemen

Alec Martinez-Seth Jones

Alex Vlasic-TJ Brodie

Nolan Allan-Connor Murphy

Extras: Isaak Phillips

Goaltenders

Petr Mrazek

Arvid Söderblom

Injured

D Wyatt Kaiser, G Laurent Brossoit

Aside from Connor Bedard, Nolan Allan, and maybe Lukas Reichel, this is a veteran roster. When GM Kyle Davidson acquired Mikheyev, Bertuzzi, Teravainen, Maroon, Martinez, Brodie, Smith and Brossoit this summer, it wasn’t only to better insulate the team against injuries, or to get some help for Bedard. It also allowed the team to properly develop their prospects, like Frank Nazar and Kevin Korchinski, at a more conservative and traditional pace.

Nolan Allan makes the roster

Allan, who will make his NHL debut on Tuesday, is a good example of the organization’s developmental philosophy. After being drafted in the first-round (32nd overall) in 2021, Allan spent three seasons in the WHL and the entire season in Rockford last season, and while he may be a temporary place-holder for Kaiser while he recovers from his procedure, it’s noteworthy that he won the job from Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro, who many had marked as “more ready” than Allan.

“I just came into camp trying to be the best version of myself,” Allan said after Monday’s practice. “I knew there was probably a high chance I’d go back to Rockford, but I didn’t take it as a final answer. I just tried to be myself and get better each day.”

It’s also noteworthy, in regards to Allan, that the Blackhawks waived Isaak Phillips on Sunday. Phillips cleared waivers and is on the roster. When asked why the move was made, Luke Richardson said, “We have guys coming back. Alec [Martinez] looks like he’s ready to go. We have Kaiser skating full with no restrictions. We’re going to have to make some room on the roster if we do that.” 

Reading between the lines, it seems that when Kaiser returns, Phillips will be the player headed to Rockford instead of Allan. Last season, the Blackhawks were comfortable letting Phillips miss a handful of NHL games before getting into the lineup. Will they feel the same way about Allan? I’d think they want him playing every night. We’ll see how it plays out.

Reichel, Athanasiou on the outside looking in

The other added benefit of an active summer is that it creates a meritocracy for the team. The players who earned spots are in the lineup Tuesday. Lukas Reichel and Andreas Athanasiou did not, and are not.

My concern is that they might need them in the lineup sooner rather than later, anyway. Offense will be at a premium on this roster.

“We have to score more goals,” Richardson said after practice Monday.

Teravainen and Bertuzzi are expected to have productive years, mainly because they will have the opportunity to play with Bedard and skate top-six minutes. Kurashev has looked excellent in the preseason and could repeat or exceed last season’s 54 points. Taylor Hall is a former MVP, but injuries and age have slowed him down. Jason Dickinson had a career year but might lose powerplay and top-six minutes.

Other than those players…it’s hard to see any dependable scoring.

So, what’s a reasonable expectation?

After looking at several online sportsbooks and preseason projections, I’ve seen anywhere from 73.5 points to 75.5 points. Anything in that range would be a ten-plus win difference from last season, and while it won’t have the Blackhawks in playoff position, they will be a tougher opponent night-to-night, and a better watch for fans.

The puck drops at 9 pm (ish) on Tuesday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN, so ONCE AGAIN, we will be the ONLY place for your Blackhawks Postgame Show. Don’t miss it!