The Blackhawks square off against the Red Wings for Round 3 of the season series. Despite the Hawks having the edge record-wise at 4-0-0, the Wings were a tougher out in the 2nd than the 1st.
So the Hawks shouldn't underestimate the Wings by any means. The games are winnable but what matters more is competing and playing impermeable defense from the opening bell to the closing bell.
After this weekend's games, the Hawks get a few days off before hosting the Lightning in a 3-game set starting Thursday. This will be the ultimate test to measure growth since the season opener.
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Game Days
Game 22, February 27:
Blackhawks vs Red Wings
7:00pm CST
Game 23, February 28:
Blackhawks vs Red Wings
6:00pm CST
Records:
Blackhawks, 11-6-4, 26 Pts (3rd)
Red Wings, 6-13-3, 15 Pts (8th)
Season Series:
4-0-0
Goals For/Game:
Blackhawks, 2.95 (12th)
Red Wings, 2.00 (30th)
Goals Against/Game:
Blackhawks, 2.81 (17th)
Red Wings, 3.09 (23rd)
Power Play:
Blackhawks, 21-64, 32.8% (2nd)
Red Wings, 4-66, 6.1% (31st)
Penalty Kill:
Blackhawks, 51-66, 77.3% (20th)
Red Wings, 45-64, 70.3% (29th)
For Detroit, Tyler Bertuzzi continues to be on IR. Troy Stecher's unavailability is considered day-to-day. Also, neither the Hawks nor the Wings have any players on the NHL COVID-19 Protocol List.
The Wings projected lineup (per DailyFaceoff.com):
Fabbri - Larkin - Mantha
Ryan - Namestnikov - Zadina
Erne - Glendening - Helm
Brome - Filppula - Gagner
DeKeyser - Hronek
Staal - Merrill
Djoos - Nemeth
Bernier
Greiss
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Roster Updates
Goalies
There's no guessing now whether Collin Delia will ever get a start again since Game 3 over a month ago. With Delia on a conditioning stint with the IceHogs, Matt Tomkins joins the taxi squad.
The likelihood Tomkins gets a start is slim to none unless there is an injury to Kevin Lankinen or Malcolm Subban. Given their strong play, Lankinen and Subban are the undisputed starter and backup.
But is it in that order? Could Subban be stating his case that maybe he has what it takes to be the 1st string goalie? He's been trending upward while Lankinen has been trending downward of late.
Either way, the Hawks have a reliable pair of netminders. What was once a question mark before the season is now arguably the team's greatest strength. There's enough season left to sort out rank.
For this weekend's back-to-back contests, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Subban get the reins tonight then Lankinen back on the saddle tomorrow. A vice-versa scenario could also be plausible.
On Tomkins, his second AHL season has been quite underwhelming especially after his ascension from one of the better ECHL tenders to AHL platoon with Lankinen and Delia to his first NHL contract.
Being a depth goalie in the minor leagues is Tomkins' likely water level. In a small sample size, Cale Morris was solid in a relief appearance then in his first-ever pro start earlier this week.
Even though he hasn't played an AHL game yet, the Hogs also have Tom Aubrun as the 4th string. His 3.92 GAA and .870 save percentage in 3 games with the Fuel were rather unremarkable.
Defensemen
For the Chicago lineup, the 11F/7D format seems to be on ice in the negatory connotation with Nicolas Beaudin and Wyatt Kalynuk assigned to Rockford and Lucas Carlsson still on IR.
Madison Bowey remains as the lone defenseman on the taxi squad. There is a slight chance that he slots in later for a veteran like Calvin de Haan to grant maintenance days as the season drags on.
With all other young blueliners unavailable, Ian Mitchell and Adam Boqvist have been given a tacit vote of confidence by management to continue their development as NHL starters.
One dichotomy with youngsters learning on the fly is they're in a sink or swim situation. While both have had varying levels of growing pains, Mitchell has been swimming more than Boqvist has.
Mitchell's effort is definitely present even if he makes mistakes. Boqvist just needs to keep ramping up his confidence to play the dynamic game that got him drafted 8th overall in 2018.
What they have in common is that both know when they screw up and show anger at themselves. Not that Beaudin and Carlsson aren't this way but Mitchell and Boqvist wear their emotions on their sleeves.
So the Hawks blueline is easy to predict now with the primary variability being with who pairs with who. As an example:
Keith - Mitchell
de Haan - Murphy
Zadorov - Boqvist
Reserve: Bowey
Injured: Carlsson, Seabrook
By being on the farm, Beaudin and Kalynuk get to play top minutes which is much needed in Rockford with Chad Krys out with an undisclosed injury and Cody Franson playing pretty horrid.
Possible D pairs for the Hogs:
Beaudin - Regula
Kalynuk - Franson
Phillips - Moberg
Reserve: Krutil, Osipov
Injured: Lindholm, Krys
Franson still moves well but simply displays poor defensive coverage which isn't good if he expects to be a mentor to the prospects, at least as far as game play at even strength.
His on-ice value to the Hogs may gradually devolve into him sliding into an assistant coaching role by season's end. Or he could try to find employment elsewhere. No loss if he does.
Michael Krutil has been brutal as a rookie pro with terrible gap management and positioning. His raw talent like physicality and skating ability is attractive but he's clearly many years away.
In comparison, Isaak Phillips and Cole Moberg have shown more consistency in taking care of their end first before joining the rush with above average skating and powerful shots from the point.
One thing to note about Alec Regula is that he has been playing the left side as a rightie. Regardless, he deserves top pair minutes with either Beaudin or Kalynuk. All of them can play both sides.
Forwards
Reese Johnson swaps with Mikael Hakkarainen and Brad Morrison with the latter two immediately joining the taxi squad with Brandon Pirri. Barring injuries, none of them should factor into games.
This transaction allows Johnson to play regularly like Beaudin and Kalynuk. Whether in the NHL or AHL, Johnson is a defensively reliable, physical agitator with limited offense in the bottom 6.
Hakkarainen gives an honest effort and doesn't hurt the team defensively but -- unlike Andrei Altybarmakian, Tim Soderlund, and Evan Barratt -- he's not very noticeable or impactful.
Morrison may end up leading the Hogs in points this season but he's inconsequential otherwise. Similarly, Pirri is a beast when in the AHL and is the Hogs all-time points leader but meh in the NHL.
Given that the backline should remain intact as a 6 pack, the dozen forwards should be fairly stable as well -- again, with the lines being variable game to game. For instance:
DeBrincat - Suter - Kane
Kurashev - Soderberg - Kubalik
Hagel - Wallmark - Janmark
Highmore - Kampf - Carpenter
Reserve: Hakkarainen, B Morrison, Pirri
Injured: Shaw, Smith, Strome
LTIR: Dach, Nylander, Toews
The Rockford lines have a lot more flexibility given the greater number of forwards there are on the roster. However, the regular starters are beginning to solidify:
Quenneville - Entwistle - Yetman
Soderlund - Barratt - Altybarmakian
Fossier - McLaughlin - Wilkie
Chalupa - Johnson - Mitchell
Reserve: Busdeker, Gagne, McKay, Teply
Injured: C Morrison
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