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Game 51 vs Panthers

May 1, 2021, 3:23 AM ET [107 Comments]
Theo Fox
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT

A trend of late is veterans taking maintenance days to rest. While it's doubtful that this down time would extend to being healthy scratches on game days, it's intriguing -- perhaps scary -- to wonder what the lineup could look like if this did occur.

Just for fun, let's pretend that Brett Connolly, Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane, David Kampf, Duncan Keith, Connor Murphy, and Nikita Zadorov did actually sit out the rest of the season. More spots would open up for newcomers and rookies to play.

Consider this:

Hagel - Dach - Hinostroza
Kurashev - Strome - Kubalik
Suter - Gaudette - Barratt
Slavin - Entwistle - Hardman

Beaudin - Mitchell
Phillips - Kalynuk
Stillman - Regula

Lankinen
Subban

Reserves:
(F) Altybarmakian, Johnson
(D) Moberg
(G) Delia, Tomkins

If Adam Boqvist and Chad Krys were healthy, they would easily slot in ahead of Isaak Phillips and Alec Regula. This exercise could also go a step further by relieving Kevin Lankinen and Malcolm Subban so Collin Delia and Matt Tomkins can patrol the crease instead.

Kalynuk - Boqvist
Beaudin - Mitchell
Stillman - Krys

Delia
Tomkins

Reserves:
(D) Moberg, Phillips, Regula

Overall, that lineup lacks substantial experience and talent to win games but that wouldn't be the goal anyway. Let the current youngsters learn to step up as the go-to players and give new youngsters early cups of coffee to see what they may have to offer.

As far as the forwards, one of those lines on its own may not be that bad and may actually be exciting to watch especially a dynamic 1st line of Kirby Dach centering Brandon Hagel and Vincent Hinostroza. That line actually exists and may be a thing in these final games.

Then that 4th line of MacKenzie Entwistle flanked by Josiah Slavin and Mike Hardman could be a future shutdown line that can play a heavy style with defensive awareness, suffocating forecheck, and enough offensive jam to chip in secondary scoring.

On the back end, a mobile blueline consisting of a solid well-rounded top 4 of Boqvist along with Wyatt Kalynuk, Ian Mitchell, and Nicolas Beaudin may be realistic within the next few seasons. Reliable minute munchers would then fill out the 5/6/7 spots.

The issue is those lines and pairs lack veteran experience to scaffold their youthfulness that would be replete with making mistakes and adjusting to the rigors of the NHL. Yet, enduring those growing pains together could pay dividends in due course to building a contender.

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Game Day

Game 51, May 1:
Blackhawks vs Panthers
7:00pm CST

Records:
Blackhawks, 22-22-6, 50 Pts (6th)
Panthers, 33-14-5, 71 Pts (2nd)

Season Series:
2-3-2

Goals For/Game:
Blackhawks, 2.80 (17th)
Panthers, 3.25 (8th)

Goals Against/Game:
Blackhawks, 3.20 (24th)
Panthers, 2.73 (12th)

Power Play:
Blackhawks, 35-158, 22.2% (9th)
Panthers, 37-174, 21.3% (13th)

Penalty Kill:
Blackhawks, 107-140, 76.4% (27th)
Panthers, 121-152, 79.6% (16th)

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Rockford Updates

The IceHogs have 7 games remaining in the season with a home-and-home series starting today at 6:00pm CST versus the Griffins, then another home-and-home versus the Wild, and concluding with a 3-game set versus the Wolves.

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See you on the boards!

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