Blackhawks: Analyzing what the opening night roster should look like

The Chicago Blackhawks lineup is anyone’s guess for next season. During one of the last times, I talked about the potential lineup guys like Seth Jones and Tyler Johnson were not yet on the team. Today let’s take another look at the lineup.

The Blackhawks’ first game is on October 13 against the Colorado Avalanche.

Chicago is on the road to start the season and they are going to want to start the year off with a big upset win against the avalanche. This can’t be another year of playing from behind both in-game and in the standings. Let’s hope the Hawks can start this thing out in fire from the beginning.

So here is my guess of what the lineup could look like, keep in mind things could change in training camp:

DeBrincat – Dach – Kane 

Kubalik – Toews – Hagel 

Nylander – Johnson – Strome 

Kurashev – Gaudette – Khaira 

Stillman – Jones 

McCabe – Murphy 

Kalynuk- de Haan 

Fleury 

Extras Jones and Carpenter

I think there are a couple of different ways the lineup could shake out but this group right here definitely is competitive. There are some unknowns here mainly whether or not that third line can mesh together but the great thing about that group is they all have something to prove.

Nylander missed last season, Johnson was traded away from his old team, and Strome has been someone that hasn’t fit in the lineup for a while. If that line can mesh together and produce offensively that would provide a great advantage throughout the season. Not everyone can be in the top six and the third line could provide something different than the top two lines.

I like the combination of Hagel with Toews and Kubalik at least to start the season. Hagel did well with Hinostroza last season and he also played well with Kubalik for a stretch if that line can spark some chemistry and offense then Toews’s return will be must-watch hockey every night.

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Right now I left both Reichel and Borgstrom out of the lineup as unless they really shake things up during training camp it might be better off to start them in the AHL for the first month. The team has a lot of forwards and only so many spots.