Blackhawks Game Day: 3 things to watch in preseason finale versus Blues

Chicago Blackhawks vs St. Louis Blues
6 pm CT – United Center
TV: CHSN (in market), ESPN+ (out of market)
Radio: WGN 720 AM

We’ve made it! The Chicago Blackhawks' training camp ends tonight with the final preseason game against the St. Louis Blues. The Blackhawks beat the Blues in St. Louis 4-2 last Sunday with a four-goal explosion in the third period.

The Blackhawks recalled 11 players from the Rockford IceHogs this morning. They are all expected to play in tonight’s game. Meanwhile, the Blues are bringing a lineup mixed with NHL regulars and American Hockey League talent.

“We still have some young guys who want to be in the NHL as soon as Tuesday,” head coach Jeff Blashill said. “We still have opportunities for guys to make impacts. We haven’t felt the need to make any final decisions until we have to.”

Defensive Roster Battles

There are two spots left open on the Blackhawks' blueline, the sixth and seventh defenders. Right now, four players are vying for those two spots: Nolan Allan, Louis Crevier, Ethan Del Mastro, and Matt Grzelcyk. All of them will be in the lineup tonight, except for Gzelcyk, who has yet to sign an NHL contract.

Of the trio playing tonight, I feel that Allan has the upper hand to make the opening night roster. He’s made an impact in his three preseason games with his physical play and confidence with the puck. Del Mastro has struggled in his three outings with positioning and puck management. You know exactly what you’re getting out of Crevier, and he’s been steady throughout camp.

These three youngsters will be playing to either get on a plane to Florida or hop in their car for the short drive to Rockford. Let’s see how they handle the pressure.

Youngsters Up Front

There is still at least one spot up front left to decide. Youngsters Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene have both performed well in their preseason appearances. Moore has shown how dangerous his speed can be and scored the game-winning goal against the Blues last weekend. Greene has shown a reliable two-way game while excelling at the faceoff dot.

If the final roster spot is indeed between Moore and Greene, it will all depend on what Kyle Davidson and Jeff Blashill are looking for to round out the roster. If they want another speedy winger who can stretch the ice, then it’s Moore’s job. If they prefer a bigger body who can handle tough defensive assignments, then Greene is the guy.

Lukas Reichel’s Last Game?

The Lukas Reichel era is reportedly coming to an end soon. It is no secret that Davidson has been looking for a landing spot for the former first-round pick. Reports indicate that multiple teams in the Western Conference are interested in acquiring the young German forward. The expected return is a mid- to late-round draft pick.

Reichel will be in the lineup tonight, in what could be his last game wearing the Blackhawks sweater. Unfortunately, he has yet to regain the form he displayed at the end of the 2022-23 season, when he closed out the year with six goals and 12 points in the final 18 games. The debate will linger on whether he got a fair shake in Chicago.

The bottom line is, he failed to consistently produce over 135 games under two different coaches, including Anders Sorensen, for whom he was a point-per-game player in Rockford. No matter where he ends up, he’ll be easy to root for. He’s a great guy who needs a fresh start to hopefully unlock the potential that made him a first-round pick in the first place.

Blackhawks Roster

Forwards

Oliver Moore, Ryan Greene, Sam Lafferty, Dominic Toninato, Brett Seney, Samuel Savoie, Martin Misiak, Lukas Reichel, Aidan Thompson, Landon Slaggert, Paul Ludwinsku, Gavin Hayes

Defensemen

Kevin Korchinski, Cavan Fitzgerald, Ethan Del Mastro, Nolan Allan, Louis Crevier, Taige Harding

Goaltenders

Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom

Blues Roster

Forwards

Nick Bjugstad, Dalibor Dvorsky, Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Jordan Kyrou, Milan Lucic, Jake Neighbours, Jimmy Snuggerud, Otto Stenberg, Pius Suter, Alexandre Texier, Robert Thomas, Alexey Toropchenko