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Early reactions to the Chicago Blackhawks defensive pairings in training camp

Head coach Luke Richardson has had some interesting combinations to start camp.

By Ethan Gawronski |
Anaheim Ducks v Chicago Blackhawks
Anaheim Ducks v Chicago Blackhawks / Patrick McDermott/GettyImages
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Training camp has finally begun, which means NHL hockey is approaching.

Throughout the offseason, the team's opening-night rosters are extensively discussed and the Chicago Blackhawks are no different.

After a busy offseason, the Blackhawks' lineup is set to look much different than it did last season, leading fans to wonder which players would be paired alongside each other on opening night.

Blackhawks training camp began on Thursday, September 19th, and fans were able to get a glimpse at what is to come in the 2024-25 season.

For starters, Blackhawks' CEO and Chairman Danny Wirtz and General Manager Kyle Davidson introduced Nick Foligno with the newly added "C" on his jersey after he was named captain the day before.

On the ice, the team debuted some new forward lines in their top-six. Connor Bedard was seen with new linemates Taylor Hall and Tyler Bertuzzi, while the second line saw Philipp Kurashev paired with Teuvo Teravainen and Lukas Reichel.

Many additions were made to the roster in the offseason which led to the question of who would end up being the odd-man-out.

Injuries derailed most of the Blackhawks' expectations last season and left management scrambling to ice a full lineup on some nights.

For both the forward and defense groups, there will be much more internal competition between players trying to earn a spot on the roster. The lineup is already looking to be more crowded than last year with more talent in the organization.

Throughout the first two days of training camp, the team has also been trying out some new defensive pairs.

Veteran additions were made to the back-end over the summer, giving the Blackhawks more experience to play alongside their influx of young defensemen.

These were the defense pairs that were seen on Friday at training camp...

First Defensive Pairing: Alec Martinez and Seth Jones

Seth Jones saw a sizeable portion of last season paired with standout rookie Alex Vlasic. However, he is beginning this year's camp paired with an experienced veteran whose resume speaks for itself.

Alec Martinez was brought in on a one-year deal this summer, bringing the three-time Stanley Cup champion to the windy city.

Martinez has played over 800 games in the NHL on many very competitive teams. He is a shot-blocking machine and provides a steady game on the back-end.

It may be a bit of a surprise to see Martinez with Jones right now, and it is entirely possible that Jones reunites with Vlasic for the season's start. However, a player like Martinez brings a lot of what Vlasic did to this pair last season. His strong defensive presence can allow Jones to be in the play more and be less conservative with the puck on his stick.

Second Defensive Pairing: Wyatt Kaiser and Connor Murphy

Connor Murphy and Wyatt Kaiser are both entering this season with something to prove.

For Murphy, he is looking to bounce back after missing most of last season with a groin injury. The seven-year veteran of the Blackhawks is once again expected to be a large part of their defense while also being a mentor for the young players.

Wyatt Kaiser is a player expected to be fighting for a spot out of camp. Last year, he was stellar in the preseason and looked far-and-away the most NHL ready defenseman of the young crop. However, growing pains hit Kaiser early and he lost his confidence and began playing reckless, resulting in him being sent to Rockford.

Once Kaiser returned, he looked more like his old self. He was far more confident and was controlling the puck more frequently. He has the skill to be an NHL player, though time will tell how the rest of camp goes for him.

Pairing these two together is essentially what fans expect when Murphy was paired with Kevin Korchinski. Murphy's defense-first game will take some pressure off Kaiser and let him make mistakes that are expected of a young defender in the NHL.

Third Defensive Pairing: Kevin Korchinski and Louis Crevier

This pairing led some fans questioning if this means Korchinski is going to start the season in Rockford.

Now that Korchinski is eligible to play in the AHL, there has been belief that it will be beneficial for him to spend time with the IceHogs to help round out his game. The staff down in Rockford has done very well developing defensemen as of late, and could do the same with Korchinski.

Unless he proves that he needs time in the AHL, Korchinski should likely be on the Blackhawks' roster to start the season. It is also still very early in camp, so things may change.

Louis Crevier is going to be in Rockford again this season, and will possibly get called-up for a few games. He has looked decent when called up and looks like a solid call-up option for the future as well.

Fourth Defense Pairing: Alex Vlasic and TJ Brodie

After Alex Vlasic's standout rookie season, he established himself as a part of the future in Chicago. The hometown kid earned himself a 6-year extension in the offseason and looks to build off his rookie campaign.

The 23-year old is a strong defender who is developing his game to be more physical and more effective on offense. He showed last season that he is more than capable of playing at the NHL level, and is a true top-four defender on this Blackhawks' roster.

TJ Brodie was added in the offseason on a two-year contract after playing in Toronto for the past four seasons. The veteran defender is coming off a down season and is looking to bounce back in a lesser role with the Blackhawks.

On paper, this should be a shutdown pair for the Blackhawks. Both players are sound in the defensive zone and block shots very well. It would be no surprise if Vlasic is paired back with Jones at some point in the season, but this pair does give the team a shutdown pair if they choose to go that route.

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