Early reactions to the Chicago Blackhawks defensive pairings in training camp

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.