Chicago Blackhawks: Dominik Kubalik shines in preseason debut

The Chicago Blackhawks fell in their second preseason game, this time to the Detroit Red Wings. However, one new player outshined everybody.

The Chicago Blackhawks may have found a new top-six forward. Dominik Kubalic was really good for the Blackhawks in their second preseason game against the Detroit Red Wings. It was a road game for Chicago, and those games don’t always see a bunch of firepower for the road team but Kubalik definitely impressed in this one.

He had a two-goal performance in an effort to single-handedly mount a comeback. They eventually lost the game 5-3 but Kubalik used his offensive skills to speak for themselves. There is a lot of speculation on who will play on the top line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, and who will be the third wheel on the second line with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome. He is listed as a left-wing so the best option is likely the top line with Toews and Kane.

He uses his dynamic skillset to create opportunities and he also has a really good shot. He used that shot in this game to impress everyone in and get noticed. He scored his first goal of the game off a rebound from a point shot by Carl Dahlstrom. He showed he has some nice hands around the net to bury his first of the preseason. His second goal that tied the game at three was an absolute laser of a one-timer off a give and go with Phillip Holm on the power play. These two goals made it easy to see how he had 25 goals in 50 games in the Swiss league in 2019-20.

There is no doubt that he made a case for himself to continue to get looks in the preseason and ultimately make the opening night roster. He is not the only one on this team to look really good in the game but the two other standouts come as no surprise and that would be Strome and DeBrincat. They made lots of plays with the puck and generated lots of chances for each other and the players out there with them. Andrew Shaw also had an impressive return to the team in this game, as he provides sandpaper and puck battle skills that really helped the team.

Robin Lehner had ups and downs in the game. The ups came early when he made a couple of really nice saves to keep the Hawks in it. The downs came on the two goals he gave up were very soft and ones the reigning Vezina Trophy candidate wants to stop. He played in 29 minutes in this one and he will be looking to be much better in his next time out.

The Blackhawks will play their third preseason game in three nights when the finally hit United Center ice tonight against the Red Wings. This could be the first time this season that the Blackhawks use some of their more familiar faces.