Chicago Blackhawks: Young players stand out in first preseason game

The Chicago Blackhawks had their first preseason game against the Washington Capitals on Monday night and there were some standouts amongst the youngsters.

The Chicago Blackhawks played their first preseason game on Monday night against the Washington Capitals in the nation’s capital, and they dropped it in overtime by a final score of 4-3. It was a road game so as expected, none of the stars played in the game. There was no Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Duncan Keith, Dylan Strome, or Alex DeBrincat. You might expect your team to lose in situations like that but they held their own and forced overtime before Washington finally won it.

There were some players who stood out amongst the rest as guys who contributed to the win and played really good. The first one is Alexander Nylander. He came over to Chicago from the Buffalo Sabres in a trade that appears to be not so smart. However, he looked really good in this game. He scored a goal and chipped in an assist in this was and was certainly noticeable. He was a really high draft pick by Buffalo and they gave up on him by trading him, and maybe the Blackhawks will get to reap the benefit.

The Blackhawks have something special in Adam Boqvist. He is a defenseman that can impact a game offensively. He is going to make mistakes defensively but any young defenseman will do that, but Boqvist is gifted offensively. He may never be a true number one due to his lack of a two-way game, but he can make plays and the life of a forward so much easier. He added a goal and an assist in this game, and the goal was a thing of beauty as he shot it top shelf after circling the net. It was a great play and he was so noticeable all game long.

The great game of Aleksi Saarela was really apparent as well in this one. He is much less known than guys like Nylander and Boqvist, but the preseason is all about making a name for yourself and Saarela did that. He came over to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Calvin de Haan trade from the Carolina Hurricanes. He was a member of the Calder Cup-winning Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League last year.

Saarela has made his NHL debut but it was during the playoffs during the first round against the Capitals. He might have a chance at some point this season but the Rockford Ice would be a great spot for the 22-year-old this season. He made a name for himself in this game and hopefully, it continues and he gets a chance.

The Blackhawks are back at it again against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. In a back-to-back situation, you should see some different players in there for the Hawks. It is a 6:30 pm game local time. The Blackhawks will update everyone on the lineup decisions throughout the day but you should expect to see some more familiar faces in this one.