Chicago Blackhawks: What to watch for in game against Boston

The Chicago Blackhawks are about to have another preseason game at home against the Boston Bruins on Saturday, and here are some things to look for.

The Chicago Blackhawks and the Boston Bruins go back a long time. As two of the NHL’s original six franchises, even a preseason matchup is something to be excited about. They will have a game against each other at the United Center tonight as the teams get ready for the season. The Blackhawks have already seen some of their star players get in some preseason action and look good in those games.

The Blackhawks practice lines from Friday suggest that they will be using a pretty loaded lineup once again in this one. They appear to be giving Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews another look with Alexander Nylander who has had a really good pre-season so far after some mixed emotions about his acquisition. The second line has Dylan Strome and Alex DeBrincat which is not a surprise, but seeing them with Andrew Shaw on their right could be a treat.

They might be building what could be a really nice third line with Brandon Saad, Dominik Kubalik, and David Kampf. They might be using this in the game based on the Friday scrimmage lines. Obviously, they might not use all of these players in their top nine but if they are, it is worth keeping an eye on how the depth works in this game. Kirby Dach also skated for the first time since sustaining an injury a week ago, so his assertion into a preseason lineup is something to keep in mind.

Their defense should see the big boys as well based on the practice pairings. Duncan Keith paired with Erik Gustafsson might be the top pair all year long and you can look for it in this game. They, along with the rest of the defense, are likely going to have to a pretty good Boston Bruins lineup. They aren’t going to ice their whole team, which was good enough to make it to the Stanley Cup Final in 2019, but there will be some good players in the Bruins lineup.

All of these lines are not set in stone for the game against the Bruins because of the fact that it is preseason. It is unusual for a team to play every one of their normal starters in a mid preseason game. Even if just one or two of the Blackhawks regular lines play in the game it would be a treat for all fans watching, but they have slimmed the roster down by sending a few players to the Rockford Ice Hogs. This means decisions are starting to be made and the roster is starting to come into form.

You might see guys like David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand, Charlie McAvoy, Zdeno Chara, and Tuukka Rask for the Bruins. Patrice Bergeron had a scheduled day off from their practice on Friday, but he along with all of the previously mentioned Bruins have yet to make their preseason debut. This could be the game that they do and it presents a good test for the Hawks. They are a measuring stick of a franchise for all teams these days and this should be a fun matchup, despite the fact that it is the preseason.