With the Blackhawks roster in Europe for the NHL Global Series, Chicago sent AHL coach Derek King and the Rockford IceHogs to face the Bruins on Saturday afternoon at TD Garden in Boston.
Rockford is one of only three AHL teams that does not have an AHL preseason game. The reigning Calder Cup champion Charlotte Checkers (Hurricanes) and Grand Rapids Griffins (Red Wings) are the others.
King had six practice days of training camp in Rockford — and had players assigned to the team throughout that time — before the team departed for Boston. The roster for the game is highlighted by defensemen Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin, who were both selected by Chicago in the first round of the 2018 NHL draft. Kevin Lankinen, who will share the AHL net with Collin Delia this season, is expected to start with last season’s ECHL starter Matt Tomkins as the backup.
Boston will have most of its opening night roster skate for its preseason finale, including Patrice Bergeron, who will make his preseason debut after nursing a groin injury throughout training camp. The Bruins, however, will be without David Krejci (lower body), Joakim Nordstrom (foot) and Jack Studnicka (dental work). Tuuka Rask is expected to start between the pipes.
Lineups
Blackhawks
Hagel — Nilsson — Versteeg
Saarela — Kurashev — D. Sikura
Hakkarainen — Entwistle — Highmore
Fortin — Johnson — Soderlund
Holm — Boqvist
Carlsson — Tuulola
Krys — Beaudin
Lankinen
Tomkins
Bruins
Marchand — Bergeron — Pastrnak
DeBrusk — Coyle — Kuhlman
Bjork — Lindholm — Ritchie
Hughes — Kuraly — Wagner
Heinen — Frederic — Backes
Chara — McAvoy
Krug — Carlo
Zboril — Clifton
Rask
Legace
How to watch
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: TD Garden, Boston
TV: NHL Network