The Chicago Blackhawks face the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night at the United Center and the biggest storyline of the game emerged on Friday.
Captain Jonathan Toews will return to the lineup for the first time in two months, slotting in for MacKenzie Entwistle. Per the morning skate, though, it seems like Toews will bounce around the lineup.
Entwistle will be scratched tonight with Toews returning. Toews will be on a line with Reese Johnson and Wagner, but he might take a few shifts with Reichel and Athanasiou too, Richardson said.
Kaiser coming back in for Englund defensively. Mitchell remains scratched.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) April 1, 2023
Alex Stalock will be the Blackhawks starting goalie:
Optional skate for the Blackhawks this morning. Toews participating. Stalock in the starter’s net.
— Tracey Myers (@Tramyers_NHL) April 1, 2023
Toews spoke with the media again after practice, acknowledging some nerves along with a general sense of excitement about returning to the ice:
Toews says he will have a “little bit” of nerves tonight.
“When you’ve been out for a while, some little things aren’t second nature. In a situation like this, I’ll try not to overthink anything — just go keep it simple.”
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) April 1, 2023
Toews on returning tonight: “It feels good. It’s exciting just to get back and just practice with the guys and now to be out there in the games. It feels good to get back in that routine, for sure.”
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) April 1, 2023
No word on any significant changes out of the New Jersey camp, so the assumption here is that the lineup will be similar to the one that beat the New York Rangers 2-1 on Thursday night.
Projected Lines
Blackhawks
Reichel – Athanasiou – Bjork
T. Johnson – Dickinson – Raddysh
Katchouk – Khaira – Anderson
Wagner – Toews – R. Johnson
C. Jones – S. Jones
Vlasic – Murphy
Kaiser – Zaitsev
Stalock
Mrazek
Devils
Meier – Hischier – Mercer
Palat – Hughes – Bratt
Tatar – Haula – Boqvist
Wood – McLeod – Sharangovich
Siegenthaler – Hamilton
Graves – Marino
Bahl – Severson
Vanecek/Blackwood