There’s a Blackhawks game Thursday evening and Connor Bedard is expected to be in the lineup for it.
That makes for what has to be the most anticipated Blackhawks preseason game in probably 16 years when the Blackhawks host the St. Louis Blues at the United Center.
The games that really matter remain a few weeks away but this is another step in the process for Bedard and a chance for those in the crowd or watching on TV to have the visions that have been swimming in their minds for months transformed into a real-life, on-ice product.
Coach Luke Richardson has not yet confirmed if Bedard will be in the lineup — that’ll probably come after Thursday’s morning skate — but all practice signs remain pointing in that direction:
[UPDATE] Bedard’s officially in, and the line combos reported by Boysen above seem to line up with this roster the Blackhawks just released:
And, just for fun, here’s another reminder of what Bedard is capable of on the ice:
Bedard’s preseason debut may be the top headline for this game but it’s far from the only interesting storyline. Start on the blue line, where roster hopefuls Wyatt Kaiser and Kevin Korchinski have been paired up with veterans Seth Jones and Connor Murphy, respectively, seemingly giving each prospect the inside track on making the team. Neither Kaiser nor Korchinski have had any major setbacks during camp, mostly drawing praise from Richardson during press conferences in the last week. But one subpar preseason game could turn that tide in a hurry.
Another intriguing group to watch is the second line of wingers Phillipp Kurashev and Andreas Athanasiou centered by 2020 first-round pick Lukas Reichel. That group had chemistry at times when put together late last season and could be in line for easier matchups ahead with so much attention likely garnered by whatever line has No. 98 on it. With Kurashev still needing to prove his long-term standing with the team and Reichel seemingly ready for his first full NHL season, a successful night for that line would be an excellent way for start off the preseason slate.
No line combinations were available for the Blues but here are the players they’re sending to the game:
Adam Gaudette revenge game?
Not exactly the A-team from the Blues here, with one of its top defenseman out in Justin Faulk and the team’s leading scorer from last season — Jordan Kyrou — also not making the trip.
Just setting the stage for a 10-point night for Bedard, right?
Let’s go Hawks.
How to watch
When: 7:30 p.m. CT
Where: United Center, Chicago
TV: NBC Sports Chicago
Webstream: ESPN+ (per devildog29 in the comments, the game is available to out-of-market subscribers)
Radio: WGN 720