John Quenneville will make his NHL postseason debut for the Blackhawks in Game 2 of their Stanley Cup Qualifiers against the Oilers on Monday.
The 24-year-old forward will draw into the lineup for Drake Caggiula, who was suspended one game by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety for an illegal hit to the head against Edmonton’s Tyler Ennis in Game 1 on Saturday. Caggiula had four hits and one blocked shot in 11:25 of ice time in Chicago’s 6-4 win.
Quenneville will slot into the lineup at right wing on the third line with Alex DeBrincat at left wing and Kirby Dach at center. Quenneville did not score a point in nine NHL games this season and had 22 points (13 goals, nine assists) in 36 AHL games for the Rockford IceHogs. He has five points (two goals, three assists) in 42 NHL games between the Blackhawks and Devils since the 2016-17 season.
Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton chose Quenneville over Dylan Sikura and rookies MacKenzie Entwistle, Brandon Hagel and Philipp Kurashev. Quenneville is the lone forward among the group to have professional playoff experience with four points (three goals, one assist) in as many games with the Albany Devils of the AHL in the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs. Entwistle and Kurashev have yet to make their NHL debuts.
The Blackhawks look to take a 2-0 series lead against the Oilers at 9:30 p.m. Monday.