After a disappointing loss on opening night to the Utah Hockey Club, the Chicago Blackhawks are aiming to recover. While the first period was subpar, Chicago controlled much of the game on Tuesday. However, luck was not on their side, as the home team benefited from favorable bounces in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Delta Center.
Fans have voiced their desire for changes in the forward lineup, particularly regarding Pat Maroon, but the Blackhawks opted to modify their defense. On Thursday, they reassigned defenseman Isaak Phillips to the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs to make room for a now-healthy Wyatt Kaiser.
Kaiser, who missed a significant portion of training camp due to illness, was not expected to be out long. His time on injured reserve lasted just one game, which offers a positive outlook. Once the coaching staff feels he is ready, Kaiser is likely to take a spot on the third pairing alongside Connor Murphy. In the meantime, Nolan Allan will continue to play during the road trip.
As for Phillips, the former fifth-round pick has yet to see any action with the Hawks this season. He appeared in a career-high 33 games last year due to the numerous injuries affecting Chicago’s defense and will serve a similar role as he returns to the AHL.
What’s Coming Up?
The Blackhawks are set to play their second game of the season on Friday in Winnipeg, with the puck dropping against the Jets at 7:00 p.m. CT on CHSN. This will be the network’s first regular-season broadcast, despite many viewers in Chicago and the Midwest still lacking access to it.
Following the match on Friday, the Blackhawks will head west to Edmonton to face the reigning Western Conference champions, with that game starting at 9:00 p.m. CT on CHSN.
