Blackhawks Finalize Opening Night Roster, Tweak Projected Lineup vs. Utah

Three Blackhawks players are dealing with injuries, which slightly changed the optimal roster calculus.

Defenseman Wyatt Kaiser missed most of training camp with an illness and was placed on injured reserve (retroactive to Sept. 19). His absence opened opportunities for Nolan Allan and Isaak Phillips to make the roster. Kaiser practiced Monday and is expected to be ready for game action near the end of the Blackhawks' season-opening road trip or early in their first homestand.

Goalie Laurent Brossoit missed training camp while recovering from offseason right knee surgery. The veteran netminder has been skating on his own recently but will begin the season with an injured/non-roster designation. The Blackhawks will turn to Arvid Soderblom as their backup goalie until Brossoit is ready to return, which could happen during the team's first homestand.

Artyom Levshunov, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is working back from a right foot injury. Like Brossoit, Levshunov has begun skating but will start the season with an injured/non-roster designation. When healthy, Levshunov is expected to join the AHL's Rockford IceHogs.

Here's a look at the Blackhawks' opening night roster for the 2024-25 season: 

Chicago Blackhawks Projected Lineup for Opening Night vs. Utah

During preseason action, head coach Luke Richardson placed offseason signees Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen alongside Connor Bedard on the Blackhawks' top line. The trio failed to generate much traction, leading to a change in Monday's practice. Teravainen will remain on Bedard's right side, but Ilya Mikheyev will slot in on the left wing instead of Bertuzzi.

Bertuzzi will skate on the second line with Taylor Hall and Philipp Kurashev while steady veterans Joey Anderson, Jason Dickinson, and newly named captain Nick Foligno comprise Chicago's third line. Ryan Donato will center Pat Maroon and Craig Smith on the fourth line. Andreas Athanasiou and Lukas Reichel are expected to be healthy scratches.

Defensively, veteran newcomer Alec Martinez will be paired with workhorse Seth Jones on the Blackhawks' top unit. Breakout blue-liner Alex Vlasic will be joined by T.J. Brodie on the second pair while rookie Nolan Allan skates with Blackhawks' mainstay Connor Murphy on the third pair. Isaak Phillips, who cleared waivers Monday, is expected to be a healthy scratch.

After a resurgent 2023-24 season, Petr Mrazek will start in goal with Arvid Soderblom serving as his backup.

Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times provided a complete look at the Blackhawks' projected opening night lineup.

Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio shared the Blackhawks' season-opening power-play units.

What's On Tap Next?

Happy hockey season! The Blackhawks open the 2024-25 campaign Tuesday when they visit Utah. Puck drop is at 9 PM CT and the game will air on ESPN.