Blackhawks Face Wild in Preseason Matchup: Lineups, Broadcast Info, and Key Players to Watch

The Chicago Blackhawks are set to take on the Minnesota Wild in a preseason matchup on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. This game marks a significant event for Blackhawks fans as it will be the first broadcast on the new Chicago Sports Network, the official home of the Blackhawks.

Projected Lineup and Goalies

The Blackhawks will field a veteran-heavy lineup, featuring key players such as Taylor Hall, Connor Bedard, and Tyler Bertuzzi on the top line. Other notable lines include Lukas Reichel with Philipp Kurashev and Craig Smith, and Nick Foligno with Jason Dickinson and Ilya Mikheyev. On defense, Alex Vlasic and Seth Jones will pair up, while Drew Commesso and Arvid Soderblom will be in goal, as Petr Mrazek will not be playing in this game.

Players to Watch

One player to keep a close eye on is Lukas Reichel, who is looking to prove his worth to the team. Reichel, a first-round pick, aims to show whether he can be a consistent goal scorer or if he will settle into a bottom-six role. Additionally, young players like Connor Bedard, Alex Vlasic, and Kevin Korchinski will be under scrutiny as they look to solidify their spots on the team.

Broadcast and Streaming Information

Fans can catch the game on the Chicago Sports Network (Channels 62.2 and 62.3), as well as on DIRECTV Satellite and DIRECTV Stream (Channel 665) for those with Choice or higher packages. The game will also be available on radio via WGN 720.

Matchup Analysis

The Minnesota Wild, with a record of 2-2-0 in the preseason, boast a robust offensive lineup led by Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and Joel Eriksson Ek. The Wilds offense is well-equipped to capitalize on the Blackhawks defensive shortcomings. Conversely, the Blackhawks, despite their shaky start (0-2-1), have offensive talents like Connor Bedard, who could pose significant challenges to the Wilds defense.

The game is expected to be an explosive encounter, with both teams looking to fine-tune their strategies ahead of the regular season. The Wilds balanced offense and sturdy defense make them a safer choice in this matchup, but the Blackhawks young talent could still make for an interesting and competitive game.