Ghouls Night Out
Blackhawks play tonight, thoughts on Korchinski
The Blackhawks play tonight at 7PM CT.
You can catch the game on the Blackhawks website.
CHSN starts October 1st, so all preseason games will be found on the website until then. A reminder that once CHSN opens, you either need DirecTV or an antenna to watch the games if you are in market.
I’ll be watching it from the warm comfort of the desert with ESPN+.
Preseason
I don’t think there’s much nutrition in writing about a preseason game, but that can be said about most of what I write.
The Hawks will take on the Red Wings in a preseason game that I’m sure will make for entertainment on Twitter.
Here’s the line-up for tonight.
Other than enjoying some hockey, there isn’t too much to invest in. This will be our first look at a Bertuzzi-Bedard-Teuvo line. It’s preseason so don’t expect this to be anything what it would be in the regular season. It’s mostly exciting because Teuvo will be wearing a Hawks sweater once again.
Nick Lardis is probably getting one look before he goes back to juniors. But we can watch Frank Nazar on the second line. He’ll be trying to blow the pants off of the Hawks organization in an attempt to stay the hell away from Rockford.
Savoie and Paul Ludwinski should be fun to watch as well. Sam Savoie didn’t get any preseason time last year because of his injury and I’m interested to see how Ludwinski looks before he gets sent to Rockford (which he will).
I don’t think Ryan Donato has anything to be worried about and I only say that because some people had him out of their starting lineup rosters. Things would have to go pretty sour for him to start in Rockford. But you do have AJ Spellacy playing with him. He’ll probably get this one preseason game in before he gets sent back to juniors.
Blue line is where things get interesting. Alec Martinez and Seth Jones have been playing together during training camp and it looks like Luke Richardson is really keen on keeping this pair together.
With Alex Vlasic’s successful season last year, you might be wondering why Vlasic is bumped down to the second pairing. So am I. Normally I would chalk that up to it only being preseason but Ben Pope’s comment makes me think otherwise.
Whether the Hawks get spanked or blow the Red Wings out of the water, it’s all moot because it’s a preseason game. Watch it for what it is.
The Korchinski Question
From what all the beat writers, Twitter warlords, and Blackhawks propoganda are saying, sending down Kevin Korchinski doesn’t seem like a bad idea at all. I mean, it worked for Vlasic, Wyatt Kaiser looked better after his mid-season stint in Rockford. So why not send Korchinski to spend some time (if not a season) in Rockford? Anders Sorenson is a solid coach and they develop good defensemen.
But something isn’t sitting right with me about this.
There’s a tickle in my gut.
While on the surface I don’t see a problem with Korchinski going to Rockford, I also really don’t want to see him go.
I do believe that his d-partners had more of a negative impact on his game last season than we are led to believe. I think that’s addressed with the addition of Martinez who I thought was brought on to play with Korchinski.
I don’t know. Does playing top-pairing minutes in Rockford really hold more value than playing second-pairing minutes in the NHL?
Something stinks and I don’t like it.
Trash Bin
For all things not Hawks related.
Jante - 8:33
Here’s a video that features some awesome skating.
The filming in this one is incredible. Fritte Söderström did an amazing job. The night parts were well done. Gustav Tonnesen had some really nice tricks, including that noseblunt flip out. But Axel Elfving’s closer was a whole vibe in and of itself. Perfect song choice and his speed line was intense. Again, Fritte’s filming just sucks you in and makes you feel like you’re right there.
Out.