Breaking down Blackhawks' lines, pairings for season opener at Panthers

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — New Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill is avoiding one of predecessor Luke Richardson's fatal errors: mixing lines too much.

Blashill has so far followed the opposite approach, keeping lines nearly constant throughout training camp.

It remains to be seen if he can maintain that patience during the regular season, but based on practice Monday, the Hawks will indeed deploy predictable lines in their opener Tuesday against the Panthers.

"You have the choice, as a coach, to try different stuff out or try to keep them together and give them a chance to build that chemistry," Blashill said recently. "I've chosen — for the most part — to try to [keep them together]."

Forward lines

Ryan Donato — Connor Bedard — Andre Burakovsky

Donato and Burakovsky probably wouldn't be first-line wingers on a playoff-caliber team, but on the Hawks, they're the best Bedard will get.

They do each have traits — Bedard's playmaking and vision, Donato's forechecking and in-tight finishing and Burakovsky's comfort level transporting and holding onto the puck — that complement each other. In 30 minutes of preseason ice time together, the Hawks generated an 18-13 advantage in scoring chances.

Teuvo Teravainen — Frank Nazar — Tyler Bertuzzi

This trio felt inevitable even before camp began, given their familiarity from late last season, and they've indeed been stapled together.

They theoretically complement each other well due to Nazar's assertiveness and speed, Teravainen's accurate passing and defensive acumen and Bertuzzi's effectiveness in dirty areas.

Colton Dach — Jason Dickinson — Ilya Mikheyev

In the modern NHL, many contenders assemble three scoring lines and leave grinding to the fourth line. The Hawks don't have enough offensive weapons to do that, though, so they're instead making their third line a conventional checking line.

Dickinson and Mikheyev are the Hawks' two stoutest defensive forwards. They've each hit the 20-goal mark in one of the last two seasons, too, so it's possible they could contribute some offense if things click.

Dach was a preseason standout, cementing his roster spot with physicality and underrated hands. Since Landon Slaggert aggravated a lower-body injury in the last preseason game and was placed on injured reserve Monday, Dach moved up to the third line.

Nick Foligno — Ryan Greene — Sam Lafferty

Slaggert's injury also opened an NHL spot for Greene, and the defensively responsible rookie will make his third career appearance Tuesday. Foligno and Lafferty are just veteran depth forwards at this point.

The Hawks still must figure out what to do with Lukas Reichel, a healthy scratch for now. Blashill said he's talking with Reichel about the traits necessary to be effective in a bottom-six role.

Defense pairings

Alex Vlasic/Matt Grzelcyk — Sam Rinzel

Vlasic panicked during the Hawks' Sept. 28 exhibition when he saw blood pouring out of his leg, but he was later relieved to learn the skate cut hadn't hit his Achilles tendon.

Some muscles were impacted, inhibiting his walking for a few days, but he practiced fully Monday and will likely return to the lineup Thursday against the Bruins.

In the meantime, Grzelcyk — who parlayed his camp tryout into a one-year contract — will fill Vlasic's presumptive spot next to Rinzel, a legitimate Calder Trophy candidate.

Wyatt Kaiser — Artyom Levshunov

Kaiser possesses an uncanny ability to understand and anticipate Levshunov's unpredictable decisions, and Kaiser also has the agility and quickness to cover for him when he makes the wrong decision. He's Levshunov's ideal partner.

Ethan Del Mastro — Connor Murphy

Del Mastro struggled in the preseason, but Vlasic's injury allowed him to make the opening roster and stick with longtime Hawks stalwart Murphy, temporarily forming the Hawks' shutdown pair.

Del Mastro might get sent down Thursday, though. Louis Crevier, the seventh defenseman Tuesday, seems more likely to stick around.

Goaltenders

Spencer Knight — Arvid Soderblom

Knight prepared this summer to handle a full-time NHL starter's workload this season. He'll face his former Panthers teammates for the first time Tuesday.