Players to Watch: CHI vs DET Preseason (9/29/21)
Photo by Claus Andersen via Getty Images
Today is a BLACKHAWKS GAMEDAY!
Wow, it feels good to say that again. It was a short offseason, and yet it felt so long! But, no more of those weird nights with no hockey on the TV. Hockey is back, baby, and the Blackhawks kick off their preseason schedule tonight against the Detroit Red Wings. The puck drops at 7:30 pm local time, and there are some exciting faces in the lineup tonight.
If you checked out these game previews last season, you know I usually keep them to three players. But we don’t have any team stats to talk about yet, and team comparables don’t matter much in the preseason anyway. So, instead, here are a handful of players to keep an eye on in tonight’s game.
Isaak Phillips
You absolutely had to know that Isaak would be the first player on this list. I was hyping him up throughout the whole IceHogs season. Now, Blackhawks fans get to watch him in game action. I know that he isn’t NHL-ready yet - he’s only 20 years old, he’s got time. But it will be good to see how he measures up against NHL talent at this point. You can only measure growth once you have a starting point. His is tonight. I can’t wait.
Jonathan Toews
No, your eyes do not deceive you. This is, indeed, who you think it is. The captain is back! He’s probably the most obvious player on this list. All reports out of training camp were that Toews looked really good on the ice. We all know that practices and games are completely different. I’m excited to see what he looks like in a full game.
Lukas Reichel
Lukas Reichel for Calder?! Let’s get it started now, ladies and gentlemen!
Okay, maybe I’m jumping the gun. Many people thought Reichel would start the season in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs, but he’s been nothing short of impressive in camp so far. It’s obvious he came over to North America with making the opening night Blackhawks roster in mind, and he may very well have earned a spot. Let’s see what he looks like tonight against some NHL competition. It’s easy to be excited about Reichel. At this point, I’m right there with you.
Caleb Jones
We don’t get to see Seth Jones tonight. But, we do get to see Caleb. I, admittedly, don’t know much about Caleb’s game. So, he is the more interesting brother to me. He isn’t a lock to make the NHL lineup on opening night. If he wants to play with his brother when the Blackhawks open the regular season against Colorado, his chance to really earn a spot starts tonight. Since the Hawks traded Duncan Keith for him, you know fans are going to want something good from him.
Kevin Lankinen
Kevin Lankinen is the confirmed goaltender for tonight. When last season ended, the assumption was that he would have the chance to fully take over the starting role. Cut to the summer and suddenly the Blackhawks have Marc-Andre Fleury, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, on the roster. Lankinen will have to wait, at least, one more season to earn the full-time starting role. In the meantime, he gets to learn from a fantastic netminder. After Kevin’s standout rookie season, I’m interested to see what he looks like coming into this year.
Brandon Hagel
Last, but CERTAINLY not least, we’ve got Brandon Hagel. I suppose I’ve sandwiched this list between the two players I was hyping the most for 2020-21. The difference is that Hagel was in the NHL, so Blackhawks fans were able to more readily watch him. He quickly became a fan favorite. He works hard every single shift. He’s got incredible speed. He’s not afraid to drop the gloves and mix it up. It’s clear why it’s easy to root for him.
He certainly had an impressive rookie season. He’s been a point producer at every level in his career. Did his work this offseason give him time to shake off some of the bad luck that certainly robbed some points from him last season? Let’s hope so. If he can get that first goal of the season early, he could have a very special year. Maybe he will kick that off in the very first preseason game tonight.
No more waiting. Blackhawks hockey is here! Get excited!