Lineup complications strike the Blackhawks ahead of United Center matchup vs. Canucks on Friday
Photo credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images
The Chicago Blackhawks are now facing lineup complications with the return of Landon Slaggert to their lineup ahead of facing the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.
Back home at the United Center coming off of an 8-3 win in St. Louis against the Blues on Wednesday, the Blackhawks are not sticking to the 'don't fix something that's not broken' analogy.
Landon Slaggert, 23, is set to make his return to the lineup for the first time since last year after facing injury troubles this summer.
He will be slotted into the fourth line to ease his way back to high-level hockey, but at the cost of a promising veteran who's shown great promise early on into this season.
Blackhawks make lineup adjustments ahead of United Center matchup vs. Canucks on Friday
With the top six forward group rolling steady lately, they'll be left untouched as Slaggert's return to the lineup comes with a fourth line role.
"Dach-Bedard-Burakovsky
Teravainen-Nazar-Bertuzzi
Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev
Reichel-Greene-Slaggert
Lafferty
Vlasic-Rinzel
Grzelcyk-Murphy
Kaiser-Crevier
Levshunov
Knight"
Teravainen-Nazar-Bertuzzi
Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev
Reichel-Greene-Slaggert
Lafferty
Vlasic-Rinzel
Grzelcyk-Murphy
Kaiser-Crevier
Levshunov
Knight"
Head coach Jeff Blashill, who won his first game with the organization on October 13 vs. Utah, will have a difficult decision to make regarding his lineup structure.
"Ben Pope entioned that all seven defensemen are rotating once again. We'll see if Blashill goes with an 11F/7D lineup for a third consecutive game. Slaggert's potential return makes the decision a bit more difficult for Jeff Blashill."
Following a heavy win against the Blues that chased both goaltenders out of the net, Blashill should stick to his 11 forwards and 7 defensemen lineup, which gives Connor Bedard the option to double shift on the fourth line.
In their past three games running that same lineup structure, the Blackhawks have gone 2-1-0.
Previously on Hawks Insider
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OCTOBRE 17 | 137 ANSWERS Lineup complications strike the Blackhawks ahead of United Center matchup vs. Canucks on Friday Do you think the Blackhawks should keep Landon Slaggert out of the lineup and continue rolling with the hot hand? | ||
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