The Chicago Blackhawks will see Jonathan Toews as a visiting player at the United Center for the first time.
The Chicago Blackhawks are going to face the Winnipeg Jets at home for the first time this season. The two teams matched up back on October 30th in Winnipeg, as the Jets skated away with a 6-3 victory.
The wrinkle here is that Jonathan Toews, representing the Jets, will return to the United Center for the first time as a road player. This is sure to be an emotional and celebratory night for the Chicago Blackhawks organization.
Scouting Winnipeg
The Winnipeg Jets are having a tough season. One year after winning the President's Trophy, they are 19-22-6, which is good for 31st place in the NHL. That's a hard drop off.
Lately, however, they have been playing better. The Jets are 4-0-1 in their last five games, and Toews has five points over that span (4-1--5).
On the season, Toews has 7 goals and 11 assists for 18 points in 47 games played. In addition to his offensive rise, he is second in the league with a 62.4 winning percentage in the faceoff dot.
Despite having one of the best goalies in the world, Connor Hellebuyck, the Jets can't seem to get any traction going on the season in a positive direction.
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Hellebuyck will start in the net for the Jets. Now, more than ever, the Blackhawks need to be smart with their shot selection, forecheck hard, and make smart plays to beat him. With the way that the Jets have defended in front of him this season, it's entirely possible to get it done.
As far as offense, they rely a lot on Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. There are other good depth pieces there, like Toews, but most of them are having a down year compared to their two stars.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks are trying to break a three-game losing streak. They've played much better in 2026 as a whole, but they haven't been able to seal games in the last week or so. Their most recent game against the Boston Bruins saw them drop one after going up 2-0 in the first period.
Spencer Knight is going to start for the Blackhawks after having that Bruins game off. No matter what, Chicago has a chance to win when he's in between the pipes. In front of him, he needs the offense to get back on track after lackluster efforts over the last three games.
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Colton Dach skated on the top line with Connor Bedard and Ryan Greene during morning skate. This spot usually belongs to Andre Burakovsky, but he is away due to illness and a family matter. He is a game-time decision.
If Burakovsky plays, expect him back on the top line and Dach to take Sam Lafferty's spot on the fourth line. That would make Lafferty a scratch.
Jeff Blashill has kept these lines and defense pairs a lot more consistent than coaches in recent memory. Only time will tell if that continues over time.
More on the return of Jonathan Toews
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it can be found locally on CHSN. The puck will drop shortly after 7:30 PM CT.
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