The Chicago Blackhawks will take on the Winnipeg Jets in Manitoba on Tuesday.
The Chicago Blackhawks are coming off a back-to-back that they split with the Colorado Avalanche and the Utah Mammoth. They are now 1-2-0 on their current road trip, which will wrap up on Tuesday in Manitoba against the Winnipeg Jets.
The Jets are in 27th place out of 32 teams. To say it’s not going well for them would be an understatement. It’s a disaster of a season for everybody involved with the Jets' on-ice product.
The Blackhawks are one of the only teams lower in the standings, sitting in 29th with a record of 23-28-9. This is a game between two teams trying to have a strong finish, but their long-term arrows seem to be pointed in opposite directions.
Scouting Winnipeg
The Winnipeg Jets are coming off an incredible season, and it hasn't gone that way in 2025-26. They will miss the playoffs, have a chance at the lottery, and look for answers during the off-season.
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Hellebuyck
Connor Hellebuyck is one of the best goaltenders in NHL history. He has multiple Vezina Trophies and a Hart as league MVP, which is incredibly difficult to win as a goalie.
He isn't having his typical dominant season, but after winning the Gold Medal with Team USA as their starting goalie, he has proven that he can win big games at this point in his career. The team in front of him likely has a lot to do with the season that he's having in the NHL.
Kyle Connor and Mark Scheifele are still high-end offensive producers, but everyone else is having a down year by their standards. The Blackhawks can win this game by creating a hard forecheck and using their speed to outwork the Winnipeg defense. If they are going to beat Hellebuyck enough to claim a victory, bodies in front and smart shot selection will also be needed.
Jonathan Toews
The Chicago Blackhawks welcomed their former captain back to the United Center in the middle of January. Since then, however, Toews has been cold offensively. He has only had one assist since then. He is looking to bounce back and help his team win a game against his old team. This will be the third meeting between the two this year, with one more scheduled on March 31st.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Blackhawks are coming off one of their best wins of the season. Their victory over the Mammoth is one to build on, as a win in Winnipeg would make it a .500 road trip out of the Olympic break.
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Knight
Spencer Knight is going to start in goal for Chicago. This will be his third start since the break ended, and the previous two were solid. Arvid Soderblom, his backup, earned his first career shutout on Sunday, which is important for a young team that needs good goaltending down the stretch.
Andre Burakovsky is on the top line again. He's been struggling to put up points lately, despite playing with Connor Bedard, but Jeff Blashill is not quick to make big lineup changes. This game will be another chance for him to get it going on the top line.
On defense, Ethan Del Mastro was called up in the wake of the Connor Murphy trade. He is flying in for the game against Winnipeg. Kevin Korchinski skated in practice with Sam Rinzel, but Del Mastro may get the start instead.
With Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Jason Dickinson, and Oliver Moore down the middle, there is some depth at the position and a lot of speed. If the wingers do a good job of supporting their centers, there are goals to be scored against this Winnipeg team.
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 on CHSN locally. Nationally, it can be streamed on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM CT.
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