The Chicago Blackhawks will return from the Olympic break with a road match against the Nashville Predators.
The Chicago Blackhawks are officially back in action on Thursday night. After a couple of weeks away via the Olympic Break, they are ready to pursue a strong finish to the 2025-26 season.
The healthy Blackhawks who didn’t go to Milan to represent their country had a little mini-camp to prepare for their return. Although they are unlikely to be a playoff team, there is a lot that Jeff Blashill wants to work on with this group before they break for summer vacation.
Not everyone on the roster will make it to the end of the season in Chicago. Next Friday’s trade deadline is sure to shake things up. Before then, the Blackhawks have four games (all on the road) to manage ahead of their big pending decisions.
The first game of the trip is a match against the Nashville Predators. This is the third of three matchups between the two clubs. Chicago is 1-1-0 against them so far.
Scouting Nashville
The Nashville Predators have not played as poorly this season as they did last season, despite all the nice additions they made to their roster in free agency. Still, they were a lousy 3-4-3 in their final ten games before the break, so they sit four points below the playoff line.
The good news for Nashville is that they only have two teams to jump at this point in time. One of them, the Los Angeles Kings, has the same number of points. Anything can happen, but this game against Chicago is an opportunity to earn a home win against one of their biggest rivals.
Preds lines at non-Olympian practice:
Evangelista-O’Reilly-Stamkos
Forsberg-Haula-Marchessault
Bunting-McCarron-Wood
Smith-Jost-Wiesblatt
Barron-Josi
Skjei-Wilsby
Hague-Perbix
Saros
Annunen
The Predators have talent that helps them win games, but a lot of it comes in the form of older veterans like Steven Stamkos, Ryan O'Reilly, Jonathan Marchessault, Filip Forsberg, and Roman Josi. The youth that NHL teams need to be elite is not there in bunches.
In goal, Jusse Saros is a game-time decision. He played very well in the Bronze Medal Game, but it is unclear if he will face the Hawks on Thursday. If he can't go, it will be justus Annunen.
Projected Lines, Defense Pairs, & Goalie For Chicago
The Chicago Blackhawks have 25 games remaining. Between now and the end of the year, there is a lot to learn and work on. There is also an opportunity for players like Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Tyler Bertuzzi, and others to reach certain milestones that will boost their confidence.
Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky
Moore-Nazar-Bertuzzi
Teravainen-Foligno-Slaggert
Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev
Vlasic-Crevier
Murphy-Rinzel
Grcelzyk-Levshunov
Knight
Spencer Knight is going to start in goal for the Blackhawks against the Predators. He was just outside being named to the United States Olympic team, so now is his chance to begin his quest to be on the team in 2030.
Connor Bedard, as reported over the course of the break, is ready to take faceoffs again. Having the ability to perform all of the roles of a center allows Frank Nazar to move down and drive the second line.
Teuvo Teravainen is back with a Bronze Medal, and now he has a chance to be the facilitator on a third line with Nick Foligno and Landon Slaggert.
Artyom Levshunov was on a development program ahead of the break that had him watch a few games from the press box without being sent down to the AHL. Now, he's ready to hop back into the lineup and play.
Kevin Korchinski is with the big club while Wyatt Kaiser works his way back from an injury, but he is not likely to dress unless there is another injury before Kaiser returns. Colton Dach and Sam Lafferty are the scratches for this one up front.
How To Watch
The game can be heard locally on AM 720 WGN in the Chicagoland area. To view this game, it is available on CHSN locally. Nationally, it can be streamed on ESPN+. The puck will drop shortly after 7:00 PM CT.
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