The Chicago Blackhawks are going to have some new-look lines in the coming days.
The Chicago Blackhawks are going to add two of their most promising prospects to the forward group in the coming days. Both Anton Frondell and Sacha Boisvert are signed, awaiting the moment they are tapped for their NHL debuts.
Last week, Boisvert and the Boston University Terriers were defeated in the Hockey East playoffs, ending their chances at the NCAA Tournament. Since then, he has come to Chicago, signed, and begun the process of getting a work visa in the United States. When that clears, he’ll be ready to practice and play.
As for Frondell, he signed his ELC last offseason but chose to be loaned back to the SHL for one year. His club team, Djurgarden, was just eliminated on Saturday. He has come to Chicago and will make his debut in a couple of days. It could line up where they debut together on the road.
There are a lot of possible line combinations for the Blackhawks once these two are in. Jeff Blashill has some decisions to make. Based on how he has run the team so far this season, the forward lines may look like this:
Greene-Bedard-Burakovsky
Bertuzzi-Nazar-Teravainen
Frondell-Donato-Mikheyev
Lardis-Boisvert-Mangiapane
So far this season, Jeff Blashill has stayed mostly true to the top line with Connor Bedard in between Ryan Greene and Andre Burakovsky. There has been criticism of the decision to keep Burskovsky on the top line given his lack of production, but the coach has stood by it.
It is unlikely that Blashill will take either of these two prospects and put them in the top six right away. Frondell will be there eventually, but it is unlikely that the coaching staff will throw him in the fire like that right away.
Frondell is known as a reliable two-way player, but he needs to show it at the NHL level. Playing on a line with Ryan Donato and Ilya Mikheyev, two guys who defend and can score, is a great place to start.
Boisvert has the ceiling of a middle-six center who can play well on both sides of the puck, but the fourth line makes sense for him out of the gate. He is eager to get into his first career NHL fight and to help the team win. Nick Lardis and Andrew Mangiapane on Boisvert’s wing would give him a chance to play with two guys capable of giving him different elements on each side.
These lines are a projection based on Blashill’s tendencies, how NHL teams usually handle late-season prospect call-ups, and their individual skill sets. Whatever they decide will be part of a development plan, not a chess move.
Landon Slaggert and Sam Lafferty came out in these projections. Each of them has been in and out of the lineup at different points throughout the season. Oliver Moore is injured and could miss the rest of the season. If he does return before it ends, he will certainly get minutes again right away.
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