Morning Skate Update: Phillips to make season debut vs. Predators
Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The opponents have a key player returning to the lineup from an injury. A few news and notes from the morning skate ahead of Wednesday evening’s Chicago Blackhawks game against the Nashville Predators.
First, the bad news, which was came from Tuesday’s practice: defenseman Jarred Tinordi will be out “for a while” with that facial fracture sustained against the New York Rangers.
Jarred TInordi had surgery on his face to "wire it together." He will be "out for a while," Richardson says. Bad news.— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) December 20, 2022
But that misfortune for Tinordi creates an opportunity elsewhere, with Isaak Phillips receiving the call-up for his season debut after making his NHL debut with four games in the 2021-22 season.
"I'm really coming into my own this year."Isaak Phillips is having a breakout season in the AHL, and he returns to #Blackhawks as a more confident defenseman: https://t.co/LCgqCx0XTn— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 20, 2022
Based on the morning skate, Phillips appears to be skating on the second pairing with Connor Murphy. Ian Mitchell is on the third pairing with Jack Johnson, which appears to leave Caleb Jones as the odd man out.
New Blackhawks lines in practice:TJohnson-Domi-KaneKurashev-Toews-RaddyshAthanasiou-Dickinson-LaffertyKatchouk-RJohnson-BlackwellMcCabe-SJonesPhillips-MurphyJJohnson-MitchellRotating in: Entwistle, Khaira, CJones— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) December 20, 2022
After the morning skate on Wednesday, Richardson confirmed that would be the lineup facing the Predators, with Petr Mrazek in net.
The Blackhawks power-play units were shuffled a bit as well:
#Blackhawks power-play units:PP1: Toews, Raddysh, Kane, Domi, S. JonesPP2: T. Johnson, Kurashev, Athanasiou, Entwistle, Mitchell pic.twitter.com/ZWtvf3a7nH— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 21, 2022
And, a final note: the Blackhawks uniform will look a little different this game:
#Blackhawks are throwing it back and wearing their white jerseys at home against Nashville on Wednesday.Home whites forever. pic.twitter.com/ZiZnciHfk2— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 21, 2022
For a little trip down memory lane, the Twitter account made for such an occasion has you covered:
#HomeWhites pic.twitter.com/kSBTN3sVr9— Vintage Hawks (@VintageHawks) December 21, 2022
The big news from the Predators’ morning skate is that defenseman Ryan McDonagh is back from his injury and will be in the lineup against the Blackhawks.
Ryan McDonagh returns to the lineup tonight for the #Preds vs. Chicago. He will wear a full cage in an NHL game for the first time in his career.— Emma Lingan (@emma_lingan) December 21, 2022
The rest of the projected lines below are based on the Monday game against the Edmonton Oilers:
Forsberg — Novak — Granlund
Niederreiter — Glass — Jeannot
Trenin — Johansen — Duchene
Smith — Parssinen — Sissons
Josi — McDonagh
Ekholm — Fabbro
Lauzon — Carrier
Saros/Lankinen...
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