Kaiser was absent from the first game of the season for the Blackhawks due to an illness but will likely be inserted back into the lineup shortly. The 22-year-old defenseman played 32 games with the Blackhawks last season, tallying seven points (0G / 7A), 46 blocks, and 22 hits.
Petr Mrazek struggled in the Blackhawks season-opening 5-2 loss to the Utah Hockey Club, allowing four goals on 26 shots (.846 SV%). As such, the Blackhawks will turn to Soderblom for their second game of the the season, a tilt against the Winnipeg Jets, who steamrolled to a 6-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Wednesday. The 25-year-old Soderblom appeared in 32 games last season (5-22-2), posting a pedestrian 3.92 GAA and .879 SV%.
Knight played 53 games for the Panthers between the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons (28-17-6), posting a 2.95 GAA and .905 SV% but spent the entirety of last in the AHL. The 23-year-old Knight posted a 2.41 GAA and .905 SV% in 45 games with the Charlotte Checkers (25-14-5). He will likely see a more prominent NHL role this season, serving as the backup to Sergei Bobrovsky.
Entering training camp, it seemed as if Nazar had a chance to make the Blackhawks roster after appearing in three games with them at the end of last season. He had a disappointing preseason, though, and will get his first taste of AHL action with Rockford to begin 2024-25.
After appearing in 76 NHL games a season ago, Korchinski had a disappointing training camp and will begin the 2024-25 season in Rockford. With Korchinski off the roster, look for Alex Vlasic to quarterback the Blackhawks' second power-play unit.
Vanacker was Chicago's 2024 1st round pick (27th overall) and signed a three-year, entry-level contract on Monday with the Blackhawks. The 18-year-old left-winger took a massive step forward in the OHL in 2023-24 with Brantford, collecting 36 goals and 82 points in 68 games played.
Levshunov went No.2 overall in this summer's NHL Draft after posting nine goals and 26 assists (35 points) in 38 games at Michigan State University. Levshunov was second among NCAA freshmen defensemen in points and was a Big-10 Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year.
Journeyman Derrick Pouliot will join his eighth different organization in eight years after he agreed to sign a one-year, two-way contract with Tampa Bay on Tuesday. The 30-year-old appeared in five games for Dallas in 2023-24 but has eight goals and 54 points in 226 career NHL games.
Teravainen will return to Chicago, where he spent the first three seasons of his 11-year career after he agreed to a three-year deal worth $16.2 million ($5.4M AAV) on Monday. The 29-year-old left-winger surpassed his career high in goals in 2023-24 (25) and had 53 points, 142 SOG and a +15 plus/minus in 76 games played.
Bertuzzi had a very slow start in Toronto but finished the season with 43 points (21G / 22A) in 80 games. In Chicago, he'll be a candidate to skate with Connor Bedard and comes in with four career 20-plus goal and 20-plus assist seasons ('19, '20, '22, '24).
Mangiapane had a breakout campaign in 2022, scoring 35 goals with 55 points, earning him a three-year contract with a $5.8M AAV cap-hit. He failed to find that same success in 2023 and 2024, combining for less goals (31) and 52 assists (83 points) in 157 games. Entering the final year of that deal, the Capitals are banking on another big contract year season from the 28-year-old winger.
Misiak was Chicago's 2023 second-round pick (55th overall) and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with an AAV of $878,333. The 19-year-old winger just finished his first OHL season with the Erie Otters and had 23 goals and 47 points in 60 games in his second season of North American hockey.
With Charlotte being eliminated from the AHL playoffs, Spencer Knight has been recalled as a third goalie for Florida during their postseason run. The 23-year-old did not appear for the Panthers during the regular season but had a solid campaign with Charlotte, posting a .905 SV% and 2.41 GAA.
Vlasic was the 43 overall pick of the Blackhawks in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and just completed his first full NHL season. In 76 games with the Blackhawks this season, the 22-year-old defenseman recorded 16 points (2G / 14A).
The Blackhawks will turn to Soderblom between the pipes on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings for their final game of the season. Soderblom allowed five goals on 40 shots (.875 SV%) in his last outing, a 5-1 loss to the Nashville Predators, and has a 3.88 GAA and .880 SV% in 31 games (5-22-1) this season. The Blackhawks enter action as +306 road underdogs.
The Blackhawks will turn to Soderblom between the pipes on Thursday against the Los Angeles Kings for their final game of the season. Soderblom allowed five goals on 40 shots (.875 SV%) in his last outing, a 5-1 loss to the Nashville Predators, and has a 3.88 GAA and .880 SV% in 31 games (5-22-1) this season. The Blackhawks enter action as +306 road underdogs.
Del Mastro will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday, allowing Jaycob Megna to draw back into the lineup. Del Mastro just recently finished playing his first two NHL games and was held off the scoresheet while averaging 18:35 of ice time.
Del Mastro has played two games for the Blackhawks this season but has spent most of the 2023-24 campaign with the Rockford IceHogs (AHL). The 21-year-old Del Mastro has 37 points (7G / 30A) in 66 games with Rockford.
