Chicago Blackhawks News

Laurent Brossoit will start Thursday vs. Vegas.

The Jets have been completely inept at keeping the puck out of their net this season and have been outscored 14-10 in only three games (1-2-0). They hope to have their early season defensive struggles solved tonight as Brossoit will suit up against his former team for his first start of the 2023-24 campaign. Last season, as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights, Brossoit played exceptionally, recording a 2.17 GAA and .927 SV% in 11 games (7-0-3). Now on the other side, Brossoit and the Jets find themselves as +101 road underdogs against the Golden Knights.

Laurent Brossoit
Arvid Soderblom will start Monday vs. Toronto.

Soderblom lost his only start of the season in a tough 3-1 defeat to Boston after stopping 30 of 32 shots against (.938 SV%) and will take over the pipes Monday vs. Toronto. The 24-year-old has struggled through three NHL seasons as he has only two wins and holds a .891 SV% across 16 career starts. He takes on the Toronto Maple Leafs on the road, who won their last game 7-4 over Minnesota and are tied for first in the NHL in goals per game (6.0).

Arvid Soderblom
Alec Martinez is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.

Martinez will not be a part of Vegas' opening night roster after it was announced he would be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury but is not expected to be out long-term. The 36-year-old defenseman had three goals, 11 assists, 76 SOG, 29 PIMs, and a +30 plus/minus through 77 games with Vegas in 2022-23. He was a key part of their 2023 Stanley Cup championship run.

Alec Martinez
Samuel Savoie (femur) has been placed on the injured reserve and is out indefinitely.

Savoie was a longshot to make the Blackhawks' opening night roster but had a wrench thrown in those plans with a femur injury that has landed him on the injured reserve and out indefinitely. The 19-year-old forward was Chicago's 2022 3rd-round pick (81st overall). He had 26 goals, 33 assists, 90 PIMs, and a +30 plus/minus in 60 games with Gatineau (QMJHL) in 2022-23.

Samuel Savoie
Colton Dach (right ankle) is out indefinitely and has been placed on the injured-reserve.

Dach was Chicago's 2021 2nd-round selection (62nd overall) and was fighting for a spot on the Blackhawks' opening roster but has been unfortunately placed on the injured reserve to start the season with a right ankle injury. The 20-year-old forward has yet to make his NHL debut but had 12 goals, 15 assists, 31 PIMs, and a +11 plus/minus through 23 games played with both Kelowna (WHL) and Seattle (WHL) in 2022-23. He likely will be loaned to Rockford (AHL) when he is fully recovered.

Colton Dach
Philipp Kurashev (left wrist) will begin the season on injured reserve retroactive to September 28th.

Kurashev was injured in the Blackhawks' preseason back on September 28th and has been placed on the injured reserve retroactive to that date with a left wrist injury. The 23-year-old forward is expected to be out indefinitely to start the season after collecting nine goals, 16 assists, 116 SOG, 14 PIMs, and a -32 plus/minus in 70 games with Chicago in 2022-23.

Philipp Kurashev
Arvid Soderblom will start Wednesday vs. Boston.

Soderblom was 2-10-2 with a .894 SV% and a 3.45 GAA in 15 games played with Chicago in 2022-23 and will start their second game of the season Wednesday vs. Boston. The Bruins are coming off a historic season that saw them finish with 135 points and second in the NHL in goals per game (301). The Blackhawks are coming off a 4-2 victory over Pittsburgh from opening night Tuesday and will be hoping to remain in the win column.

Arvid Soderblom
Spencer Knight has been loaned to Charlotte (AHL) to get consistent action.

Knight will look to regain his form while playing regularly with the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. Last season, Knight played only 21 games for the Panthers before entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in February posting a 9-8-3 record with a .901 SV% and 3.18 GAA. Anthony Stolarz will serve as Sergei Bobrovsky's backup to start the season.

Spencer Knight
Kurashev could miss the start of the regular season with a wrist injury.

Kurashev is expected to resume skating this week, but the Blackhawks said it's possible he's not ready for the start of the regular season. They should have a better idea of where he's at later in the week. Kurashev is expected to start the season in the Blackhawks' top-6 on a line with Lukas Reichel and Andreas Athanasiou.

Philipp Kurashev
Samuel Savoie has undergone successful surgery on his right femur and is out indefinitely.

Savoie was Chicago's 2022 third-round pick (81st overall) and will be out indefinitely after undergoing successful surgery on his right femur. The 19-year-old forward was competing for a roster spot during the preseason after a 26-goal, 33 assists, 90 PIM, and +30 plus/minus season across 60 games played with Gatineau (QMJHL) in 2022-23. He is expected to return to Gatineau for the 2023-24 season once announced as healthy.

Samuel Savoie
Detroit has signed Joe Veleno to a one-year, $825,000 contract extension.

Veleno had nine goals, 11 assists, 30 PIMs, 85 SOG, and a -12 plus/minus through 81 games with the Red Wings in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, $825,000 extension Wednesday. The 23-year-old was Detroit's 2018 first-round pick (30th overall) and has picked up 18 goals, 36 points, and 166 SOG through 152 career NHL games across three seasons.

Joe Veleno
Chicago has signed Samuel Savoie to a three-year, entry-level contract worth $878,333 AAV.

Savoie had 26 goals, 33 assists, 90 PIMs and a +30 plus/minus through 60 games with Gatineau (QMJHL) in 2022-23 and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract worth $878,333 AAV. The 19-year-old forward was Chicago's 2022 third-round draft pick (81st overall) and is expected to return to Gatineau for his fourth junior season in 2023-24.

Samuel Savoie
Arbitration has awarded Philipp Kurashev a two-year, $4.5 million contract extension ($2,250,000 AAV) with Chicago.

Kurashev had nine goals, 16 assists, 116 SOG, 14 PIMs and a -32 plus/minus through 70 games played with Chicago in 2022-23 and has been awarded a two-year, $4.5 million contract extension ($2,250,000 AAV) by an arbitrator. The 23-year-old centre enters his fourth season in Chicago after being drafted in the fourth-round of the 2018 draft (120th overall) and has 23 goals and 62 points across 191 career NHL games played.

Philipp Kurashev
Chicago has signed Connor Bedard to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Bedard was selected with the first-overall pick of the 2023 draft and has signed a three-year, entry-level contract on his 18th birthday. The generationally talented centre is coming off a historic season in the WHL which saw his score 71 goals and 143 points across 57 regular season games.

Connor Bedard
Arizona has signed Zach Sanford to a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 AAV.

Sanford had two goals, one assist, 20 SOG, four PIMs and a -3 plus/minus through 16 games with Nashville in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year, two-way contract worth $775,000 with Arizona. The 28-year-old left winger brings 49 goals and 49 assists and 138 PIMs across 305 career NHL games to the Coyotes and should played a bottom-six role for the team throughout the season.

Zach Sanford
The Maple Leafs signed Tyler Bertuzzi to a one-year deal worth $5.5 million.

Bertuzzi had eight goals, 22 assists, 107 SOG, 29 PIMs and a -8 plus/minus through 50 games with both Boston and Detroit in 2022-23 and has signed a one-year deal with Toronto worth $5.5 million. The 28-year-old left-winger joins the Maple Leafs' with 92 goals and 218 points through 326 career NHL games.

Tyler Bertuzzi
The Jets signed Laurent Brossoit to a one-year contract worth $1.75 million.

Brossoit was 7-0-3 with a 2.17 GAA and .927 SV% with Vegas in 2022-23 and has returned to Winnipeg on a one-year contract worth $1.75 million. The 30-year-old net minder was Calgary's sixth round pick (164th overall) in 2011 and has a 49-41-11 record, with a 2.78 GAA and .908 SV% across 117 GP throughout his career.

Laurent Brossoit
The Blackhawks signed Ryan Donato to a two-year deal worth $4.0 million ($2.0M AAV).

Donato had 14 goals, 13 assists, 122 SOG, 46 PIMs and a +16 plus/minus through 71 games with Seattle in 2022-23 and has signed a two-year contract worth $4.0 million ($2,000,000 AAV). The 27-year-old centre joins his fifth team in seven NHL seasons and has 65 goals, 70 assists, and 116 PIMs through 325 career NHL games.

Ryan Donato