10 observations: Blackhawks lose 2024 preseason opener to Red Wings Originally appeared in NBC Sports Chicago
Presented by Nationwide Insurance Agent Jeff Vukovich
The Chicago Blackhawks fell to the Detroit Red Wings 4-2 on Wednesday at the United Center in the first preseason game of 2024.
Below are 10 observations of loss:
1. The Blackhawks and Red Wings played their first preseason game of the season and that was evident. It was a bit of a sloppy game on both ends, but that’s what the preseason is for, to smooth things over. It’s great that hockey is back.
2. The Blackhawks didn’t score a point on the power play. The first unit of Connor Bedard, Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, Taylor Hall and Seth Jones turned the puck over on the game’s first shot, but the five cooled off after that.
3. Hall played his first unofficial game since Nov. 19, after undergoing ACL surgery last season, more than 10 months ago. He was eager to get started. He looked a little rusty, but not too bad. If he can get back into shape quickly, that will be a huge boost for the Blackhawks this season, needless to say.
4. Petr Mrazek started in goal and played two periods. He was solid, stopping 20 of 22 shots and posting a .909 save percentage. Mitchell Weeks played the third period and allowed two goals on six shots.
5. Frank Nazar and Nick Lardis have been great together throughout training camp. Colton Dach has been the left winger on that line, but Hall slid into that role for this game. They had a rough night together, but it’s just one game, so I wouldn’t read too much into it.
6. Connor Bedard played on a line with Bertuzzi and Teravainen. That line definitely has potential and it was shown when Tervainen scored his first unofficial goal after scoring on a backhander. Bedard recorded the primary assist.
7. The fact that AJ Spellacy was given the chance to play center between Ryan Donato and Craig Smith was like a reward for his strong performance at the prospect showcase and in the first part of camp. He made his presence felt in the first period by hitting Lucas Raymond, prompting Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin to run at Spellacy immediately afterward. You could tell Spellacy played football as a kid by the way he hit.
Incidentally, Smith scored Chicago’s first unofficial goal of the season. On July 1, he signed a one-year contract with the Blackhawks.
8. Jones has been skating in tandem with Alec Martinez throughout training camp. It looks like they’re going to start the season together, which is interesting. They started slow in this game, but finished well.
9. Patrick Kane didn’t travel to Chicago for this game, but there were several former Blackhawks players who did: Alex DeBrincat, Erik Gustafsson, Olli Maatta and Tyler Motte, and all four of them had at least one point. Motte and Maatta each scored a goal, and DeBrincat and Gustafson each recorded an assist. I imagine Kane will play against the Blackhawks on Friday in Detroit.
10. The Blackhawks made their first wave of roster cuts on Tuesday, sending forwards Martin Misiak, Alex Pharand and Marek Vanacker along with defenseman Ty Henry back to their respective youth teams. The training camp roster is comprised of 49 players after starting with 53.