Winnipeg Jets (47-19-10) at Chicago Blackhawks (31-36-10)
7:30PM Central
RADIO/TV: WGN 720/NBCS CH
PROJECTED GOALIES:
Winnipeg:
Eric Comrie (1-1-0, 2.98 GAA, .885 SV%)
Chicago:
Anton Forsberg (10-16-4, 2.97 GAA, .908 SV%)
PROJECTED LINES/PAIRINGS:
Winnipeg:
Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler
Ehlers-Stastny-Laine
Perreault-Copp-Little
Tanev-Lowry-Armia
Morrissey- Myers
Enstrom-Byfuglien
Chiarot-Morrow
Chicago:
Saad-Schmaltz-Kane
Sikura-Ejdsell-Debrincat
Jurco-Anisimov-Martinsen
Sharp-Kampf-HInostroza
Keith-Seabrook
Gustafsson-Murphy
Oesterle-Rutta
STATISTICAL COMPARISIONS:
Power Play:
Winnipeg 23.3% (4th)
Chicago 16% (28th)
Penalty Kill:
Winnipeg 82% (10th)
Chicago 79.9% (19th)
Corsi FOR % (5-on-5):
Winnipeg 51.7% (7th)
Chicago 52.8% (4th)
Faceoffs:
Winnipeg 52.3% (5th)
Chicago 49.7% (17th)
SUMMARY:
The 2018-19 Chicago Blackhawk auditions continue tonight versus a team that’s gone from the league’s also-rans to one of its best seemingly overnight. Not really, but the Jets are proof of how high draft picks—and hitting on high picks—will ultimately pay off.
As a result, for the Jets, tonight’s game is about honing their game for the postseason. For the Hawks, it’s about how high their probability will be in the draft lottery—and taking stock of several rookies: Viktor Ejdsell, Collin Delia, Blake Hillman and Dylan Sikura.
None of these players, including the much-hyped Sikura, is what you’d call an elite prospect—like a Patrik Laine or a Nikolaj Ehlers. But clearly, the Hawks are trying to sort through what they have to work with in rounding out their roster next season.
We’ll recap tonight or tomorrow AM. Join the conversation below!