ROSTER RUNDOWN
Making the cut
With the veterans added this offseason, there may not be many open spots at the forward position. There will be competition on defense, however. Wyatt Kaiser and Kevin Korchinski are two top prospects likely to fill them, but there will certainly be competition with others, including Isaak Phillips (16 games) and Alex Vlasic (six), who each played some with the Blackhawks last season.
Most intriguing addition
Lukas Reichel is the most intriguing addition because it’s time he gets a full-time opportunity in Chicago. As general manager Kyle Davidson said Tuesday, Reichel did everything the Blackhawks asked of him with Rockford of the American Hockey League. He also played well with Chicago last season, when he had 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) in 23 games. The Blackhawks envision Reichel playing center, which comes with responsibilities on both sides of the puck, but they believe the 21-year-old is ready to handle it.
Biggest potential surprise
It’d be a surprise if Korchinski makes the roster out of training camp. The defenseman has the talent. It’s whether the 19-year-old is ready to make the jump to the NHL after an outstanding season with Seattle of the Western Hockey League, where he had 73 points (11 goals, 62 assists) in 54 regular-season games and 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in 19 playoff games for the league champions. There’s a chance Korchinski returns to Seattle (an agreement between the NHL and Canadian Hockey League prohibits players under 20 from playing in the AHL) but if he has a good camp, expect him to be on the opening-night roster.
Ready to contribute
Cole Guttman made a solid impression on the Blackhawks when he had six points (four goals, two assists) in 14 games with them last season. Unfortunately, his opportunity was cut short when he had season-ending surgery on his right shoulder March 14. He’s expected to enter training camp healthy and if he gets back to the level he showed last spring, the 24-year-old forward should get more of a chance this season.
Fantasy sleeper
Reichel, LW, CHI (fantasy average draft position: 180.2) -- The No. 17 pick in the 2020 NHL Draft was third on the Blackhawks in points per game (0.65; 15 in 23 games) last season behind forwards Patrick Kane (0.83) and Max Domi (0.82), who no longer play for Chicago. Reichel is likely to have a top-six, first power-play role with exposure to Bedard and bounce-back candidates Hall and Seth Jones. -- Pete Jensen
