The Blackhawks will have 55 total players attend training camp, which begins this Friday.
Ah, hockey season. The Chicago Blackhawks have had a tremendous offseason, and finally, it will come to an end this Friday. After missing the postseason for two consecutive years, Jeremy Colliton is trying to get the Blackhawks back in the playoffs in his first full season as head coach. It all begins this week, as a strong training camp and preseason would be ideal heading into the season.
There aren’t many surprises on the training camp roster, just some familiar faces. Kris Versteeg will return to the ice with the Blackhawks’ sweater on, and he’ll likely receive a warm welcome at Fifth Third Bank Arena on Friday. Andrew Shaw will likely receive the same treatment after spending the last three seasons with the Montreal Canadiens.
The Kirby Dach and Adam Boqvist Show
All eyes will be on Kirby Dach and Adam Boqvist during training camp, as both players attempt to crack the Blackhawks’ opening night roster. It’s going to be tough for both players though, as there aren’t many open roster spots. There are a couple of bottom-six forward spots available, but there are a lot of players fighting over it. That includes Alex Nylander, John Quenneville, Dylan Sikura, Anton Wedin, Aleksi Saarela, and 2019 third-overall pick Kirby Dach. It’s not going to be easy for Dach to crack the lineup, but if he continues to impress the way he has recently, it will be tough to send him back to Saskatoon.
Adam Boqvist will have a bit of a tougher time making the roster, as the Blackhawks have eight defensemen who played in the NHL last year. Slater Koekkoek appears to be the current seventh defenseman, but if Boqvist shines during camp, he has a chance. Of course, it’s not ideal to have Boqvist up as a seventh defenseman. If he makes the opening night roster, it’s because he’s going to play. That would likely mean that either Olli Maatta or Brent Seabrook would be scratched, and that isn’t likely at all. Things could change though if Calvin de Haan isn’t ready by the start of the season.
Here’s a look at the Blackhawks 2019 Training Camp Roster:
Training camp begins on Friday, Sept. 13, and the Blackhawks will host their annual Training Camp Festival on Sunday at the United Center. The Blackhawks open their preseason on Monday night in Washington against the Capitals.
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