Blackhawks Point/Counterpoint: How Should the Lines Look?

Oh it’s still super early. But what could the Blackhawks lines look like this year? Here’s a way too early look, prior to even camp commencing, that gives some reasoning as to what the Blackhawks lines could look like.

Top Line

Nate: Bertuzzi – Bedard – Kurashev

I’ve outlined the argument before about putting Tyler Bertuzzi on the top line–the majority of his goals came at even strength. Having a pure offensive threat like Connor Bedard centering the line will only keep those odds high, and while there’s a compelling argument for Teuvo Teravainen on this line–I still think giving Bertuzzi the nod at first to see if he can cash in on those rebound chances is certainly worth a look. Beyond that, Teravainen is more of a pure scorer than Bertuzzi, who makes his living getting greasy goals and crashing the net.

Vinnie: Hall – Bedard – Teravainen

The biggest thing for the Chicago Blackhawks this season is seeing Connor Bedard take another step toward NHL stardom. They traded for Taylor Hall last year but he dealt with injuries so he missed most of the year. With him healthy and the addition of Teuvo Teravainen, Chicago should have a good top line.

Second Line

Vinnie: Bertuzzi – Athanasiou – Kurashev

Andreas Athanasiou was injured in 2023-24 but has been a good player for Chicago when healthy. Philipp Kurashev has been a reliable middle-six forward as well. Adding Tyler Bertuzzi should help the Hawks have a decent second-scoring line to support Bedard’s trio.

Nate: Hall – Dickinson – Teravainen

There’s something to be said for some speed on this line and having the ever responsible two-way forward in Dickinson allows Hall and Teravainen to generate offense. Mentioned earlier, Teravainen is a pure scorer and will provide some offense on a line. The real x-factor here is Hall’s health.

Third Line

Nate: Reichel – Nazar – Mikheyev

Yeah, I’m going there. I think Nazar will separate himself in camp and find a way on the roster. I also think this particular line could be one of speed and skill that provides massive upside for the Blackhawks offense. W0rse case? The Hawks don’t see the production they want out of Nazar and he goes for fine tuning in Rockford. Lukas Reichel needs to come out of the gates quickly as opposed to last year and being on a line with a skilled and speedy forward would do that. However, if Reichel struggles, this is where Athanasiou comes up to give that extra boost of speed–or if Nazar goes back down.

Vinnie: Foligno – Dickinson – Mikheyev

Nick Foligno and Jason Dickinson were outstanding leaders for the Chicago Blackhawks in 2023-24. In terms of hockey, they played well which set a great example for the young players. With Ilya Mikheyev in the mix, it should be a formidable third line. 

Fourth Line

Nate: Foligno – Donato – Athanasiou

Foligno fluttered between the top nine last year but this allows him a chance to go to the bottom line where he can still contribute. Craig Smith chipped in 11 goals last season and would rotate in. Donato proved to be a strong two-way forward last year for the Hawks. I also think Athanasiou’s struggles last season would put him down the line here, allowing him to work his way up.

Vinnie: Donato – Reichel – Smith

The most successful teams in the NHL have a productive fourth line in one way or another. Is Lukas Reichel going to be the 70+ point player they were hoping for? Maybe not. However, it is on him to carve out a successful role going forward. With Ryan Donato and Craig Smith, he could be a great bottom-six forward. 

Top Pairing

Nate: Vlasic – Jones

It worked last year–why break what doesn’t need fixing?

Vinnie: Vlasic – Jones

Alex Vlasic should be seen as a part of the core. He has been great to start his career as a defensive defenseman. Like his cousin Marc-Edouard, he can impact a team without being too flashy. Seth Jones is one of the leaders on this team now and still has some great hockey left in the tank. Jones was drafted in the Nathan MacKinnon draft so he certainly isn’t old yet.

Second Pair

Nate: Martinez – Brodie

This provides some stability in the second pairing with the very dependable Alec Martinez. Brodie had a tough second half of the season in Toronto but pairing with Martinez and being on a club with less pressure likely stabilizes things a bit.

Vinnie: Korchinski – Murphy

Kevin Korchinski had a very up-and-down rookie year. He has promising offensive upside but he has to work on getting better in his end. This year should be much more stable for him. For as long as Connor Murphy is available to them, they should use him with Korchinski to help him out. 

Third Pair

Nate: Korchinski – Murphy

I flipped them only because I think the Blackhawks will want to ease Korchinski in this season before putting back into a top four role. There’s a lot of talk of him starting in Rockford but I don’t see that until potentially major struggles. Korchinski’s issue wasn’t always about him–it was often him being a victim of a pairing partner that wasn’t as high of a skill level.

Vinnie: Martinez – Brodie

Alec Martinez is a great veteran who has won the Stanley Cup multiple times. Bringing him in as a steady presence on the back end along as a big voice in the locker room is brilliant. TJ Brodie is also a great veteran addition to this developing team. With Martinez, they should play very well. 

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