The Chicago Blackhawks finished the road portion of their preseason schedule Sunday with a 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild. That followed a 4-2 win over the St. Louis Blues on Saturday and a 3-2 loss to the Detroit Red Wings last Tuesday.
They will host the same three teams over the next five days at the United Center — beginning Tuesday against the Red Wings (7 p.m., CHSN) — before the regular season begins Oct. 7 at Florida.
As the roster solidifies, here are four players who made noise on the road.
1. Oliver Moore
The speedy winger displayed his prolific skating as he played in all three road preseason games. He was on a line centered by Frank Nazar with Aidan Thompson in Detroit and put up some shots on a night when the Hawks struggled to score in a 3-2 loss.
It was a different story against the Blues. The Hawks went into a flurry in the third period, scoring four unanswered goals to win 4-2. The go-ahead goal was one of the more bizarre plays. On a breakaway into the Blues zone, Colton Dach delivered a huge hit at center ice. A scrum ensued that included every player from both sides.
Every player, that is, except Moore, who sped past a defender for a solo breakaway and an off-camera goal. He turned to celebrate with his teammates, only to see them fighting.
“I didn’t even know what was going on behind me,” Moore said afterward. “I shot the puck, I scored (and) I looked back waiting for my teammates to come celebrate with me, and they were all in a brawl.”
Moore seems to be a perfect fit for coach Jeff Blashill’s up-tempo vision. He can lead any breakaway and just needs to tune up his finishing to be a consistent threat.
He’s a great skater to compare other Hawks with when it comes to speed. There were moments in camp when Connor Bedard — who worked on his skating this summer — matched Moore in drills.
Appearing in every preseason game looks good for Moore’s roster hopes. His speed should catch teams off guard in the regular season.
2. Dominic Toninato
The line of Toninato, Martin Misiak and Gavin Hayes was the most productive for the Hawks on Saturday in St. Louis, sparking the four-goal third period.
Midway through the period, defenseman Connor Murphy found Toninato, who flicked in the puck for the Hawks’ first goal. Twenty-seven seconds later, Toninato found Hayes sitting in front of the net to tie the score at 2.
Hayes and Misiak were assigned to the Rockford IceHogs on Saturday, while Toninato was placed on waivers Sunday, opening a path for him to sign with Rockford. The 31-year-old should be a valuable veteran piece who can bring experience to the Hawks in a pinch as well as to IceHogs teammates and prospects.
3. Sam Rinzel
It’s early, but fans are excited about what they’ve seen from the defenseman
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out of the University of Minnesota. He impressed again in his two preseason appearances in Detroit and Minnesota.Rinzel earned the Hawks’ first assist of the preseason against the Red Wings. A second-period power play saw Rinzel trade the puck with Bedard. The defenseman sent it to the left one more time, and Bedard launched a snipe for the first goal. Blashill had his team work hard on special teams in the practices leading up to the preseason games, and it showed.
Rinzel and Wyatt Kaiser showed their defensive poise against the Wild. Rinzel saved a potential goal from getting past Drew Commesso with the top of his skate, preventing the Wild from scoring their second goal in the Hawks’ 4-1 win.
The Hawks performed well on the power play and penalty kill last season, and they’re hoping Rinzel’s presence will lift them into the league’s upper ranks. The defenseman’s ice vision and ability to create on the power play and at even strength make him a threat.
He skated with Alex Vlasic in the days before the Detroit game, signaling the Hawks trust the 21-year-old with top-pair duties. Rinzel and Bedard on the ice together could result in a lot of goals.
4. Frank Nazar
The Hawks signed Nazar to a seven-year, $46 million contract in hopes he takes the next step. If his performance Sunday says anything, he may be ready.
His game in Minnesota began with a first-period goal. Tyler Bertuzzi kept the puck in play, then took a shot that bounced off the goalie toward Teuvo Teräväinen. Nazar collected a pass from Teräväinen in front of the net to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.
In the second period, Nazar flashed his skating skills by zooming past the Wild defense on a breakaway. Bertuzzi got his second assist by passing to the flying Nazar, who flicked in the puck for goal No. 2.
Nazar launched one from the logo into an empty net with 59 seconds left for a preseason hat trick.
Opponents will have to watch for Nazar whenever he’s on the ice. Whether centering the second line or joining the power play with Bedard, he has a chance to score every time the puck comes his way.
Roster notes
The following players have been assigned to the Rockford IceHogs:
- F Brett Seney
- F Paul Ludwinski
- F Jackson Cates
- F Gavin Hayes
- F Martin Misiak
- D Andrew Perrott
- D Cavan Fitzgerald
- D Taige Harding
- D Dmitry Kuzmin
- D Ryan Mast
- G Stanislav Berezhnoy
- Forward Dominic Toninato was placed on waivers by the Hawks, opening his path to sign with the IceHogs.
There are 38 players remaining on the training camp roster.