The Carolina Hurricanes are set to face the Chicago Blackhawks with some changes to their lineup.
The Canes have recalled four players from their American Hockey League affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. This comes as the Hurricanes prepare to rest some of their key players ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs next weekend.
Lineup Changes for Carolina
Rod Brind’Amour indicated that multiple “significant players” will not participate in tonight’s contest. He stated that at least three of Skyler Brind’Amour, Charles Alexis Legault, Bradly Nadeau, and Josiah Slavin will skate tonight. There is also the potential for all four to be in the lineup.
Jalen Chatfield will not play. He got banged up in Tuesday’s win over Boston.
Frederik Andersen is expected to take his turn in the goaltending rotation. Tonight could be his penultimate regular-season start, should he and Brandon Bussi continue to alternate appearances. Andersen is 7-4 in 11 appearances since the Winter Olympics.
Projected Line Combinations
The projected lineup includes:
- Carrier – Jankowski – Deslauriers
The first power play unit is projected to be Aho, Ehlers (Staal), Jarvis, and Svechnikov with Gostisbehere. Jordan Staal has been taking the faceoffs with the first power play unit. If he wins it, he’ll stay on the ice; when the puck comes out of the zone, he jumps off, and Nikolaj Ehlers jumps on.
The second power play unit is projected as Blake, Hall, Jankowski, and Stankoven with Nikishin.
Pyotr Kochetkov is out following hip surgery. He resumed skating on Apr. 4, but there is no timetable for his return.
These units are likely to change given Brind’Amour’s pregame assessment that multiple “significant players” will not participate in tonight’s contest.
The game is tonight.
The Hurricanes would like their players as close to full health as possible when the Stanley Cup Playoffs arrive next weekend. With a division title already locked up, the team is taking precautions.