The Chicago Blackhawks’ training camp gets underway on September 21, and it’s the ideal time for the coaching staff to get inventive with line combination tests for the upcoming season. Who Connor Bedard’s linemates will be in his first season is a topic of interest for most fans. He is expected to play on the first line with Lukas Reichel and Taylor Hall, which is ideal because they are the team’s top players. Even if Chicago is considering that Bedard will still have the opportunity to play with a variety of guys at training camp to determine where the chemistry and production lie.
Option #1: Tyler Johnson- Connor Bedard- Taylor Raddysh
I concur with Connor Smith, one of our Blackhawks writers, who suggested in June that the organization pair Bedard with Johnson because Johnson’s Stanley Cup-winning history and seasoned leadership would be a good fit for Bedard. Johnson has had a great impact on the youngsters during his time with the Blackhawks. The first thing that springs to mind is how he played on the second line with Cole Guttman last year. He talked about how much he enjoyed playing with Guttman and how much they had each other to learn from. Guttman benefited as well because he was one of their most reliable players throughout the course of 14 games.
This line tied for fifth place in goals-for with six and generated the seventh-most chances (102) on the club. Johnson spoke highly of Guttman in the same sentence that he discussed getting along with Raddysh. Last season, they worked well together while playing on a line with Jason Dickinson and Jonathan Toews.
Option #2: Lukas Reichel – Connor Bedard – Philipp Kurashev
Similar to the pairing of Johnson and Raddysh, Lukas Reichel and Philipp Kurashev offer the coaches confidence because they have established chemistry. Because Kurashev and Andreas Athanasiou constantly attempt to make plays, Reichel remarked that he enjoys playing with them. Prior to Max Domi’s trade to the Dallas Stars, Reichel, Kurashev, and the first line they played on together last season were one of the Blackhawks’ most productive lines. Why not try that pairing once more, this time with Bedard? They are all playmakers, and it can lead to a lot of offense.
Each team needs a line that can be counted on to score, and this one might be it. The only thing this line is missing is defense. Together, Reichel and Kurashev played some of their finest hockey, and the addition of Bedard might be explosive as they could all improve one another’s performances. The queue would move fairly quickly as well. The group was giving them a spin, as I could see.
Option #3: Taylor Hall – Connor Bedard – Taylor Raddysh
This line suggestion was made by my coworker and fellow Blackhawks writer Gail Kauchak, and it sounds like fun. Starting out, the coaching staff may prioritize keeping Bedard and Hall together because Hall has a ton of experience and is constantly a threat to be a scoring wing. Hall’s ability to play the off-wing makes him also useful in this situation. Although he generally plays right wing for the Bruins, he temporarily played right wing last season and said he is accustomed to it. The coaching staff now has more creative choices for using that line. The difference between this option and the presumable Reichel partnership is that it would return Hall to his customary left-wing position.
This product line has the makings of being highly successful. With Bedard’s finishing touch, the physicality that both Hall and Raddysh can contribute might blend well with Hall’s greater playmaking ability.
Option #4: Ryan Donato – Connor Bedard – Taylor Hall
My “out there” line combination is this one. Though doubtful, it might still be possible. Keeping Hall and Bedard together in this line would be essential since it would provide some offense reliability, but Ryan Donato is the wild card. He joined the Seattle Kraken as a free agent. He is one of those “Swiss army knife” guys who can play wherever in the lineup, which makes his game stand out to me. He has prior top- and bottom-six experience. General manager Kyle Davidson stated when he was signed that his versatility and depth were important factors in the signing. He may complement Bedard’s game nicely because of his bite and energy.
Because of Sam Lafferty’s drive and work ethic, the Blackhawks placed him on the first line with Patrick Kane last season. It significantly simplifies the life of colleagues. It wasn’t a long-term fix, and it didn’t work, but Donato might be an exception given his prior performance in the position. Lafferty, on the other hand, was always only a bottom-six player.
Donato is most likely going to play consistently in the bottom six, but if an injury occurs or they need a spark, it might be something to think about. His tenacity can cause trouble and offer Bedard and Hall breathing room.