Roster Getting Closer To Being Set For Blackhawks
CHICAGO (CBS) Things are starting to crystallize on the ice for the Blackhawks as they get ready to head across the pond. They'll open up the regular season against the Flyers in Prague a few weeks from Friday.
The Blackhawks roster is getting closer to being set, now it's time to start blending the core with newcomers under second year head coach Jeremy Colliton.
"It's always nice to start narrowing down our group, who is going to be here, and start working on what it is going to take to be a good team this year," said Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews.
"We have a good vibe going on, we've got a good group of guys," said returning winger Andrew Shaw. "We're all buying into the system and it's going to be process learning them and becoming better at them each day. I like where we are headed."
The Blackhawks added to their offense and defense. They believe they should be a deeper team this season.
"You even see it I the preseason games. The third and fourth lines are creating a lot of energy and getting the puck in playing easy game," said winger Alex DeBrincat. "It's good to see and gives us momentum and hope we can build on it."
"[We're] deeper with all four lines, deeper on defense, deeper in prospect pool there is no doubt about it," said veteran winger Patrick Kane. "There is no reason we shouldn't be better than we were last year just based on paper and the players we have in here."
They do have a lot of new faces though and the consensus today, leaving Thursday for a nine day trip to Europe with only two games on tap will help build some much needed chemistry on and off the ice to start the season.