Blackhawks Open Preseason at Wild With Prospect-Heavy Lineup

The Chicago Blackhawks open their four-game preseason schedule Saturday at the Minnesota Wild. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. CT at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.

Chicago is expected to bring a prospect-heavy group rather than its established NHL lines. Defenseman Kevin Korchinski is among the players projected to skate, along with Ethan Del Mastro and several players who appeared in the club's prospect showcase. The lineup was still a projection ahead of the game, not a confirmed roster.

Players who practiced with Chicago's main group Saturday morning were expected to stay home, according to Second City Hockey. The trip gives Korchinski and other players competing for roster spots a preseason opportunity before the Blackhawks host Minnesota in their second exhibition on Monday.

The Wild also plan to rest several regulars, including Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber, according to The Hockey News' game-day report. Minnesota's own preview confirms the time and venue for the first game on both clubs' exhibition schedules.