The Blackhawks handed their defense to the kids Saturday.
Before sending a more veteran-heavy lineup to Milwaukee for a preseason game Sunday against the Wild, the Hawks dressed five defensemen 22 or younger in a 3-0 home loss to the Red Wings.
Alec Regula (22), Isaak Phillips (21), Nolan Allan (19), Ethan Del Mastro (19) and Nicolas Beaudin (22) all dressed, making Jack Johnson (35) — in his unofficial Hawks debut — the lone veteran in the rotation.
It was a smart decision. Not only is the preseason intended to give prospects sone NHL experience, but the Hawks also have to determine which young defensemen will travel with them for opening night Oct. 12 against the Avalanche.
Roster battle on defense
Seth Jones is guaranteed to make the team. So are fellow veterans Connor Murphy, provided the back injury keeping him out of camp right now is as minor as the Hawks have implied, and Johnson.
Caleb Jones and Riley Stillman are virtual locks, too, but the Hawks would like to see both take steps forward. Stillman, historically a defense-first depth option, worked this summer to expand his offensive skills.
‘‘[I spent] a lot of time on the ice, working with my skills coach to make plays coming out of my own end, tape-to-tape,’’ Stillman said. ‘‘[I’m] just trying to be clean that way and continue to expand my game.’’
With Jake McCabe out several more weeks while recovering from back surgery, that leaves two vacant roster spots on the back end. The players who earn those spots likely will play regularly, too, because the Hawks would prefer someone such as Johnson to be a healthy scratch than a prospect.
Regula, Phillips and Alex Vlasic are the three leading candidates fighting for those two spots. Ian Mitchell and Jakub Galvas also would be in the conversation if they were not sidelined by injuries (wrist and oblique, respectively).
Beaudin, meanwhile, is the only prospect defenseman no longer waiver-exempt, but he hasn’t shown much to indicate he’s ready for the NHL. Swedish free-agent signee Filip Roos likely will begin his North American adjustment in Rockford of the American Hockey League. Allan, Del Mastro and Kevin Korchinski are not AHL-eligible and are expected to return to their Canadian junior teams.
Of the three leading candidates, Phillips and Regula have significantly more pro hockey experience than Vlasic, but Vlasic might have the highest upside and was impressive with the Hawks late last season.
Coach Luke Richardson said Saturday the Hawks’ roster for their preseason finale Saturday at the Blues will be similar to their opening-night lineup, so the battle among Phillips, Regula and Vlasic seemingly has entered its final week.
Forwards less uncertain
Given the imbalance of the Hawks’ prospect pool, as well as the waiver situation, the opening-night forward lineup is much easier to predict.
Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Max Domi, Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Johnson, Colin Blackwell, Sam Lafferty, Taylor Raddysh, Boris Katchouk, Philipp Kurashev, Jujhar Khaira, MacKenzie Entwistle and Reese Johnson are the 13 forwards most likely to make the team.
The only question is with regard to top prospect Lukas Reichel. The Hawks seem inclined to keep Reichel in Rockford for as long as possible, but he has looked very good in camp — potentially good enough to force his way onto the roster. If he does stay, the Hawks initially could keep 14 forwards or try to slip Entwistle or Reese Johnson through waivers.
After Reichel, Josiah Slavin, Mike Hardman (when he returns from his groin injury) and Dylan Sikura would be next in line.
