The Chicago Blackhawks have played three preseason games, and while they are still experimenting with different lines and units to see what could work, there seems to be something that already does: the second line.
With Frank Nazar, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Teuvo Teräväinen having been the team’s second line for most of training camp, and considering they played together for the first time of the preseason on Sept. 28, they showed the same promise as they did last season.
Blackhawks Second Line By The Numbers
To circle back, the line of Nazar, Bertuzzi, and Teräväinen is not new. Former head coach Anders Sorensen made them a consistent pairing in March, and they played together for the final 10 games of the season. In that span, they were third-best on the team in Corsi-for (92). Their high danger chances-for were fourth-best (16), and their scoring chances for were third-best (44). Even though they only combined for two goals-for in the 10 games, what you can take away from the numbers is that the line creates chances, and it would be wise to continue to see it through.
Head coach Jeff Blashill seemingly shares the same sentiment, as he had mentioned not wanting to break them up during the team scrimmages, alluding to their familiarity as a line. So, it came as no surprise during the preseason game against the Minnesota Wild that they were deployed, and it ultimately paid dividends.
Nazar recorded a hat trick, with one of the goals being a power-play goal in the first period, in which all three players managed to find each other. Bertuzzi and Teräväinen finished the night with two points, while Nazar had three. They drove the bus in the team’s 4-1 win.
I spoke with Teräväinen on Sept. 27, and I asked him for his perspective on what makes that line so effective, he replied, “I think we got a little bit of everything. Frank is really fast. He can skate good, and Bert is so good around the net; wins a lot of battles. And for me, I just try to get the puck, make some plays, and can find Frank on the speed somewhere, and more Bert in the backdoor. He likes to go backdoor, so I try to find him sometimes. So, it’s been working good so far.”
Even though it wasn’t a five-on-five goal, Nazar’s power-play goal illustrates what Teräväinen was talking about. Teräväinen is an excellent passer, so he can always find Nazar or Bertuzzi on the ice, and with speed, like Nazar showed, come quick goals.
After the game, Nazar said, “Honestly, I’m just lucky enough to play with some guys that can put me in good spots with the puck, and Bert and Teuvo were really good today. And honestly, I just focus more on the process than the result, and I think we did a lot of good things today.”
Nazar, Bertuzzi, & Teräväinen Remain Successful Line Option
It’s still preseason, with three games remaining before the season begins on Oct. 7. And Blashill noted pregame that they are still giving players who are more on the bubble a look, so the lineup is not completely set yet. However, it seems safe to assume that the second line is one that the Blackhawks may choose to stick with. The Blackhawks’ lines haven’t had much chemistry in recent years due to the team’s frequent roster changes, so this could be an important one to watch during the season.
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If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, and they seem to have picked up where they left off at the end of last season.
When general manager Kyle Davidson signed Teräväinen and Bertuzzi in free agency in July 2024, he envisioned them as solid top-six options due to their experience playing with skilled players over the course of their careers, and adding Nazar into the mix, who just signed a seven-year contract extension, looks like it will continue to be a threatening line for the Blackhawks to utilize.
