Teuvo Teravainen spent the final four games of Chicago’s first round series against Nashville in the press box, but he should be back in the lineup for Game 1 of the second round series against Minnesota.
That’s based on the Blackhawks’ recent practice where he skated alongside Antoine Vermette and Patrick Sharp.
“The three of them looked good out there today,” Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville told CSN Chicago. “They all [have] a little bit something different on the line, they’ve all got different dimensions to their game. He’s got two experienced guys out there but I like his presence, as well. I think he’s going to add some speed and I think that predictability on both sides of the puck is something that he can bring to that line. We’ll see how it plays itself out. Potentially, it could really be a good line for us.”
If Chicago’s practice lines prove to be accurate then Kris Versteeg will be a healthy scratch after scoring a goal and averaging 15:34 minutes per contest in the first round.
Teravainen, 20, had four goals and nine points in 34 contests in 2014-15. Those lukewarm offensive numbers don’t properly highlight his potential though.
He held his own in Game 1 of the first round series, but left something to be desired in Game 2. Since then he’s had an opportunity to get more comfortable with the playoff atmosphere and study the games as an observer. Now it seems like he’ll get another chance to prove he’s ready to contribute in the postseason.