The Chicago Blackhawks will see one significant lineup change heading into Game 1 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, as Kris Versteeg steps in for Bryan Bickell.
It could amount to a tired player replacing a possibly hurt one.
Versteeg’s wife gave birth to Jaxon James Versteeg on Monday, forcing Versteeg to scramble to Toronto. As USA Today’s FTW reports, he’s already been through a “whirlwind” as he plane-hopped back and forth. Luckily, he was at least able to spend some time with his newborn boy, and he already has a strategy for handling a possible baby-in-the-Cup situation.
If the #Blackhawks win, Versteeg told me he'd only put his newborn son in the Cup w/blanket. "Won't let him touch it. He's got to earn it."
— Brian Hedger (@BrianHedger) June 3, 2015
Of course, the Blackhawks need to win four huge games for that to even be a consideration.
Update: Blackhawks assistant Mike Kitchen said on NHL Network that Bickell’s missing Game 1 for “precautionary reasons,” according to NHL.com.
No doubt about it, it would be a great story if Versteeg can be a difference-maker on the ice.
Here’s how the lines shake out early on:
#Blackhawks lines in Bickell's absence: 20-19-88, 23-91-81, 10-80-86, 11-16-65.
— Tracey Myers (@Tramyers_NHL) June 3, 2015
Meanwhile, it looks like the Bolts are sticking with 11 forwards and seven defensemen:
#TBLightning going with 11 forwards and 7 defensemen again tonight as Nesterov is in. Bolts are 8-3 in playoffs w/ that alignment #TBLvsCHI
— Bryan Burns (@BBurnsNHL) June 4, 2015