PREVIEW: Blackhawks Go Mile High for Season Opener vs. Avs

TIME: 8:30 p.m
TV: TNT | RADIO: WGN-720-AM | STREAM: Watch TNT
The Blackhawks travel to Denver on Wednesday night for the team's 2022-23 season opener against the Colorado Avalanche.

REGULAR SEASON FACEOFF

The Blackhawks open their 96th campaign on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at Colorado. This marks the fifth-straight season the Blackhawks will open the regular season on the road, and the second consecutive season they will start at Colorado. It is also the second time in the last three seasons that Chicago will open the campaign against the reigning Stanley Cup Champions (having faced off against the Tampa Bay Lightning to start the 2020-21 season). This Blackhawks game is the first of a three-game road trip to Colorado, Vegas and San Jose to start the 2022-23 season, before the team returns to the United Center for the team's home opener against Detroit on Friday, Oct. 21.

NEW IN TOWN

The Blackhawks' opening night roster includes nine players that were not with the team during the 2021-22 campaign. Those players include forwards Andreas Athanasiou, Colin Blackwell, Max Domi and Buddy Robinson, defensemen Jack Johnson, Filip Roos, Jarred Tinordi, and goaltenders Petr Mrazek and Alex Stalock. Combined, the newcomers have amassed 2,650 games played, 308 goals, 588 assists and 896 points, along with 201 wins and 33 shutouts.

VS. COLORADO

Defenseman Jack Johnson will face off against his former team on Wednesday after winning the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche last season. Patrick Kane notched a three-point effort against COL in the Blackhawks last contest against the club on Jan. 28 (2G, 1A). Seth Jones has points in six of his last eight games against Colorado, including an assist in his last meeting (2G, 7A).

PUT ME IN COACH

Wednesday's game against Colorado will be Luke Richardson's first behind the bench as an NHL head coach. He joins the club after spending the previous four seasons as an assistant coach with the Montreal Canadiens from 2018-22, helping steer the team to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. The Ottawa, Ontario native also spent one season as an assistant coach for the New York Islanders in 2017-18. New faces behind the bench also include assistant coaches Kevin Dean and Derek Plante with Derek King returning as an assistant.

STICKS AND MILESTONES

Entering the 2022-23 season, Jonathan Toews is just five assists from 500 in his NHL career. Andreas Athanasiou is four points shy of 200, while Petr Mrazek is five games from having 300 total games played.