Projected lineups were set for Panthers at Blackhawks on Sunday, October 25, and the biggest name hanging over the matchup is Andrew Mangiapane. He was activated off injured reserve on Friday, but he is still listed in a way that leaves open whether he will finally get into the lineup.
That uncertainty is the reason fans are checking the matchup now. Both teams practiced in Chicago on Saturday, and the lineup notes point to several moving parts, including players who could return and others still working back from injury. The Blackhawks also have a goaltending decision to sort through after Black started and made 18 saves in his NHL debut against the Penguins.
For the Panthers, Vilmanis and Gudas are likely to return after sitting out a 4-0 loss at Pittsburgh on Thursday. Byram, meanwhile, skated in a non-contact jersey on Saturday after missing three consecutive games. Those updates give the projected group a different look from the one that took the ice earlier in the week, and they matter because the margin for error is thin this early in the season.
The wrinkle is Mangiapane. He was activated off injured reserve on Friday, but he was also scratched for a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens, which leaves his status in flux even after the roster move. If he does dress, it would be his first game since the Blackhawks' season opener, and if he does not, the scratch will only sharpen the question of how soon he is ready to return to regular duty.
There is still room for one more change before puck drop, but the shape of the matchup is already clear: the Panthers and Blackhawks are managing injuries, testing returnees and weighing whether Mangiapane is available enough to move from the roster to the ice. The next answer comes with the game on Sunday, October 25.
