The Sabres and Blackhawks released their projected lineups for Thursday, November 12, in Chicago, with Patrick Kane still listed as injured but edging toward a return. The matchup puts line combinations and availability front and center before puck drop, and it leaves one of the biggest names in the game as the key watch item.
For the Sabres, Peyton Krebs, Josh Norris and Tage Thompson were projected on the top line, while Zach Benson, Noah Ostlund and Jack Quinn were listed behind them. Jason Zucker, Ryan McLeod and Josh Doan were projected on the third line, with Beck Malenstyn, Tyson Kozak and Sam Carrick on the fourth. Konsta Helenius, Justin Danforth, Matt Grzelcyk and Alex Lyon all remained out with injuries, though Lyon could still join the Sabres on their six-game road trip that begins in Chicago.
The Blackhawks skated with Roman Kantserov, Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi on the first line and Andrew Mangiapane, Anton Frondell and Teuvo Teravainen on the second. Oliver Moore, Frank Nazar and Ryan Donato were projected on the third line, with Cole Smith, Ryan Greene and Jordan Greenway on the fourth. Dillon Boucher and Kevin Korchinski were scratched, Bowen Byram remained out with an upper-body injury, and the lineup also left room for Crevier to face his former team after sitting out for three straight games.
That is the edge in this game: the Blackhawks held an optional morning skate, while the Sabres did not skate at all after their 8-3 loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday. Jeff Blashill said Kane is "hopeful to probable" to return even though he has missed three games, a useful sign for a player whose availability can shift the balance of a lineup in a hurry. Commesso was recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League on Sunday after the team waived goalie Arvid Soderblom and assigned him to Rockford, adding another layer to a morning built around who is in, who is out and who is close enough to play.
The real answer will come with the final scratches and the first shift, but this much is already clear: Kane is the one player both sides will be watching closest when the Sabres and Blackhawks open their night in Chicago.
