Connor Murphy Trade Shakes Blackhawks Vs Jets Lineups Ahead of 8 p.m. ET Meeting
The Chicago Blackhawks visit the Winnipeg Jets after a series of roster moves and recent form swings that alter both teams’ matchups. blackhawks vs jets will start at 8 p. m. ET at Canada Life Centre and be available on +.
Blackhawks Vs Jets projected lineups
Projected forward groupings for the Blackhawks list Ryan Greene alongside Connor Bedard and Andre Burakovsky on the top line, with Ryan Donato, Frank Nazar and Teuvo Teravainen forming the second. Tyler Bertuzzi, Jason Dickinson and Ilya Mikheyev occupy the third line, followed by Nick Foligno, Oliver Moore and Landon Slaggert. Scratched on the night are Sam Lafferty, Colton Dach and Ethan Del Mastro.
The Jets’ forward corps projects with Kyle Connor, Mark Scheifele and Gabriel Vilardi up front; Cole Perfetti, Adam Lowry and Alex Iafallo; Gustav Nyquist, Jonathan Toews and Walker Duehr; and Cole Koepke, Morgan Barron and Tanner Pearson. Ville Heinola, Kale Clague and Domenic DiVincentiis are listed as scratched.
Injuries and roster moves are reshaping assignments: Vladislav Namestnikov remains out with a lower-body issue, and the Jets are carrying a string of unavailable defensemen, including Josh Morrissey (upper body), Nino Niederreiter (knee), Neal Pionk (undisclosed) and Colin Miller (knee). Morrissey skated in a noncontact jersey and will miss his fourth straight game, and the Jets will dress the same lineup they used in a 2-1 overtime loss in San Jose on Sunday, maintaining continuity on their forward lines.
Connor Murphy trade and immediate roster effects
The Blackhawks traded defenseman Connor Murphy to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday for a second-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft, a move that directly altered Chicago’s depth chart. As a result of the deal, Rinzel is slated to enter the lineup and defenseman Ethan Del Mastro was recalled from Rockford of the American Hockey League, adding reinforcements to the blueline.
What makes this notable is the timing: the trade came on Monday and immediately produced a lineup change for the visiting Blackhawks, compressing personnel adjustments into the period before the matchup with Winnipeg. The roster shuffle is a concrete cause that produced the effect of new defensive deployments for Chicago on short notice.
Teravainen’s two-goal game, team trends and leaders
Chicago arrives buoyed by Teuvo Teravainen’s two-goal performance in a 4-0 victory in the team’s most recent outing. That result is part of a broader set of form indicators: the Blackhawks are 23-28-9 overall and have a 6-7-4 record in one-goal games, while over their last 10 contests they are 2-6-2, averaging 2. 2 goals per game and giving up 2. 8.
Winnipeg is 23-26-10 this season with a minus-15 scoring differential, having allowed 182 goals and scored 167. The Jets are 6-7-3 against the Central Division and enter the game following a 3-3-4 mark over their last 10, averaging 2. 1 goals per game and surrendering 2. 9. Individual production figures underline matchup storylines: Mark Scheifele has 27 goals and 43 assists for the Jets, while Tyler Bertuzzi has 26 goals and 19 assists for the Blackhawks. Connor Bedard has five goals and two assists over his last 10 games, and Adam Lowry has contributed five assists in his past 10 for Winnipeg.
On balance, the combination of an in-season trade, a recalled prospect and a short-term injury absence creates immediate tactical consequences for both benches. The Blackhawks’ defensive personnel shift forces new pairings against a Jets attack anchored by Scheifele, while Winnipeg’s ability to keep its forward unit unchanged after Sunday’s overtime loss preserves line chemistry going into the matchup.
Beyond the numbers, the matchup offers a clear cause-and-effect frame: the Murphy trade produced a lineup insertion, Del Mastro’s recall added depth, and Teravainen’s recent two-goal night gives Chicago a measurable boost entering the trip to Winnipeg. The game’s 8 p. m. ET start at Canada Life Centre and + coverage make this one of the night’s higher-profile Western Conference matchups.
