Puck Drop Preview: 2026-27 Chicago Blackhawks
· Yahoo Sports
Last Word On Hockey‘s Puck Drop Previews are back for the 2026-27 season! As the regular season approaches, Last Word will preview each team’s current outlook and stories to watch for the upcoming year. We’ll also do our best to project how things will go for each team throughout the campaign. Today, we’re previewing the 2026-27 Chicago Blackhawks.
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2026-27 Chicago Blackhawks
2025-26 Season
The 2025-26 season marked the sixth-consecutive season that the Blackhawks missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs. It really is not at all surprising. The Blackhawks are still trying to rebuild around phenomConnor Bedard. With a record of 29-39-14, the Blackhawks finished with 72 points, last in the Central Division and second-to-last in the entire league. This set them up for a solid position to either draft first or second in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Unfortunately for the Blackhawks, they ended up moving back two positions, earning the fourth-overall selection in the draft.
Dec 31, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; St. Louis Blues centre Brayden Schenn (10) skates with the puck against the Chicago Blackhawks during the second period in the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images2026 Offseason
The 2026 offseason got started off with a bang for the Blackhawks. After the Blackhawks lost the draft lottery and earned the right to draft fourth overall, general manager Kyle Davidson elected to trade the pick to the Buffalo Sabres along with the 45th-overall selection and Louis Crevier in exchange for Bowen Byram and Jordan Greenway. This was a major move for the Blackhawks, who are trying to take the next step in their rebuild by bringing in some more proven talent to play around Bedard, Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell. After trading for Byram, the club signed him to a six-year deal worth $75 million, carrying an average annual value of $12.5 million per season.
The next major move saw the Blackhawks bring back future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane on a two-year deal worth $16 million. This will be Kane’s second stint with the club after they originally drafted him first overall in the 2007 NHL Draft. Kane helped the Blackhawks win three Stanley Cups during his first tenure and is hoping to help lead the Blackhawks back to the Playoffs in his return.
The offseason has certainly been one of improvement for the Blackhawks as they look to end their six-year playoff skid.
Lineup Projections
LWCRWRoman KantserovConnor BedardPatrick KaneTyler BertuzziFrank NazarAnton FrondellTeuvo TeravainenOliver MooreRyan GreeneAndrew MangiapaneRyan DonatoJordan GreenwayExtras: Cole Smith, Nick Lardis
Top SixThough Connor Bedard is going to miss at least the first month of the regular season, the newly formed top-six is filled with offensive firepower. Kane joining the fold to play alongside Bedard could produce one of the most exciting duos in the entire league this season. Match that with highly touted prospect Roman Kantserov coming over from the KHL after leading the league in goals last season, the Blackhawks top line should be extremely fun to watch.
The second line of Nazar, Bertuzzi, and Frondell should also be an exciting trio in their own right. Frondell made the jump to the NHL last season, scoring three goals and nine assists in 12 games as a 19-year-old. Nazar upped his production from his rookie season by producing 15 goals and 41 points in 66 games. Add an agitating, high-energy power forward like Bertuzzi to the mix, and the Blackhawks have created a very respectable top-six capable of producing goals. Something they really struggled to do last season.
Bottom SixThe bottom six will feature a strong mix of NHL veterans with a couple of young, promising prospects. Much like Kane, Teravainen is enduring his second stint with the Blackhawks. He’s entering his third season with the Blackhawks since signing with them prior to the 2024-25 season. Teravainen won a Stanley Cup with Kane during the 2014-15 season and is hoping to help turn things around for the club this upcoming season.
Joining him will be Jordan Greenway, who came over in a trade from the Buffalo Sabres and brings some much-needed grit to the lineup. As well as promising young players like Ryan Greene and Oliver Moore. Greene played his first full season with the Blackhawks last season, scoring 12 goals and adding 17 assists in 81 games. For his part in his first season, Moore scored five goals and 14 assists in 51 games. The high-energy forward plays a solid 200-foot game and possesses high hockey IQ and has the versatility to play both centre and the wing. Something that will prove extremely valuable as he continues to develop for the Blackhawks.
Defensive Pairings
LDRDAlex VlasicBowen ByramWyatt KaiserArtyom LevshunovIan ColeSam RinzelExtras:Kevin Korchinski
Top FourThe top four for the Blackhawks will feature the newly acquired Bowen Byram leading the way on the top pair, as well as top defence prospect Artyom Levshunov. Byram will likely be paired with the steady giant Alex Vlasic, while the former second-overall selection Levshunov will be paired with fellow youngster Wyatt Kaiser. This top four should prove to be very steady for the Blackhawks and should be locked in as the top four group for years to come.
Bottom PairThe bottom pair is a bit interesting. This pairing will likely change quite a bit with Kevin Korchinski coming in and out of the lineup for one of Cole or Rinzel. The newly signed Korchinski will be an interesting piece for the group as he is no longer eligible for waivers. The 22-year-old entered the league as a 19-year-old. However, he hasn’t really developed into the defenceman the Blackhawks thought they were drafting when they selected him seventh overall back in 2022. He will certainly push hard for an everyday place in the Blackhawks lineup this season after earning a prove-it deal just a couple of days ago. The Blackhawks definitely will want to keep him up with the roster as well, as they would certainly lose him on waivers if they elected to place him there.
Goalies
GoaliesSpencer KnightArvid SoderblomSpencer Knight returns as the club’s starting goaltender for the 2026-27 season and will look to build off a solid first season starting for the Blackhawks. Playing in front of a very young Blackhawks group, Knight showed why he was drafted 13th overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, posting 19-25-11 record with a 2.82 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. With a much-improved Blackhawks team entering the 2026-27 season, Knight should have every chance to surpass those numbers from last season.
Knight will be the workhorse for the team, as Soderblom will likely play in fewer than 30 games for the team. Soderblom has never produced a save percentage above .900 or a goals-against average under 3.00. Though he has played on some dismal Blackhawks teams, expect the club to turn to Knight on most nights.
Players to Watch
Bowen ByramThe newly acquired Byram will have his first chance to be the leader of a defence group this season with the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks have high expectations for the young defender after dealing the fourth, 45th, and Crevier for him this offseason, then signing him for $12.5 million per season. Despite the pressure of the new contract on a very young Blackhawks team, the 25-year-old defender has all the tools to earn every dollar of his contract, and should be able to accomplish new highs in goals and points again this season, after having a career year with the Sabres which saw him score 11 goals and 42 points in 82 games.
Frank NazarNazar had a very productive 2025-26 season, scoring 15 goals and 41 points in 66 games. The 13th-overall selection in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft will have every opportunity to grow on that as he will be expected to line up as the clubs number one centre, at least until Bedard returns from injury.
Prediction for the 2026-27 Chicago Blackhawks
The 2026-27 Chicago Blackhawks are a much-improved group who will certainly take the next step in their rebuild. Led by Bedard and Kane, the Blackhawks will improve their goal scoring from the second-to-last position they finished last season. Youngsters Frondell, Moore, Greene, Levshunov, and Kantserov will bring some added excitement to the lineup and should be able to cement themselves as staples in the lineup for years to come. Spencer Knight will continue to build on his excellent first season as a starter for the Blackhawks and prove that he will be their starter for the foreseeable future. Despite all this, the Blackhawks will once again miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They will inch closer and play some more meaningful games down the stretch; however, they will ultimately still be on the outside looking in.
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Main Photo Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images