The Blackhawks were dealt an extremely tough hand today in terms of travel logistics, injuries and matchup. They persevered through it all, upsetting the Stars 4-3 after Nick Lardis' shootout winner. Postgame story from Dallas: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks are on pace for 73 points (up from 61 and 52 the last two seasons) and a -34 goal diff (up from -70 and -111). Yet they're also on pace to enter the draft lottery with the best odds — thanks to the NHL's parity this season. Story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Many Blackhawks fans are fed up with rebuilding. They made their voices heard in replies to my Davidson story yesterday. And that's one big reason why other NHL franchises are so reluctant to take the rebuild leap. The Hawks have become a test case. New column: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

We're nearly four years into the Blackhawks' rebuild. What comes next? I asked Kyle Davidson to lay out his plan. "What we learn over the next year or two will determine where this group goes and what we need to add." New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Matt Grzelcyk is giving the Blackhawks much-needed steadiness in a larger-than-expected role. He's averaged 20+ min over the last 6 games. Not bad for a camp PTO signing. "There’s less highs and lows with him." New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

What does the future hold for Nick Lardis with the Blackhawks? Nashville's Luke Evangelista offers some clues. "Learning to be consistent and maintain that kind of production throughout a full pro season is going to be big for him." New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks have been hammered by bad news and bad results over the past two weeks, and the hailstorm didn't let up today. Frank Nazar will miss approximately 4 weeks after suffering an injury in a 6-4 loss to the Senators today. Postgame story from Ottawa: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks' goalie depth chart beneath Spencer Knight is getting complicated. Soderblom has struggled recently. Brossoit is stuck, for now. Commesso and Berezhnoy need to play. So I asked Kyle Davidson where things stand. New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Life without Connor Bedard is proving to be as grueling for the Blackhawks in 2025-26 as it was in 2023-24. They generated only 15 SOG in a 4-1 loss tonight in Montreal. Postgame story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks are trying out two PP units with roughly even talent distribution. Neither is officially PP1. "This way, we can work the hands the way we want them...and get guys in the spots where they’re most comfortable." New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Draft picks will continue to be important assets for the Blackhawks moving forward — but as trade chips as much as anything. They can put in work now to build up a supply of picks in 2027, 2028 and beyond to have at their disposal. New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Over the past 48 hours, the Blackhawks worked hard to adjust strategies to give them a chance of succeeding without Connor Bedard. They executed all of those things tonight. And they still lost. It was a real "gut punch." Postgame story from Toronto: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Another news-filled day for the Blackhawks in Toronto: 🔹 Levshunov scratched due to tardiness after Blashill's eruption 🔹Bedard on the trip despite shoulder injury 🔹How Brossoit clearing waivers affects trade outlook Story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Blackhawks prospect Vaclav Nestrasil was just hoping for a decent role as a freshman at UMass. With 20 points in 18 games, he has blown away his own expectations. "Everything is clicking for me right now." New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Patrick Kane skated into the UC with the attitude it was his house and his party. Without Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks were powerless to stop him. "It’s definitely strange, but if you’re a guy that has had such an impact on a city..." Postgame story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks' offense will need a miracle to stay afloat without Connor Bedard — no matter the length of his absence. Can Nick Lardis provide that miracle? New column: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Connor Bedard’s injury hangs over the Blackhawks after a 3-2 loss tonight. Jeff Blashill called it a “freak accident” and said Bedard won’t play tomorrow vs Detroit, with his status TBD beyond that. Postgame notebook from St. Louis: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks are playing a minor role in the sudden scrutiny on hand passes around the NHL. If unintentional, hand contact is only prohibited if it "allowed his team to gain an advantage." Unsurprisingly, it turns out that's a gray area. New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Blackhawks defensemen have their own blind-spot detection system: Spencer Knight's voice. "In front of the net, he’ll be like 'Middle, middle!' or 'Backdoor!'" "He reads the game really well, so we all trust him very much." New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks bounced back from disaster with a "refocused" effort tonight, shutting out the Rangers 3-0. "I’ll give this team a lot of credit. When we either practice stuff or go through stuff on video, they have done an excellent job of applying it." Story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Anton Frondell's ice time with Djurgarden has fluctuated. But the Blackhawks are telling him to prioritize himself. "He can still dominate that game. He’s that strong. He’s that good. He doesn’t need to defer to the older players." New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Jeff Blashill on Sam Rinzel's AHL assignment: "This is a really hard league, if you start to struggle, to gain traction. So go down and get your swagger with the puck back." New Blackhawks notebook: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Artyom Levshunov has high risk tolerance. But he’s also becoming more consistent and predictable, even when making risky plays. “You’re worried something bad might happen, but then he makes the play. It is funny when you see a guy so relaxed.” New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks' disastrous weekend leads to an inflection point in their season. They're 2-6-2 over their last 10 games. Is this their true form? Or is this just a temporary valley in their growth trajectory? New column: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Connor Bedard deserves credit for his improvement with faceoffs: 2023-24: 38.9% 2024-25: 38.3% 2025-26: 48.1% "I’m trying to keep that consistency, and I feel like I’ve done a better job of that this year." That's part 2 of this Bedard update: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks just endured their worst weekend since 1951. That's what happens when you lose 6-0 and 7-1 on consecutive nights. "This is a time where it felt like they didn’t learn a lesson from Buffalo." Postgame story from Anaheim: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The second half of the Blackhawks’ Los Angeles residency didn’t go nearly as well as the first half. "Unfortunate that we let it get to that point." Postgame story after a 6-0 loss: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Can the Blackhawks be a "PDO team"? Can they keep defying the analytics models with efficient scoring and goaltending? With Bedard, Knight and a system that reduces blocked shots in both ways, they might have a chance. New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

In the NHL, you sometimes don't have your legs. The Blackhawks' youngsters are learning how to still play competently on those nights. "You can win with your B-game." This weekend's back-to-back will be a test. New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks are punching above their weight this season. On the penalty kill specifically, though, they're punching at their weight. They're legitimately stacked with superb killers, and those guys are delivering, Postgame story from LA: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Blackhawks prospect Roman Kantserov leads the KHL with 22 goals and continues to raise his stock ahead of his expected 2026 NHL arrival. "He has the skill but also the bulldog mentality where he’s going to battle." New story with lots of Hawks prospect updates: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

It's clear now: Connor Bedard will be a championship-caliber centerpiece for the Blackhawks. He's proving his immeasurable value every night this season. No matter the price tag on his next contract, it will be worth it. New column: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Wyatt Kaiser, the most multifaceted Blackhawk, has found a new outlet for creativity: playing guitar. "I’ve played hockey for so long that your improvements are tiny and tiny. Whereas trying to relearn how to do something is fun again." New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks are now 1-6 in OT/SO games this season. Jeff Blashill would love to flip their record with the Ducks, who are 6-1 in those situations. Still, their young players are gaining valuable experience every time. Postgame story from Vegas: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Big crowds throughout Thanksgiving week boosted the Blackhawks' attendance after a concerning October. Due to marketing campaigns and the team's on-ice improvement, ticket sales should remain stronger moving forward. New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks desperately needed a win today, and Connor Bedard ensured they got one. He led a 5-3 comeback over the Ducks with some swagger. "[When] he puts up two and two, he can walk around with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder." Postgame story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Spencer Knight's breakout season for the Blackhawks is being fueled by a perfect recipe of off-ice recovery habits: 🔹Red-light mats... 🔹Intermission meals... 🔹Sleeping on the plane... "It’s crazy, but I’ve got to respect that." New feature story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Frank Nazar has had a quiet, goal-less November for the Blackhawks. That’s partly because he was playing through injury, although he insists he feels better now. New story breaking down more factors that contributed to his cooldown: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Jeff Blashill will have to manage the Blackhawks' shaken confidence after a 4-3 loss tonight against the Predators — their fifth straight. "Only the most mentally tough survive this league, so we’re going to have to be mentally tough and dig in." Story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The NHL's Thanksgiving rule doesn't seem applicable this year. With so much parity and such tightly packed standings, it feels like the Blackhawks — even in this skid — still have a decent chance of playing meaningful games in March. New column: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Only two NHL teams have spent fewer than 300 minutes trailing this season: the Blackhawks and the Avalanche. Only because of the Hawks' lead-protection problems are they now a mediocre 10-8-5 after falling 4-3 in OT tonight against Minnesota. Postgame story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Blackhawks prospect Nick Lardis' prolific scoring hasn't been stunted by the OHL-to-AHL leap. "You can’t overlook that it is rare to have players who jump and still have that impact." But Lardis would likely benefit from a full AHL season. Here's why: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Laurent Brossoit's knee problems seemed so irreparable that he nearly gave up on his NHL career. "It was looking pretty bleak." Then, finally, came an aha moment — and now, he's almost ready to play again. Brossoit explains his injury journey: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Blackhawks prospect Mason West's emotions overflowed after winning the Minnesota HS football title last week. "You just stand there in awe, looking around... It was just a blast. It still doesn’t feel real." West describes the experience and what's next: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

It sounds strange to be encouraged by a third consecutive loss, but the Blackhawks’ sentiments bordered on that tonight after falling 1-0 to the Avalanche. "We can be both happy with the process [and] not satisfied with the result." Postgame story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar are proving they're ready to wear the "C" and an "A" for the Blackhawks. And with the current leadership group all on expiring contracts, that could happen as soon as next season. New story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

After a 9-3 blowout loss to the Sabres, this feels like the thinnest ice the Blackhawks have traversed yet this season. Will this team be able to respond from adversity and prevent things from spiraling out of control? We'll find out. Postgame story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

The Blackhawks will debut their new black alternate jersey on Black Friday next week against the Predators. The timing is curious and the rollout was messy, but the nostalgia factor is guaranteed to excite the fan base. Story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Connor Bedard received kindness from referees Tuesday and hostility from them tonight. Referee Justin Kea's controversial call against him marked the pivotal moment in the Blackhawks' 3-2 loss to the Kraken. Postgame story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...

Alex Vlasic is good at hockey. He's also good at Fortnite and Call of Duty. He leads a lobby of Blackhawks who enjoy a virtual break from the NHL grind. "It’s like you’re hanging out, but you’re not." A lighthearted new story: chicago.suntimes.com/blackhawks/2...