Best Rookie Seasons in Chicago Blackhawks History

Bedard became the youngest Calder Trophy winner in franchise history and those who watched the Blackhawks night in, night out knew that he had what it took to be great. Over three seasons, he’s built well on his rookie season and proven himself as a true cornerstone center.

5: Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews

In keeping with the theme of rookie duos, no pair is more iconic in the franchise’s history than these two, so lumping them together is only fitting. Both finished as Calder finalists, with Kane taking home the ultimate prize and Toews finishing third in the vote.

Kane’s 51 assists as a rookie signaled the elite playmaker he became. He now holds the record for the most assists by an American-born hockey player. 21 goals for 72 points was more than enough to secure the Calder Trophy and kick off his career the right way.

Jonathan Toews took a backseat to Kane, but that’s not to say he wasn’t great in his own right. He led rookies in goals with 24 and finished third in total points among rookies. Together, the two formed an outstanding rookie duo and built on that start with over a decade of excellent hockey alongside one another.

4: Ed Belfour

Before Belfour won a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars, he was backstopping a promising Blackhawks roster in the early 1990s. He played 23 games in 1988-89, barely missed the rookie cutoff, and officially began his rookie season in 89-90.

That season, Belfour won an astounding 43 games with a 2.47 goals against average (GAA) and .910 save percentage (SV%). That total is just one win shy of tying Terry Sawchuk’s rookie goaltending-wins record. One could call Belfour lucky, since he caught the league in a less-productive goaltending era, which helped him win his first Vezina Trophy in his first season.

He also won the Calder Trophy, with Sergei Federov as his main competition. As with the Vezina vote, it wasn’t exactly a difficult choice between Belfour, Federov and the rest. Still, his rookie season stands out among all, especially for the Blackhawks.

3: Artemi Panarin

Coming off their 2015 Stanley Cup victory, the Blackhawks welcomed an undrafted, unknown Russian rookie. By the time Chicago signed him, his Kontinental Hockey League highlights were all over social media, and the hype was real. In 80 games, Panarin tucked 30 for 77 total points.

He won the Calder Trophy in a star-studded class that included Connor McDavid, albeit in an injury-shortened season, Jack Eichel, Dylan Larkin, and many others. That same season, he shared a line with Kane, who won the Hart Trophy. It seemed like a clear passing of the torch.

Just two seasons later, the Blackhawks traded Panarin to build depth and maneuver around the Salary Cap. Many consider it one of the worst trades in NHL history. Panarin became a high-end forward, playing his best seasons with the New York Rangers from 2019-2026.

2: Steve Larmer

Larmer has, by far, the best rookie season among Blackhawks forwards, recording 43 goals and 90 total points in 80 games in 1982083. Those totals still stand as the most by a rookie in Blackhawks history and his assist total ranks second just behind Kane.

He won most of the first-place votes for the Calder Trophy, beating Phil Housley and Scott Stevens. His goal total ties Mario Lemieux for seventh-most by a rookie and offered a glimpse of Larmer’s career as a prolific goal scorer.

‘Gramps’ was almost always good for 30 goals, and he would probably consider that a down season. Larmer ranks fourth all time in franchise history in goals scored and is long overdue for a spot in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

1: Tony Esposito

It’s really hard to fully explain how extraordinary Esposito’s rookie season was. Already, it’s rare for a goaltender to win the Calder Trophy. Esposito did that while establishing himself as a top netminder. That same season, he won his first of three Vezina Trophies.

Esposito won 38 games, while posting a 2.17 GAA and a .932 SV%. He recorded 15 shutouts, which still stands as a rookie record and ties him for first among goaltenders in a single season. How many players can say they were clearly the best at their position in season one? Tony Esposito most certainly can.

The main separator between Esposito’s rookie season and Belfour’s was, of course, their stats, but also the competition. Jacques Plante and Ernie Wakely both had high-end, Vezina-quality seasons. As a rookie, Esposito shut both of them down.

The Next Generation

An intriguing pattern emerges with the Blackhawks and rookie forwards. On two occasions, they’ve had stellar rookie forwards. Between Sutter and Savard and Kane and Toews, Frondell and Kantserov have every chance to follow suit.

Through nine games, Frondell has one goal for six points, while Kantserov has buried three goals of his own. With Bedard back in full swing and offensive opportunities opening up all over the ice, expect these two players to duke it out for the remainder of the 2026-27 campaign.