Blackhawks 5 Keys to Success in 2025-26

With young centers, faceoffs are generally an issue. Younger players usually struggle against stronger and more experienced players, and it also takes some time to adjust to the tendencies of the referees. Last season, Bedard took 656 faceoffs, losing 405 of them for a dismal 38.3% success rate. Granted, he improved this numbers as the season went along, winning 47.1% of his draws after Jan. 27. He also changed his stick from a 70-flex to a 75-flex, which should help him get more leverage in his faceoffs.

Nazar fared a little better at the dot. Out of 381 faceoffs taken, he won 170 of them for a 44.6% success rate. The Blackhawks can also pair Bedard and Nazar with linemates who can help out on draws. But if they want to be elite centers, it’s essential for these blossoming superstars to improve in the faceoff circle.

Playing center also involves more defensive responsibility than playing on the wing. The question here is whether this will hinder Bedard’s and Nazar’s offensive opportunities. But if they have the right linemates this should take care of itself.

So, who are the right linemates? Yes, yes; I know. That elite forward to play alongside Bedard wasn’t acquired this offseason. But the good news is he and Ryan Donato played together a lot over the last two seasons, so they already have some built-in chemistry. Perhaps Andre Burakovsky will emerge as a linemate for Bedard. Maybe Oliver Moore is an option. Or….when will Nick Lardis join the big club?!

Nazar, on the other hand, worked well with Teuvo Teravainen and Tyler Bertuzzi on his wings last season. I wouldn’t be surprised if this trio is a starting point for the second line headed into this campaign. Regardless, the progression of Bedard, Nazar and the top two lines will be extremely important for sustained success.

Which Young Blackhawks Will Emerge at Forward?

Beyond Bedard and Nazar, there are soooo many young prospects to watch at the forward position. We’ll start with 23-year-old Lukas Reichel. Can he finally turn things around, now in his fifth season with the Blackhawks? Or will he be pushed out by others knocking at the door?

23-year-old Landon Slaggert suited up for 33 games last season and 16 games in the 2023-24 campaign. This will likely be his first season as a regular everyday player. He should be a great depth option for the Blackhawks.

22-year-old Colton Dach played in 25 games last season. He’s struggled with injuries; but if healthy, he could be a power forward option.

20-year-old Moore was with the Blackhawks for nine contests at the end of the season, after finishing up his collegiate career with the University of Minnesota. He’s known for his speed, and contributed four assists in his short stint with the Hawks.

21-year-old Ryan Greene got in two games at the end of last season after finishing three seasons at Boston University. Will he find a permanent place in the lineup this year?

We already mentioned 20-year-old Lardis. Can he make the team out of training camp, or will he have to wait a bit? 20-year-old Martin Misiak is a player to watch as well.

Remember, players who don’t make the lineup right away will be playing with the team’s AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs. If you haven’t already, this might be a good time to start checking out some IceHogs games! Many of their young players over the next few seasons will likely be with the Blackhawks when they’re ready to contend again.

Let’s also not forget about the plethora of prospects who will likely come to the Blackhawks at the conclusion of their respective junior or college seasons. This includes names such as Sacha Boisvert, Marek Vanacker, Jack Pridham, John Mustard and A.J. Spellacy; to name a few.

All in all, there’s the potential for some big progression with the forward group.

The Youngsters’ Progression on Defense

While there are plenty of veterans at forward to help the youth along, or get in their way (depending on which way you see it), that is simply NOT the case on defense. 32-year-old Connor Murphy is essentially the only veteran in the group, unless you want to include Alex Vlasic in that category. The 24-year-old will be starting in his third full season with the Blackhawks, and is already considered an elite shutdown defenseman.

Beyond that, you have Artyom Levshunov (19 years old) Kevin Korchinski (20), Sam Rinzel (21), Wyatt Kaiser (23), Nolan Allan (22), Ethan Del Mastro (22) Taige Harding (23), and Louis Crevier (24). Of all these defensemen, Kaiser has the most NHL experience, with 98 games under his belt. Rinzel has the least, with just nine NHL games.

Just how are all these kids going to fare? Will they hold their own, or struggle mightily? If they do well, the Blackhawks have a solid shot at winning more games than they did last season. If they don’t, it could get ugly.

The fact that the organization chose not to add another veteran on the back end means they feel this young group is collectively NHL-ready. Let’s hope they’ve made the right decision. Korchinski played 76 games in his rookie season (2023-24) because the only other choice was to go back to his junior team (due to CHL rules for 19-year-olds). But it can be argued this thwarted his development trajectory.

The hope is this won’t happen with any of the other young defensive players. In good news, all these players (with the exception of Kaiser and Crevier who would have to clear waivers) are eligible to play for the IceHogs.

Knight’s Performance in Net

If the Blackhawks want to take the next step towards contention, it’s vital they have strong goaltending to get them over the hump. In Mar. 2025, when the organization traded Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers for Spencer Knight and a 2026 first-round draft pick, they felt they got the goaltender who could do just that.

Knight was drafted 13^th overall by the Panthers in the 2019 NHL Draft, which is a high pick indeed for a goaltender. Most teams would rather draft a forward or defenseman with their higher selections, mainly because goaltenders take longer to develop. Why take that risk on an 18-year-old when there’s so many more moderate risks that can be taken?

So far in his career, Knight has thrived every step of the way. He led Team USA to the gold medal at the 2021 World Juniors, dominated for two seasons at Boston University, and made a name for himself as one of the best AHL goalies while playing for the Charlotte Checkers.

With the Panthers he served as two-time Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky’s backup, which is a pretty outstanding mentoring situation to be in. Over four seasons and 80 games in Florida, Knight posted a respectable .906 save percentage and 2.76 goals-against average, all while taking in the mentality of a championship-winning team. 

Plus, at 24 years old, Knight is already older and has a lot more experience than most of his younger teammates in Chicago. During his exit interview with the media after the 2024-25 season, the Connecticut native spoke about the leadership he could bring.  

I think in Florida, I learned a lot from observing people, and then I just think I want to bring that here (to Chicago). It’s not something like I think I know everything. I really don’t, and I’m still learning a lot, right? I still think there’s a lot of things that I can do to take steps, and that will come with experience, but I have seen a thing or two in hockey and in life that I think can serve the team well.

Fundamentally, Knight brings a lot to the table. He appears to have all the right tools to become an elite goaltender. He’s super athletic, tracks pucks well, doesn’t give up a lot of rebounds and appears to have the mental fortitude to handle the pressure.

Furthermore, Knight will get plenty of experience while being the No. 1 netminder for the Blackhawks. In his 15-game stint with Chicago at the tail end of the season, his stats weren’t as impressive (.893 SV%, 3.18 GAA). But that’s what happens when you have a more porous defense in front of you.

We just discussed above how the Blackhawks could have even more issues on the back end this season. So it will be crucial for Knight to be at his best. Is he up to the task? I guess we’ll find out.   

Blashill’s Impact as New Head Coach

Many people weren’t too happy when the Blackhawks announced Jeff Blashill would be the team’s new head coach. Fans felt like the organization with settling. After all, they did miss out on two big fish in David Carle (staying at University of Denver) and Mike Sullivan (always had his eyes on the New York Rangers).

But we must remember Blashill gained tons of experience in his seven-year stint with the Detroit Red Wings. Granted, he had a losing record, but he wasn’t exactly set up to succeed in Detroit. In the meantime, he gained valuable head coaching experience, as well as the chance to develop and lead young players. In three seasons as an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning (2022 through 2025), he served under one of the best bench bosses in the business, Jon Cooper. Blashill also coached Team USA on the World Championship stage (2009 and 2017).

An old friend of ours, Blackhawks legend Patrick Kane, played on those World championship  teams. He recently caught up with Pat Foley at CHSN, and discussed the impact Blashill could have for the Blackhawks.

Kaner thinks Blashill will hold the players accountable. At his introductory press conference on May 27, Blashill spoke about creating winning habits, something these Blackhawks sorely need. He also referenced consistency, predictability and working with each player’s unique strengths.

None of this is rocket science. It’s obviously what all coaches want to emulate. But Blashill brings a lot of experience from many different facets of hockey. He now has a chance to start with a clean slate, as does the team. How they collectively handle it will directly correlate to their success.

The Blackhawks are at a crossroads. They have a lot of raw tools and tons of young talent. All indications point upwards. But just how fast can they rise? Keeping an eye on the above key factors throughout the 2025-26 campaign will help us determine that.