The Chicago Blackhawks head into 2026-27 with more than just mixed expectations. The roster has been strengthened through the farm system, trades, and free agency, and the team is leaning hard on the growth of several young players who already have NHL games under their belts.
That leaves a simple question hanging over the season: is it enough to push them into the playoffs? If Chicago gets there, it will probably be because a few players outperformed the script.
For four Blackhawks, the spotlight is especially bright.
Artyom Levshunov carries the weight that comes with being the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. Chicago clearly believes in him, but that kind of draft slot brings immediate expectations - especially when the names taken after him are part of the conversation too.
Levshunov has the tools that made him such a high selection, particularly his skating and strength, but the next step is about tightening the decision-making. Talent got him here.
Becoming a winning player is the harder part. If 2026-27 doesn’t bring clear progress, there are plenty of younger players in the organization, and even future draft classes, who could move ahead of him.
Bowen Byram is stepping into a different kind of pressure: the responsibility of being the top option in every situation. The Blackhawks will expect offense from him on the power play, but that’s only part of the job.
He’ll also be counted on to make an impact at even strength and help drive the defensive side of the game. The money underscores the expectations.
He has one year left on a deal with a $6.25 million cap hit, and then it rises to $12.5 million, which is currently slated to be the highest AAV for a defenseman in the league. Others may pass it soon, but that doesn’t change what Chicago is committing to him.
The Hawks do not need him to be Quinn Hughes or Cale Makar, but they do need him to be a winning player who can anchor what should become a strong young blue line.
Teuvo Teravainen is in a different spot, but the pressure is real just the same. His production dipped last season, and while part of that came from reduced ice time after more talent was added to the top six, he also simply did not play up to par.
His role is not getting bigger, and time is not on his side. Even so, there is still room for him to be more effective in a supporting offensive role.
With one year left on his contract, he needs a strong season if he wants his next deal - whether it comes from Chicago or elsewhere - to bring more money and term.
Arvid Soderblom’s situation is tied directly to the calendar. He has one year left on his contract, and that lines up with Drew Commesso’s deal moving from a two-way contract to a one-way deal.
If Soderblom wants to stay in the Blackhawks picture beyond 2026-27, he has to make a jump. Even then, Spencer Knight is the long-term starter, so Chicago could still decide to move on if it wants Commesso in the NHL.
That makes this a pivotal year for Soderblom on a broader level too. A strong season could help him land another opportunity in 2027-28, and the goalie market usually has room for backups - with a little luck, sometimes that path turns into something bigger.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Just Added An International Twist To This Season
The Blackhawks have been leaning into the past and the present at the same time, with their Number History series spotlighting the players who wore 26 through 30 while Wyatt Kaiser continues to settle in as part of the young core that took shape last season. It is the kind of in-house storytelling that fits a rebuild, tying the clubs tradition to the players expected to carry it forward.
Now Chicagos season will also carry an international wrinkle. The NHL has lined up the Blackhawks for a December trip overseas as part of the Global Series, giving the team a marquee stage far from the United Center and a chance to show how this new-look roster handles a different kind of spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Need Their Biggest Strength To Survive A Major Reshuffle
The Blackhawks spent last season leaning on one of their most reliable areas, and now that strength is being put to the test by an offseason reshuffle. With the team looking ahead to 2026-27, Chicago has seen key penalty-kill contributors move on, forcing the coaching staff and front office to rework a part of the roster that had become a real asset. General manager Kyle Davidson has already brought in Ian Cole, Bowen Byram, Cole Smith and Jordan Greenway as part of the effort to keep that unit steady.
What makes the transition especially important is the style behind it. Assistant coach Michael Peca and head coach Jeff Blashill have stressed the need for buy-in to the aggressive penalty-kill system the Blackhawks used last season, and that kind of commitment tends to matter as much as personnel. The question now is how quickly the new group can absorb those demands and whether Chicago can preserve one of its biggest strengths while replacing so many familiar faces. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Prospect Pipeline Is Turning Heads For More Than One Reason
Corey Pronmans latest top-156 NHL players and prospects under 23 list offered another reminder that Chicagos rebuild has real traction. The Blackhawks had 10 players make the cut for the 2026-27 season, with Connor Bedard naturally headlining the group and the organization drawing notice for the depth of its young talent. It is the kind of prospect inventory that keeps a team interesting even when the standings have not caught up yet.
Still, the reaction around Pronmans rankings was hardly universal praise. Some of the player placements and skill grades drew criticism, which is part of what makes these lists linger beyond the usual offseason chatter. For Chicago, though, the larger takeaway is bigger than any one ranking or label, because the pipeline keeps earning attention for both its star power and the volume of names behind it. [Read more 🡒]