Roman Kantserov is arriving in Chicago with plenty of buzz, and the Blackhawks may be about to make his introduction a lot more interesting than anyone expected.
According to Scott Powers from The Athletic, there’s a chance the Blackhawks open the season with Kantserov at center while Connor Bedard recovers from shoulder surgery. The report suggests he could begin as the No. 1 center and skate with Patrick Kane to start the year.
“I think he’s [Roman Kantserov] going to start as the #1 Center from the little whispers I’ve heard. I think he’s going to play with [Patrick] Kane to start the season. It’s not definitive but there’s a good chance he plays center.”
- @ByScottPowers
That would be a major shift from the expectation that Kantserov would come in as a winger, which is where his game has generally looked strongest.
Chicago took Kantserov with the 44th pick in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft, and his slide was tied in part to his size. He checked in at 5-foot-9 and 176 pounds, but the scoring touch was never in question. In his draft year, he piled up 27 goals in Russia’s Junior Hockey League.
His first KHL season in 2023-24 didn’t come easily, but he found his footing after that. Last season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, he posted 36 goals and 64 points in 63 games.
He added eight points in 15 playoff games. Kantserov did spend a little time at center in the KHL, though his reputation has been built more on his work as a winger.
That’s what makes this idea so fascinating - and so risky.
The upside is easy to see. If Kantserov can handle center, even briefly, Chicago gains another option down the middle for a roster that has had to deal with injuries and young players adjusting to the league over the last couple of years. Bedard is expected back, and when he returns the Blackhawks could have Bedard, Frank Nazar, Ryan Greene, and possibly Anton Frondell and Oliver Moore in the mix at center.
But there’s another side to it. The Blackhawks already need wings who can fit alongside Bedard, and right now Kantserov and maybe Nick Lardis look like the best internal bets for that job. Putting Kantserov in the middle could pull him away from the position that may ultimately suit him best.
There’s also the developmental angle. General manager Kyle Davidson brought Patrick Kane back to help the young core, and if Kantserov is going to spend most of his NHL career on the wing, there’s a strong argument that he should learn there from one of the best Blackhawks ever. Kane can offer the kind of guidance that matters for a young player trying to settle in.
At the same time, there’s obvious appeal in pairing Kantserov with Kane right away. Even if the top-line label doesn’t mean much without Bedard, the chance to play next to a veteran like Kane could steady him and give him a cleaner runway into the league.
In the end, this is the kind of decision that can cut both ways. If Kantserov handles the role, Jeff Blashill will look sharp. If it goes sideways and knocks the rookie off track, the move will be hard to defend.
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