The Chicago Blackhawks aren’t being talked about as a playoff lock, but the conversation around them this season has shifted in a more interesting direction: can they get to 90 points?
That’s the bar Tyler Yaremchuk set on Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, where he pointed to the challenge of holding things together while Connor Bedard is still sidelined after offseason shoulder surgery. Even after an opening-night loss, Yaremchuk said the Blackhawks’ biggest test is simple enough to say and hard enough to do: survive this stretch without their top player.
“I’m not going to predict that they’re a playoff team, but I’m going to predict they get to the 90-point mark this year.”
Carter Hutton bought in. The former NHL goaltender said he thinks Chicago is ready to move forward, especially with younger players getting more opportunity. For him, the swing factor is Spencer Knight.
“I think true. I think they’re ready to take a step forward.
Just like we touched on with some of these players who are younger and getting more of an opportunity, I think they’re ready. My factor is Spencer Knight: he’s such a consistant goalie, he’s ready to be a name in the league, so I put them in that window.”
Hutton still stopped short of putting the Blackhawks in the playoff field, though. In his view, the Central Division remains too tough for Chicago to crack just yet. He said he likes the Utah Mammoth more, pointing to the additions of Anders Lee and Vincent Trocheck as moves that bring more maturity, experience, strength and skill to that group.
Chicago’s offseason has already given the franchise a different look. The Blackhawks added Bowen Byram, re-acquired Patrick Kane and extended Bedard to a long-term contract. The hope is that the 2026-27 season can start moving the organization back in the right direction, even if the path there is still blocked by Bedard’s absence for now.
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Former Blackhawks Enforcer Remembered For A Rugged NHL Career
Lyle Odeleins name still carries weight for anyone who appreciated old-school NHL grit, even beyond the teams he skated for. The former defenseman built a 16-season career on toughness and reliability, becoming one of the leagues more recognizable rugged blueliners while helping the Canadiens win the Stanley Cup in 1993.
Odelein also spent part of his career with Chicago, fitting the kind of hard-edged style that Blackhawks fans have long respected. Over 1,056 games, he put up 50 goals and 252 points, but the number that best captures his reputation is the one tied to his physical presence, a total that underscored just how hard he played every night. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Just Beat A Team Still Hiding A Problem That Matters
The Blackhawks are back home still looking for their first win after opening the season with three straight road losses, the latest a 4-3 defeat in Buffalo. Beyond the standings hole, the early concern has been the blue line, where head coach Jeff Blashill has been sorting through young defensemen Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro while dealing with a roster that has already been hit by injuries and other absences.
Korchinski, who recently signed a two-year contract, has gotten a real opportunity with the lineup shifting around him, and Blashill has been watching how he handles it. Chicago is also waiting on Andrew Mangiapane to get healthy and on Connor Bedards recovery from shoulder surgery, with the next stretch at home against the Blues and Hurricanes offering a chance to settle things down before the calendar turns deeper into November. [Read more 🡒]
Avalanche Depth Help Is Getting Closer At Just The Right Time
The Avalanche are starting to get healthier at a useful point in the schedule, with forwards Zachary LHeureux and Logan OConnor both back on the ice with the team and trending toward returns soon. Neither is ready for the upcoming game, but their participation in practice is a positive sign after lower-body injuries kept them out dating back to preseason for one player and the previous season for the other.
For the Blackhawks, there is also a small roster wrinkle worth watching after Bowen Byram was set to miss a game because of a family matter. Chicago has already leaned on him early, and any absence at this stage forces the club to adjust its blue line on the fly, even if it is only for a night. [Read more 🡒]