The Blackhawks go into tonight’s meeting with the Kings staring at the same problem that’s shadowed this homestand: the offense has dried up at the worst possible time, and the wins haven’t followed. Chicago has dropped three straight after opening the seven-game stay at 2-1-0, and that slide has pushed the team down to 31st in the league-wide standings.
Los Angeles brings a different kind of energy into the United Center. The Kings have found all three of their wins this season on the current road trip, and they arrive in Chicago after going 3-1-0 over their last four. For the first time this year, they’re carrying momentum with them.
A closer look at Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Florida Panthers makes the Blackhawks’ issues pretty easy to spot. Chicago wasted chances again, and the power play stayed stuck in neutral.
The man advantage is now 0-for-16 over the three-game losing streak. There was at least one encouraging note, though: Kevin Korchinski looked sharp in his first game action in more than three weeks.
That power-play slump has become impossible to ignore. Scott Powers of The Athletic pointed to the same trouble spots Chicago keeps running into - entries that don’t set anything up, not enough shots getting through, Connor Bedard needing the puck more often, and Teuvo Teravainen deferring to Patrick Kane too much. It’s a cluttered mess, and there’s a lot to clean up.
There was better news in the prospect pipeline. Xavier Villeneuve, Chicago’s 2026 second-round pick, was named Hockey East Rookie of the Week after a three-assist night in Saturday’s win over UConn. The weekend gave him five points in his first six NCAA games.
After recording a career-best three assists in Saturday's win over UConn, Villy is the Hockey East Rookie of the Week! https://t.co/4mfSxGmYPR pic.twitter.com/hQ8no8mAf9
- BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) October 26, 2026
There was also a roster wrinkle for Chicago’s opponent before puck drop in New York. The Kings placed veteran winger Mats Zuccarello on injured reserve with an upper-body ailment, and it’s his second stint on IR this season. He won’t be available in Chicago.
Around the league, Connor Hellebuyck is close to his New Jersey Devils debut and could get into the lineup during Tuesday or Wednesday’s back-to-back road games. Hellebuyck said he’s ready and suggested the Winnipeg Jets wouldn’t let him return from his suspension.
The Kings helped their own cause with a 6-3 win over the New York Rangers, their most complete performance of the season, and they’re now 3-1-0 on the current five-game road trip. Artemi Panarin and Drew Doughty each had multi-point nights in that one.
Elsewhere, Michael Postava gave up a Connor McDavid goal in his first NHL start, but the Detroit Red Wings still beat the Edmonton Oilers 4-3 in a shootout. NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary 2027 draft watch list is out, with Landon DuPont at the top.
Devin Cooley continued his strong run for Calgary by stopping 26 of 28 shots in a 5-2 win over Toronto, pushing the Flames to four straight victories. And former Blackhawks Stanley Cup champion Dustin Byfuglien, who returned to Winnipeg for the alumni game against Montreal, wrote a message for Jets fans after not getting the chance to say a proper goodbye before his career ended ahead of the 2019-2020 season.
Philadelphia also got some injury news, with the Flyers saying Rasmus Ristolainen is expected to miss the next two weeks with an upper-body injury.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Suddenly Face A Trade Question Flyers Fans Will Watch Closely
The Flyers are still hunting for a top-six center, and that search has naturally sent them looking at younger options around the league, including a pair of Blackhawks forwards who fit the age and upside profile Philadelphia wants. General manager Danny Briere has been exploring trade possibilities as he tries to upgrade the middle of the ice, while also weighing how much future value he is willing to sacrifice to get there.
From Chicagos side, the interest matters because it puts two of its promising centers in the conversation for a team that clearly needs help down the middle. Frank Nazar has drawn attention in that process, and Oliver Moore is part of the discussion too, but Philadelphias own internal caution about how each player might project only adds another layer to the intrigue. For now, the idea of a move is still just that, but it is the kind of scenario Flyers fans will keep watching closely as the market develops. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks May Have An Interesting Trade Option As Losses Mount
With the losses piling up, the Blackhawks are starting to look like a team that could get pulled into a bigger trade market than just their own rebuild. A recent sighting of Flyers president of hockey operations Keith Jones in the building only fed that idea, especially with Philadelphia off to a rough start and beginning to draw more attention as a club that might have to consider moving pieces if the slide continues.
For Chicago, the timing is at least worth monitoring. The Flyers have a few names that could fit different kinds of needs, and the conversation naturally begins with forward help before spilling into the rest of the roster. Travis Konecny stands out as the headliner if Philadelphia ever seriously entertains that kind of move, with Owen Tippett, Cam York and Rasmus Ristolainen also part of the broader speculation as both teams watch where this season is headed. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Loss Still Revealed A Reason For Real Blue Line Hope
Even in a 3-2 loss to the Panthers, there was enough on Chicagos blue line to give the Blackhawks a reason to keep watching. Sam Rinzel and Kevin Korchinski each left a stronger impression than the final score suggested, offering a glimpse of how the teams young defense could start to look more settled as the season goes along.
Rinzel continued to look more comfortable in a two-way role, while Korchinskis game showed a steadier, more reliable edge. For a Blackhawks team still sorting out its long-term defensive picture, those are the kinds of developments that matter, especially when they come against a good opponent and hold up over the course of the night. [Read more 🡒]