The Blackhawks may have added some real pieces this offseason, but not everyone is buying the jump just yet.
In The Athletic’s season previews for 2026-27, Chicago landed all the way down at 29th in the league, the lowest spot in the Central Division. Only the Kraken, Flames, and Canucks were slotted beneath them, and the closest Central rival was the Nashville Predators at 27th. After four straight last-place finishes in the division, that kind of placement tells you exactly how much faith the outlet has in Chicago’s current setup.
There are reasons for optimism, at least on paper. The Blackhawks signed Bowen Byram, re-signed Connor Bedard, and brought back Patrick Kane to add some veteran presence. But The Athletic’s projection makes clear that those moves haven’t been enough to convince its writers that Chicago is ready to climb out of the bottom tier.
Bedard remains the obvious bright spot. All seven regular Blackhawk Up writers picked him to lead the team in goals and points this season, and it’s easy to see why.
Before his injury last year, he was producing at a level that put him alongside McDavid and MacKinnon in points, and he was closing in on a 50-goal pace. He finished with 30 goals and 45 assists, and the difference he makes was obvious in the record: Chicago went 13-12-6 while he was in the lineup early in the season.
Spencer Knight is another name The Athletic highlighted as a possible swing factor. The outlet projects him to handle about 88% of the workload in goal, and his numbers last season were solid, especially in goals above expected, where he ranked 11th among goaltenders. The question now is whether that level can hold in his second full season as a starter, or whether last year was a one-off.
The real problem, though, is the blue line. The Athletic called Chicago’s defense “one of the most unproven, shakiest groups in the league,” and that’s the core of the pessimism. The Blackhawks have only two players without a negative Defensive Rating in The Athletic’s system: Jordan Greenway and Cole Smith, and neither is a major minutes-eater.
Byram should be the team’s top defenseman, and he’s clearly the biggest addition on that side of the puck. Still, The Athletic stopped short of calling him a top-pair guy by the standards of most teams.
Behind him, the uncertainty stacks up fast. Vlasic has not been especially consistent, while Levshunov and Rinzel still haven’t played a full season.
The issues aren’t limited to the defensemen, either. The Blackhawks have also had trouble getting enough support from their forwards in their own end.
The Athletic noted that Chicago’s top line was “on the ice for expected and actual goals against at the worst rate of all first lines in the NHL season”. That’s the kind of problem that can drag a team down night after night.
The Athletic’s best-case view for Chicago is a 90-point season, which would require the young core to take major steps and Bedard to stay healthy and dominant. The floor is much uglier: 60 points and a winter full of hard questions heading into the offseason.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Are Seeing A Different Nick Lardis This Fall
Nick Lardis only got one preseason game to make an impression, but it was a productive one. Against Minnesota on Sept. 21, he picked up a goal and an assist while looking sharper on his skates, stronger on the puck and more comfortable in his own skin. For a young forward trying to carve out a role, those are the kinds of signs the Blackhawks were hoping to see, especially after a summer spent working toward a more complete game.
What stands out this fall is not just the production, but the way Lardis and head coach Jeff Blashill have described the change. Both pointed to added speed and a more mature approach than he showed last season, with Lardis stressing that he wants to bring that pace and confidence every night. For Chicago, the intrigue is whether this version of Lardis can keep building from a strong start and turn a promising preseason glimpse into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Just Made A Long-Term Oliver Moore Bet
The Blackhawks have already made one of their clearest long-range commitments to Oliver Moore, locking in the former first-round pick on a five-year extension that will keep him in Chicago well beyond his entry-level deal. Moore, taken 19th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, has already gotten a taste of the NHL over parts of two seasons, and the organization is signaling that it sees him as part of the next wave rather than a player to evaluate year by year.
For a team still sorting out its future, the timing matters almost as much as the player. Chicago is buying certainty around a young forward with upside before the next contract cycle arrives, and it is doing so at a number that shows real belief in Moores trajectory. The deal also gives the Blackhawks a longer runway to see how his game develops, with the contract set to carry him through 2031-32 and keep one more key decision off the front burner. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Just Sent A Clear Message With Oliver Moores New Deal
Oliver Moores next chapter is already taking shape in Chicago, and the Blackhawks made sure to lock it in early. The young center, drafted 19th overall in 2023, has already logged parts of two NHL seasons while also getting time in the AHL and gaining valuable experience on the international stage, including a gold-medal run with Team USA. For a rebuilding club that has spent the last few years trying to line up its future core, this is the kind of move that signals belief in where a player is headed, not just what he has done so far.
The timing of the deal also says plenty about how the Blackhawks view Moores role in the years ahead. By securing him now, Chicago is betting that his development will continue on the upward track and that he will be part of the group the franchise builds around when the roster is supposed to be ready to take another step. There is still plenty to sort out between now and the start of that new contract, but the message from the front office is clear enough: Moore is not just a prospect anymore, he is part of the plan. [Read more 🡒]