The Chicago Blackhawks are one month away from their first 2026 preseason game, a Sept. 19 meeting with the Minnesota Wild. That means hockey is creeping back fast, but for now Chicago’s sports conversation is still being driven by baseball, with both the Cubs and White Sox in playoff position and locked into another Crosstown Classic at Wrigley Field on Wednesday.
Before the game, Patrick Kane was on hand to throw out the first pitch, and he got the kind of reception that stopped everything for a moment. For nearly a full minute, the crowd stood and saluted “Showtime,” a loud reminder of how much he still means to the city. Kane also snapped photos with Shota Imanga, the soon-to-be (fingers crossed) National League MVP and Monday’s starting pitcher.
That Wrigley scene wasn’t the only Blackhawks angle worth watching. Corey Pronman’s latest 2026 pipeline rankings placed Chicago’s collection of talent under 24 fourth in the NHL, with Connor Bedard at the top of the organization’s group. Pronman’s order behind Bedard was described as somewhat curious, and he wrote up and graded 18 players and prospects in the Blackhawks system.
There was also another Blackhawks note from the goaltending side: the NHL Network’s current top-10 goalies list did not include Spencer Knight. His omission wasn’t exactly a surprise, but the idea here is that one more strong season would put him in the conversation, especially as the roster in front of him continues to improve.
Around the league, the conversation keeps circling back to big decisions and familiar names. In Calgary, Morgan Frost’s future is becoming a real topic, with the 27-year-old center set to become a UFA at the end of the 2026-27 season.
The Flames need him right now, but his value may be at its highest. In New Jersey, Dougie Hamilton has been tied to trade rumors for much of the past year, even as he remains a bounce-back candidate for the Devils in 2026-27.
And in Detroit, Dylan Larkin’s trade request is expected to go unfulfilled this summer, with Bob Luff saying the Red Wings captain appears more likely than not to be in Detroit when training camp opens, even if his attendance is another matter.
On the prospect front, San Jose Hockey Now also dug into what Sharks fans should expect from 2026 No. 2 overall pick Ivar Stenberg in his rookie NHL season, based on conversations with two NHL scouts who watched him closely last year.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Nostalgia Hits Hard As Bedard And Kane Share Spotlight
With training camp and the new season creeping closer, the Blackhawks are in that late-summer phase where the present and the past keep colliding. A stream of team content is already rolling out, from player profiles to rankings, and Connor Bedard sits atop the group in NHL 27, another reminder of how much the organization is centered on its young star.
At the same time, Chicago fans are getting a heavy dose of nostalgia tied to a different era. Zdeno Charas farewell game, Zees Final Shift, is set for Trencin, Slovakia, and it will feature Blackhawks Hall of Famers Marian Hossa and Duncan Keith, a neat reunion of names that still carry weight in this market. For a fan base still measuring every new development against the Stanley Cup years, it is the kind of crossover that makes the offseason feel a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Patrick Kane Still Owns A Blackhawks Mark Connor Bedard Is Chasing
The Blackhawks scoring history has a short list of club members, and it still begins with Patrick Kane. Of the five Chicago players who have reached 100 points in a season, Kane is the only one to do it this century, a reminder of how rare that level of production has been in a team uniform that has seen plenty of star power over the decades.
Connor Bedard is the name that naturally enters the conversation now, because any young offensive centerpiece in Chicago will be measured against that standard. The company Kane keeps on the franchise list includes Steve Larmer, Bobby Hull, Jeremy Roenick and Denis Savard, which gives Bedard a clear target and also shows just how hard it is to join that group. [Read more 🡒]
Patrick Kanes Return Could Be Exactly What Bedards Blackhawks Need
Patrick Kane is back in Chicago after three years away, and for a franchise still trying to turn promise into results, the move carries both nostalgia and practical weight. The Blackhawks have spent the early stages of this rebuild looking for more finishing touch and more support around Connor Bedard, while also trying to help young talent like Frank Nazar grow into a faster, more dangerous lineup.
Kane and general manager Kyle Davidson have both framed the return as a hockey decision first, one meant to make the team better right now. For the Blackhawks, the appeal is obvious: an elite playmaker who knows the city, knows the organization and could help tilt close games while giving Bedard and the rest of the youth movement a veteran who understands how to create offense at the highest level. [Read more 🡒]