Jeff Blashill has helped guide the Blackhawks through the development phase, but Chicago is past the point where development alone should be the selling point behind the bench.
When Blashill arrived in Chicago, it felt like a move that made sense for Hawks fans. He brought NHL experience, and there was real belief that he could steady things while helping young players grow.
That part has happened. The issue now is whether that is enough for a team that is no longer supposed to be defined by rebuilding.
The Blackhawks’ youth has been asked to take on bigger responsibilities over the last couple of years, and that changes the standard for everyone around them. This season was supposed to be a rite of passage for that group. As the players improve, the expectation on the coaching staff should rise with them.
Blashill’s track record is part of the conversation, too. During seven seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, he went 204-261-72 and made the playoffs only once, in his first year, before missing the postseason in six straight seasons. That doesn’t make him a failure, but it does show a clear limit on what he has done at the NHL level so far.
Chicago’s situation last year also adds to the picture. The Blackhawks finished 29-39-14, and the record only tells part of the story.
They were near the bottom of the league in several areas, including goals scored and power play. At the same time, they were still in rebuild mode then, so one rough season does not erase what Blashill brought to the table as a teacher and mentor.
He has experience in winning environments, too. Before joining the Blackhawks, he coached behind Jon Cooper in Tampa Bay.
General manager Kyle Davidson also made it clear that Blashill was brought in to keep developing players. That part of the job matters, and Blashill has shown he can help young talent take steps forward.
But the bigger question is whether that is the right fit now. Chicago needs more than a coach who can help a young core grow. It needs someone who can push that group into sustained success in both the regular season and the playoffs.
That is where Blashill’s resume becomes less convincing. He may be the kind of coach who can help build a team, but the Blackhawks are trying to become one that wins. And with the rebuild entering a more decisive stage, Chicago may eventually decide it needs a bench boss whose track record points more clearly toward that next level.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Young Core Delivered On Patrick Kanes Big Night
Patrick Kanes first trip back to the United Center since February 2023 gave the Blackhawks a marquee backdrop for their home opener on Oct. 6, and the building had the feel of a night built around both memory and momentum. Chicago handled the St. Louis Blues 4-2, with the young core delivering enough timely energy to make the evening about more than just the former franchise stars return.
Sam Rinzel and Anton Frondell were among the names that stood out in a game where the Blackhawks kept leaning on their emerging pieces in key spots. Rinzel helped spark the response on a second-unit power play, and Frondell followed soon after on a setup from Artyom Levshunov, a sequence that underscored why this roster is so closely tied to what happens next rather than what happened in the past. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Finally Gave Fans Hope On A Night They Desperately Needed It
The Blackhawks finally gave their home crowd something to hold onto, beating the St. Louis Blues 4-2 for their first home win of the 2026-27 season. It was the kind of night that felt overdue in Chicago, with Sam Rinzel, Anton Frondell, Cole Smith and Frank Nazar all finding the net to power a much-needed result and give the building some life.
The response carried extra weight because the Blackhawks had to chase the game after falling behind early, then steadied themselves and kept pushing until the outcome was secure. Even so, the mood around the win was tempered when coach Jeff Blashill said Teuvo Teravainen left with an injury and will not travel for the next game, leaving a spotlight on a victory that came with at least one fresh concern attached. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Win Showed Exactly What This Young Core Still Lacks
The Blackhawks got a useful home win over the Blues, 4-2, and it came with the kind of fingerprints this season keeps pointing toward. Frank Nazar, Artyom Levshunov and Anton Frondell were among the young players helping drive the night, while Spencer Knight steadied things in goal with 26 saves as Chicago found a way to finish off a divisional opponent at home.
Even so, the game also laid bare the sort of rough edges that still follow this group around. Chicago had defensive lapses along the way and now has a difficult stretch coming up, which makes the margin for error feel a little thinner despite the points in the standings. The talent is showing up more often, but the Blackhawks are still searching for the cleaner, more complete performance that turns flashes into something sustainable. [Read more 🡒]