Thursday packed a lot into the Blackhawks’ world, and the biggest headline was another young core piece locking in long term. Oliver Moore signed a five-year extension with Chicago, keeping the 21-year-old under contract for the next six seasons and running through 2032.
The money matters here, too. Moore’s deal comes in at an average annual value of $4.25 million, a number that looks especially sharp for Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson as the salary cap keeps climbing. It’s the kind of move teams dream about when they believe they’ve found a foundation player early.
Moore’s new contract also came with a little locker-room flair. After the news broke, Frank Nazar had some fun with his teammate, rolling up a few $20 bills and tossing them at Moore while he spoke to the media.
Chicago also trimmed the camp roster again on Thursday, bringing the group down to 32 players. Among the five sent to the Rockford IceHogs was former first-round pick Marek Vanacker.
On the injury front, head coach Jeff Blashill didn’t have a major breakthrough to report on Connor Bedard. His update was more of the same: Bedard isn’t close to joining teammates at practice, and his recovery timeline hasn’t changed. Blashill also offered some insight into how long Jordan Greenway might be out.
The Blackhawks were back on the ice in St. Louis as well, where Patrick Kane made his first preseason appearance.
He skated on a line with Roman Kantserov and Frank Nazar, and there were flashes from that group even if the goals never came. Kane, Kantserov and Nazar showed some chemistry, but Chicago came up empty in a 1-0 loss at Enterprise Center.
Arvid Soderblom held up as best he could, but the offense didn’t give him any help.
After the game, Kane said it feels great to wear the Blackhawks sweater again.
One of the better sequences from the night came from that top line, which put together a strong passing play to create a dangerous chance for Nazar from the high slot. Nazar led the Blackhawks with three individual scoring chances, while Kantserov finished with a team-high three shots on goal.
Elsewhere around the league, Adam Fantilli finally settled his situation with the Columbus Blue Jackets, agreeing to a six-year, $82.5 million contract extension. The deal carries a $13.75 million cap hit, just $1.25 million below Connor Bedard’s.
There was also a wild one in San Jose, where the Sharks crushed the Anaheim Ducks 10-0 in preseason action. Ivar Stenberg, the 2026 No. 2 overall pick, scored a hat trick in his second preseason game, while Mason Marchment and Igor Chernyshov each scored twice and 2025 No. 2 overall pick Michael Misa also scored.
And in Philadelphia, Matvei Michkov showed up at camp looking much better than he did last year, with a clear push to take a step in 2026-27. He helped the Flyers get their first preseason win, scoring in a 2-0 victory over the Boston Bruins.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Just Made A Rebuild Bet Fans Will Argue About
Bowen Byram is the kind of add that can make a rebuilding team look suddenly more serious, and the Blackhawks clearly believe he fits into their long view. Acquired from Buffalo in exchange for draft picks and a player, the defenseman arrives in Chicago at a time when the franchise is still sorting out its future, but also trying to accelerate it. For a team that has spent the last few years chasing patience and progress at the same time, this is the sort of move that signals a willingness to spend real assets on a player who is still young enough to matter through the next phase.
The part that will keep Blackhawks fans talking is how much commitment comes with the deal and what it says about where the organization thinks it is in the rebuild. Byram is no rental, and Chicago is not treating him like one, which adds another layer to a transaction that already carries meaningful cost on the draft side. It is the kind of bet that can look obvious later if the fit is right, or expensive if the rebuilding timeline bends a different way. [Read more 🡒]
Three Former Blackhawks Just Hit A Tough New Reality
The preseason grind has already turned into a tough check-in for three familiar names around the Blackhawks. Lukas Reichel, Caleb Jones and Alex Nylander were all placed on waivers on Sept. 26 by their current NHL teams, a reminder of how quickly roster math can change for players who once had real runs in Chicago. Reichel landed with the Bruins after his move from Vancouver last season, Jones is in the Penguins organization and Nylander is with the Flames.
For Blackhawks followers, the group brings plenty of context because each player carved out part of his NHL story in Chicago before moving on. Waivers now put all three in a vulnerable spot again, with their next step depending on whether another club decides it has room to make a claim. It is an uneasy moment, but also one that says a lot about how narrow the margin can be for players trying to hang onto an NHL job. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Preseason Finale Puts One Last Roster Battle In Focus
The Blackhawks close out the preseason Thursday night against the Blues at the United Center with a roster that looks more like a dress rehearsal for opening night than a star-driven showcase. Chicago is keeping anyone with more than 100 NHL games on the shelf, which means the focus shifts to the younger names and the lineup management decisions that still need sorting out before the games count.
Patrick Kane will not dress, preserving his first home appearance for the regular season, while Spencer Knight gets the start in goal for Chicago against a St. Louis group expected to be much closer to full strength. Andrew Mangiapane and Teuvo Teravainen are in the mix, and Roman Kantserov is among the players worth watching as the Blackhawks use one last exhibition to sort through lingering questions before the roster is set. [Read more 🡒]