The Blackhawks are about to get a little healthier in a hurry.
After Connor Bedard returned Tuesday night and helped spark Chicago’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Frank Nazar is now eligible to come back from his two-game suspension. That means the Blackhawks could finally dress at full strength when they host the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, with Andrew Mangiapane the only player out of the lineup.
That’s a nice spot for Chicago to be in, especially with momentum from Tuesday still fresh and a division opponent coming to town for the first of four meetings this season. The Hawks are trying to keep inching closer to .500, and getting another key piece back only helps that push.
The big question now is where Nazar lands when he steps back in. Chicago Hockey Now’s Game Day Preview later in the afternoon is expected to dig into the projected lineup, but the possibility is already there that Nazar could slot onto the second line with Tyler Bertuzzi or Anton Frondell.
Another option is having him center the third line. However it shakes out, the Blackhawks will have more options than they’ve had at any point this season.
Tuesday’s win over Pittsburgh wasn’t just about Bedard’s comeback, either. Bedard looked sharp, but Teuvo Teravainen turned in his best game of the season, the power play finally got moving, and two rookie forwards stood out. Chicago didn’t just get a star back; it got a whole group pulling in the same direction.
Elsewhere in the Blackhawks’ system, Nick Lardis is back with the Rockford IceHogs after being assigned there on Tuesday. The move made sense based on how things were going - Lardis wasn’t giving the Hawks much offensively, and Jeff Blashill wasn’t trusting him in defensive situations.
That combination put his NHL spot in jeopardy. IceHogs President of Hockey Operations Mark Bernard also addressed the demotion, saying there were multiple factors behind the decision.
And in the prospect pipeline, Ryan Roobroeck is lighting it up early in the 2026-27 OHL season. The Blackhawks’ 2026 second-round pick scored his seventh goal in his seventh game on Wednesday night as the Guelph Storm beat fellow Hawks prospect Parker Holmes and the Sarnia Sting 5-2.
Around the league, the trade chatter is already picking up in Philadelphia, where Pierre LeBrun reported that Flyers GM Danny Briere’s phone has been busy during the team’s winless first seven games. At the Flyers’ most recent game, 11 teams and 12 scouts were in the building.
In Detroit, interim GM Shawn Horcoff said the Red Wings still see Simon Edvinsson as part of their core going forward, while also making it clear he’s open to anything that helps keep the defenseman in Detroit.
And in Montreal, the Hutson brothers faced off in the NHL for the first time on Wednesday, with Cole and the Washington Capitals edging Lane and the Canadiens 5-4. Both brothers picked up a point.
The Canadiens also got another roster shake-up, with defenseman David Reinbacher recalled from the Laval Rocket after Mike Matheson was injured. Reinbacher had failed to make Montreal’s NHL roster out of training camp, but now gets another chance.
In Other News...
Anton Frondell Is Giving Blackhawks Fans A New Calder Storyline
Anton Frondell has quickly turned into one of the more interesting early-season stories around the Blackhawks, and not just because he has jumped out front among the teams rookies in points and assists. Working mainly as the second-line center, he has looked comfortable in a role that asks for far more than offense, handling faceoffs well and showing enough defensive awareness to stay on the ice in important moments.
Jeff Blashills willingness to lean on Frondell has been just as notable as the production itself, with the rookie earning steady ice time and even penalty kill duties. For a Chicago team always searching for young players who can be trusted in all situations, Frondell is already giving the organization a Calder storyline worth following, and he may be building toward something bigger if this start keeps holding up. [Read more 🡒]
Connor Bedard's Return Gave Blackhawks Fans A Reason To Believe
Connor Bedards return gave the Blackhawks a welcome lift on a night when they needed one, and the offense finally looked like it had some life in a 5-3 win over the Penguins. Roman Kantserov and Teuvo Teravainen each scored twice, giving Chicago the kind of finishing it has been searching for through the early part of the season, and the victory moved the club to 2-5-0.
Bedard also got on the board for the first time this season, a small but meaningful step after his return to the lineup. For a team still trying to steady itself, the combination of Bedards presence and a balanced scoring effort was enough to leave the building with something more than just two points. [Read more 🡒]