The Blackhawks’ first official practice of the season arrived Thursday morning, and with it came the first real look at how this group might line up when the games start to count.
The main forward combinations on the ice featured Roman Kantserov, Frank Nazar and Patrick Kane together on the top line, with Anton Frondell centering Tyler Bertuzzi and another group of younger forwards and veterans mixed through the rest of the lineup. The full set of lines and pairings included Lardis-Frondell-Bertuzzi, Donato-Moore-Mangiapane/Teräväinen, Greenway/Slaggert-Greene-Smith, plus defensive pairs of Vlasic-Byram, Kaiser-Levshunov, and Cole-Rinzel, with Korchinski-Del Mastro also listed.
There’s still plenty of time for that to shift, but with the regular season opener now less than two weeks away, the look on the ice in Vegas that night should be close to this. What happens after that is a different question.
The most eye-catching early chemistry came from the top line. One sequence featured a sharp backhand feed from Kantserov across the ice to Kane, with the play eventually finishing on a Nazar pass to Kane for a goal. The clip had the kind of quick-touch, instinctive feel that makes this trio worth watching right away.
“Frank Nazar to Patrick Kane = 🚨
This will be a fun early duo to watch. #Blackhawks”
Not every moment was so clean. Another clip showed Artyom Levshunov blowing up Ryan Donato, a collision that landed squarely in the category of things the Blackhawks would probably prefer not to see again.
Then there was a look at Anton Frondell, offering another reminder of how many different young pieces are trying to carve out roles in this camp.
Head coach Jeff Blashill also offered some context on what he wants from the top line and the group behind it. On Kantserov-Nazar-Kane, he said:
“Patrick is a super high IQ hockey player [with] a lot of give-and-go to his game. Both Frankie and Roman can play some of that give-and-go game with him; they think it a little bit the same way. Historically, when Patrick has had a center that…”
Blashill also explained the thinking behind Smith-Greene-Greenway, pointing to the kind of edge and responsibility he wants from that unit:
“We’d like to have a line…that has some physicality, some toughness, but also are accountable enough players that they go out and eat minutes against the best players in the league. That’s a hard thing to find, but we think we have the…”
On the blue line, there’s still work to do. Blashill said the defense pairs are not settled yet and could remain fluid, even during games. He added that Byram is comfortable on the right side, even if most players would rather stay on their normal side when possible.
“Our D pairings, we still have to figure that out. There could be some fluidity, even within games.
With [Byram], he’s comfortable on the right. Most players would rather play their normal side if everything was equal, but you don’t always fall into that spot.”
Connor Bedard did not take part in Thursday’s practice, but his recovery was part of the conversation. GM Kyle Davidson said the team has a plan in place and will continue working through it over the coming weeks.
“We've got a nice plan moving forward and we're progressing through that plan over the next number of weeks. Ahead of schedule, behind schedule - all that will be determined much further along in this process. The good”
In Other News...
Blackhawks Special Teams Look Suddenly Matters For More Than Chemistry
The opening days of Blackhawks training camp were always going to be about sorting lines and defensive pairs under Jeff Blashill, especially with so many new faces expected to matter right away. Patrick Kane, Anton Frondell, Roman Kantserov and Bowen Byram are all part of the early picture, and Byram already looks positioned to give the blue line a steadier anchor next to Alex Vlasic as Chicago starts to define what this roster is supposed to look like.
Special teams may end up telling as much of the story as the even-strength combos, though, because the penalty kill and power play are already getting a serious reset. Greenway, Smith and Cole have been working into key roles on the kill, while the top power-play group is being built around Kane, Kantserov, Frondell, Bertuzzi and Byram. For a team trying to turn camp into a foundation, those units are no longer just about chemistry - they are one of the clearest early signs of who Blashill trusts when the games start to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Patrick Kane Faces A Different Challenge In His Blackhawks Return
Patrick Kane is back in Chicago with a very different assignment than the one he carried during the peak of his playing days. Beyond what he can still provide on the ice, the Blackhawks want his return to help shape the next wave of the roster, giving a young group a veteran presence that can ease the transition from prospects to NHL regulars.
The bigger test now is less about points and more about presence. For Kane, the job includes being the kind of teammate younger players can turn to every day, the sort of player who helps build trust and cohesion in the room while setting an example for how to handle the grind around the team. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Camp Just Put Connor Bedard's Return Back In Focus
Chicagos training camp opened with a little bit of everything, from Artyom Levshunov colliding with Ryan Donato to Patrick Kanes first skate back with the club. But amid the early camp noise, the biggest update for Blackhawks fans came from general manager Kyle Davidson, who offered a fresh look at Connor Bedards shoulder rehab and how the team is managing the opening stretch without its franchise center.
Davidson said Bedard is progressing well, and the wingers recovery has stayed on schedule since the injury. In the meantime, the Blackhawks are sorting out their top-line look with Frank Nazar sliding into the middle between Roman Kantserov and Kane, a temporary setup that keeps the offense moving while Bedard works back toward a return. [Read more 🡒]