The NHL’s German footprint is getting bigger, and the Blackhawks are already part of it.
Chicago will face the Ottawa Senators in Dusseldorf, Germany, this December, while the league also announced that the Global Series is headed back to Germany in 2027-28. That trip will feature the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers in Munich and Cologne, with the opponents for those games to be revealed later in the upcoming season.
The Bruins should have no trouble drawing attention in Munich. J.J.
Peterka, Lukas Reichel, and head coach Marco Sturm all add extra intrigue there. In Cologne, the spotlight shifts to Oilers star Leon Draisaitl, who will be playing in his hometown.
Elsewhere in the league, the Columbus Blue Jackets got a rough update on Thursday. After an offseason already filled with trade talk around Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko, plus the still-unresolved restricted free agent situation with Adam Fantilli, the Blue Jackets learned they may also be without Elvis Merzlikins to open the season. The team said the goaltender had shoulder surgery on Monday and does not have a timetable for his return.
There was better news for Joe Pavelski, who is heading back to Wisconsin. The former NHL standout will join the University of Wisconsin as Director of Player Development. Pavelski spent two seasons with the Badgers before launching an NHL career that produced 476 goals and 1,068 points in 1,332 games with the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars.
The Anaheim Ducks also made a move involving a recently acquired player, signing Cruz Lucius to an entry-level contract one day after getting him from the Pittsburgh Penguins. He is expected to spend his first pro season with the San Diego Gulls in the AHL.
Around the Blackhawks, the team’s Number History series continued with a look at every player to wear Nos. 26-30 in franchise history. Wyatt Kaiser was also a topic of discussion after Brooke LoFurno examined whether the young defenseman’s two-way game can take another step after he showed last season that he belongs in the NHL and is part of Chicago’s young core.
The CHGO Blackhawks Podcast also delivered a lively Thursday episode, with the discussion turning to the all-time greatest NHL players and the five biggest villains in Blackhawks history.
And on this date in 1969, the Hockey Hall of Fame announced its newest induction class, which included former Blackhawk Sid Abel, along with Red Kelly, Roy Worters, Bryan Hextall Sr. and Bruce Norris.
Blackhawks birthday notes for Aug. 21 include Brandon Davidson and Dominik Kubalik, while the NHL birthday list for the day features Toe Blake, Billy Reay, Keith Allen, Steve McKenna, Bryan Allen and Jett Luchanko.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Need Their Biggest Strength To Survive A Major Reshuffle
The Blackhawks spent last season leaning on one of their most reliable areas, and now that strength is being put to the test by an offseason reshuffle. With the team looking ahead to 2026-27, Chicago has seen key penalty-kill contributors move on, forcing the coaching staff and front office to rework a part of the roster that had become a real asset. General manager Kyle Davidson has already brought in Ian Cole, Bowen Byram, Cole Smith and Jordan Greenway as part of the effort to keep that unit steady.
What makes the transition especially important is the style behind it. Assistant coach Michael Peca and head coach Jeff Blashill have stressed the need for buy-in to the aggressive penalty-kill system the Blackhawks used last season, and that kind of commitment tends to matter as much as personnel. The question now is how quickly the new group can absorb those demands and whether Chicago can preserve one of its biggest strengths while replacing so many familiar faces. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Prospect Pipeline Is Turning Heads For More Than One Reason
Corey Pronmans latest top-156 NHL players and prospects under 23 list offered another reminder that Chicagos rebuild has real traction. The Blackhawks had 10 players make the cut for the 2026-27 season, with Connor Bedard naturally headlining the group and the organization drawing notice for the depth of its young talent. It is the kind of prospect inventory that keeps a team interesting even when the standings have not caught up yet.
Still, the reaction around Pronmans rankings was hardly universal praise. Some of the player placements and skill grades drew criticism, which is part of what makes these lists linger beyond the usual offseason chatter. For Chicago, though, the larger takeaway is bigger than any one ranking or label, because the pipeline keeps earning attention for both its star power and the volume of names behind it. [Read more 🡒]
Patrick Kanes Return Means More For The Blackhawks Than Nostalgia
Patrick Kanes return gives the Blackhawks more than a familiar face in the building. The two-year deal brings back one of the franchises defining players, but the bigger conversation around the signing has centered on where he fits now, how he can help a roster still leaning young, and why general manager Kyle Davidson and coach Jeff Blashill see value in adding his experience to the room.
Blashill and Davidson both framed Kane as a veteran presence who can steady and guide younger players, while Kane said he wants to contribute to Chicagos success and help the team win. The unresolved part is how that translates on the ice and in the lineup, because this is not simply about a ceremonial reunion. For the Blackhawks, the real question is how much more Kane can still give beyond the nostalgia. [Read more 🡒]