Connor Bedard and nine other players in the Chicago Blackhawks organization showed up in Corey Pronman’s latest top-156 rankings for The Athletic, and the Blackhawks once again landed near the top of the conversation when it comes to young talent.
Chicago was placed in the top five of Pronman’s 2026 NHL under-23 pipeline rankings, which is two spots lower than last year but still a strong sign of how much youth GM Kyle Davidson has accumulated. Pronman’s breakdown included 18 prospects from around the league, and the Blackhawks’ system drew plenty of attention again.
Pronman’s individual top-156 list also gave Chicago a big footprint. Ten Blackhawks skaters made the cut, with Bedard coming close to the No. 1 overall spot. Anton Frondell, Roman Kantserov, and Vaclav Nestrasil also drew praise in the rankings.
Frondell, in particular, got another boost later in the day. DobberHockey on X projected the rookie to hit the 20-goal and 60-point marks in 2026-27, a level that would obviously matter a lot for Chicago’s offense. His usage will be worth watching all season, especially with questions about whether he settles onto the first or second line, and whether he lines up at center or on the wing.
One Blackhawks name that did not crack NHL Network’s top-10 goaltenders list was Spencer Knight. That omission wasn’t especially surprising, but it does put him in the same broader discussion as Jakub Dobes and Jesper Wallstedt, who did make the cut.
Knight also received an 87 overall in EA Sports’ NHL 27 initial player ratings, tied for the eighth-best mark in the game, which leaves him looking like a goalie right on the edge of top-10 status. If that trajectory holds, he should have a real shot to land on NHL Network’s list next year.
Pronman had another Blackhawks angle on the prospects side as well. In his latest look at the top 100 NHL prospects and players under 23 who were drafted after the first round, Roman Kantserov and Ryan Greene were both mentioned, though Nick Lardis was left out.
Elsewhere around the league, the Columbus Blue Jackets’ offseason has only gotten messier. Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko have been part of trade rumors, Adam Fantilli remains unsigned as an RFA forward, and now Elvis Merzlikins could miss the start of the season after shoulder surgery on Monday.
In New Jersey, the Devils’ issues last season were tied directly to availability. James Nichols wrote that the team didn’t miss the playoffs because of one bad stretch, but because Jack Hughes was out for 21 games. That health piece looms large for the Devils heading into 2026-27.
Detroit also made news through former Blackhawks associate general manager Jeff Greenberg, who appears to be a candidate in the Red Wings’ GM search. Max Bultman reported that the process is now fully underway, with another round of interviews held Thursday. Bob Duff also joined NHL Network to talk through the current state of the Red Wings, including the front-office situation and Dylan Larkin’s trade drama.
Around the rest of the league, the Anaheim Ducks signed Cruz Lucius to a two-year, entry-level deal one day after acquiring him from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Lucius, 22, had 46 points in 36 NCAA games for Arizona State in 2025-26, including 15 goals and 31 assists.
And in Pittsburgh, a familiar name is heading into the franchise’s Hall of Fame. Marc-Andre Fleury, the former Blackhawks goaltender and longtime Penguins star, will be inducted and honored in November.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Just Added An International Twist To This Season
The Blackhawks have been leaning into the past and the present at the same time, with their Number History series spotlighting the players who wore 26 through 30 while Wyatt Kaiser continues to settle in as part of the young core that took shape last season. It is the kind of in-house storytelling that fits a rebuild, tying the clubs tradition to the players expected to carry it forward.
Now Chicagos season will also carry an international wrinkle. The NHL has lined up the Blackhawks for a December trip overseas as part of the Global Series, giving the team a marquee stage far from the United Center and a chance to show how this new-look roster handles a different kind of spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]
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 🡒]