A shortened Blackhawks camp left little room for surprises, and that may have been most obvious in goal. Chicago opened with what it believed was its best lineup, using last season’s information to squeeze the most out of a compressed preseason. The tradeoff was clear: fewer chances for bubble players to force their way in.
That reality hit Drew Commesso hardest. Instead of getting a real shot to challenge for the backup job behind Spencer Knight, he never saw preseason game action at all. Chicago chose a different route, giving Knight and Arvid Soderblom two starts apiece so both could get ready for the regular season, with Commesso backing up in three of those games.
Knight, meanwhile, enters his second season as the Blackhawks’ starter with the role firmly his. Last year he appeared in 55 games, his first season as a starter since backing up Sergei Bobrovsky with the Florida Panthers. He finished with a .902 save percentage and a 2.82 goals-against average while playing behind a shaky defensive group.
At 25, Knight is also one of the older players in Chicago’s youth-heavy mix, and he sees leadership as a shared job. Before his second preseason start on Sept. 26, he was asked, “What’s your leadership style?” His answer pointed to a room where everyone has a part to play.
“I mean, you have guys who maybe are more natural-born leaders, but honestly, I think our group is not like we look to one person and see them as the leader. I think everyone brings something to the table.
I don't really think of it as like we have our leader. Like, yeah, we have obviously Bedard’s our captain, yeah, Kaner, everyone.
But I think everyone brings something to the table, whether it's you know, someone's really funny or someone's really working hard and bringing everyone else to make their make them work hard. I think everyone kind of brings something to the table, and for me, I just try to bring a calm presence, I guess.”
That calm presence matters for a young defense in front of him, and the expectation is that Knight can keep climbing toward elite territory this season. His workload could be heavier than it was a year ago, so consistency will matter from start to finish.
Soderblom’s preseason showing gave Chicago another reminder of why the current depth chart looks the way it does. His regular-season numbers last year - a .880 save percentage and a 3.80 GAA in 26 games - were uneven, even if he did have some big moments, including a record amount of saves and his first career shutout.
But he looked sharp in the Blackhawks’ third preseason game on Sept. 24 against the St. Louis Blues.
Chicago lost 1-0, yet Soderblom was the best player on the ice for his team, turning aside 35 of 36 shots for a .972 save percentage. It was exactly the kind of performance that helps lock down the No. 2 job.
Soderblom has been Chicago’s backup for the past three seasons, and he’s under contract for one more. From the team’s standpoint, keeping that familiar setup behind Knight makes sense.
Commesso, though, is still waiting for his turn. The 24-year-old has been Rockford’s No. 1 goalie for the last three seasons and has put together a strong .906 save percentage and 2.76 GAA over that stretch. He also got three appearances with Chicago in 2025-26 and impressed in a small sample, posting a .918 save percentage and 2.31 GAA.
A lot of people see him as NHL-ready and, in time, perhaps a better option than Soderblom. For now, though, patience is the assignment. Commesso signed a new two-year deal in July with an $875,000 annual cap hit, a contract that lines him up to potentially become the backup after Soderblom’s deal expires.
He made it clear at camp that he isn’t rattled by the wait.
"I think my mindset kind of stays the same. I know how good I am, and it's kind of just one of those things where I'm waiting for my opportunity.
I know I'm ready, and yeah, I'm extremely confident in my game. The only really thing I can control is coming to the rink and putting my best effort, being a great teammate, and having fun on the ice.
And I know that the results will take care of themselves. And yeah, it's an exciting time.
I know if I just continue to work hard and follow God's plan, it'll all work out."
As expected, Commesso was sent to the IceHogs on Sunday, Sept. 27, but he would be the first call if injuries or other issues hit Knight or Soderblom. Looking further ahead, he looks positioned to be the No. 2 goalie in the 2027-28 season.
For now, the Blackhawks’ goaltending picture looks settled for the 2026-27 campaign, which opens on Sept. 29 against the Vegas Golden Knights.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Face One Roster Question Before Early Vegas Test
The Blackhawks are down to the edge of opening night and still working through the last roster trim before they face the Vegas Golden Knights on Sept. 29. Chicago has already begun sorting out its camp decisions, with several players headed to Rockford as the club narrows in on the group it wants to carry into the season. It is the familiar October-in-advance stage for a young team, part evaluation, part readiness check, with every move carrying a little more weight because the schedule starts right away.
Jeff Blashill has already framed the early days as a learning curve, and that part of the job will not get any easier if the final roster picture keeps shifting. The Blackhawks want to arrive in Vegas organized and prepared, but there is still one more decision hanging over the group before the season officially begins, a reminder that even after camp closes, the roster can still be in motion. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Camp Battle Just Tipped As Opening Night Roster Nears
The Blackhawks are getting down to the hardest part of roster building, and the latest moves make clear how little room is left for young players trying to break through. Chicago placed forwards Landon Slaggert and Dominic Toninato on waivers as it works toward its 23-player NHL roster for the 2026-27 regular season, while goaltender Drew Commesso and forward Dillon Boucher were loaned to the AHL after preseason wrapped up.
For Slaggert, the timing stings because he had been in the mix for one of the final openings, but the path now appears to be narrowing fast. Defenseman Ethan Del Mastro looks set to take the last NHL spot, leaving the Blackhawks to sort out the rest of their depth picture as opening night gets closer and the final roster decisions start to settle into place. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Face One Big Lineup Question Right Before Opening Night
The Blackhawks are heading into opening night with at least one notable wrinkle in place up front, as Roman Kantserov has been slotted at center on a line with Oliver Moore and Patrick Kane. It is the kind of late-camp adjustment that gives the roster a different look right before the season begins, and it also underscores how much is still being sorted out on the forward side as the group settles in.
Connor Bedard is traveling with the team, but he has not yet been cleared to practice or play, which leaves Chicago navigating the start of the season without its centerpiece available. The club also appears to be carrying eight defensemen, and with a few players still competing for regular-season spots, there is still some uncertainty hanging over how the opening-night roster will look once all the decisions are final. [Read more 🡒]