The Chicago Blackhawks’ shaky start to the season just got a little thinner up front.
Head coach Jeff Blashill told reporters, including Ben Pope of The Chicago Sun-Times, on Monday that Andrew Mangiapane is out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. The veteran winger was hurt early in the second period of Chicago’s season-opening game against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Mangiapane’s night ended after 5:23 of ice time. He finished with a shot on goal, a hit and a minor penalty before leaving the game.
The injury comes as Mangiapane begins his first full season in Chicago after arriving from the Edmonton Oilers in a mid-season trade last year. That deal sent forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach to Alberta.
In his 10 games with the Blackhawks after the trade, the 30-year-old picked up two points. Before that, he had 14 points in 52 games with Edmonton.
Mangiapane spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Calgary Flames, and over the last two-plus seasons he has also suited up for the Washington Capitals, making him something of a journeyman in recent years.
Chicago is already dealing with a rough opening stretch. With new captain and star forward Connor Bedard sidelined by a shoulder injury, the Blackhawks have stumbled to a 0-3-0 start. They opened with a 5-2 loss to the Golden Knights on Opening Night, followed that with a 6-0 loss to the Utah Mammoth last Thursday, and closed their three-game road trip with a 4-3 regulation loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday.
In Other News...
Nick Lardis Is Giving Blackhawks Fans An Early Jeff Blashill Debate
Nick Lardis strong preseason suggested he might have earned an early-season role, but the first stretch of the schedule has not gone that way for the Blackhawks forward. Chicagos young lineup was always going to feature some bumps as the season opened, and Lardis has already found himself working through a reduced opportunity while the coaching staff sorts out minutes and matchups.
The latest turn came Saturday, when his ice time dipped further and he wound up as Chicagos least-used forward. For a player trying to turn a good preseason into a real foothold, it has created an early test of patience under Jeff Blashill, and a reminder that on a rebuilding club, opportunity can disappear just as quickly as it arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Let Buffalo Fix A Problem Chicago Should Have Punished
Buffalos first week of the 2026-27 season has already shown why the margin for error in the NHL is so thin. After opening with a loss to Columbus, the Sabres bounced back against Chicago, and the bigger theme through their first two games has been a power play that still looks like it needs work. There is some roster churn around that, too, with Olen Zellweger back in the lineup, Conor Timmins on injured reserve with no clear timeline, Alex Lyon expected to get back on the practice ice soon and Jason Zucker possibly out for a few weeks with a sports hernia.
For the Blackhawks, the frustrating part is how much of that game was there to be taken. Chicago had a chance to pressure a Buffalo group still sorting itself out, and instead let the Sabres leave with a result that could have been different in a hurry. The schedule does not offer much time to dwell on it, either, with Buffalo heading into a busy stretch against Minnesota and Utah the week of Oct. 5-11, while Chicago is left to sort out a missed opportunity against a team it should have been able to punish. [Read more 🡒]
Connor Bedards Return Brings One Big Question For Blackhawks Fans
The Blackhawks were back on the ice Tuesday with Connor Bedard skating in a non-contact sweater as he continues working his way back from shoulder surgery. It was a welcome sight for a team getting ready for its home opener against the St. Louis Blues, especially with Bedard already back in the building and around his teammates while the ramp-up continues.
Jeff Blashill said Bedard is not yet cleared for contact and did not have a timetable for when that could change, which leaves the biggest question hanging over Chicagos early season plans. The encouraging part for the Blackhawks is that Bedard appears to be moving ahead of the original mid-November expectation, but until he can take contact, there is still a meaningful step left in the recovery process. Bowen Byram also returned to practice after the birth of his twins, giving the group a fuller look as opening night approaches. [Read more 🡒]