The early-season numbers are already starting to sort out who might be in line for a payday next summer, and Max Shabanov is making his case fast.
The Minnesota Wild winger, who arrived after a rough NHL debut season with the New York Islanders, has bounced back in a hurry. Shabanov was non-tendered by New York after putting up 18 points in 44 games in 2025-26, then signed with Minnesota on a one-year, $1.6MM deal.
That move has already started to look smart for the player. In his first 13 games with the Wild, he has nine points and has settled into a regular spot on the team’s top power play unit.
He’ll be an RFA with arbitration rights over the summer.
That kind of production matters even more with the salary cap climbing so quickly. Teams are already looking for chances to lock in players before their value gets even higher, and the Anaheim Ducks’ extension for Tristan Luneau is a clear example. Anaheim gave Luneau a $7.2MM AAV on a long-term contract extension even though he had fewer than 30 NHL games on his résumé.
In Chicago, the Blackhawks’ rough 4-8-0 start has naturally raised the question of whether they might shake up the roster and bring in help from Rockford. But Scott Powers of The Athletic says that is “unlikely,” at least for now. If the Blackhawks do dip into their AHL affiliate, Powers noted that Nick Lardis would be first in line after collecting six points in five AHL games.
And while the 2027 NHL Entry Draft is still far off, the early look at the class is already taking shape. Scott Wheeler of The Athletic released his preliminary top 64, and Landon DuPont sits at No. 1, as expected.
Wheeler called DuPont “looks like a future star defenseman in the NHL.” Behind him are OHL forward Dima Zhilkin at No. 2, followed by Russian forwards Sergei Skvortsov at No. 3 and Nazar Privalov at No.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Could Get Pulled Into A Pricey Young Winger Chase
A young winger with some upside is suddenly on the trade radar, and the Blackhawks have been mentioned among the teams in the mix. Washington is exploring options on Ivan Miroshnichenko, and his agent has been contacting multiple clubs, with interest said to be coming mostly from the Western Conference. For Chicago, it is the kind of conversation that fits a rebuilding timeline in theory, even if it immediately raises the question of how aggressive the front office wants to be for another player still early in his NHL path.
The wrinkle is the price. The Capitals are believed to want to move Miroshnichenko out of the Eastern Conference, and the early asking range being discussed is steep enough to make any interested team pause. If the Blackhawks stay involved, it would likely come down to how much they are willing to pay for potential versus patience, especially with other clubs circling and the bidding not sounding modest. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Blue Line Suddenly Faces A Problem Ahead Of Road Trip
A road trip can expose a thin blue line in a hurry, and the Blackhawks are suddenly staring at that possibility with two of their left-shot defensemen in question. Head coach Jeff Blashill said Alex Vlasic is ill and questionable for Thursday against the Detroit Red Wings, a development that comes after he missed the morning skate and leaves Chicago juggling its back end before the trip really gets rolling.
Bowen Byrams situation only adds to the uncertainty. He remains sidelined with an upper-body injury and is also uncertain for the next game against the Boston Bruins, leaving the Blackhawks without much clarity on how their defense will look in the near term. For a team trying to get through a stretch on the road, the timing is far from ideal. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Have An Early Problem Kyle Davidson May Need To Fix
Through the first 12 games, the Blackhawks have looked like a team that can skate, but not always one that can consistently make life difficult on opponents. The numbers behind that impression are stark enough to raise an early concern: Chicago sits near the bottom of the league in both hits and blocked shots, a sign that the roster still lacks some of the grit and edge that tends to travel well over an 82-game season.
For a team trying to build a tougher identity without blowing up its plans, that leaves Kyle Davidson with a familiar kind of balancing act. The Blackhawks can hope for more bite from the players already in the room, but the article also points to possible outside help in Paul Cotter and Nick Seeler, two names that could add some needed physicality without forcing a major investment. [Read more 🡒]