The Blackhawks’ early-season center puzzle keeps getting more interesting.
With Connor Bedard not expected to be fully healthy until early to mid-November, Chicago has spent plenty of the offseason sorting through possible short-term answers down the middle for 2026-27. Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell still look like the most obvious options, but Scott Powers of The Athletic recently floated another name into the conversation: Roman Kantserov.
Powers said on the latest episode of The Athletic’s “Powers & Laz” podcast that he’s heard whispers about the rookie possibly handling Bedard’s spot to open the season. He also believes Kantserov could skate on the same line as Patrick Kane, though he stressed that nothing is set in stone. Kantserov spent last season with Magnitogorsk in the KHL, where he moved from wing to center in what was his final year there.
That idea is enough to keep the chatter rolling, especially since Kantserov is still being talked about as part of Chicago’s next wave. More on that subject is expected from Chicago Hockey Now this week.
There’s also been a fresh bit of recognition for the rookie on the league’s social channels. On Wednesday morning, the NHL posted GIFs of several first-year players ahead of the season, and Kantserov was among them.
The rookies are officially reaction-ready! 😎
Check out the newest rookie GIFs ➡️ https://t.co/5KSrtMmDmL pic.twitter.com/FmwxYVTpo3
- NHL (@NHL) September 2, 2026
Elsewhere in Blackhawks land, the Rockford IceHogs released their official promo schedule for the 2026-27 AHL season on Tuesday, with plenty planned at the BMO Center. Single-game tickets go on sale next Monday, Sept. 8, at 10:00 a.m. CT.
Chicago also got a few other notable offseason items over the weekend. Kevin Korchinski is no longer a restricted free agent after signing a new two-year contract that runs through 2027-28 and carries a $1.325 million cap hit. The question now is whether that deal leads to a full-time NHL role this season.
The prospect side of things is about to get rolling, too. Before NHL training camp begins, the Blackhawks will host the 2026 prospect showcase against the St.
Louis Blues, and Sacha Boisvert, Marek Vanacker, and AJ Spellacy are among the names on the roster. The schedule and full details are available through Chicago Hockey Now.
Connor Bedard also landed on the NHL Network’s list of the top 50 players entering 2026-27. The network unveiled the first 10 names in the ranking on Sunday afternoon, with players Nos. 41-50 announced and Bedard placed 44th.
Around the league, the New Jersey Devils made the biggest splash of the day, acquiring Luke Evangelista from the Nashville Predators for a 2028 conditional first-round pick and a 2028 second-rounder. New Jersey Hockey Now called it a move that adds middle-six production and depth without a long-term commitment.
The Athletic also rolled out a top-20 ranking of Calder Trophy candidates for 2026-27, and both Anton Frondell and Roman Kantserov were included.
In Anaheim, the Ducks announced that Ryan Getzlaf will have his No. 15 retired during the 2026-27 season, making him the fourth player in franchise history to receive the honor.
The New York Rangers added more forward depth by signing Eeli Tolvanen to a one-year, $1.5 million contract on Tuesday. Tolvanen finished 2025-26 with 36 points, including 12 goals and 24 assists, plus 178 hits in 78 games for the Seattle Kraken.
And in Dallas, Tyler Seguin was spotted skating Tuesday morning as he works back from a torn ACL that cost him most of the 2025-26 season. Seguin, 34, is in the final season of the eight-year deal he signed with the Stars in 2018.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Rebuild Suddenly Has A Real Breakthrough Path
The Blackhawks rebuild suddenly looks a little less theoretical because the pieces around Connor Bedard are starting to give the front office something more than hope. Patrick Kane is back in the mix, young forwards Anton Frondell and Roman Kantserov are part of the longer-term picture, and the defense group has its own reasons to push after years of growing pains. Add in the possibility that Spencer Knight can stabilize the crease, and Chicago can at least sketch a path toward a season that feels more purposeful than the ones that came before it.
Bedard remains the obvious hinge, though, and his timeline still shapes everything about how quickly this can turn. The broader question is whether the Blackhawks can survive the opening stretch well enough to keep the season alive until their top talent is available, because the difference between another development year and a real breakthrough may come down to how much help they get from the rest of the roster before the face of the franchise is back on the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Just Put More Pressure On Connor Bedard Than Ever
Connor Bedard is heading into his fourth NHL season in Chicago still waiting for his first playoff berth, and the pressure around him has only grown as the organization keeps trying to raise the team around its young centerpiece. The Blackhawks have already made notable moves this summer, including adding defense help and bringing Patrick Kane back into the mix, as Kyle Davidson continues to reshape a roster that has struggled to find any real balance.
The latest reminder of how much is being asked of Bedard came from The Athletics recent player tier rankings, which put him in the third tier and pointed to concerns about his defensive game on a team that has had trouble in its own end. For a player who is supposed to drive Chicagos next era, the message is clear: the Blackhawks are building with urgency, and they need Bedard to look like much more than just a star scorer if this push is going to stick. [Read more 🡒]
Two Blackhawks Rookies Are Suddenly At The Center Of Calder Buzz
A little more than a year out from the 2026-27 NHL season, the Blackhawks already have two rookies drawing serious attention in Calder Trophy conversation. The Athletics Harman Dayal, Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman put forwards Roman Kantserov and Anton Frondell among the top candidates, a sign of how much belief there is in both players as possible top-line and power-play contributors for Chicago.
For a rebuild still looking to turn promise into results, that kind of early buzz matters because it reflects both ceiling and opportunity. FanDuel Sportsbook has Frondell and Kantserov among the favorites as well, which only adds to the intrigue around how quickly they can translate prospect hype into NHL impact once the season arrives. [Read more 🡒]