The Chicago Blackhawks head to Long Island on Thursday night carrying their first win of the season into a matchup with an Islanders team that has already been all over the map.
New York comes in at 1-2-0, and the three games have told three very different stories. The Islanders opened with a tight 2-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs, then came back with a 6-0 demolition of the New Jersey Devils.
That surge didn’t last long, though, because their next outing ended in a 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers. Early-season noise can only tell you so much, and right now the Islanders are tough to pin down.
Even with the roster looking fairly familiar, there are a few notable changes in the mix. Bo Horvat remains the top goal scorer after putting up 31 goals and 57 points in 68 games last season.
Simon Holmstrom followed with 41 points, including 19 goals, in 79 games, while Jean-Gabriel Pageau added 35 points in 74 games. Kyle Palmieri is back as well, though injuries limited him to 25 games last season; his 0.72 points per game still ranked in the team’s top four.
Anders Lee, who posted a 0.51 rate, is gone after signing with the Utah Mammoth this summer. Mathew Barzal, who led the Islanders with 72 points in 81 games, is still on the roster but is dealing with a knee injury.
The forward group also includes some newer faces. Brayden Schenn is already leading the team with 1.33 points per game, while Ondrej Palat, Calum Ritchie and Victor Eklund are part of the mix too.
On the blue line, Matthew Schaefer stands out after a huge rookie season. The first overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft finished second on the team in scoring with 59 points, including 23 goals, in 82 games. Ryan Pulock, Adam Pelech, Scott Mayfield and Alexander Romanov are all back on defense, but Romanov will be unavailable after suffering a torn ACL in the most recent game.
In net, the Blackhawks will see Ilya Sorokin, who already showed what he can do by stopping 37 shots in a shutout of the Devils on Saturday.
Chicago, meanwhile, finally got on the board Tuesday with a 4-2 home-opening win over the St. Louis Blues. It wasn’t perfect, but after three rough road losses to start the season, the Blackhawks looked far more like a team that could hang around in games.
The best part for Chicago was the way its young players drove the offense. Frank Nazar helped create the opening goal, setting up the sequence that ended with Sam Rinzel burying a rebound.
Later, Artyom Levshunov powered to the net and fed Anton Frondell for the second goal. For a team missing Connor Bedard, that kind of creativity from the kids was the loudest takeaway from the night.
There was some lineup movement at Wednesday’s practice as well. Teuvo Teravainen did not travel with the team because of an ankle injury, and Dominic Toninato was recalled from Rockford to take his place.
Toninato skated between Ryan Donato and Nick Lardis, a spot that had belonged to Oliver Moore. Moore moved up to the top line with Frank Nazar and Patrick Kane.
Roman Kantserov dropped down to skate with Anton Frondell and Tyler Bertuzzi, a tweak that appeared aimed at spreading the skill around more evenly.
The defense group is expected to stay the same as it was against St. Louis, and the starting goalie has not been announced.
In Other News...
Patrick Kane's Return Could Shape The Blackhawks' Next Core
Patrick Kanes return to Chicago has been more than a sentimental reunion. Signed to a two-year deal this offseason, the veteran winger has slipped into a role that matters just as much for the Blackhawks future as it does for their present, working around a young group that includes Frank Nazar, Sam Rinzel, Alex Vlasic and Roman Kantserov. For an organization still trying to build its next competitive core, Kanes experience is giving those players a daily reference point on how to handle the details that separate raw talent from dependable NHL production.
The early signs have been encouraging because Kane is not simply leading by example from across the locker room. He has been active with younger forwards and prospects, including hands-on teaching moments with Kantserov on the finer points of positioning and reading the ice. For a team that needs its prospects to keep progressing while navigating the usual growing pains, that kind of presence can matter just as much as points on the scoreboard. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Need Their Young Core To Deliver Again On Long Island
Chicago heads to Long Island with a little bit of momentum after picking up its first win of the season, but there is still plenty to prove on this early road trip. The matchup with the Islanders comes at a time when both clubs are trying to settle in, with New York looking to steady itself after losing two of its first three and the Blackhawks trying to turn one good result into something more lasting.
For Chicago, the focus is on its young core again, especially Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell, two players who have already shown they can fit into this kind of game. The Blackhawks need those younger pieces to keep driving the attack and to make the most of chances on the road, because the next step for this group is not just flashes of skill but the kind of consistency that starts to change how these games feel late. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Greenway Is Giving The Blackhawks An Early Bright Spot
Jordan Greenway has given the Blackhawks something they were hoping to find early, a sturdy fourth-line presence who looks comfortable in the role they have carved out for him. Acquired from Buffalo, he has fit neatly alongside Cole Smith and Ryan Greene, stayed healthy, and given Chicago a useful mix of size, puck pressure and reliability in the kind of minutes that often get overlooked until they start making a difference.
The early returns have been even better than that, with Greenway quickly becoming one of the more noticeable players on the roster. He has already provided the teams first goal of the season and, just as importantly, has been driving play in a way that shows up in the details, from shots to hits. Jeff Blashill has taken notice of the impact on and off the ice, which only adds to the sense that Greenway may be becoming more than a temporary bright spot for a team still looking for traction. [Read more 🡒]