Bowen Byram gave the Blackhawks their first preseason win in the most eye-catching way possible: with a hat trick in overtime against the Wild on Monday night at the United Center.
Chicago leaned on what figures to be much closer to its regular-season group, while Minnesota came in for a second straight game with mostly AHL players. That gap showed early in some spots and not at all in others, and the game still needed an extra frame after a wild finish to regulation.
The Blackhawks actually opened in a hole. Just 15 seconds in, Bobby Brink redirected a shot past Spencer Knight to put Minnesota up 1-0. It started with a defensive zone turnover, the kind of mistake that can show up early in the preseason.
Chicago answered after killing off a too many men on the ice penalty that Nick Lardis served. Once he came out of the box, Lardis picked off a Wild defender and raced in alone. He was tripped early in the sequence, but the play ended with him burying the tying goal anyway.
That goal fit the kind of offseason work Lardis was said to have done on his skating and strength. He looked quicker and stronger on the takeaway and finished with the speed to get in by himself. If he stays healthy, it isn’t hard to imagine him pushing toward 30 goals.
By the second period, Chicago had its first lead. Bowen Byram scored his first goal in a Blackhawks sweater, and it came with Sam Rinzel and Ryan Greene helping work the puck around the offensive zone before finding him with a lane to the net.
Byram wasn’t done. Twenty-four seconds into the third period, he struck again to make it 3-1.
He was trying to send a backdoor pass to Roman Kantserov, but the puck deflected in off a Minnesota defender. Kantserov still earned an assist on the sequence after moving the puck to Alex Vlasic, who found Byram before the finish.
At that point, Chicago looked ready to close out the night. Instead, the Wild’s young group pushed back. Maxim Shabanov scored, and Bobby Brink added his second of the game to pull Minnesota even at 3-3.
It was another reminder that preseason leads can vanish fast, even when one side is expected to have the edge. The teams also needed overtime in St. Paul on Saturday, and this time they went beyond 60 minutes again.
Chicago got the puck off the opening draw in overtime and never let go of it before Byram fired home the winner 29 seconds into the extra period. That completed the hat trick and gave the Blackhawks their first preseason victory.
It was not a clean night, but there was plenty for head coach Jeff Blashill to take from it. Byram showed exactly why the Blackhawks wanted him in the lineup: he brings an offensive dimension from the blue line that can change the shape of the team. He also has enough support around him in forwards and complementary defensemen to make that skill set matter.
He’s not going to score three every night, or even pick up a point every night. But in one game, he showed how much more dangerous Chicago can look when he’s driving the attack.
The Blackhawks are done with their two preseason games against Minnesota and now move into a home-and-home with the St. Louis Blues.
Their next game is Thursday in St. Louis for preseason game 3.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Just Started A Camp Trim That Says Plenty About Their Prospects
After a busy Rookie Camp and Prospect Showcase, the Blackhawks have already begun trimming the edges of their training camp roster. Ryan Roobroeck, Parker Holmes, and Ty Henry all got a look in the teams recent prospect events before being sent back to their Ontario Hockey League clubs for the 2026-27 season, a reminder of where each young player stands in his development and how quickly the path narrows once camp turns serious.
Chicagos camp group is now down to 47 players, and theres likely more movement ahead as the preseason schedule continues to tighten the competition. Another round of cuts could come after Mondays preseason game against Minnesota, which should give the Blackhawks another chance to separate the hopefuls from the players who are starting to look ready for the next step. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Defense Battle Is Putting Real Pressure On Ethan Del Mastro
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For Del Mastro, the path forward is tied to the details that can separate an NHL regular from a depth option. He has been working on his skating and defensive mobility to make himself harder to play against, and those improvements could be what keeps him in the conversation as camp tightens. The Blackhawks like the potential enough to keep testing him, but with the numbers game already crowding the defense, every practice and exhibition game is adding pressure to prove he belongs. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Cut Leaves Veteran Defenseman In Roster Limbo
The Blackhawks latest training camp cuts have pushed Derrick Pouliot into roster limbo, with the veteran defenseman now waiting to see where he lands after being moved out of the NHL picture. Pouliots arrival in the organization gave Chicago another experienced blue-line option, and his game has still shown enough offensive touch to matter, even as his scoring rate has trended downward in recent seasons.
For now, the next stop appears to be Rockford, where Pouliot is expected to play a major defensive role for the IceHogs in the 2026-27 season. It is a familiar kind of pivot for a player at this stage of his career, one who can still help an organization depth-wise even as the path back to Chicago becomes less certain. [Read more 🡒]