The Blackhawks are hoping Tuesday night brings a reset. Chicago comes in after losing five of its first six games and gets a chance to steady itself at home against Pittsburgh, with Connor Bedard expected to make his season debut after missing time with a shoulder injury.
Bedard will draw most of the attention, and for good reason. But if Chicago is going to get the bounce-back result it needs, Bowen Byram may end up being just as important.
The defenseman has not found his rhythm yet in a Blackhawks sweater. Through five games, he has been held without a point and sits at minus-8, a sharp contrast to the production he posted over the last two seasons, when he finished with 38 points and then 42.
Kyle Davidson brought Byram in this offseason, along with depth forward Jordan Greenway, in a deal that sent the fourth overall pick and a second-round pick to Buffalo. Davidson also added depth defenseman Louis Crevier in the move, with the idea that the team would get better now while still building for the future. So far, the early returns have not matched that plan.
Tuesday could be the night Byram finally gets rolling. With the focus centered on Bedard and the Chicago attack, Byram may have a little more space to settle in and let his game come to him.
He has also had success against Pittsburgh before. In his last six games against the Penguins, the Cranbrook, British Columbia native has seven assists, which gives him a strong case to break through for the first time as a Blackhawk.
Chicago will still have to fight for it. Pittsburgh has had the better of this matchup lately, winning four of the last five meetings, and the Blackhawks have taken just one of their last four home games against the Penguins. Still, if Bedard provides the spark and Byram starts contributing the way Chicago expected, the Blackhawks could finally have the kind of night that changes the tone around their slow start.
In Other News...
Alex DeBrincat Just Gave Blackhawks Fans A Tough Detroit Reminder
Alex DeBrincat is staying put in Detroit, and for Blackhawks fans, that brings back a familiar name with a little extra sting. The Red Wings have agreed to a seven-year contract extension with the 28-year-old winger, a deal reportedly worth $13 million per season, locking in a player who was once one of the most productive scorers to wear a Chicago sweater.
DeBrincats NHL path has taken him from the Blackhawks to the Senators and then to Detroit in 2023, but his best-known years in the eyes of many Chicago fans still trace back to his time here. Now the Red Wings have him secured for the foreseeable future, which means the Blackhawks will keep seeing a former star from across the Central Division rather than across their own bench. [Read more 🡒]
Anton Frondell Is Giving Blackhawks Fans A New Calder Storyline
Anton Frondell has quickly become one of the more interesting early-season developments for the Blackhawks, and not just because he is producing offense as a rookie. Working primarily as the second-line center, Frondell has been the teams rookie leader in points and assists to open the 2026-2027 season, while also showing the kind of faceoff work and defensive detail that coaches tend to notice fast. For a young player, that mix has already translated into real responsibility.
Jeff Blashill has clearly been willing to lean on him, giving Frondell meaningful ice time and even penalty kill duties as his role grows. That kind of trust says plenty about where he stands in the lineup, and it has pushed him into a Calder conversation that feels more substantial than a hot start. The bigger question now is how far that confidence can carry if his all-around game keeps matching the production. [Read more 🡒]
Connor Bedard's Return Gave Blackhawks Fans A Reason To Believe
Connor Bedards return gave the Blackhawks something they had been missing through the early part of this season: a familiar centerpiece back in the lineup. Chicago took advantage of the lift, beating the Penguins 5-3 behind two-goal nights from Roman Kantserov and Teuvo Teravainen, while Bedard also picked up his first point of the season in his comeback game.
For a team that entered the night at 1-5-0, the result was more than just a much-needed win. It was a reminder that the Blackhawks can still create momentum when their top young talent is on the ice, even as the larger questions around consistency and staying power remain very much alive. [Read more 🡒]