The Blackhawks have been busy stacking up offseason details, and Tuesday brought another round of them.
Chicago revealed the jersey numbers for several newcomers heading into the 2026-27 season. Jordan Greenway will wear No.
12, Cole Smith No. 22, Bowen Byram No.
24, Ian Cole No. 28, and Roman Kantserov No. 80.
On the flip side, Sacha Boisvert is moving from No. 12 to No. 90.
Smith’s arrival has already come with a little extra meaning. After signing his three-year deal on the opening day of free agency, he spoke with Blackhawks media on Tuesday morning and said he was grateful the organization gave him and his family some security.
Smith also said he got a text from Connor Bedard after the signing and praised Bedard’s leadership at such a young age. He said he’s looking forward to staying true to his game and making an impact with his new team.
Smith also said the Blackhawks “made me feel almost special in a way,” pointing to the stability the contract gives his young family after his wedding in Nashville in August. He’s expected to bring physical play to the third and fourth lines.
Chicago’s offseason checklist has not stopped there. The team announced its 2026 preseason schedule on Monday, including dates and opponents for the four-game slate. One day earlier, the Blackhawks signed restricted free-agent goaltender Drew Commesso to a two-year contract extension.
There’s still no update on Connor Bedard’s injury status after the awkward crash into the boards during offseason training last week. Bedard also remains unsigned as a restricted free agent.
Around the league, the Dylan Larkin situation in Detroit remains stuck. According to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press, Larkin still hasn’t widened his trade list beyond Florida, Minnesota, and/or Vegas, while Steve Yzerman continues to hold firm.
Patrick Kane’s future in Detroit is also still unresolved, and that decision could have a major ripple effect on the Red Wings’ direction.
Elsewhere, Claude Giroux is officially staying with the Ottawa Senators on a one-year deal with a $2 million base salary and bonuses included. And Daniel Alfredsson has taken a new job with the Toronto Maple Leafs, joining Jim Hiller’s staff as an associate coach.
There’s also movement overseas for one young player: a three-year contract with HC Litvinov in the Czech Extraliga was announced on Tuesday.
As for the NHL calendar, the regular-season schedule for all 32 teams is set to be released Thursday, July 16, at 12:00 p.m. (CT).
In Other News...
Connor Bedard Just Sent A Strong Message About His Blackhawks Future
Connor Bedard is already acting like a player who knows the Blackhawks future runs through him. Even with his contract situation still unresolved beyond this season, the young forward has been making himself present in the room, and new teammate Cole Smith noted that Bedard reached out soon after Smith arrived. For a team still trying to build a steadier identity, those small gestures matter just as much as the highlight-reel stuff.
Bedards outreach also fits the broader picture around him in Chicago, where his role keeps expanding on and off the ice. The Blackhawks have long viewed him as the centerpiece of the rebuild, but the next step is less about talent and more about whether he can become the kind of voice teammates naturally follow. Right now, he is giving every indication he wants that responsibility, even if the full picture of what comes next is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Spencer Knights Season Grades Hint The Blackhawks Found Their Goalie
Spencer Knights first full season as the Blackhawks No. 1 goalie gave the front office plenty to like, even if the year came with the usual bumps that follow a heavy workload on a young roster. He played a career-high 55 games in 2025-26, posted a 2.82 goals-against average, a .902 save percentage and 19 wins, and the overall tone of the season reviews was encouraging enough to suggest Chicago may have found its long-term answer in net.
Knights path through the season also reflected the realities of playing behind a defense that changed around him. His early months were his best, and the later stretch became more complicated as the team dealt with injuries and absences on the blue line, which put even more pressure on a goalie already carrying the starters load. Chicago rewarded that progress with a new three-year extension, but the bigger question now is whether Knight can turn a promising first act into something more stable as the roster around him continues to take shape. [Read more 🡒]