Patrick Kane already sees something brewing on the Chicago Blackhawks’ top line, even if Connor Bedard’s absence has forced a temporary shuffle.
Bedard is expected to be out for at least a little while longer, and both sides are taking the cautious route. He’s progressing well, but there’s no appetite to rush him back and risk making the situation worse.
That leaves Frank Nazar in the middle for now, flanked by Kane and Roman Kantserov. It’s a setup that gives two young forwards a chance to learn alongside one of the game’s most accomplished playmakers, while also giving Kane a different kind of runway early in the season.
Kane sounded energized by what he saw from Nazar after the first training camp practice. “I think he's a competitive kid,” Kane said of Nazar. “He wants to win; he wants to do well; he wants to win games in practice; he wants to do well as a line, score goals, have that presence of mind, be in the moment, especially in practice.”
That edge is part of what makes Nazar such an interesting fit next to Kane. He’ll backcheck, he’ll go into the dirty areas, and he isn’t locked into one mode once the puck hits his stick. Like Kane, he can pass or shoot, which makes him difficult to read and even harder to defend.
“[I'm] excited to play with him and develop chemistry with him,” Kane said. “[We're going to] have a good year.”
On the other side, Kantserov gives the line a different kind of threat. Kane pointed to the rookie’s skill and smoothness, along with his willingness to communicate and ask questions.
“I think he's got a lot of skill,” Kane said of Kantserov. “He's very smooth.
He speaks very good English; he wants to communicate too. He wants to know certain things about the game, the drills we're doing, or what I'm seeing on the ice.”
That mix matters, especially since both Kane and Nazar lean pass-first while still being willing to shoot. Kantserov’s goal-scoring touch, after he was one of the best KHL goal scorers last year, could be the piece that balances the line.
Kane has skated on plenty of high-end lines over the course of his career, with names like Artemi Panarin, Brandon Saad, Brandon Hagel, Alex DeBrincat, and others. He didn’t often line up with Jonathan Toews at even strength outside of one season, but he’s had no shortage of strong partners. Now he wants this group to find that same rhythm.
“As a line, we got more and more chemistry as the day went on,” Kane said. “Things got better and better. I'm excited to keep building with them.”
In Other News...
Blackhawks Camp Is Taking Shape Around One Huge Bedard Question
The Blackhawks are heading into their first preseason game against the Minnesota Wild with a roster that will look more like an evaluation group than an opening-night dress rehearsal. After a morning skate, the team traveled to Minnesota, and coach Jeff Blashill said the lineup should be mostly filled out by AHL players as Chicago starts sorting through the deeper layers of camp and trying to get a read on who can handle bigger roles.
The bigger picture, of course, still runs through Connor Bedard, who is back to individual skating as he works his way back from offseason shoulder surgery. General manager Kyle Davidson said Bedard is making progress, but there are still medical steps left before he can return to play, leaving the Blackhawks to navigate camp without the player who drives so much of the attention around the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Special Teams Reveal One Key Battle Is Still Wide Open
With a shortened training camp forcing the Chicago Blackhawks to get to the important stuff quickly, special teams have been at the center of the early work. Head coach Jeff Blashill has already mapped out the shape of the power play and penalty kill groups, giving the staff a first look at who fits where and how the team wants to use its new pieces when the games start to matter.
There is still one spot that looks unsettled, though, and camp has already shown how much flexibility the Blackhawks want on those units. Blashill has been mixing and matching to get players different reps, a sign that the final look on special teams may not be decided just yet. With versatility becoming part of the evaluation, the battle for roles inside those units remains one of the more interesting things to watch over the rest of camp. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Preseason Opener Puts Early Roster Pressure On Young Contenders
The Blackhawks preseason gets rolling against the Wild with a lineup that leans heavily on prospects and players fighting to stay in the conversation. It is the kind of first exhibition that does not just offer a peek at the future, but gives the front office and coaching staff an early read on which young skaters can handle a bigger stage as camp opens up.
Chicago also plans to give Arvid Soderblom the net for the full game, adding another layer of evaluation to a night built around roster sorting. Among the young names expected to get a look are Sacha Boisvert, AJ Spellacy, Ashton Cumby and Marek Vanacker, all of whom will be trying to make an impression while the game airs locally on AM 720 WGN and CHSN. [Read more 🡒]