Spencer Knight is getting some serious recognition from EA Sports, and he’s not the only hockey headline making noise as the weekend rolls in.
Knight landed an 87 overall rating in NHL 27, a mark that ties him for the eighth-highest-rated goaltender in the game. For a Blackhawks team trying to build stability in net, it’s another reminder that Knight is already viewed among the sport’s top options between the pipes.
Chicago’s goaltending picture remains one of the more interesting parts of the roster conversation. The Blackhawks appear positioned for the long haul with a starter already in the NHL and a deep group of prospects coming behind him. That kind of depth is the sort of problem teams usually hope to have.
Elsewhere around the Blackhawks, the penalty kill stood out last season by finishing second in the league, but that success came with a catch: several key pieces from that unit are gone now. The challenge is keeping that standard intact after losing so much of what made it work.
Head coach Jeff Blashill also had plenty to say this week about Patrick Kane’s return to Chicago, and he gave multiple reasons why he’s excited to have him back.
Justin Lynch is already looking ahead to the 2026-27 season and digging into which Blackhawks might be the most fun to watch. And Jeremiah Lee took on the team’s goaltending surplus, asking what Chicago should do with all that depth. The answer, as he put it, is simple: you can never have too much goaltending.
On the league side, there’s growing chatter that Texas could be getting another NHL franchise. In an interview with David Alter of The Hockey News, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the framework of a deal has already been agreed upon and that an official announcement could come as early as December. A new team could arrive as soon as the 2029-30 season, with Houston and Austin mentioned as possible landing spots.
There was also contract news from Washington, where general manager Chris Patrick said extension talks have already started with forwards Ryan Leonard and Justin Dourdif.
And in a notable move overseas-to-ECHL path, Alex Burmistrov has signed a one-year deal with the Cincinnati Cyclones. The eighth overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft spent the past eight years in the KHL. The 34-year-old blueliner has 348 NHL games under his belt with the Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Arizona Coyotes, and Vancouver Canucks, and he has been playing overseas since 2018.
Saturday also brought the Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call for Aug. 22, with Ray McKay, Dickie Moore, and Olli Maatta. The NHL side of the birthday list for the same date includes George Ferguson, Dean Evason, Brayden Schenn, and Brock Faber.
In Other News...
Connor Bedard Just Entered A Conversation Blackhawks Fans Will Love
The NHLs latest ranking of active centers gave Blackhawks fans another reason to keep an eye on Connor Bedard, with the league placing the young Chicago star in the same conversation as some of the sports most established names. The list was topped by Connor McDavid and also included Sidney Crosby near the top, but Bedards presence on it is the kind of recognition that reflects how quickly he has become a centerpiece for the franchise.
Bedard earned that spot after a rookie season that ended with 30 goals, and the expectation around him remains high even as Chicago prepares to open the year without him for the first month because of injury. For a Blackhawks team still trying to build around its cornerstone talent, the ranking is another reminder that Bedard is already being viewed as more than a promising young player, and as someone whose development will shape the teams next step. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Fans Have A Real Reason To Push Back On Nick Lardis
Nick Lardis gave the Blackhawks a promising first look in his first professional season, producing 15 points in 41 NHL games while also staying productive with 32 points in 35 AHL games for Rockford. For a 21-year-old winger still trying to carve out his place, that kind of split time and steady offense is exactly the sort of foundation Chicago wants to see from one of its younger talents.
Still, not everyone is buying him as a premium prospect. Corey Pronmans latest view of the Blackhawks pipeline slotted Lardis lower than some of the other names in the system, reflecting the ongoing debate about where his upside fits against questions about his size. Chicago has earned real confidence from recent draft success, but Lardis is another reminder that even in a deep pool, the same player can look a lot different depending on who is doing the evaluating. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Fans Will Never Fully Agree On This Draft Debate
The Blackhawks draft history has a way of turning into a barroom argument, because the biggest classes are measured not just by talent but by what eventually followed. A recent look back at the organizations best draft years pulled together the familiar touchstones from 1980, 2003 and 2011, each tied in different ways to Chicagos championship runs and to the players who helped define eras of the franchise.
What makes the debate linger is that even some highly regarded draft years produced only a few stars and little else, while a more recent group is still waiting to be judged. The 2023 class has already given the Blackhawks plenty of reason to pay attention, but its place in the teams draft story will depend on how far the young group ultimately goes. [Read more 🡒]