Roman Kantserov entered the season as a name to file away. Now he’s putting himself right into the conversation.
The Chicago Blackhawks have steadied things over the past week with back-to-back wins over the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets, and Connor Bedard’s return has clearly been the spark. But the young forwards around him are starting to make noise too, and Kantserov is pushing his way onto the watch list after scoring three goals in his last three games.
That burst has arrived at exactly the right time. Kantserov is now skating on the top line with Bedard and Patrick Kane, and he’s also seeing time on the first power play unit. For a rookie, that’s about as good a setup as you can ask for.
The start wasn’t smooth. Kantserov went scoreless in his first five games while trying to prove he could bring his KHL form to this level.
Then the home schedule gave him room to settle in. He picked up his first career goal last weekend against the Carolina Hurricanes, then followed it with his first multi-goal game in the next outing.
Bedard’s return has helped unlock things, and there’s no denying the chemistry between the three forwards has shown up fast. Kantserov’s first goal in Tuesday’s game came on the power play, set up by Bedard, and it made him the first Blackhawks forward to score on the man advantage this season. With Bedard back and Kane in his usual spot on the right wall, Chicago’s power play looks like it has a lot more room to breathe.
Still, Kantserov deserves plenty of credit for how he’s handled the assignment. He hasn’t looked overwhelmed skating with Bedard and Kane, and that matters. That kind of line only works if the winger can keep pace, think the game quickly and finish when the chance comes.
So far, the three-game sample has been encouraging, and maybe that’s the most interesting part. Bedard had never played with either Kantserov or Kane before his return, yet the group found chemistry almost immediately. For a Blackhawks team that hasn’t had an elite top line in a while, that’s a pretty exciting development.
Anton Frondell has drawn plenty of the rookie attention, and for good reason. He came into the season with more experience and has been the more productive player so far, with six points in eight games. He’s still the Blackhawks’ leading candidate in the 2027 Calder race.
But Kantserov shouldn’t be left out of that picture. He doesn’t have to drive his own line the way Frondell does.
He can work in support of Bedard, and if that connection keeps growing, his numbers could jump quickly. There’s already proof that Bedard and Kane can click; the question now is how far Kantserov can go once that trio starts humming for longer than two games.
The power play only adds to the appeal. Kantserov is being used in the bumper spot, the same role he thrived in back in Russia. With Bedard and Kane on the flanks, Bowen Byram at the point and Tyler Bertuzzi at the back door, he has a real chance to become a useful piece in a dangerous setup.
Most rookies don’t walk into that kind of situation. Kantserov does. And if the early signs hold, he has a real shot to make the most of it.
In Other News...
Anton Frondell Is Giving Blackhawks Fans Hope They Desperately Needed
The early weeks of the Blackhawks season were a grind, with Connor Bedard sidelined for the first six games and the team trying to steady itself around a thin margin for error. In the middle of that uncertainty, Anton Frondell has given Chicago something it badly needed: a young forward who looks comfortable handling real responsibility, not just flashes. He has already become a notable part of the Blackhawks effort on faceoffs and the penalty kill, the kind of usage that says the coaching staff trusts him in situations beyond the usual rookie runway.
Frondells rise has fit neatly alongside the return of Bedard, whose presence has helped the team string together consecutive wins and ease some of the pressure that had built during the rough start. For Chicago, the encouraging part is not just that Frondell has produced, but that he has done it while looking like a player who can be leaned on in a variety of roles. The Blackhawks are still sorting out what this season can become, but a rookie earning that kind of trust gives them a much better reason to believe. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Finally Have A Real Chance To Build On This Start
After a rough opening stretch, the Blackhawks have started to look more like a team with some direction, and a big reason is simple: the forward group is finally getting healthy. Connor Bedards return earlier than expected from shoulder surgery gave the lineup an immediate lift, and the recent reinforcements have helped stabilize a group that needed more skill and more options up front. The difference has shown up in the results, with the team playing better hockey as the roster has filled back in.
Jeff Blashill has talked about what it means when the forwards are available and contributing, and the confidence level around the team has clearly changed with that fuller group on the ice. Frank Nazars return from suspension, along with Patrick Kane and Anton Frondell being back in the lineup, gives Chicago more speed, more depth and more ways to attack. The bigger question now is whether this stretch can become something more than a brief reset, because this is the first real chance the Blackhawks have had to see what this version of the roster can actually build toward. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Winning Formula Suddenly Looks Bigger Than Just Their Stars
The early signs around the Blackhawks are starting to look a lot more encouraging than just a couple of hot nights from their top names. With Connor Bedard back in the lineup and Frank Nazar rejoining the mix after his two-game suspension, Chicago has found contributions from new additions and returning players alike, and the results have followed with a pair of recent wins. Patrick Kane and coach Derek Blashill have both pointed to the same thing: the lineup is starting to feel deeper, and that matters when a team wants its performance to hold up beyond one line or one pair of stars.
What makes that more interesting for Chicago is the way the scoring has been spread around in those wins, with multiple players finding the scoresheet in each game. For a young team still trying to build something more stable, that kind of balance can be just as important as highlight-reel talent. The Blackhawks are still early in the season, but the bigger question now is whether this depth is a short burst or the start of a more consistent formula. [Read more 🡒]