It was a quiet August checkpoint on the NHL calendar, but there was still plenty to sort through, from a fresh goaltender ranking to another frustrating twist for the Red Wings.
The NHL Network put out its list of the top 10 goaltenders in the league right now, and one absence stood out only because it was expected: Blackhawks goalie Spencer Knight did not make the cut. The more eyebrow-raising name came farther down the list, with Dan Vladar of the Philadelphia Flyers landing at No.
- The question now is whether Knight can put together a big season and work his way onto next year’s ranking.
The list itself was introduced by NHL Media, which posted: "Introducing NHL Network's Top 10 Goalies Right Now!"
"What do you think of the list? #NHLTopPlayers pic.twitter.com/bblvaYkKmq"
Elsewhere, the Detroit Red Wings found themselves in familiar territory. Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press reported that the Steve Yzerman era has often felt like “close, but no cigar,” and this latest story fit that theme.
According to Monarrez, the Red Wings had a deal in place to bring back free-agent forward Anthony Mantha, but it fell apart while the team waited for ownership approval. Mantha later signed with the New Jersey Devils instead.
The New York Rangers are dealing with a very different kind of offseason puzzle. Vincent Mercogliano of The Athletic noted that the team has traded away a good portion of its veteran core over the past couple of years, leaving it in a strange spot.
He also pointed out that the Rangers have only four forwards signed beyond this season, which gives them a chance to reshape the roster. Mercogliano said they should use their salary cap space to lock up Gabriel Perreault long-term.
Around the Blackhawks side of things, Brooke LoFurno took a look at more milestones Patrick Kane could reach in his first season back in Chicago. The club’s number history series also rolled on with Nos. 21-25, and that stretch included one of the easiest calls in the project and one of the toughest. There was also a new episode of the Second Balcony, a CHGO Blackhawks Mini-Podcast focused on the many jersey options available to Chicago hockey fans these days.
And on the birthday front, Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call for Aug. 17 included Georges Bocher, Chico Maki, Nelson Emerson, and Troy Brouwer.
In Other News...
Blackhawks Fans Got An Early Read On Spencer Knights NHL Respect
NHL.coms early look at the leagues best goaltenders offered a familiar kind of respect for the usual names, with Andrei Vasilevskiy, Connor Hellebuyck and Igor Shesterkin occupying the top of the list heading into the 2026-27 season. For Blackhawks fans, the more interesting part was the absence that followed, because Spencer Knight was coming off a strong first year as a starting goalie and still found himself on the outside of that conversation.
It is the kind of ranking that does not change a teams plans, but it does sharpen the debate around how quickly a young goalie has earned his place among the NHLs elite. Knights play gave Chicago reason to believe it has a real foundation in net, even if the broader league view is still catching up, and the gap between those two perceptions is exactly where the next step of his career will be judged. [Read more 🡒]
Blackhawks Have Enough Talent Now The Pressure Is On
The Blackhawks have spent the rebuild phase collecting talent, and the conversation around the organization is starting to shift from patience to proof. With Patrick Kane back in the picture and Connor Bedard leading the next wave, the roster has the kind of star power that makes people around the league look twice, even as the team continues to sort through changes in special teams personnel and the rest of the supporting cast.
What comes next is less about whether the Blackhawks can add more pieces and more about when the whole thing has to start looking like a real team. The 2026-27 season is shaping up as the checkpoint, a year when progress will be measured against a Central Division that rarely gives anyone an easy path and against the expectation that playoff positioning should finally be in reach. [Read more 🡒]