The Blackhawks opened the 2026-27 season with a tough assignment and got a clear answer from the defending Western Conference champion Golden Knights: Vegas is a lot farther along right now. Chicago hung around at times, but the 5-2 loss on opening night showed how much work still sits in front of Kyle Davidson’s group.
There were at least a couple of things Chicago could point to afterward. The Blackhawks did not fold after a rough start, and they found some life through a pair of goals that made the night feel briefly competitive. Jordan Greenway got his first as a Blackhawk with a wrist shot that cut the deficit to 2-1, and after Jack Eichel pushed Vegas ahead 3-1, Patrick Kane answered to make it 3-2.
That pushback mattered. The Blackhawks entered the night dealing with Connor Bedard’s injury, and the game had the look of one that could get away from them early.
Instead, the young roster kept battling, even if the bigger picture still looked messy. Team defense has to sharpen up, and Chicago spent too much time staring at the puck instead of controlling the play.
But the effort level stayed up.
Kane’s goal was easily the cleanest moment of the night for Chicago. Trevor Connolly’s chip went awry, Parker Wotherspoon was caught flatfooted, and Kane jumped on the breakaway with the kind of calm that defined his best years.
He beat Carter Hart with a move that looked effortless and scored his first goal as a Blackhawk since Feb. 22, 2023.
It was a reminder of what Kane can still bring. He is not the same player he was at his peak, but he still has the knack for turning one mistake into a goal and making the most of a small opening.
The bigger issue for Chicago was how often it was chasing the game without the puck. The Blackhawks’ young players were asked to do a lot, and too often they were on their heels. Vegas looked like the more polished team throughout, which made sense given the Golden Knights’ experience and recent run to the Stanley Cup Final.
Spencer Knight also had a night he will want back. Victor Olofsson’s first goal was a strong shot, but one Knight probably should have stopped.
Noah Hanafin’s fourth goal was another he likely would prefer to erase. It was a rough outing for the young goaltender, and Chicago needs more than that from him.
In the end, this was a case of the Blackhawks getting outclassed by a better team on home ice. Opening night against a team that reached the Stanley Cup Final the season before is a demanding way to start, and Vegas looked the part. Chicago had a few encouraging moments, but there is plenty to fix before Thursday’s trip to Utah to face the Mammoth.
In Other News...
Trevor Connelly Just Gave Vegas Fans A Reason To Dream
Trevor Connelly did not waste much time making an impression on the big stage. In his NHL debut for the Vegas Golden Knights on opening night of the 2026-27 season, the young forward scored a goal and instantly put himself in a sliver of franchise history, becoming only the second player in team history to do it. It was the kind of entrance that can change the way a prospect is viewed, especially for a player who spent the previous season building his case with a strong run for the Henderson Silver Knights.
Connelly earned his spot on the Golden Knights opening night roster after attending training camp for the first time, and the leap from the AHL to the NHL felt like a rapid one. Still, the organization clearly believes the talent is real, with the teams general manager and head coach both praising his skill and maturity. For Vegas, the early return is exactly the sort of development that makes a new season feel a little bigger than the one before it. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Gave Fans Plenty To Celebrate In Ryan Craigs Debut
Ryan Craigs first night behind the Golden Knights bench had the kind of rhythm any new coach would take in a heartbeat. Vegas opened its home schedule with a 5-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, got a power-play goal from Victor Olofsson, and watched Jack Eichel add another notable line to his resume by reaching 700 career points. For a team looking to settle into the season quickly, it was the sort of start that checked a lot of boxes in one shot.
The evening also carried a bit of extra meaning in the room, with Eichel making a point to praise Connelly after his first NHL game milestone. Those are the kinds of moments that tend to linger beyond the final horn, especially on a night when the building got to celebrate a win, a milestone, and a new coachs first victory all at once. For Vegas, it was a tidy opening chapter with plenty of good feelings attached. [Read more 🡒]
Golden Knights Just Sent A Clear Message About William Karlsson
William Karlsson is sticking around in Vegas, and the move says plenty about how the Golden Knights still view one of their foundational players. The veteran center, an original expansion draft pick, has been a steady part of the team since its inaugural 2017-18 season, filling important roles on both sides of the puck while helping define the identity of the franchise.
The two-year extension keeps Karlsson in a place where he already sits second in franchise history in goals and points, a reminder of how much he has meant to the organization over the long haul. For a team that has never been shy about making bold roster decisions, this one reads as a clear commitment to continuity, experience and a player whose value has gone well beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]