Chicago Blackhawks are hoping Kane and Byram can help young core climb into playoffs

Chicago Blackhawks

CHICAGO (AP) — Last season: 29-39-14, missed playoffs.

COACH: Jeff Blashill (204-261-72 over eight seasons, including seven with Detroit).

SEASON OPENER: Sept. 29 at Vegas.

DEPARTURES: F Ilya Mikheyev, D Louis Crevier, F Sam Lafferty, F Andre Burakovsky.

ADDITIONS: D Bowen Byram, F Patrick Kane, F Cole Smith, D Ian Cole.

GOALIES: Spencer Knight (19-25-11, 2.82 goals-against average, .902 save percentage), Arvid Soderblom (8-13-3, 3.80, .880).

What to expect

The Blackhawks are aiming for their first postseason appearance since the NHL used an expanded playoff format for the pandemic-affected 2019-20 season. But it’s going to take a major leap for the team’s young core to make that vision a reality.

Kane, who turns 38 in November, signed with his first NHL team in free agency, and Byram was acquired in a trade with Buffalo. They join a group that includes Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Anton Frondell, Oliver Moore, Nick Lardis, Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel — all 22 or younger. Bedard is going to miss the start of the season after he had left shoulder surgery on July 8. The center had a career-high 30 goals and 45 assists in 69 games last year. A speedy and successful return for the captain would provide a big lift for a team that is going to need a variety of positive developments to make it to the playoffs.

Strengths and weaknesses

The good: Knight was terrific last year, logging a .902 save percentage in a career-high 55 games while playing behind a porous Blackhawks defense. Frondell, Lardis and Sacha Boisvert all broke into the NHL last season, adding to Chicago’s depth and athleticism. The 19-year-old Frondell made his Blackhawks debut in March and finished with three goals and six assists in 12 games. Lardis had 10 goals and five assists in 41 games, and Boisvert had a goal and an assist in seven contests. Frondell was the No. 3 overall selection in the 2025 draft, and the 20-year-old Boisvert was a first-round pick in 2024.

The not-so-good: Even with Knight’s work in net, Chicago allowed 3.29 goals per game last season, ranking 27th in the league. Soderblom had a rough year as the backup goaltender, and he could be replaced by Drew Commesso if he falters again this season. The development process for defensemen is a tough road, but the Blackhawks need Levshunov and Rinzel to take a major step forward.

Players to watch

Byram is the No. 1 defenseman for his team for the first time in his NHL career. He agreed to a $75 million, six-year contract extension on July 1, and there will be increased attention on his play in his first season with his new team.

Roman Kantserov is going to get an opportunity to play on one of Chicago’s top lines after signing an entry-level contract in May. The Russian winger, a second-round pick in the 2023 draft who turned 22 on Sunday, led the Kontinental Hockey League with 36 goals in 63 games last season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Kantserov’s 36 goals and 64 points were the highest single-season totals for a player under the age of 22 in KHL history.

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