RSS Blackhawks Team Notes

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Blackhawks Prospects Mentioned as “Reclamation Project” Trade Targets

As we continue with the Olympic break, I thought this was an interesting read from Thomas Drance and Harman Dayal at The Athletic. They wrote about the Vancouver Canucks possibly targeting reclamation projects as they embark on their rebuild — and there’s a Blackhawks twist.

The irony, of course, is the Blackhawks getting really good hockey from Jason Dickinson and Ilya Mikheyev AND two second-round picks as… wait for it… reclamation projects. Nice job of internal asset evaluation there by Vancouver for sure, eh?

Anyways, now that we’re done taking the obligatory shots at the gong show in Vancouver, this piece did get my attention for one big reason. Both Drance and Dayal are very good at what they do, they’ve done if for a while and are pretty in-tune with what’s going on with the Canucks.

They list ten players who they view as “high pedigree players that have fallen out of favour and can be acquired as ‘buy low’ options — or as part of the return for a superior veteran player — but still have the ability to realize their potential with a fresh start on a new team.”

Two of the players they mention: Blackhawks defense prospects Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro.

Sergei Belski-Imagn Images

Korchinski and Del Mastro? Really?​

I don’t think the Blackhawks will move either Korchinski or Del Mastro before the deadline. Indeed, I think they’ll move veteran Matt Grzelcyk to get one/both of them up to the NHL for an extended look down the stretch this season.

Korchinski was the first draft choice by Kyle Davidson as the permanent general manager of the Blackhawks. After being selected seventh overall in 2022, he wound up in the worst-case scenario for his development in the NHL during the 2023-24 season. The Blackhawks were crushed by injuries, so he spent most of his ice time on a bad team with a waiver claim (Jaycob Megna) for a partner. Add to those circumstances the fact that his father passed away in the middle of the year and it was a hard, hard year for the teenager.

Korchinski is now, still, only 21. He’s been an AHL All-Star now two years in a row. There’s good reason to believe his arrow is still pointing up. Again: Korchinki is still only 21.

Considering there were similarities between Del Mastro and Nolan Allan in the pipeline and the Blackhawks moved on from Allan in early January — he was traded to San Jose with Laurent Brossoit — there should be more confidence in Del Mastro’s position in the pipeline. Drance and Dayal describe Del Mastro as “a good puck mover with a big frame, who was a pedigree player all the way up through to the start of his major junior career. He has every tool you could ever ask for from a still-developing 23-year-old defender.”

But the other reality is both of these young guys is heading to restricted free agency this coming summer. That should be a reason for the Blackhawks to get them more run in the NHL to better determine their next contracts — but it also presents a decision timeline for one/both of them.

Which brings me back to being somewhat intrigued that they were mentioned in this piece from Drance and Dayal.

Blackhawks, Canucks, Rebuilding, Buying, Selling​

Let’s get into the meat of this report that got my interest. Here’s the part of their write-up of Korchinski and Del Mastro that got my interest most:

If the Blackhawks decide to buy ahead of the deadline, especially if they try to add one of Vancouver’s expensive veterans with term as a long-term fit for their work-in-progress forward group, either of these two young Blackhawks blueliners would represent intriguing, high-upside, young buy-low trade targets from a Canucks perspective.

If the Blackhawks buy ahead of the deadline?

If the Blackhawks buy “expensive veterans with term” ahead of the deadline?

So, let’s first qualify who fits the definition of “expensive veterans with term” on Vancouver’s payroll (with their age in parenthesis):

• Elias Pettersson (27) — $11.6M AAV thru 2032**
• Brock Boeser (28) — $7.25M AAV thru 2032**
• Connor Garland (29) — $6M AAV thru 2032** (new extension begins next season)
• Jake DeBrusk (29) — $5.5M AAV thru 2031**

I added the ** to each of their contract details because they’re all on Bowman Specials. All four of those veteran forwards has a no-move clause on their contracts thru next year; DeBrusk’s contract moves to a 15-team no-trade list in 2027.

So keep in mind any additional discussion about these four players assumes they would waive their no-move clause to come to Chicago.

Are any of those four guys changing the trajectory of the Blackhawks’ timeline individually? Would they change it enough to consider moving a young defenseman who is likely on the cusp of being ready for the NHL full-time next year?

None of those players is having a good season; Pettersson and DeBrusk have 13 goals each, Boeser 12 and Garland has scored seven. They’re good players with different skillsets, but none of them presents something the Blackhawks don’t necessarily have coming in the pipeline other than NHL experience — and an expensive contract.

Given all of the turmoil in Vancouver over the past few years — from coaching changes to veterans getting moved out (and what they’ve said about the Canucks after leaving) — there’s reason to believe in a possible “buy low” on any of those four. But I’m not sold on those four guys — with those four contracts — at this time for the Blackhawks.

But file away that there is a perception outside Chicago that we may have already reached a point where teams might call GMKD and try to poach young players who are still developing as “reclamation projects.”

#Canucks trade deadline targets from @harmandayal2 and I: 10 reclamation projects that fit the timeline for a rebuilding team via @TheAthleticNHL: https://t.co/BTXHb64cfo

— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) February 9, 2026

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...ntioned-as-reclamation-project-trade-targets/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Dominant USA Women, AHL Skills Highlights, CHL’s All-Time Top 50, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

Yes, another day without Blackhawks hockey. The men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics begins today, which is awesome and exciting. But I want to open up our bullets celebrating just how ridiculously dominant the USA women have been in Milan. On Tuesday, the US authored their biggest win ever against Canada at the Olympics — and the first shutout loss for Canada’s women in Olympic history.

The Americans completed their four preliminary games against Czechia, Finland, Switzerland and Canada with scores of 5-1, 5-0, 5-0 and 5-0. You read that correctly: they have outscored their opponents 20-1 in their first four games of the tournament. Next on the schedule: a quarterfinal date with the host team, Italy, at 2:10 PM CT on Friday. It you haven’t been watching this incredible run, there’s still time to get on for the ride. This might be the most dominant Olympics ever — men’s or women’s.

Dominance.#WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/S1woiUDtQY

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 10, 2026

• The AHL All-Star Skills Competition was last night in Rockford. The IceHogs — and Blackhawks — were represented by Nick Lardis, Kevin Korchinski and Rockford captain Brett Seney. They all performed admirably (not a Milwaukee reference) in their respective events. The folks were kind enough to have a drone follow Lardis on the Puck Control Relay, which made for some pretty cool content.

This drone footage of Nick Lardis skating his way through the Puck Control Relay at the #AHLAllStars Skills Competition pic.twitter.com/wAjxQW5wqS

— Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) February 11, 2026

• Here are some more nice Lardis highlights from last night.

Absolute snipes from 76 #AHLAllStar | @HRRockford pic.twitter.com/ypMqLHhYqt

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) February 11, 2026

• In non-Blackhawks/IceHogs notes from the compeition last night, eyes opened wider and jaws dropped when Arthur Kaliyev of the Belleville Senators won the CCM Hardest Shot title with a bomb clocked at 104.0 mph. But this goal from Abbotsford Canucks forward Ben Berard absolutely stole the show.

Ben. Berard.
Jaw. Dropped.@TheAHL | @abbycanucks #AHL #ProudlyAbbotsford #AHLAllStar pic.twitter.com/cFSD7zmHPj

— FloHockey (@FloHockey) February 11, 2026

• Reminder: you can watch the AHL All-Star Challenge tonight live from Rockford on CHSN in the supported areas and NHL Network.

• And now this ridiculous goal from Connor Bedard against Nashville? No, that’s Pittsburgh on Jan. 29. The Pens’ all-yellows are something, aren’t they?

What a goal by Connor Bedard. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/1Fdl7s70xI

— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) January 30, 2026

• Speaking of Bedard, he was one of the players named to the CHL’s list of the 50 most influential alumni in the history of the leagues on Tuesday. Fans can vote to rank the top 10 of all-time.

THE CHL TOP 50

As part of #CHL50, we proudly unveil the most influential and accomplished alumni from @TheWHL, @OHLHockey and @QMJHL over the past half century!

https://t.co/VicHSIqRls pic.twitter.com/9aGYna0rJU

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) February 10, 2026

• Bedard is one of three notable Blackhawks to make the CHL’s top 50 list, joining the only other No. 1 overall pick in team history, Patrick Kane, and Savoir-Faire, Denis Savard.

Congratulations to Denis Savard, Patrick Kane and Connor Bedard on being named to the @CHLHockey’s Top 50 Players of the Last 50 Years!

Much deserved pic.twitter.com/6UKhQEDbaU

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) February 10, 2026

• As we continue to enjoy the ascent of Jack Pridham this season as he dominates the OHL, I’m mindful of a piece Ben Pope wrote back in early December in which he chatted with Blackhawks assistant general manager Mark Eaton about a number of Blackhawks prospects. Pope included this takeaway from their conversation about Pridham:

The Hawks would like to see Pridham start taking over games more decisively, though, and pushing back harder against physicality and adversity.

• The consistency piece was big for Pridham in Pope’s notes. Since that article published on Dec. 4, Kitchener has played 24 games. Pridham has a point in 20 of them. He has recorded a point in 13 straight games, during which he has scored 11 goals with 14 assists and has eight multi-point games. It appears he’s responded to those comments, whether he read them in the Pope story or heard them directly from Eaton.

• Finally, I always recommend the “32 Thoughts” podcast but they dropped their Olympic preview on Wednesday morning. Great stuff.

32 Thoughts men's Olympic Hockey preview pod with @sportsnetkyle & @kbieksa3

Tournament starts today. Enjoy!

Links to your preferred platform, here: https://t.co/io7Mr1RceU

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 11, 2026

BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter

Some of the Most Beautiful Words in the World: PITCHERS AND CATCHERS REPORT!https://t.co/m8i9V73oB5

— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) February 11, 2026

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...all-time-top-50-and-other-blackhawks-bullets/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

2026 NHL Draft: BN’s Top 50 Prospect Rankings

As we continue thru the Olympic break for the NHL and get to the middle of February, it’s time for us to unveil our own rankings of the top 50 prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft.

The 2026 NHL Draft has already seen a number of picks traded, especially in the second-half of the draft. It’s considered a defense-heavy draft at the top with a couple elite offensive forward prospects and good size on the blue line.

Teams heading into the 2026 NHL Draft should be able to add good depth throughout the first two rounds, especially teams like the Blackhawks that have multiple picks. How many picks are ultimately moved between now and the NHL’s Trade Deadline on March 6 will be fascinating. And how many teams maneuver up and down the draft board targeting specific players when the NHL draft takes place in Buffalo will be interesting as well.

Note: the stat cards I’m embedding from the wonderful folks at Elite Prospects update in real time, so if you’re visiting these rankings the players’ stats should be up-to-date. Also, make sure to check out my most recent two-round 2026 NHL Mock Draft.

Let’s get into it. Here are our top 50 prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft.

IIHF

2026 NHL Draft — Top 50 Prospects​

1. Ivar Stenberg, RW​

6-0, 181
DOB: Sept. 30, 2007
Shoots: Left

Stenberg’s stock got a big bump after a stellar performance at the World Junior Championship. Since then, he’s been almost universally ranked the No. 1 prospect in this year’s NHL draft class. Everything about his game is excellent with maybe the only exception being his skating, which is at least very good. He’s going to make a general manager at/near the top of the draft very happy for a long time.

2. Gavin McKenna, LW​

5-11, 170
DOB: Dec 20, 2007
Shoots: Left

Yes, there are legal concerns now hanging around in the background for McKenna. And, yes, his numbers early in the season weren’t what people expected after he averaged better than two points per game in the WHL last year. There are some questions about his skating and compete, and he isn’t the most defensively responsible forward, but everything about his offensive game is elite.

3. Keaton Verhoeff, RHD​

6-4, 212
DOB: June 19, 2008
Shoots: Right

If a team is looking for a big, physical two-way defenseman who also happens to shoot right-handed early in the draft, Verhoeff presents a great chance to get a top-pair fixture for the foreseeable future. His performance (and usage) at the World Juniors left something to be desired, but he’s been very good at the college level as a teenager at North Dakota. He’s in the mix to be the first name called in June for sure.

4. Chase Reid, RHD​

6-2, 187
DOB: Dec. 30, 2007
Shoots: Right

Reid’s stock has had helium since November, and hasn’t stopped climbing. He isn’t as physical as Verhoeff, but he has a bomb for a shot and is a terrific offensive defenseman. He’ll be able to run a power play in the NHL and put points on the board.

5. Tynan Lawrence, C​

6-0, 185
DOB: Aug. 03, 2008
Shoots: Left

Lawrence made the choice to jump from the USHL to the NCAA level at Christmas, joining Boston University mid-season. His numbers haven’t overwhelmed since that move, but he’s arguably the top center in this NHL draft class. He’s a better skater than Stenberg or McKenna and projects to being a terrific two-way center who can drive offense and still play a responsible game.

6. Alberts Šmits, LHD​

6-3, 205
DOB: Dec. 02, 2007
Shoots: Left

Šmits stock is also up this season since a nice — but not overwhelming — performance at the World Junior Championship. He’ll skate for Latvia in the Olympics as an 18-year-old, which is rare. Again, a very good skater with a hammer of a shot who projects to being a top-pair defenseman with very good puck-moving ability.

7. Caleb Malhotra, C​

6-2, 183
DOB: June 02, 2008
Shoots: Left

Malhotra, like Reid, has seen his stock skyrocket during this season. Playing with a lot of NHL talent in Brantford doesn’t hurt, either. He has very good size and being the son of a long-time NHL player doesn’t hurt. He projects as a very good all-around top-line center who does everything very well. He may ultimately be a top-five overall selection in the NHL draft in June.

8. Carson Carels, LHD​

6-2, 194
DOB: June 23, 2008
Shoots: Left

Carels has decent size, but he plays a physical game. He’s a responsible defender who can also move the puck well and drive offense. He probably projects as more of a penalty killer than a powerplay quarterback at the NHL level, but that doesn’t mean he can’t help his team’s offense. Carels is a good skater who plays the body well.

9. Viggo Björck, C/W​

5-10, 172
DOB: March 12, 2008
Shoots: Right

If Björck was two inches taller, he would probably be in the mix for the top five in this NHL draft class. His stock was up before the season, but the height issue saw a bit of a slide — especially if teams project him on the wing at the NHL level. But his performance at the World Juniors elevated his stock once again. Every aspect of his game is outstanding… except his physical measurements.

10. Ethan Belchetz, LW​

6-5, 227
DOB: March 30, 2008
Shoots: Left

Belchetz might not win many races on the ice, but if a team is looking for a player in the Tkachuk model this is your guy. He’s a big, legit power forward who has great hands and handles the puck very well. But his calling card is going to be physical play; he wins board battles and plays strong around the net. His stock has come down a bit over the past month or so, but there’s a lot to like based on his size and ability.

11. Daxon Rudolph, RHD​

6-2, 203
DOB: March 06, 2008
Shoots: Right

It might sound crazy, but Rudolph begins the second tier of defensemen in this draft class — and he might be a top-ten pick when the NHL draft takes place. He’s an incredibly smart defenseman who does everything well, but there isn’t one element of his game that really stands out above the rest. Good skater, good passer, smart, plays the body effectively. He’s a very safe defenseman who projects as a top-four guy in the NHL.

12. Oliver Suvanto, C​

6-3, 209
DOB: Sept. 03, 2008
Shoots: Left

Suvanto is the first big center on in our NHL draft rankings. He uses his size well and has very good hands, but his skating leaves a little to be desired. He projects as a very good middle-six center who plays well around the net.

13. Adam Novotný, LW​

6-1, 205
DOB: Nov. 13, 2007
Shoots: Left

Novotný is an elite skater with a very good shot. He has good size that should translate into an effective middle-six winger at the next level(s). He isn’t quite the playmaker that other forwards in this class might be, but his wheels could be a differentiator in the NHL draft.

14. Ryan Lin, RHD​

5-11, 178
DOB: Apr 18, 2008
Shoots: Right

Lin is a very smart defenseman who can do some terrific things with the puck. The problem is his size. Lin isn’t an exceptional skater, so not being a big player could be problematic as he moves up to the professional ranks. But he competes hard and wins more battles than you might expect from a guy whose height begins with a five.

15. Oscar Hemming, LW​

6-4, 198
DOB: Aug. 13, 2008
Shoots: Left

Hemming had some off-ice availability issues that needed to be resolved this year that led to a very late start to his season. But he’s looked the part of an effective power forward with terrific size and skating ability since joining Boston College. He uses his size well and likely projects as a middle-six winger.

16. Ilya Morozov, C​

6-3, 205
DOB: Aug 03, 2008
Shoots: Left

Morozov is another player in our top-20 whose stock has climbed throughout this season. He has great size to be an effective center at the next levels and has produced well as a teenager in the college ranks. Morozov plays a heavy game that translates to the NHL postseason quite well, which should help him to hear his name called fairly early at the NHL draft.

17. JP Hurlbert, LW​

6-0, 183
DOB: April 11, 2008
Shoots: Right

An electric offensive player who’s dominating the WHL this season, almost every element of Hurlbert’s game is outstanding. The biggest questions are his skating, and the fact that he’s probably a haircut under six-feet tall. He’ll move to the University of Michigan next season, which will be a great proving ground for him to take his offensive game to another level.

18. Xavier Villeneuve, LHD​

5-11, 157
DOB: Sep 29, 2007
Shoots: Left

Villeneuve is another smart, relatively strong defenseman whose size is going to see him drop down the draft board. But his skating is great, his puck-handling and vision are terrific and he thinks the game well. He could ultimately be a power play specialist at the NHL level who would need help at even strength because of his frame.

19. Elton Hermansson, RW​

6-1, 174
DOB: Feb. 05, 2008
Shoots: Right

Hermansson is an offensively gifted winger who has a terrific shot and playmaking ability. The concerns here are his average size and play away from the puck. He’s a first-round player who can probably work his way into being a top-six wing at the pro levels, but he needs to be more consistent.

20. Nikita Klepov, LW​

6-0, 181
DOB: June 27, 2008
Shoots: Left

Klepov is having a phenomenal season in the OHL and will take his talents to the Big Ten next year at Michigan State. Great puck skills and a big-time shot are his hallmarks, and a year or two of college hockey will help his game develop. Again, he’s probably a haircut under six-feet tall, which could hurt his draft stock.

21. Malte Gustafsson, LHD​

6-4, 201
DOB: June 11, 2008
Shoots: Left

Not a great skater, Gustafsson moves okay for a player with his size — a frame that’s going to get attention in the first round of the NHL draft. He’s probably a second- or third-pair defenseman when he gets to the NHL, but you can’t teach someone to be this big as a teenager.

22. Egor Shilov, C​

6-1, 181
DOB: April 30, 2008
Shoots: Left

Shilov has terrific hands and he’s a good — not great — skater who drives offense. He plays between the circles, which some front offices and coaches are going to love. He’s committed to Boston University, which is a terrific place to work on developing further.

23. Juho Piiparinen, RHD​

6-3, 203
DOB: Aug. 10, 2008
Shoots: Right

Piiparinen is a big, right-handed defenseman. That, alone, makes him interesting. But he’s also very young (August birthday), which makes him more intriguing in this NHL draft class. He gaps well and plays the body effectively. He’s an efficient defender. Not sexy, but strong — and that tends to win games. He projects as a middle-pair right-shot defenseman.

24. Wyatt Cullen, RW​

6-0, 172
DOB: Sept. 08, 2008
Shoots: Left

The son of longtime NHL forward Matt Cullen, Wyatt has seen his stock go up tremendously since he showed very well at the Chipotle All-American Game. He’s a very good skater with terrific hands who’s shifty on the ice. He’s a tough player to pin down when he’s got the puck. He’ll head to play for the Gophers at some point.

25. Alexander Command, C​

6-1, 185
DOB: June 16, 2008
Shoots: Left

We’ve reached the point in our NHL draft rankings that you’re going to start having names come off the board in a dealer’s choice lineup. Command is a good, cerebral center with decent size. His stock has also skyrocketed this year from being initially projected as a late-round prospect to now being in the late-first, early-second round consideration set.

26. Tomas Chrenko, C, HK Nitra (Slovakia)
27. Marcus Nordmark, LW, Djurgårdens (SHL)
28. Mathis Preston, RW, Vancouver (WHL)
29. William Håkansson, LHD, Luleå (SHL)
30. Nikita Shcherbakov, LHD, Tolpar (MHL)
31. Liam Ruck, RW, Medicine Hat (WHL)
32. Adam Goljer, RHD, Dukla Trencin (Slovakia)
33. Ryan Roobroeck, C, Niagara (OHL)
34. Simas Ignatavičius, C, Genève Future Hockey U21 (Swiss U21-Elit)
35. Giorgos Pantelas, RHD, Brandon (WHL)
36. Maddox Dagenais, C, Québec (QMJHL)
37. Alessandro Di Iorio, RW, Sarnia (OHL)
38. Niklas Aaram-Olsen, LW, Örebro (SHL)
39. Brooks Rogowski, C, Oshawa (OHL)
40. Jaxon Cover, LW, London (OHL)
41. Adam Valentini, C, U. of Michigan (NCAA – Big Ten)
42. Landon Amrhein, RW, Calgary (WHL)
43. Jakub Vaněček, LHD, Tri-City (WHL)
44. Axel Elofsson, RHD, Örebro (SHL)
45. Casey Mutryn, C, USNTDP Juniors (USHL)
46. Pierce Mbuyi, LW, Owen Sound (OHL)
47. Ben Macbeath, LHD, Calgary (WHL)
48. Ryder Cali, C, North Bay (OHL)
49. Vladimír Dravecký, RHD, Brantford (OHL)
50. Victor Plante, LW, USNTDP Juniors (USHL)

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/2026/02/11/2026-nhl-draft-top-50-prospects/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Triple Gold Club, USA and Canada Olympics Begin, Lardis Highlights, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The Triple Gold Club is one of the most prestigious groups in hockey that we don’t talk about much. To be a member, a player has to win gold at the Olympics and men’s World Championship and the Stanley Cup in their careers. Entering this year’s Winter Olympics, only 30 men have achieved the feat. But there’s a collection of individuals who could join that exclusive club, two of whom have played for the Blackhawks.

As a reminder: with his gold medal and first Stanley Cup victory in 2010, then-Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews became the youngest ever member of the Triple Gold Club at just 22 years and 41 days old. And, another reminder: Sidney Crosby may have scored the Golden Goal in 2010, but Toews was named the Best Forward in the tournament by the IIHF Directorate. He also won the Conn Smythe in 2010. Have a year!

Not a great start to the Olympics for Teuvo Teräväinen and Finland. They were upset 4-1 by Slovakia in the first game of the men’s tournament on Wednesday. Montreal’s Juraj Slafkovský had two goals and an assist for the victors.

Today’s men’s Olympic hockey schedule:

• 5:10 AM CT — Switzerland vs. France
• 9:40 AM — Canada vs. Czechia
• 2:10 PM — United States vs. Latvia
• 2:10 PM — Germany vs. Denmark

• Sadly, sometimes we can use Olympics… highlights… to have a sense of humor about the state of affairs for the Blackhawks.

The #Blackhawks entering the zone on the power play be like

pic.twitter.com/Co7Zph1H4P

— Tab Bamford (@The1Tab) February 9, 2026

• Nick Lardis scored the first goal of the AHL All-Star Classic last night for the Central Division. He was on the ice to start the game with his Rockford teammates, Kevin Korchinski and Brett Seney, for the 3-on-3 action. He also buried a sick goal in the shootout. Here are both scoring plays from Lardis.

And the first goal of the all star challenge to Nick Lardis of the Rockford Icehogs !! pic.twitter.com/J7dFPq68Zs

— gabe (@majorslashing) February 12, 2026

Nick Lardis shootout goal?

Yeah, we've seen that one before pic.twitter.com/B7Yni1BEdN

— Blackhawks on CHSN (@CHSN_Blackhawks) February 12, 2026

• David St-Louis at Elite Prospects ranked the top 12 rookie defensemen in the NHL this season. He ranked Blackhawks defenseman Artyom Levshunov at No. 6 on his list. He’s pretty critical of Levshunov thus far, but points out that there are glimpses of his immense potential. It’s the lack of consistency he’s shown thus far that are troubling for St-Louis. Here’s part of what he wrote about the good:

There’s one area where his game has noticeably improved: physicality. Using his frame better and more often, Levshunov plays a harder brand of hockey at the NHL level than he ever did in the NCAA or AHL. He walls off opponents from high-danger areas, ties up sticks, gets the interior position on loose pucks, and lands some hits.

He’s also capable of great plays on both sides of the puck.

In moments, Levshunov can box out opponents,intercept plays around the net, and push through pressure to get the puck out of traffic. He can hold on to the puck under pressure, using his frame to keep forecheckers at bay. Veiling his intention with deception, anticipating plays, and connecting clever passing plays, he sometimes looks like a high-end offensive quarterback.

• There’s only one game in the CHL involving Blackhawks prospects tonight. Sarnia visits AJ Spellacy and the Windsor Spitfires.

BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter

Candace Parker Headlines Basketball Hall of Fame Finalists Roster With Strong Chicago Vibes

WATCH: Alex Bregman Just Took Jameson Taillon Deep

2026 NFL Mock Draft: Post-Super Bowl Reset Sets the Board

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...rdis-highlights-and-other-blackhawks-bullets/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Blackhawks College Prospects: Providence is HOT, BU Needs Wins, Light Schedule

It’s a lighter slate of games this weekend for Blackhawks prospects playing college hockey. Providence comes into the weekend one of the hottest teams in the country, having won their last nine games — they’ve only lost once this calendar year (10-1)!

Since the calendar flipped to 2026 and the Friars got hot (again, 11 games), Blackhawks prospect John Mustard has four goals and four assists. Julius Sumpf has one goal and eight assists and three multi-point games during the current nine-game heater.

Boston University needs to get hot soon! At 13-14-2, they’re in danger of not making the NCAA tournament after advancing to the Frozen Four in each of the past three years. As a reminder: 16 teams make the NCAA tournament in men’s hockey. The current National Collegiate Percentage (NPI) Index has them ranked 29th.

It’s probably a good thing that UMass is off this weekend. Václav Nestrašil didn’t play this past weekend because of an upper-body injury. Hopefully he’s back after their bye week. The NPI has UMass ranked 21st.

Note: I’m not including Minnesota-Duluth’s games this weekend because Adam Gajan is at the Olympics.

Friday, Feb. 13​

Northeastern at No. 6 Providence — 6 PM CT
Boston University at New Hampshire — 6 PM

Saturday, Feb. 14​

Northeastern at No. 6 Providence — 4:30 PM
Boston University at New Hampshire — 5 PM

Blackhawks College Prospects​

• Václav Nestrašil, F, UMass — 26 games, 11 goals, 12 assists, 69 shots on goal, 11 blocked shots
• Sacha Boisvert, C, Boston U. — 20 games, 3 goal, 12 assists, 41 shots on goal, 10 blocked shots
• John Mustard, F, Providence — 27 games, 11 goals, 9 assists, 98 shots on goal, 10 blocked shots
• Julius Sumpf, C, Providence — 27 games, 3 goal, 14 assists, 61 shots on goal, 19 blocked shots
• Adam Gajan, G, Minnesota-Duluth — 26 games, 15-11-0, .905 save pct, 2.29 GAA, 2 shutouts

Note: Gajan is at the Olympics.

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...ovidence-is-hot-bu-needs-wins-light-schedule/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Blackhawks Prospect Notes: Frondell, Kantserov, Lardis, Korchinski, Mustard, More

Let’s start our weekend with some prospect notes and comments from around the Blackhawks universe this week. There’s a lot going on all over the world with Blackhawks prospects right now while the Olympics keep the NHL club away from practices until Feb. 18.

A lot of information from Scott Powers, who posted two mailbag pieces this week — highly recommend Part I and Part II. A few prospect nuggets from the pieces:

• On Anton Frondell‘s timeline to come over (this year?):

It all depends on how far Djurgårdens and Frondell go in the SHL playoffs. It looks like Djurgårdens will finish somewhere between seventh and 10th in the standings. That will put it in a best-of-three playoff series for the opening round. The SHL regular season ends on March 13, and those best-of-three series will likely start a few days later. At the earliest, Frondell could be available to the Blackhawks around the third week of March. If Djurgårdens advances a round into the quarterfinals, that series is a best-of-seven, so that would push his arrival back closer to April. If Djurgårdens advances to the semifinals or final, it’s less likely Frondell plays for the Blackhawks this season.

• On Roman Kantserov:

With 29 goals and 53 points in 49 games, Kantserov might be the playmaker Bedard needs on his wing. Kantserov’s vision and passing are elite. He may not be big, but he has a strong build and doesn’t shy away from contact. He’s taken on major minutes as a center against older veterans in Russia. The goal scoring does help. He doesn’t need quantity. He understands how to get quality and has scored a lot of goals around the net this season. We’ll see how he adapts, but Bedard and Kantserov with one of the larger wings, maybe Frondell or Boisvert, could make sense in time.

[Note: after Powers’ piece published, Kantserov scored his KHL-leading 30th goal of the season.]

• On Drew Commesso:

The Blackhawks are in no rush with Commesso. … The Blackhawks want Commesso to play as many games as possible and allow him to further develop. He’s still just 23. Rockford gives him more reps at this point. There are also still ups and downs to his game.

• Marco D’Amico at RG Media wrote a nice story about Providence forward and Montreal Canadiens prospect Logan Sawyer. In it, Blackhawks prospect John Mustard comes up — and Sawyer has some very nice things to say about the Hawks’ forward prospect, who happens to also be his roommate. I like these two quote from Sawyer about how Mustard is able to drive offense for Providence:

“He’s so fast,” Sawyer said. “So it’s pretty easy to just dish him the puck and let him buzz down the wing and try to get open.” …

“It really helps when you have a guy that sees the ice so well, he makes things easier for us on the ice,” added Sawyer.

Chris Jones-Imagn Images

• Nice read here from Kalen Lumpkins for the Chicago Tribune after spending some time in Rockford for the AHL All-Star Classic this week on Nick Lardis and Kevin Korchinski working their way back to the NHL. Good perspective from both young players.

“I think just implementing hard skill in a way, using my strengths, which is my shot, skill and speed,” Lardis said. “At the same time, teams are so good up there, physically and structured, and all their systems are really good.

“It’s just making sure that you’re playing with a lot of hard skill, and being a good two-way player is huge.”

Nick Lardis and Kevin Korchinski both had their brief stints with the Chicago Blackhawks this season.

When that next recall comes for the two, they want it to be permanent.

“You want to stay up there as long as you can,” https://t.co/g81NQ3J0OY

— Kalen Lumpkins (@kalenalumpkins) February 13, 2026

• Honza Zoufal, who covers Central Europe for Elite Prospects, dropped his February stock watch for prospects on Friday morning, and Blackhawks forward prospect Jiří Felcman is mentioned as one guy whose stock is rising. Felcman, 20, was a third-round pick (No. 93 overall) by the Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft and is currently playing in Switzerland. Here’s what Zoufal wrote about him:

Jiří Felcman had a great month, securing a spot as a top-six centre for the first time in his career, and it immediately showed in his point production. He’s become more consistent, doubling his point total with nine points over the past month. For context, he had nine points all of last season.

Since my last viewings, he’s made noticeable progress in his skating and mechanics, looking more mobile and adding speed. Combined with his physicality, he’s winning battles and using his long reach to make life difficult for puck carriers. He’s also added more puck-handling and one-on-one creativity, getting himself into scoring areas. His passing and vision still shine on the power play.

FEBRUARY STOCK WATCH: CENTRAL EUROPE

After winning silver at the World Juniors, Tomáš Galvas and Matěj Kubiesa are making the most of their last opportunities to be drafted into the NHL

: @HZoufal

: https://t.co/5W3d4W8CgO pic.twitter.com/mTFkNCmmip

— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) February 12, 2026

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...ell-kantserov-lardis-korchinski-mustard-more/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

2026 NHL Mock Draft: Mid-February Lottery Roulette Edition

As the 2026 Winter Olympics continue and there is no NHL action to watch — or to change the standings — why not have a little fun with a new mock draft.

While nothing is written in stone, we have an order of teams in the standings that give us projected odds of winning 2026 NHL Draft Lottery, an event that could change the order of selections.

I went over to Tankathon to mix up the order of selections in the 2026 NHL Draft to change things up a bit for a new mock draft. For this mock draft, I ran their lottery simulator five times — in honor of Connor Murphy — and here’s what it kicked out: chaos.

Source: Tankathon

So, in the event we get this kind of chaos at the 2026 NHL Draft Lottery — which would be amazing for fans in both Winnipeg and Washington while assuring the Blackhawks of owning Florida’s lottery pick — let’s run thru a quick mock draft for how the first round might play out.

As a reminder, you can read our rankings of the top 50 prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft.

2026 NHL Mock Draft — First Round​

1. Winnipeg Jets — Ivar Stenberg, RW, Frölunda (SHL)
2. Vancouver Canucks — Gavin McKenna, LW, Penn State (NCAA)
3. Washington Capitals — Keaton Verhoeff, RHD, North Dakota (NCAA)
4. St. Louis Blues — Chase Reid, RHD, Soo (OHL)
5. New York Rangers — Caleb Malhotra, C, Brantford (OHL)
6. Calgary Flames — Alberts Šmits, LHD, Jukurit (Liiga)
7. Chicago Blackhawks — Tynan Lawrence, C, Muskegon (USHL)
8. New Jersey Devils — Ethan Belchetz, LW, Windsor (OHL)
9. Nashville Predators — Carson Carels, LHD, Prince George (WHL)
10. San Jose Sharks — Daxon Rudolph, RHD, Prince Albert (WHL)
11. Chicago Blackhawks (from FLA) — Adam Novotný, LW, Peterborough (OHL)
12. Los Angeles Kings — Oliver Suvanto, C, Tappara (Liiga)
13. Philadelphia Flyers — Oscar Hemming, LW, Boston College (NCAA)
14. Boston Bruins (from TOR) — Viggo Björck, C, Djurgårdens (SHL)
15. Columbus Blue Jackets — Ryan Lin, RHD, Vancouver (WHL)
16. San Jose Sharks (from EDM) — Malte Gustafsson, LHD, HV71 U18 (U18 Region)
17. Utah Mammoth — JP Hurlbert, LW, Kamloops (WHL)
18. Anaheim Ducks — Ilya Morozov, C, Miami (OH) University (NCAA)
19. Seattle Kraken — Nikita Klepov, RW, Saginaw (OHL)
20. New York Islanders — Juho Piiparinen, RHD, Tappara (Liiga)
21. Boston Bruins — Alexander Command, C, Örebro U20 (U20 Nationell)
22. Buffalo Sabres — Elton Hermansson, W, MoDo (HockeyAllsvenskan)
23. Detroit Red Wings — Marcus Nordmark, RW, Djurgårdens (SHL)
24. Pittsburgh Penguins — Wyatt Cullen, RW, USNTDP
25. Montreal Canadiens — Adam Goljer, RHD, HK Dukla Trencin (Slovakia)
26. Vancouver Canucks (from MIN) — William Håkansson, LHD, Luleå (SHL)
27. Carolina Hurricanes (from DAL) — Egor Shilov, C, Victoriaville (QMJHL)
28. Calgary Flames (from VGK) — Ryan Roobroeck, C, Niagara (OHL)
29. New York Rangers (from CAR) — Xavier Villeneuve, LHD, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
30. Seattle Kraken (from TB) — Simas Ignatavicius, C, Genève Future Hockey U21 (U21-Elit)
31. New York Islanders (from COL) — Maddox Dagenais, C, Québec Remparts (QMJHL)

The changes at the top of the board by way of the lottery changed the order of selections in this mock draft. It certainly affected the theoretical decision making for front offices in the top ten.

What’s wild about the draft order as it stands right now (per Tankathon) is the final six picks in the first round of our mock draft have all been traded already. In total, there have been nine first-round picks that have switched hands — a number that could grow once the NHL Trade Deadline passes.

As I have noted before, this is a defense-heavy draft class at the top, but there are also some good value defensemen later in the first round. And size is going to be a strong consideration for teams with Lin and Villenueve, who are both very good players but are both players whose height starts with a five.

Also Read​

2026 NHL Draft: BN’s Top 50 Prospect Rankings

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/2026/02/13/2026-nhl-mock-draft-lottery-roulette-feb/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Kaiser Update, USA Women Dominate, Fiala Hurt, Prospect Highlights, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

Scott Powers put out a two mailbag pieces at The Athletic this week that got into a lot of good questions. There’s a lot in both sections — again, I highly recommend Part I and Part II. In the first piece, the biggest news nugget I took away was this quasi-update on injured Blackhawks defenseman Wyatt Kaiser:

From what it sounds like, the injury isn’t as bad as the Blackhawks initially feared. We’ll soon see what that means for a timeline.

Powers’ second Blackhawks mailbag piece starts with a lengthy answer to a question asking to compare the current states of the rebuild in Chicago and San Jose. I already gave my take on that before the two teams played each other on Feb. 2. The comments there are pretty similar. He also answers a bunch of questions about the Panthers’ pick protection debacle (he also didn’t know it had a top-10 protection designation) and he answers a question that’s all-too familiar to me: when do we start giving up on prospects if they aren’t as good as we want them to be right now?

But what you have to understand about this path is that most of these young players need more time. …

… you need to let it play out a little longer. [Frank] Nazar is in his second full pro season and first in the NHL. [Ryan] Greene and [Oliver] Moore are in their first full pro seasons. [Kevin] Korchinski is 21, in his third full pro season, and is playing between 21 and 25 minutes a night in the AHL. It’s not like the Blackhawks have moved on from him.

Sound familiar?

Part 2 of my Blackhawks’ mailbag https://t.co/gh5XuPU3jk

— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) February 13, 2026

• The United States women should probably apologize to the parents and next of kin of Italy’s women’s team after yesterday. If not for a weak “shot” on net with 24 seconds left in regulation, the US would have scored more goals than Italy had credited shots on goal. In the 6-0 US victory, the Americans had a 51-6 shot advantage. Yes, I said 51-6. The game was chippy and the Italians were taking their share of cheap shots, so the US just didn’t take their foot off the gas pedal.

Kendall Coyne Schofield netted two goals to power the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team past Italy, 6-0, in their #WinterOlympics quarterfinal. Up next: the semifinals!

Game recap: https://t.co/8dNECncTJu pic.twitter.com/WXphkx5BHu

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 14, 2026

• On the men’s side of the Olympics, the biggest news on Friday wasn’t Canada obliterating Switzerland. It was an ugly injury that will have significant implications in the NHL. Swiss / LA Kings forward Kevin Fiala got tangled up with Canada / Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson (totally clean play) and went down awkwardly. Fiala did not get up, and needed a stretcher to leave the ice. I’m not going to embed the video, but you can click here to see the play. As a rookie in the 2017 playoffs, Fiala broke his femur.

• We don’t have any additional clarification of what the exact injury is for Fiala yet (as of me writing this), but Elliotte Friedman reports this morning that his NHL season is over and he’s already had surgery.

One update from last night: Kevin Fiala is having surgery this morning in Italy.

No clarity yet on exact injury, but, unfortunately, it will be season-ending. All the best to him in his recovery.

— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 14, 2026

• Fiala’s 18 goals and 40 points both rank second on the Kings this season. Yes, the Kings just acquired Artemi Panarin before the Olympic break, but Fiala is a huge part of that team. LA was rumored to still be searching the market for some additional help to make a playoff push in Anze Kopitar’s final season. This injury likely changes the calculus on their “needs” before the trade deadline.

• Here’s your men’s Olympic hockey schedule for Saturday:

• Sweden vs. Slovakia — 5:10 AM CT
• Germany vs. Latvia — 5:10 AM
• Finland vs. Italy — 9:40 AM
• United States vs. Denmark — 2:10 PM

• I keep seeing comments on social media and here that the Blackhawks “don’t like” and/or “don’t want to draft” Gavin McKenna. To be clear: I do not think the Blackhawks wouldn’t/won’t draft McKenna — I just believe he isn’t No. 1 on their board. Powers touched on that, too.

I don’t think they’re sold on McKenna as the top pick in 2026. They’re not the only ones who think that. McKenna’s game has shown some flaws in college. If they’re drafting further down the top 10 and he’s still on the board, they’d have to consider him. His offensive ability can’t be ignored. I don’t think it’s certain that they won’t draft him.

• Hey, Lemont-native Scott Darling is going to be in Rockford tomorrow!

Scott Darling is returning to the @BMOCenter on Sunday as part of our @NHLBlackhawks Centennial Celebration weekend!! https://t.co/lCrCKp5x7F

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) February 13, 2026

How about some Blackhawks prospect highlights?​

• Here’s Roman Kantserov‘s KHL-leading 30th goal of the season from Friday’s action. Powers was asked about why there isn’t more hype around a young forward (21) who’s putting up numbers comparable to what Kirill Kaprizov did in the KHL at the same age. He didn’t have an answer beyond his listed size being a possible flag for some folks. I don’t have a good reason for more people outside of Chicago to not be talking about him at this point, either.

#Blackhawks prospect Roman Kantserov gets his 30th goal of the season!pic.twitter.com/WSBjK53Lx7

— Talkin’ Hawkey (@TalkinHawkey) February 13, 2026

• In college, John Mustard got Providence on the board last night with his 12th goal of the season. Julius Sumpf picked up the second assist on the Mustard marker. Unfortunately, the Friars’ nine-game win streak ended.

Gamache sends Mustard down the left wing and he finishes on the backhand for his 12th of the season! Julius Sumpf also earns as assist on the play.https://t.co/fGIZhNe3B0 x @ESPNPlus https://t.co/6A8D1e9NQD pic.twitter.com/ImnZGdta7q

— PC Men's Hockey (@FriarsHockey) February 14, 2026

• In the WHL, Nathan Behm picked up an assist on a 5-2 loss for Kamloops.

• In the USHL last night, Mason West went top shelf for Fargo last night.

MASON WEST. TOP SHELF. NASTY. pic.twitter.com/lhWJsq2ICK

— Fargo Force (@FargoForce) February 14, 2026

• In the OHL, Jack Pridham scored his 35th goal of the season. He also picked up two more assists for a three-point night. Pridham now has 70 points in 51 games on the season.

This guy is Priddy good!

Jack Pridham gets his 35th of the season for the @OHLRangers as they double up their lead in Kingston!#Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/cp37h8RihZ

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 14, 2026

• With Pridham on his heels in the OHL scoring race, Marek Vanacker scored his 36th and 37th goals of the year last night. Vanacker now has 61 points in 45 games this season, and reached two big milestones in his OHL career last night.

THAT’S TWO MILESTONES FOR MAREK!!

With tonight’s goal, Marek Vanacker recorded his 100th career goal and 200th career point!

Congratulations, Marek! #BFD pic.twitter.com/FVKyDTkZMZ

— Brantford Bulldogs (@BulldogsOHL) February 14, 2026

• Finally, a brief baseball note if I might. Shoutout to Luke Lawrence, St. Rita’s own and starting second baseman for the University of Kentucky. He hit a grand slam on opening day for the Wildcats, a 13-2 win at UNC Greensboro. He’s going to make a major league GM really happy in a few months after the draft. I see his dad around the United Center every once in a while. Great kid!

BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter

• Joe Thuney’s first year with the Bears was transformative and historic

• Shelby Miller is reportedly closing on a multi-year deal with the Cubs.

• Matas Buzelis’ Team Vince wins the 2026 Rising Stars Challenge

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...pect-highlights-and-other-blackhawks-bullets/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

USA and Canada Start Strong, Russia’s Future, a Development Reminder, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The men’s tournament at the Olympics really got cranked up on Thursday. Even though there weren’t any Blackhawks on the ice, the hockey was pretty good. Canada won their game by a comfortable margin, even if the first period was closer than the final would make you think. The United States scored seven goals but only won 5-1 because Latvia’s video coach played the best defense on the team.

This goal from the USA is exactly what you want to see in a best-on-best in the entire world tournament. Crisp, precise passing with a finish. Absolutely gorgeous.

This is what “best-on-best” in the world type shit should look like

Damn

pic.twitter.com/xpd0M3Tm3B

— Tab Bamford (@The1Tab) February 12, 2026

Here’s your men’s Olympic hockey schedule for Friday:

• Finland (0-1) vs. Sweden (1-0) — 5:10 AM CT
• Italy (0-1) vs. Slovakia (1-0) — 5:10 AM
• France (0-1) vs. Czechia (0-1) — 9:40 AM
• Canada (1-0) vs. Switzerland (1-0) — 2:10 PM

• Even though they got steamrolled by the US, teenage Latvian defenseman Alberts Šmits was pretty impressive. He was minus-one in 17:57 on the ice and looked like he belongs — which, again, is pretty impressive from a player who turned 18 in early December and is eligible for the 2026 NHL Draft. I had Šmits at No. 6 in my top 50 draft rankings earlier this week. A strong Olympics could see him climb into top-five pick consideration — if he wasn’t already there. I wasn’t the only person impressed with his effort on Thursday.

Alberts Smits out here running a top Olympic power play unit like this is normal for an 18-year-old

This kid belongs.

— Cam Robinson (@Hockey_Robinson) February 12, 2026

Alberts Smits (2026) has played 12:48 through two periods for Latvia in his Olympic debut against USA. That’s fourth amongst their D. Has held his own, too.

— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) February 12, 2026

• Good read here from Mark Lazerus in Italy on the future of Russia in international best-on-best events.

NEW: The NHL — wary of taking any sort of political stand — will continue to defer to the international sporting community when it comes to Russia. So for now, they wouldn't be in the 2028 World Cup.

More from Gary Bettman, Marty Walsh and Luc Tardif:https://t.co/kLmtU9uI2Q

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) February 12, 2026

• The only Blackhawks prospect in action last night was AJ Spellacy with Windsor. He had this nice assist on a goal from 2026 draft-eligible forward Ethan Belchetz last night.

Spellacy Sauces Belchetz Buries

The @SpitsHockey have now scored four unanswered goals to lead 4-2 in the second!#NHLDraft | #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/enHgKuIASO

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 13, 2026

• Nice read here from Seth Rorabaugh for the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review on Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea. If the name rings a small, quiet bell in the back of your mind as a Blackhawks fan, it should. The Hawks drafted Shea in the fourth round in 2015. He played another USHL season and then four at Northeastern after being drafted, then signed with Dallas and then went on to Pittsburgh. He’s got a chance to more than double his career NHL games played this season.

• A reminder: defensemen take time to develop. And it isn’t always a 1-3 year proposition.

“Pittsburgh’s been the one spot that’s given me opportunity and kind of let me grow in my position. … This is the spot that I want to be, and this is the spot that allowed me to play to myself.”

On Ryan Shea finding his spot with the Penguins:https://t.co/PxoFDe50Io

— Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) February 12, 2026

• James Murphy at RG Media wrote a good piece on the state of affairs in Columbus. He writes that the Blue Jackets are working on extensions for forwards Charlie Coyle, Mason Marchment and captain Boone Jenner — effectively taking them off the trade market. They reportedly want to make a push for the playoffs, which would theoretically make them potential buyers before the trade deadline.

• The Blackhawks spin here: those three off the market is an opportunity improvement for the Blackhawks if/when they start shopping their forwards. It also makes me wonder about the Blue Jackets potentially having interest in current Blackhawks — and offseason Columbus residents — Nick Foligno and/or Connor Murphy.

Multiple NHL sources tell RG that Columbus is working to extend Charlie Coyle, Mason Marchment and Boone Jenner — and they’re off the trade market.

Don Waddell is set to begin talks next week as the Blue Jackets push for the playoffs.

Full story https://t.co/Dm9yKRIB0R

— RG (@TheRGMedia) February 12, 2026

Blackhawks Prospect Watch​

• OHL
  Erie at Brantford — 7 PM CT
  Kitchener at Kingston — 7:05 PM

• WHL
  Kamloops at Prince George — 9 PM

Blackhawks College Prospects: Providence is HOT, BU Needs Wins, Light Schedule #blackhawkshttps://t.co/IzXmoEluiG

— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) February 12, 2026

BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter

Alex Bregman is Already Helping His New Cubs Teammates

NBA All-Star Weekend: What the Heck Are We Doing At This Point?

NFL Experts Mock Draft Roundup — What They’re Saying About the Bears

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...opment-reminder-and-other-blackhawks-bullets/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Lardis’ Opportunity, Olympics Wrap Pool Play, Spellacy Suspended, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The hope is that Nick Lardis, who has appeared in 21 games with the Blackhawks this season, works on the things he’s been assigned while in Rockford until a spot on the NHL roster opens up. He showed well while with the Blackhawks, scoring five times. He should be able to dominate the AHL. On Saturday night he got off to a good start (again).

Blackhawks prospects got back after it in Rockford last night, and the IceHogs started their post-All-Star schedule with a big 6-2 win over Milwaukee. With a goal and an assist in the win, Lardis now has 16 goals and 14 assists in 29 games with Rockford during his first professional season. And, again, I’ll remind everyone that he doesn’t turn 21 until June.

I’m excited to see what Lardis looks like when he gets another run with the Blackhawks.

• The IceHogs got goals from Lardis, Dominic Toninato, Gavin Hayes, Aidan Thompson, Rem Pitlick and the goal below — the first career pro goal from defenseman Taige Harding.

FIRST PRO GOAL ALERT https://t.co/Ei3hvG2ic6 pic.twitter.com/Gpit0v3mNx

— Rockford IceHogs (@goicehogs) February 15, 2026

• The IceHogs also got assists from Sam Rinzel, Ethan Del Mastro, Lardis and three apples from Toninato. Toninato posting a four-point game is a huge way to start the “second half” of the Hogs’ season.

• The United States was disappointingly lackadaisical in their win against Denmark on Saturday. Two of the three goals allowed weren’t great — and were from distance — but the overall effort was just mediocre. Brady Tkachuk and Jack Eichel were the only two guys who showed up ready to play three periods.

• Germany won’t let the US get away with that kind of effort. And, now, the Americans are fighting to maintain the No. 2 seed for the bracket with Canada in the driver’s seat.

• Here’s your men’s Olympic hockey schedule for Sunday, the final day of group play:

• Switzerland vs. Czechia — 5:10 AM CT
• Canada vs. France — 9:40 AM
• Denmark vs. Latvia — 12:10 PM
• United States vs. Germany — 2:10 PM

• In the three games in group play, Teuvo Teräväinen had one assist and was plus-two for Finland.

• Just a reminder that, in 2010, Jonathan Toews was penciled in as the fourth-line center for Canada. He then set the Canadian record for points in a single Olympics and was named the Best Forward in the tournament. Connor McDavid is chasing his record this weekend, and will probably break it soon. But Toews still owns that record (for now).

Most points with Canada – Single #Olympics with NHL players:
8- Jonathan Toews (2010)
7- Jarome Iginla (2002)
7- Joe Sakic (2002)
7- Iginla (2010)
7- Sidney Crosby (2010)
7- Dany Heatley ('10)
7- Ryan Getzlaf ('10)
6- Connor McDavid (2026 in 2 GP)
6- Eight other occurrences tied pic.twitter.com/V63DDtCbDZ

— StatsCentre (@StatsCentre) February 13, 2026

• In the college ranks, Julius Sumpf picked up another assist and John Mustard was credited with a team-leading eight shots on net in a 4-1 win for Providence over Northeastern.

• In the OHL last night, Marek Vanacker had an assist on a Caleb Malhotra power play goal and then scored into an empty net for a two-point night.

• AJ Spellacy didn’t play for Windsor last night. He was serving part of his two-game suspension from the OHL for a check to the head.

#OHL Disciplinary Action:

Windsor’s AJ Spellacy has been suspended for two games as a result of actions (Major, Checking to the Head) on Feb. 12th vs. Sarnia.

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) February 13, 2026

BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter

• The NBA had their all-star events last night.

• Why Tremaine Edmunds might be an offseason cap casualty

• Veterans Kyle Wright and Vince Velasquez are interesting additions to the Cubs’ pitching depth

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...llacy-suspended-and-other-blackhawks-bullets/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

How Did the Blackhawks Get Their Picks in the 2026 NHL Draft?

Since we’ve got some free time on our hands, how about a quick refresher for Blackhawks fans on how Chicago landed with the picks they currently own (could own) in the 2026 NHL Draft?

The Blackhawks will have either eight or nine picks in the 2026 NHL Draft, depending on where the Florida Panthers finish in the draft order. Six of those selections come in the first three rounds; Chicago owns 4/5 selections in the first two rounds.

Here are the Blackhawks’ owned selections for the 2026 NHL Draft, and how Chicago acquired them.

First Round​

• Chicago Blackhawks
• Florida Panthers (top-ten protected)

Second Round​

• Chicago Blackhawks
• Toronto Maple Leafs (acq. 2023 — McCabe/Lafferty trade)
• New York Islanders (acq. 2023 — Bailey trade)

Third Round​

• Chicago Blackhawks

Fourth Round​

• Ottawa Senators (acq. 2023 — Zaitsev trade)

Fifth Round​

• None (traded 2025 — to NSH in Weber trade)

Sixth Round​

• None (traded 2025 — to BUF for Lafferty)

Seventh Round​

• Chicago Blackhawks
• Florida Panthers (acq. 2025 — pick swap)

Also Read​

2026 NHL Draft: Every Team’s Lottery Odds at the Olympic Break

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/2026/02/13/blackhawks-picks-2026-nhl-draft/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Blackhawks Storylines to Watch After the Olympics

The Blackhawks will be back on the ice for an optional practice on Tuesday afternoon before a full practice (except Olympian Teuvo Teräväinen) on Wednesday. The Hawks’ first game after the Olympic break is in Nashville next Thursday night, beginning a sprint to the finish of the regular season — and the NHL Trade Deadline.

Chicago’s first four games after the break are on the road before returning home for what could shape up to be a fascinating home game on Friday, March 6 — the puck will drop a little more than five hours after the trade deadline. We’ll have to wait and see who’s still here when the Blackhawks host the tanking Canucks that night.

Here are the four storylines I’ll be following as the Blackhawks get back to work.

Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

1. Artyom Levshunov’s growth​

Levshunov took a seat before the Olympics to get a reset on his game. The expectation is that he’s back in his usual role with Wyatt Kaiser when the games begin again.

When Levshunov got the healthy scratch treatment earlier in the year, he responded very well and his play took off. He’s still only 20 years old — again, something to remember — but the Blackhawks have high expectations for him. How he comes out of the break will be important for the Blackhawks down the stretch this season.

With the Blackhawks figuring to have some veterans leaving before the trade deadline, Levshunov’s play will be important for the team on the ice now. But his development is still the primary concern. He’s still learning to play at the NHL level.

Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

2. Blackhawks center mix​

When Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar were both back in the lineup after their respective injuries, we saw the Blackhawks skating Bedard with other centers to take faceoffs — including Nazar. Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill said before the break that the team plans on putting Bedard back at center to take draws after the break, which means Nazar will likely slide back to his usual spot as center on the second line.

What does that mean for other youngsters Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene? Both have spent time at center and on the wing, with Moore specifically seeing his game really take off when he moved into the middle. Will the Blackhawks give Moore a look as a third-line center with more defensive responsibility? Will Greene see time in that role? Will… they both? Maybe together?

Daniel Bartel-Imagn Images

3. Who gets traded? And when?​

The Blackhawks have some players who will be popular commodities at the trade deadline. Defensemen Connor Murphy and Matt Grzelcyk are free agents after this season and will likely see their time in Chicago end before the trade deadline, though Kaiser’s knee situation may influence Grzelcyk’s timeline.

Up front, Jason Dickinson and Ilya Mikheyev both figure to be popular names before the trade deadline as well. They’re both exceptional defensive forwards — the kind of players teams that are going for it like to add before the deadline.

The Blackhawks also have an interesting trade candidate in captain Nick Foligno. Will he move on to help a contender? Or will he finish the season as the leader in the room in Chicago?

The fact that the Blackhawks have two remaining retention spots is big for their trade deadline plans. Murphy, Mikheyev, Foligno and Dickinson all have cap hits around $4M, so the Hawks being able to eat some of that will make them more affordable and easier for some of the top teams to acquire before the deadline.

With that in mind, there was some buzz before the Olympics that there could be movement quickly after the Olympic trade freeze lifts. Some teams understandably preferred to wait the three weeks to make a deal; they didn’t need to have those three weeks hitting their cap without any games being played. But there are only 12 days between the return to play and the deadline, so movement could come quickly.

Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

4. Who gets promoted? And when?​

When — and how much — the Blackhawks get active before the trade deadline will influence the answers to these questions.

The initial need may arise on the left side of the blue line because of Kaiser’s injury. Add to that if/when Grzelcyk departs, the Blackhawks will have at least one spot to fill. Will it be Kevin Korchinski or Ethan Del Mastro that gets the call first? They’re both RFAs this coming summer, and both should get a longer look down the stretch. One figures Sam Rinzel will be the guy who replaces Murphy on the blue line as a right-handed defenseman.

But after that, the line blender could get some work.

Nick Lardis showed well in his first run in the NHL and hasn’t slowed down since heading back to Rockford. But he’s more of an offensive threat; if the Blackhawks move out any of Dickinson, Foligno and/or Mikheyev, those are bottom-six roles that wouldn’t necessarily showcase Lardis’ abilities best.

As we get closer to the end of the regular season, there’s a chance we could see NHL debuts from Anton Frondell, Sacha Boisvert and, maybe, AJ Spellacy. Based on the college rankings right now, Boisvert might be the earliest available forward from that group. But, after a disappointing sophomore season that has had some injuries and a suspension for fighting included, will the Blackhawks have some pause in signing him and jumping him right into NHL action? Or is he more likely to be a candidate for an ATO with Rockford for the rest of the season with his entry-level contract beginning next year?

Or… will he opt to return to Boston University for another season?

Frondell’s timeline to join the Blackhawks depends on how deep into the playoffs his team can advance in Sweden — and how much the Blackhawks want him to play this season. Remember: he’s playing a full season at the highest level in Sweden and also played well at the World Junior Championship. It would be exciting to see him join the Hawks at some point, though.

Spellacy has already signed his entry-level contract and his combination of speed and physical play could make him an intriguing add to the Blackhawks’ bottom six down the stretch. That all depends on when Windsor’s season comes to an end as well, however.

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...hawks-storylines-to-watch-after-the-olympics/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Olympics Playoffs, Kings’ Path Forward, West Scores, a Social EBUG, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

The Blackhawks will be back on the ice this week! Well, Teuvo Teräväinen is still in Milan with Finland, so he won’t be there. But the rest of his teammates will be on the ice at the artist-formerly-known-as Fifth Third Arena getting ready for 12 days of likely craziness between the Olympic trade freeze lifting and the NHL Trade Deadline. Yes, there are only 12 days between the trade freeze expiring and the trade deadline.

The women’s bracket at the Winter Olympics has reached the semifinal stage. Here’s your schedule for today’s action:

• USA vs. Sweden — 9:40 AM CT
• Canada vs. Switzerland — 2:10 PM

Here’s your bracket for the men’s hockey tournament at the Olympics. It re-seeds for the semifinals.

• Blackhawks prospect Mason West scored his second goal of the weekend for Fargo on Sunday.

Mason West cashes in on the rebound for his second goal of the weekend! pic.twitter.com/oJyfwuAINN

— Fargo Force (@FargoForce) February 16, 2026

• Scott Powers dropped a third part of his Mailbag series. He goes into some deep dive future finances in this one, so bring your calculator.

The third and final part of my Blackhawks mailbag https://t.co/HeVcyYzvZs

— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) February 16, 2026

• The Los Angeles Kings made it officially official on Sunday: Kevin Fiala’s season is over. This sucks for the Kings at this stage in the season after they just traded for Artemi Panarin to go for it, but they have enough time (12 days after the Olympic trade freeze lifts) to make something happen before the NHL Trade Deadline.

An Update on Kevin Fiala pic.twitter.com/6StJDHX3XA

— LA Kings PR (@LAKingsPR) February 15, 2026

• I highly recommend following my guy Dennis Bernstein out of LA for his thoughts on the Kings’ path forward without Fiala. He was on a heater this weekend. And I tend to agree that the Kings already needed a depth center and a middle-six winger. Now, they likely need a second-line winger. And they don’t have a lot of assets to work with that are ideal to move out at this point beyond picks.

– Just went all in
– 15M projected deadline cap space, just lost top 6 winger.
– Division worst in NHL.
– 12-15 pick never plays with , 1st is going out in off season for C.
– LAK fan should be disappointed if nothing is done. https://t.co/WdVXAZha9o

— Dennis Bernstein (@DennisTFP) February 14, 2026

• Finally, this could have made for some incredible content but he had a job to do… instead of his… job…?

This might be one of the coolest stories of the hockey season

Matt Caldwell went from live tweeting the game to SITTING ON THE BENCH DRESSED by the second period

(via @SwampRabbits, @MattCaldwell_) pic.twitter.com/7c1Pks4ljA

— BarDown (@BarDown) February 16, 2026

BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter

“Better and Better”: LeBron James is a Josh Giddey Fan

D’Marco Jackson Quietly Authored the Most Impressive Under-the-Radar Season

Are You Sleeping on the Cubs Catching Tandem? And Other Cubs Bullets

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...s-a-social-ebug-and-other-blackhawks-bullets/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Blackhawks (Kinda) Update Wyatt Kaiser’s Status

The Blackhawks held their first (optional) practice coming out of the Olympic break on Tuesday afternoon. Defenseman Wyatt Kaiser, who suffered a lower-body injury just before the break, was not on the ice. That wasn’t news.

After the skate, Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill provided a somewhat cautious update on Kaiser’s status. He said Kaiser will not be available coming out of the break, but the coach does expect Kaiser to play again this season. That’s good news.

Kaiser, 23, ranks third among Blackhawks defensemen averaging 19:10 per game. He’s emerged as a key part of the Blackhawks’ exceptional penalty kill, averaging 2:00 per game short-handed.

Kaiser has also spent more ice time with Artyom Levshunov this season, helping the Blackhawks’ 20-year-old get comfortable in the NHL.

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Blackhawks Plan Without Kaiser​

One can assume Kaiser will be placed on IR coming out of the break to make room on the NHL roster for a replacement. With Kaiser expected to miss time on the left side of the blue line, the Blackhawks figure to have two primary options to recall from Rockford: Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro.

Who they recall may be influenced by the NHL trade deadline, which is just 12 days after the NHL returns to game action. But his injury should not affect the Blackhawks’ approach to the trade deadline.

Veteran Matt Grzelcyk, who is skating on a one-year, $1M deal — and, like Kaiser, is left-handed — could be dealt. He’s spent time on the Blackhawks’ second power play this season, which could create an opportunity for Korchinski.

If the Blackhawks move Connor Murphy sooner than later, that would likely mean Sam Rinzel would assume responsibilities on one of the power play units. Del Mastro would be more likely to supplement the Blackhawks’ penalty kill as a recall for Kaiser on the left side of the blue line.

Finding a defenseman who can play with Levshunov will need to be the priority, however. If Del Mastro can do that, he could find more of a role into the Blackhawks’ future as well.

Also Read​

Blackhawks Storylines to Watch After the Olympics

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/2026/02/17/blackhawks-update-wyatt-kaisers-status/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Blackhawks Prospect Stanislav Berezhnoy Suspended 20 Games by AHL

On Tuesday, the AHL announced Blackhawks prospect and Rockford IceHogs goaltender Stanislav Berezhnoy has been suspended for 20 games for violating the terms of the AHL/PHPA Performance Enhancing Substance Program.

“We were informed last week that Stanislav tested positive for a prohibited substance under the AHL/PHPA’s Performance Enhancing Substance Program,” Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said. “While Stanislav did not knowingly take a prohibited substance, we believe his positive test is a result of a supplement he was consuming at the time. Stanislav has taken full responsibility for the situation and the organization praises him for the maturity and accountability he has shown. The Blackhawks organization fully supports Stanislav and knows he will use this as an opportunity to grow as he continues his development.”

In 15 appearances with Rockford this season, Berezhnoy has posted a 5-9-1 record with an .888 save percentage. The IceHogs have recalled Owen Flores from Indy.

Coachella Valley Firebirds forward David Goyette also received a 20-game suspension for the same reason.

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...tanislav-berezhnoy-suspended-20-games-by-ahl/

 

[monster_masterpiece]

Very high rate of suspended games

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Olympics Hockey Drama: Three Overtimes! Sidney Crosby Hurt, Semifinals Set for Friday

If you enjoy good hockey, Wednesday was one helluva day at the Olympics! The quarterfinals of the men’s hockey tournament rolled off and gave us drama after drama after drama.

The first game of the day — before many of us were out of bed — saw Slovakia smoke Germany 6-2. The other three games on the Olympics slate didn’t match that four-goal differential combined.

[IMG width="610px" alt="Sidney Crosby injured
Canada
Olympics"]https://www.bleachernation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/image-149.png[/IMG]

Canada’s Olympics Dreams Advance… But Will Crosby?​

The second game of the day was Canada against Czechia. The heavily favored Canadians take a 2-1 deficit to the room after 20 minutes. The vibes went south even further when Sidney Crosby left the game with a lower-body injury in the second period. He hobbled off the ice and then went to the room. Canada’s captain did not return to the game.

But Canada was able to tie the game at two. Czechia took a 3-2 lead with just under eight minutes left in regulation; Canada tied the game off a brilliant Nick Suzuki tip with less than four minutes remaining. Canada won the game on a stunning backhand shot from Mitch Marner in overtime.

MITCH MARNER CALLS GAME IN OT.#WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/8nCO7eg2fa

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 18, 2026

The Blackhawks watched overtime in their dressing room after practice on Wednesday.

Finland’s Road to Olympics Gold Defense Continues​

The third game of the day saw Finland trailing 2-0 into the third period. Finland scored twice in the final seven minutes of regulation to tie the game, and ultimately won in overtime. Sebastian Aho and Miro Heiskanen scored Finland’s two goals in regulation. Blackhawks forward Teuvo Teräväinen skated 11:58 in the game.

Artturi Lehkonen was the hero in overtime for Finland.

DOWN 2-0 WITH SEVEN MINUTES LEFT IN THE THIRD, THE REIGNING GOLD MEDALISTS SURVIVE 3-2 IN OT.
WHAT A DAY FOR OLYMPIC HOCKEY. pic.twitter.com/vZPj4F4MMZ

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 18, 2026

Quinn Hughes the USA’s Olympics Hero​

Finally, the United States took the ice against Sweden in the fourth game on the Olympics schedule.

Tampa Bay Lightning superstar defenseman Viktor Hedman was on the bench for Sweden but didn’t take a single shift after reportedly suffering a lower-body injury during warm-ups. Devils forward Jesper Bratt also dressed for the game but was stapled to the bench for the entire first 40 minutes; he didn’t get a shift until the third period. Very odd coaching strategy.

The US took a 1-0 lead to the third, with Dylan Larkin scoring in the middle of the second period. The US out-shot Sweden 20-8 in the second period and Connor Hellebuyck was terrific. But Mika Zibanejad tied the game with less than 90 seconds left in regulation — forcing a third overtime period on the day.

For the Americans, Quinn Hughes was the hero in overtime.

QUINN HUGHES! USA WINS! pic.twitter.com/WxbCRKxPiO

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) February 18, 2026

Olympics Semifinals Set​

The men will take the day off on Thursday so the women from the USA and Canada can play for gold. But they’ll be back on the ice battling for the men’s gold medal game at the Olympics on Friday. As a reminder, the bracket resets after the quarterfinals.

• Canada will face Finland at 9:40 AM CT on Friday.
• The United States will face Slovakia at 2:10 PM CT on Friday.

While Finland is technically the “defending Olympics champion,” there obviously weren’t NHL players involved four years ago. That game should be a good one to start the day.

Meanwhile, Slovakia will look to pull off an upset and advance to the gold medal game. The United States is looking to win gold for the first time since the Miracle on Ice team in 1980.

While we know the date and times for the two semifinal games, we don’t know if Crosby will be back for Canada.

Sidney Crosby will undergo imaging here in Milan to determine the severity of his lower body injury.

Coach Jon Cooper said after the game on Crosby's status: “I don't even have my poker face on either, because I honestly don't know.”

— Emily Kaplan (@emilymkaplan) February 18, 2026

Also Read​

Blackhawks Players Were Glued to Canada-Czechia Overtime, Too

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blackhawks/2026/02/18/olympics-hockey-drama/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Blackhawks College Prospects: Nestrašil Available? Providence Rolling

There are two teams with Blackhawks prospects in action this weekend across the NCAA landscape. With Adam Gajan still at the Olympics, he won’t be between the pipes for Minnesota-Duluth. Sacha Boisvert and BU are off this weekend. But there are four other compelling games to consider.

For me, the biggest question is whether or not Václav Nestrašil is available for UMass. He was playing so well before an upper-body injury suffered two weeks ago. UMass was off last weekend, so hopefully he’s back on the ice Friday night.

Here’s the when and where for the Blackhawks’ prospects who will be in action. I’m putting UMD back in the mix even though Gajan is still in Italy just in case you’re interested in what they’re up to in the NCHC.

Friday, Feb. 20​

No. 9 Minnesota-Duluth at Miami (OH) — 4:30 PM CT
No. 7 Providence at Vermont — 6 PM
New Hampshire at No. 19 UMass — 6 PM

Saturday, Feb. 21​

No. 9 Minnesota-Duluth at Miami (OH) — 5:05 PM
No. 19 UMass at New Hampshire — 6 PM
No. 7 Providence at Vermont — 6:30 PM

Blackhawks College Prospects​

• Václav Nestrašil, F, UMass — 26 games, 11 goals, 12 assists, 69 shots on goal, 11 blocked shots
• John Mustard, F, Providence — 29 games, 12 goals, 9 assists, 110 shots on goal, 10 blocked shots
• Julius Sumpf, C, Providence — 29 games, 3 goal, 16 assists, 66 shots on goal, 20 blocked shots
• Sacha Boisvert, C, Boston U. — 22 games, 3 goal, 13 assists, 46 shots on goal, 10 blocked shots
• Adam Gajan, G, Minnesota-Duluth — 26 games, 15-11-0, .905 save pct, 2.29 GAA, 2 shutouts

Note: Gajan is at the Olympics.

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...pects-nestrasil-available-providence-rolling/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

USA vs. Canada, Bedard Talks Young Chicago Stars, Re-Ranking 2020, and Other Blackhawks Bullets

Before we jump into some Blackhawks news and notes, THE hockey event on the calendar for today is clearly the USA vs. Canada for the gold medal in the women’s Olympic tournament. It’s one of the truly great rivalries in all of sports, and this is the latest matchup with everything on the line. The US already beat Canada in the tournament, but they did it without Canada captain Marie-Philip Poulin in their lineup. It should be an epic game — these matchups are always worth watching, but with a gold medal on the line, tune in!

One last ride. IT'S GOLD MEDAL GAME DAY!!
The U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team will play for gold today at 1:10 p.m. ET on USA Network and Peacock.#WinterOlympics game preview: https://t.co/D98mCtCOKA pic.twitter.com/RBSPzEMHh3

— USA Hockey (@usahockey) February 19, 2026

• The drama on the ice in Milan with the men’s quarterfinals was out of control. Three overtimes! The stage is set for an incredible semifinal round on Friday with the US facing Slovakia and Finland skating against Canada. I was in the room as we — Blackhawks players and media — watched Canada’s overtime win over Czechia.

Blackhawks Players Were Glued to Canada-Czechia Overtime, Too #blackhawkshttps://t.co/yc7JcOHoKz

— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) February 18, 2026

• We’re going to have to wait to see if Sidney Crosby is available for Canada after suffering a lower-body injury in the second period against Czechia on Wednesday. On Thursday, Canada head coach Jon Cooper wasn’t definitive at all with his Crosby “update.”

Jon Cooper emphatic Team Canada hasn’t ruled out Sidney Crosby. Says it’s a day to day situation.
If Crosby doesn’t play Friday, Team Canada has to put a ‘C’ on another player. Cooper wouldn’t go there with us, because he’s not ready to rule Crosby out yet.

— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) February 19, 2026

• Tina Nguyen of FOX 32 in Chicago talked to Connor Bedard after practice on Wednesday. His friendship with Caleb Williams, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Matas Buzelis came up. “We all take pride in Chicago sports, and we want to join everyone together,” Bedard said.

• From Blackhawks practice yesterday, head coach Jeff Blashill laughed when asked about going back to seven defensemen at some point after the break. He said they have made “zero” lineup decisions for upcoming games. He also joked that writers wouldn’t have a lot of lineup stuff to talk about between now and getting the full roster back — Teuvo Teräväinen‘s still at the Olympics — because of that.

• Frank Nazar no longer had the chin guard on his helmet at practice.

• Even with that being said, it was interesting that the Blackhawks had Kevin Korchinski and Sam Rinzel working together in drills. They were both recalled from Rockford before practice.

• The Blackhawks are working through some tweaks to their defensive approach at 5-on-5. We saw some glimpses of it at practice on Wednesday. Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill said the Hawks gave it a “test run” in Rockford earlier this month. Good breakdown of the changes here from Ben Pope.

The Blackhawks worked on an adjusted version of their 5v5 defensive system today.

They'll mimic what has worked so well on the PK by dialing up the pressure with their strong-side winger.

New story breaking down the changes: https://t.co/SrXS9AQiEa

— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) February 18, 2026

• David St-Louis at Elite Prospects went back and re-ranked the players who came out of the 2020 NHL Draft. An important distinction: this wasn’t a re-draft. He was ranking the top players from that draft class and comparing current rankings to where the players were considered six years ago.

• He now ranks Wyatt Kaiser 30th in the class; he was ranked 51st overall in 2020. St-Louis also now ranks Louis Crevier 32nd in the class after not ranking him ahead of the class. Crevier was a seventh-round pick (No. 188 overall), so not being ranked isn’t a shocker. But here’s what St-Louis wrote about the late-round steal:

A relatively mobile 6-foot-8 defenceman, Louis Crevier intrigued our team in 2020, but we believed he would top out as a depth piece for an organization, considering his lack of defensive refinement and ability with the puck. Never did we anticipate that he would find himself on this list six years later.

Exceptionally tall players do need more time to develop.

Playing second-pair minutes, posting decent underlying numbers in a weak team, Crevier has established himself as a clear NHL asset. He’s the kind of piece that other teams would covet to build a playoff-ready back-end. He’s not yet that kind of physical, shutdown force, but as a late-bloomer, he may have a bit of development runway left, more than the other defencemen who fell out of the top-32.

• The Blackhawks’ first three picks in 2020 — Lukas Reichel, Drew Commesso and Landon Slaggert — were not ranked among the top 32 overall players from the draft class by St-Louis.

It's been nearly 6 years since the 2020 NHL Draft, and now many of its top prospects have turned into impact NHLers @DavidSt_Louis re-ranked the Top 32 prospects, and reflected on the lessons we've learned since then

Unlocked to read : https://t.co/0IDYfa28MF pic.twitter.com/fVssgD79nT

— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) February 18, 2026

• A good read from the men’s Olympic tournament here from Arpon Basu at The Athletic — on a player who could impact the Blackhawks’ draft in June. Alberts Šmits is a big, strong, left-handed defenseman whose stock has had a big up arrow next to it for some time. He showed very well at the Olympics. He might have played himself into top-five pick consideration in Milan. If the Blackhawks are still targeting top forwards early in the first round, more defensemen coming off the board early would be ideal. If Šmits is available when the Hawks are on the clock, it could be an interesting proposition as well.

A bit of NHL draft reading from Milan on 18-year-old Latvia defenceman Alberts Šmits, whose tournament ended Tuesday, but who left a big impression and might have rocketed up some NHL teams' draft boards with his performance here: “He has a swagger.”https://t.co/1IOr9tQgvT

— Arpon Basu (@ArponBasu) February 18, 2026

• The Anaheim Ducks announced former Blackhawks goalie Petr Mrázek will miss the rest of the regular season after undergoing hip surgery Tuesday.

BLEACHER NATION: Go Ad Free | Subscribe to the BN Newsletter

• How did the Bears’ special teams grade out in 2025?

• It sounds like the Bulls are getting Josh Giddey back tonight vs. Toronto

• The Cubs are putting up giant bobbleheads around Chicago as part of a ticket giveaway

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...re-ranking-2020-and-other-blackhawks-bullets/

 

[Chicago Blackhawks]

Blackhawks Players Were Glued to Canada-Czechia Overtime, Too

Yes, the Blackhawks players are just like the rest of us.

When the Blackhawks’ first full practice of the Olympic break came to a close on Wednesday, many of the players quickly made their way to the room. And they, like the media members who joined them there, were glued to the television to watch overtime of Canada’s quarterfinal game against Czechia.

Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight, who’s American, was glued to the goaltending play of Jordan Binnington and Lukáš Dostál, asking a few of us to move out of the way so he could watch. Jason Dickinson was interested in the back-and-forth of the 3-on-3 overtime, even if Nick Foligno was chirping him about “the game” starting a few hours later (referring to the US against Sweden).

And when Mitch Marner scored the game-winning goal, they reacted like any other fan. Canadians like Colton Dach were hyped.

Marner pic.twitter.com/ObpvLmtaY9

— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) February 18, 2026

Yes, there were jokes made about the Maple Leafs…

I asked Frank Nazar if his experience playing for the USA at the World Championship after last year changed how he watches the Olympics. He said it has absolutely impacted his perspective. His appreciation for what the team is chasing is more after helping the US win gold at the Worlds for the first time.

Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill said he got to the coaches’ room just in time to see Canada tie the game.

Source: https://www.bleachernation.com/blac...rs-were-glued-to-canada-czechia-overtime-too/