1 Chicago Blackhawk to Watch From Each Position Group in 2026-27 – The Hockey Writers – Chicago Blackhawks

Free agency has ground to a halt, and the vibes around the Chicago Blackhawks aren’t as high as they could be with Connor Bedard not only being unsigned but also being out for approximately four months with a shoulder injury.

That being said, I’m still very excited about a lot of the players on this roster. Here, we’ll highlight one winger, center, defenseman, and goaltender to watch during the 2026-27 season.

Center: Anton Frondell

I’m absolutely ecstatic to see Frondell play his first full season in the NHL. Last season, he played just 12 games but managed to post three goals and six assists for nine points.

He heavily lost his expected goals for percentage (xGF%) battle, posting just a 35.24 xGF%, but I still think there was a lot to like out of his game.

Frondell projects to be a special player with everything teams want out of a top-end center. He can play at both ends of the rink, has the frame team need, is very good on the forecheck, has an elite shot, and the ability to find open space.

All of these things are huge, and if he pans out, having the three-center combination of Bedard, Frank Nazar, and Frondell would give the Blackhawks arguably the best center depth in the league down the line.

I also think Frondell having a solid first real season in the NHL could make a huge difference for how this season goes for the Blackhawks. I don’t mean it would make them real contenders for a playoff spot, but I honestly think the ideal season for the Blackhawks would be akin to the San Jose Sharks’ 2025-26.

It’ll also be very interesting to see how Frondell is going to handle the start of the season with Bedard out and more of a dependence on the young Swede.

I’d be pretty happy if we see Frondell post something around 50 points and show some improvement in the defensive zone.

Winger: Nick Lardis

As mentioned, a good season for the Blackhawks would look akin to the Sharks’ 2025-26. The biggest part in replicating that is the young players taking steps, and Lardis is key in that.

I was a huge fan of Lardis last season and was a big advocate of head coach Jeff Blashill giving him more ice time down the stretch. Last season, Lardis averaged just 12:40 of time on ice, and I’m hoping to see a bit of a jump this season.

He was able to put up 10 goals on the limited ice time and just 41 games, and I think he’ll be a huge part of the team this season. I know the organization is high on Roman Kantserov, but I’d love to see Lardis get a shot at playing on Bedard’s wing.

The speed Lardis plays with and his very good shot would be a fantastic fit with Bedard’s elite playmaking ability. As long as he isn’t jammed into another bottom-six role, I think we’ll see him become a legitimate weapon.

I’d be happy if we see Lardis score 20 goals next season, which would just be what he was on pace for last season. He did have a 17.5 shooting percentage (S%), which is on the higher end, but with more ice time, he’ll have more opportunities to shoot the puck more.

Defensemen: Artyom Levshunov

I feel like the obvious pick here would be Bowen Byram after the Blackhawks gave up a haul for him and also made him the highest-paid defenseman in the NHL, but Levshunov is fascinating to me.

The 2025-26 season was extremely up-and-down for him and also led to a stretch of games where he was a healthy scratch.

Although there were definitely times where he was tough to watch, I can’t wait to see how Levshunov plays this season. His toolkit is so unique, considering he is such a strong skater with his big frame, and his offensive instincts are so good.

I know people are low on where he is right now, but there is no denying that Levshunov is the future of this blue line.

I wasn’t a fan of the Byram trade or contract, but I think Byram being part of this defence corps will have a positive impact on Levshunov just by taking away some of the attention that has been on him.

While I’ve put ballpark numbers out for Frondell and Lardis on what constitutes a successful season, I won’t do this with Levshunov as I don’t think a good season for him will revolve around offensive numbers.

He needs to show some progression in his defensive game. Last season, his goals for percentage (GF%) was a shockingly low 35.9, which you just can’t trust if you’re Blashill. If Levshunov can get his numbers to the point where he is breaking even, that would be fantastic.

I know that would be a fairly big jump, but his xGF% was sitting at 40.61, which is a bit more of an accurate representation of how he played.

Goaltender: Spencer Knight

This is very straightforward, and I’m not going to overthink it. Knight was arguably the Blackhawks’ best player last season, and all it comes down to for me is if he can repeat his strong performance.

He played 55 games behind a team that was bad defensively and posted an 11.19 goals saved above average, 33.47 goals saved above expected, and .902 save percentage.

His numbers were so good last season that he can afford a little bit of regression and still have what most would consider a great campaign.

If a couple of young players take a step like I think they will and Knight is able to put up similar numbers, this season will be a win in my eyes.