Chicago Blackhawks’ Spencer Knight Can Become Top 10 Goalie This Season – The Hockey Writers – Chicago Blackhawks

This offseason, the Chicago Blackhawks made headlines by paying through the nose to get what they hope is a true No. 1 defender in Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres in June. Then they brought back franchise icon Patrick Kane to add secondary scoring and win some easy nostalgia points.

With all the changes throughout the organization, it can be all too easy to forget that the Blackhawks have one of the best young goalies in the NHL in Spencer Knight. As the team attempts to make a run for the 2027 Playoffs, they will lean heavily on Knight to make that happen, and if they succeed, he could jump into the upper echelon of NHL goaltenders in the process.

Knight’s Underlying Metrics Add Up

At first glance, Knight’s numbers among goalies with at least 25 games played are not exactly impressive: .902 save percentage (21^st), 2.82 goals-against average (31^st). But when you open the hood, his potential becomes apparent.

Knight finished fourth in both shots against (1,583) and saves (1,428) while facing 30 shots per game (ranked 31^st in the NHL). His goals saved above expected (10.9) was 14^th in the league, as was his wins above replacement (1.82). Compounding the defensive woes, just 19.01% of shot attempts were blocked by teammates, ranked ninth from the bottom among all goalies.

Looking at those numbers, his evaluation is clear: a goaltender doing an admirable job in the face of insurmountable odds. The Blackhawks were bad in front of him, yet Knight was borderline top 10 in more than a few underlying categories. He was a goalie playing above board all season long.

Knight Passes the Eye Test

To understand the hype about Knight, you just had to watch him play last season. To say the Blackhawks weren’t a good team would be putting it lightly. Yet there was Knight, carrying them on his back, making saves that he needed to if Chicago had any hope of winning. Some voted him the Blackhawks’ MVP for a reason.

Perhaps most notable about his game was his calm demeanor. Playing behind a young, developing team that makes a lot of mistakes, having a short memory is imperative. Knight never looked down, rebounding and making big saves time and time again.

Blackhawks Should Be Better in 2026-27

Though the Blackhawks will begin the season without franchise center Connor Bedard, overall, they are better than the 72-point team from a season ago. They added Kane, who still shows high-end scoring ability in a secondary role. He also brings veteran leadership to the table.

They made the much-publicized move to bring in Byram, who instantly becomes the roster’s No.1 defenseman. His defensive metrics aren’t great, but he could become an elite offensive defender, and there is no good defense like a good offense.

Finally, there is the maturity factor of the young core. Alex Vlasic, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, Frank Nazar, and Anton Frondell all have another season under their belts. Roman Kantserov joins the team after three strong seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), not quite a rookie even though he technically will be.

All of this means a better team in front of Knight. How much better remains the question, but they should be better than the team that finished near the bottom of the standings last season.

A Critical Season in Chicago

The “workhorse goaltender” is seemingly disappearing. Knight was excellent in his first season as “the guy” in net, but we have seen plenty of disparity, particularly among young goalies, all across the NHL. The Blackhawks are banking on a lot of internal development in 2026-27 to make a serious run at the playoffs. Getting another strong performance from Knight would go a long, long way toward making that a reality.