When restricted free agent Wyatt Kaiser didn’t have a new deal inked with the Chicago Blackhawks ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, many thought he might not be a part of the team’s future plans. After all, it’s well known the Blackhawks have one of the deepest defensive prospect pools in the league. Perhaps Kaiser would be the odd man out.
Instead, he and the team did come to an agreement on the evening of Sept. 17, just one day before training camp started. The 23-year-old has emerged this season as a solid and reliable all-around player for the Blackhawks. But he’s taken it to another level recently, since returning from injury. Let’s look at how Kaiser’s become so valuable down the stretch.
A Positive Start to the 2025-26 Season
For some background, let’s look back to the beginning of the season. It was certainly helpful that Kaiser was able to participate in training camp. It gave him a good foundation to learn the systems of the new coaching staff.
He had a solid start to the season as the more defensively-minded component on a pairing with Artyom Levshunov. Said head coach Jeff Blashill of Kaiser in early November,
He can defend out there. We’re confident with him against other teams best. Now he doesn’t have to take on that whole load, because we have other guys, like (Alex) Vlasic that can do that on the left side (also), but he takes some of it. So it’s been a good start for him.
Kaiser has always been known as more of a defensive defenseman, but Blashill saw some offensive potential in him as well.
He moves the puck well. He’s got a good smarts to him, and I think he’s done that pretty consistently … But to me, he’s got a lot of the type of attributes that winning defensemen have. He can contribute offensively, whether it be through actual points or whether it be through the way he moves the puck. And I think one of the big things defensemen can do is, if you can get the puck in the forwards hands at the right times, that leads to offense. It doesn’t always lead to points, but it’s something that’s really important.
Obviously, it’s the number one job of a defenseman to keep the puck out of the opposing net, and that was always the main responsibility for Kaiser. But to have the potential to also contribute offensively can be a huge asset.
Balancing Defense & Offense
There have been several times through the middle portion of the season where Blashill has called out Kaiser’s play, specifically when it comes to balancing defensive responsibility with offensive contributions. In mid-December, the coach spoke to this balance.
He’s a guy that I think can be a great defender who can also add offensively, certainly through moving the puck … I think the balance for him is just learning to have that poise with the puck, to get it, put himself in position to move it to our forwards without overdoing it. Meaning, when he’s under heavy pressure, sometimes you have to punt. And that’s been probably the learning thing for him.
Blashill added to this in early January.
Kais is still a young player. He’s still finding his game and how he can be great at this level, and what that’s going to exactly look like. What level of offense compared to what level of defense?… I think Kais can create offense just from the offensive blue line and through the ability to move the puck. And skate the puck and then move it. Be a breakout guy, be a regroup guy, be good in the offensive end without taking on a lot of risk.
Over and above helping to create team offense in general, Kaiser’s individual offensive output thrived throughout December and January. He contributed five goals and eight points in 30 games.
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His plus/minus stats did take a bit of a hit; he was a minus-5 in December and a minus-13 in January. Even so, in early February Blashill commended the young blueliner for his growth.
I think his game’s actually continued to grow, and he’s a better player than he was at the beginning of the year. And again, that speaks to, you forget how young he is. You get lost with the fact that, how young some of those guys are that we consider almost to be veterans. So I think Kaiser’s game’s definitely gotten better. You can see him skating out of his own end with the puck. He builds maybe a self breakout at times, which is a real valuable thing.
Injury Setback for Kaiser
Alas, just when things were starting to click for Kaiser, he sustained an injury. On Feb. 4 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, he was defending the rush when Zach Werenski fell onto Kaiser’s left knee and leg. He was in immediate distress, having to be helped off the ice and down the tunnel.
A closer look at the Wyatt Kaiser injury. Doesn’t look great. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/iDtcIsBiD6
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) February 5, 2026
The good news was this injury came right before the Olympic break, so he didn’t miss a huge amount of time. The bad news was Kaiser missed the entire “second training camp” with the team, as well as four games following the break. He returned on Mar. 6 versus the Vancouver Canucks, and had to rebuild what he had gained at the beginning of the season. Blashill assessed Kaiser’s play as “good” on Mar. 12 ahead of their contest against the Utah Mammoth. But he indicated it was still an upward climb.
But he missed some time there. So I think there’s another level of his game. I thought he was playing so good when he got hurt, on a night-to-night basis. He hasn’t quite got that consistency back to that level. But I expect he will. But it was a heck of a layoff. Including missing some of those important training camp practices we had coming back.
It’s never easy to come back from an injury. But Kaiser already had a great foundation to build from. It didn’t take him long to bounce back.
Kaiser’s Consistency Shines Through Post-Injury
On Mar. 17 against the Minnesota Wild, Kaiser played the most of all defensemen (22:59 minutes) and provided the secondary assist on a goal by Louis Crevier in a 4-3 overtime win. Blashill, unprompted, called out Kaiser for being “excellent” in the game.
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Fast forward to the contest on Mar. 20 against the Colorado Avalanche. The Blackhawks lost 4-1, but the lone goal was scored by Kaiser. It was his sixth tally of the season, which currently leads all Blackhawks’ defensemen and is a career high for the blueliner.
Wyatt Kaiser – Chicago Blackhawks (6) pic.twitter.com/9dVHsRu1pu
— NHL Goal Videos (@NHLGoalVideos) March 21, 2026
Postgame, I asked Kaiser if he felt more up to speed since his injury. “Yeah, I would say I’m getting there. Yeah.” (he then made a face like he’s not exactly sure if he’s getting there, to which everyone laughed). Hockey players are their own worst critics. I told him how Blashill had been so complimentary of him and his game, and he responded, “I think Blash has been talking about it all year, right? Finding that balance of when to punt the puck, when to make a play. So just really trying to evaluate every game and trying to find that medium.”
Ahead of the Nashville Predators game on Mar 22, I asked Blashill if he felt Kaiser had gained his consistency back after his injury. He didn’t hesitate in the least in his response.
Yes, 100%. I think he’s played excellent the last little bit. Back to where he was right before the break. He’s done a really good job this year of learning to use his feet to skate himself out of pressure, and then the balance of when to then make the next play and when to just live another day. And I think he’s really learned that well. And if he does that, he’s a real talented guy that can create offense without giving much up.
It was a huge vote of confidence from the coach on Kaiser elevating his game to the next level.
Kaiser Rewarded With More Responsibility
Against the Winnipeg Jets on Mar. 31, Blashill again called out Kaiser unprompted when talking about the defense. “I thought Wyatt Kaiser was excellent. I would definitely single him out. Wyatt’s a bit of a gamer. Man, he attacks the game. Love the way that he attacks it.”
When the Blackhawks matched up against the Seattle Kraken on Apr. 4, the defensive pairings had been adjusted. Before this, Alex Vlasic had been deployed on the top pairing with Crevier. But Vlasic was now paired with Sam Rinzel, and Kaiser deployed alongside Crevier. The general assumption was that Rinzel was getting promoted to the top pairing alongside Vlasic, but Blashill was quick to correct this thought process.
It was more, honestly, more getting Kais in a spot. Kaiser has been our best D here in the last little bit. And so we just felt if we put him and Crevs together, it’s probably going to get Kais in a spot that he’s out there, maybe against their (the opponent’s) best.
Once again, Kaiser is proving his worth and earning more and more responsibility and trust from the coaching staff. Vlasic has always been counted on to be a shutdown defenseman, but now Blashill sees Kaiser in that role just as much. By the way, not only did Kaiser play a more elevated defensive role in this contest, but he also contributed two assists in the Blackhawk’s 4-2 win.
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There are only four games left in the 2025-26 season for the Blackhawks. But it’s clear Kaiser has become an integral member of this team’s blue line, shutting things down defensively while also contributing offensively. He’s taken huge strides this season, and should be a key part of the Blackhawk’s success in the 2026-27 campaign as well.
