Chicago Blackhawks’ Youth Movement Could See Them Challenge for a Playoff Spot – The Hockey Writers – Chicago Blackhawks

The action and excitement of the NHL offseason have largely dissipated, and we are collectively looking ahead to the coming season. While a lot can change, the list of contenders in the league has a lot of familiar faces. Not surprisingly, the league is sour on the outlook of the Chicago Blackhawks.

What they may be overlooking, however, is just how important the youth movement is for this club. Though they have plenty of question marks, the Blackhawks will be icing a level of high-end, young talent that shouldn’t be ignored.

A Pair of Calder Candidates

Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the coming season is the potential of two early Calder Trophy candidates for rookie of the year: Anton Frondell and Roman Kantserov. The duo come with different pedigrees, but both figure heavily into the team’s plans, both now and in the future.

Kantserov, the 44^th overall pick by the Blackhawks in 2023, is expected to make an impact right away. He was selected knowing he had a contract with Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), where he rapidly became one of its best players. He has the kind of high-end skill teams salivate over, and there is a good chance he plays with superstar center Connor Bedard when he returns.

Frondell, meanwhile, already flashed the tremendous potential he has. In 12 games late in 2025-26, he registered nine points and quickly took over the second-line center spot. Head coach Jeff Blashill has publicly raved about his two-way abilities, making him the perfect option to start the season as the top line’s center before ceding the role to Bedard.

Is Byram a No. 1?

One of the hottest topics surrounding the team this offseason was the acquisition of Bowen Byram. While the cost to acquire and extend him definitely feels exorbitant, it represents a clear upgrade on the back end for the Blackhawks.

Byram is coming off his best season as a pro, scoring 11 goals and registering a career-high 42 points while playing more than 22 minutes per game as part of the Buffalo Sabres’ top four. Though his underlying defensive metrics aren’t great, he has the kind of offense that could excel in a top-pairing role.

Additionally, Byram’s presence will take pressure off some of the young Blackhawks defenders who would otherwise be heavily scrutinized this coming season. The pressure will still be there, but he will no doubt draw all eyes to see if he can live up to the costs.

Can Bedard Elevate His Game?

You can’t talk about the Blackhawks without mentioning their franchise center. He was hurt during the summer, requiring shoulder surgery. He initially was not expected to return until November, but the timeline may be accelerated.

When he comes back, Bedard is going to have a chip on his shoulder (unrelated to the surgery). He came out of the gates hot to begin 2025-26 before an injury ultimately slowed his momentum. Even still, he hit the 30-goal mark for the first time and is trending toward superstar status.

With a lot to prove, especially coming back from injury, Bedard looks poised to take his game to a new level. Depending on when he comes back, it would not be surprising for him to push 40 goals and 90 points, especially with more talented (albeit younger) teammates surrounding him.

Third-Year Breakouts?

Part of any rise for the Blackhawks would be the continued development of a pair of third-year players: Artyom Levshunov and Frank Nazar. If the two can build upon what they have already shown, it will go a long way toward the Blackhawks becoming a formidable team.

Levshunov had a decent 2025-26 season, registering 24 points in 68 games (he did have an ugly minus-41 rating). He’ll turn 21 this season and still has an 81% star probability according to Hockey Prospecting. Defensemen notoriously take longer to develop, so incremental improvement would be just fine.

Nazar, meanwhile, has the chance to make the biggest impact on the young core. He took a nice step forward in 2025-26, hitting career highs in goals (15), assists (26), and points (41) while taking on the most ice time of his career. He flashes high-end skill and should begin as the 2C behind Frondell. When Bedard returns, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Nazar slide to wing to get him involved with better linemates.

A Glimpse of the Future

Though the Blackhawks brought a bit of nostalgia to the table with the signing of Patrick Kane, it is clear that the focus is on the future. They have several high-end young players who feel like they are on the verge of becoming a major problem for the rest of the league.

Unless everyone breaks out at the same time, the Blackhawks should fall short of the playoffs. Even still, they should improve on the 72 points they managed a season ago. Look for them to improve into the 85-90-point range, which should see them in the picture until the final days of the regular season.