5 big storylines to watch for the 2026-27 Blackhawks

There is plenty of excitement heading into this 2026-2027 Chicago Blackhawks campaign. While last year did not produce the results this fanbase wanted to see, a fresh season always provides new hope. And there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic about this team. Here are the five biggest Blackhawks storylines to follow this season.

Which Bedard comes back from injury?

Last year saw two different versions of Connor Bedard. There was the first-half version that produced amongst the top players in the entire NHL, then there was the second-half version that reverted to human form. Of course, his midseason shoulder injury played a major factor in his decline.

Unfortunately, Bedard has experienced another shoulder injury this summer that will see him in the press box to begin the season. How this team fares without Bedard will be crucial to determining the outcome of this year. The even more important factor will be what Bedard shows up when he does return. Is it the Bedard we saw in late 2025 that lit up the league with 44 points in 31 games prior to injury? Or is it the Bedard that regressed when he came back at the flip of the calendar year? The answer to this question will play the biggest part in dictating how successful this season will be for Chicago.

How does Kane perform in his Blackhawks reunion?

Patrick Kane returning to Chicago has provided a much-needed lifeline to a fandom that has gone through the wringer in recent seasons during the dog days of the rebuild. But that is not the reason Kyle Davidson has brought back Kane. "Showtime" is not here to ride off into the sunset in cruise control. He is here to win and help this team get closer to that goal of returning to the postseason.

The question is what can Kane do in his second Blackhawks stint? Age is not on Kane's side, as he will turn 38 this November and enter his 20th season in the show. What is on his side is motivation. Kane would not have gone through the effort of having his hip resurfaced in 2023 if he did not believe he had many years of hockey left in the tank. Kane has proven he can still play at a high level these past three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. With Bedard and plenty of young talent by his side, we'll see what Kane has to say about that.

Can Bowen Byram prove people wrong?

When Davidson pulled the trigger on the blockbuster Bowen Byram trade this past June, most people in the NHL media and many in the Blackhawks circles (myself included) questioned the move. It is rare to see teams give up top-five draft picks, especially for an asset that remains unproven to a point. And not only that, Byram received a $75 million extension that will make him one of the highest-paid players in the league before even suiting up for his new team.

Byram has improved over the years into a solid top-four defenseman. But he has not yet become that number-one, top-pair guy that he was drafted to be. He will get an increased chance to do so in Chicago that he did not receive previously with the Colorado Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres. Byram should have a chip on his shoulder; a lot of people have written him off. We'll see if Byram takes that personally and shows that Davidson's gamble was the right move.

How do the rookies fare?

Chicago has two promising rookies entering the fray this season with the full-time arrival of Anton Frondell and the emergence of Roman Kantserov. Both players have the potential to be in the Calder running for rookie of the year, considering they should both be leaned on in top-six roles in this forward core. How fast Frondell and Kantserov adjust to the NHL will be key to how productive this Blackhawks offense winds up being. If they can make that transition seamlessly, that will go a long way towards solving this team's woes of finding offense from players not named Bedard.

Can the Blackhawks escape the basement and make a playoff push?

The 2020s have been a tough go of it for this franchise. This team has not seen postseason hockey throughout the decade, outside of extenuating circumstances in 2020. The Blackhawks have finished bottom three in the past four seasons, including three straight 31st place finishes in the Bedard era.

It is hard to see it, but there has been steady progression. This team has seen a 20-point increase in the standings since the 2023-2024 campaign. While baby steps are all well and good, it is time for this team to make a major jump forward. This will be the last year of Davidson's five-year plan that he implemented when he took over the GM job in 2022. Ownership has signaled the time is now to ascend out of the rebuild and into contention. How this season plays out may determine whether Davidson and this coaching staff led by Jeff Blashill are the right men to lead this team into the next phase.

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