Blackhawks Roundtable: 2026-27 season predictions from Blackhawk Up staff

With the Chicago Blackhawks firmly in the midst of training camp and preseason, the Blackhawk Up staff has attempted to predict how the Blackhawks will fare this season. Be sure to check out these fantastic writers who will be bringing you the best Blackhawks content all season long.

What will the Blackhawks' record be in 2026-2027?

Gail Kauchak: 42-35-7 (91 points)
Brooke LoFurno: 38-39-7 (83 points)
Jeff Maroon: 36-38-10 (82 points)
Justin Lynch: 41-33-10 (92 points)
Ryan McGregor: 35-31-18 (88 points)
Nestor Quixtan: 37-35-12 (86 points)
Nate Duffett: 34-40-10 (78 points)

Who will be the Blackhawks leading goal scorer?

Gail: Connor Bedard (35 goals)
Brooke: Connor Bedard (40)
Jeff: Connor Bedard (36)
Justin: Connor Bedard (39)
Ryan: Connor Bedard (37)
Nestor: Connor Bedard (40)
Nate: Connor Bedard (28)

Who will be the Blackhawks leading points scorer?

Gail: Connor Bedard (90 points)
Brooke: Connor Bedard (85)
Jeff: Connor Bedard (92)
Justin: Connor Bedard (90)
Ryan: Connor Bedard (91)
Nestor: Connor Bedard (80+)
Nate: Connor Bedard (63)

Who will be the Blackhawks leading rookie scorer?

Gail: Roman Kantserov (65 points)
Brooke: Roman Kantserov (38)
Jeff: Anton Frondell (52)
Justin: Roman Kantserov (65)
Ryan: Anton Frondell (54)
Nestor: Anton Frondell (60+)
Nate: Roman Kantserov (56)

Who will be the Blackhawks' top defensive point leader besides Byram?

Gail: Sam Rinzel
Brooke: Artyom Levshunov
Jeff: Sam Rinzel
Justin: Artyom Levshunov
Ryan: Artyom Levshunov
Nestor: Alex Vlasic
Nate: Wyatt Kaiser

Who is the player you are most excited to watch and why?

Gail: Frank Nazar. This kid is a playmaker, and he’s so charismatic. He also works his butt off and plays the right way. He's put his heart and soul into his craft only to endure setbacks, injuries, and bad luck. If he keeps pushing and overcomes all that for a breakout campaign, he’ll be super fun to watch.

Brooke: Bowen Byram. I am excited to see the impact he is going to have on the defense. Based on his skill set, he really could help elevate their numbers in facets of 5-on-5 and special teams, so I am looking forward to seeing what that will look like.

Jeff: Patrick Kane. I CANNOT wait to watch him make magic on the power play with Bedard. I believe he still has a lot left in the tank and will elevate everyone around him. Also, give me all the shootout goals!

Justin: Roman Kantserov. He is a secret x-factor flying under the radar.

Ryan: Nick Lardis. He is a top- six caliber goal scorer. I could see him getting anywhere from 15-30 goals.

Nestor: Frank Nazar. Connor Bedard will always be the top draw. But if there’s a guy to watch this season, it’s Frank Nazar. He finished third on the team in scoring last season despite playing just 66 games. A full season should help Nazar really break out. Why not expect 20-plus goals from him this season?!

Nate: Bowen Byram. He is the most exciting player for me because of the gamble the Blackhawks took on him and the opportunity for him to be the top dog on a blueline for the first time in his career. If he fails, Kyle Davidson will get crushed. But if he shows he is a top defenseman, the sky could be the limit. Either way, there will be plenty of storylines.

What is your bold prediction for the Blackhawks season?

Gail: Tyler Bertuzzi will continue his production and solid contributions. He will end the season either second or third in points and log a career-high of 34 goals.

Brooke: I think Tyler Bertuzzi can repeat 30 goals.

Jeff: Nick Lardis scores over 25 goals.

Justin: Kane plays at a point-per-game pace.

Ryan: The power play finishes top 10 in the league.

Nestor: It might seem like I’m going off the deep end, but a consistent season from the Blackhawks could see them sneak into the playoffs. Last season’s two wild card teams, the Utah Mammoth and Los Angeles Kings, may regress. And, if they do, ever so slightly, 86 points might just be enough to squeak into the second wild card spot in the Western Conference. That might set up a date with the Colorado Avalanche or Vegas Golden Knights in the first round, but that’s a story for another day.

Nate: Kantserov finishes top three in Calder Trophy voting.

Conclusions

Along with the national media, everyone has chosen Bedard to lead the team in goals and points, even if he is to miss the first month of the season. Additionally, everyone has predicted the Blackhawks to take the next step forward in the standings, with some even predicting a playoff berth. However, we did see some discrepancies on which rookie forward will score more points, with Kantserov edging out Frondell, four to three.

It was surprising to see that Connor Bedard did not earn a vote on the list of players you are most excited to watch this season. However, after watching Bowen Byram's first preseason game in a Blackhawks sweater, it is understandable why he cracked this list a couple of times. It will be interesting to revisit these lists in April when the Blackhawks have concluded their regular season.

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