Morning Chirps: NHL Network's Top 20 defensemen, looking ahead to 2026-27 Blackhawks

Let’s get you caught up on a busy weekend here at Blackhawk Up! While most of the other team sites are enjoying the summer, we’re getting you geared up for the upcoming season. Enjoy your Monday Morning Chirps.

Blackhawks Chirps

• Scott Rogust says that Connor Bedard’s recent comments about the Blackhawks’ offseason should win over those fans who haven’t bought in yet.

• Is it too early to think about the next Expansion Draft? Probably, but Ryan Gagne lets us know who The Athletic thinks is at risk if we see one in the near future.

• Nestor Quixtan thinks the playoff talk surrounding the Blackhawks is devoid of logic, but the postseason is not impossible for this group.

• Justin Lynch looked at which players will benefit the most from having Patrick Kane in the lineup this season.

• Gail Kauchak breaks down the Blackhawks’ youth movement and gives us six forwards to watch this season.

• Ryan Donato’s first season of his new contract was not nearly as productive as we all hoped. Brooke LoFurno takes a look at what a successful season for the veteran forward would look like.

• On this date in 2005, the Blackhawks traded goaltender Jocelyn Thibault to the Pittsburgh Penguins for a fourth-round pick. Thibault was a very good goalie on some bad Blackhawks teams. He went 137-142-27 with a .905 save percentage and a 2.62 goals-against average during his time in Chicago. The draft pick was used on defenseman Ben Shutron, who never played in the NHL.

• Blackhawks Birthday Roll Call, Aug. 10: Alexander Andrievski.

NHL Chirps

• The NHL Network revealed its Top 20 NHL defensemen. It wasn’t a shock that there were no Blackhawks on this list, but I thought there was an outside chance Bowen Byram could sneak on it. It will be interesting to see if he makes it after his first season as a No. 1 defenseman.

• During a recent radio interview, Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman said that he doesn’t foresee making any more moves before the start of the season. They still have about $4.7 million in salary cap space, which is a lot for the Oilers, but it appears that Bowman prefers having some in-season flexibility.

• Defenseman Calen Addison is reportedly heading to the KHL and is expected to sign with Shanghai Dragons. The 26-year-old blueliner was a second-round pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2018. He was traded to the Minnesota Wild in 2020 as part of the Jason Zucker deal. Addison played 92 games for the Wild before being traded to the San Jose Sharks in 2023. He spent last season in the New Jersey Devils organization, playing in the AHL.

• NHL Birthday Roll Call, Aug. 10: Butch Keeling, Rick Wilson, Mike McEwen, Greg Hagwood, Bret Hedican, Darcy Hordichuk, David Jones, Sam Gagner, Marcus Foligno, Tanner Pearson, Zach Aston-Reese, and Nick Suzuki.

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