Which Blackhawks will be the most interesting to watch in training camp?

Rejoice Chicago Blackhawks fans! Hockey is quickly approaching the horizon as the 2026-2027 season continues to draw near. Prospect Showcase and training camp action takes place next week, meaning the new campaign is not far away.

More than recent years, there are a plethora of interesting storylines to follow during preseason activity for this Blackhawks team. It will be fascinating to see how this Connor Bedard-less lineup looks in the early days of the season.

Coach Jeff Blashill will have plenty of options to work with when it comes to building this roster. Here are the top players to keep an eye on during training camp as this team takes shape.

Frank Nazar

Among all the players on this Chicago team that could have been sent to Las Vegas for the NHL media tour, Frank Nazar was the candidate of choice. With Bedard out to start the season, this is no surprise. Nazar will have a spotlight on him at the start of this campaign. The ball is in his court to take advantage of this opportunity. He will be in the thick of the fight when it comes to that vaunted first-line center position.

He has already had time to develop chemistry with Patrick Kane as the two have been practicing together throughout the offseason at Blackhawks Ice Center. Nazar would appear to be the favorite to slot into Bedard's place.

It is up to him to show he deserves the nod. It will be crucial for him to impress in camp.

Roman Kantserov

Roman Kantserov is arguably the most intriguing player on this roster to monitor. Unlike most established players in camp, Kantserov has no previous Blackhawks background. This will be the first time he features on this team and he will likely be immediately entrusted into a major top-six role. It will be important for him to make a smooth transition to the NHL level. The presence of Kane should help make that an easier process for him.

The question is what position Kantserov plays. The underlying assumption was that Kantserov would line up on the wing. However, Scott Powers of The Athletic reported that he could be utilized at center to start the season.

Kantserov has been seen skating with Kane and Nazar in unofficial team practices. Could this be a sneak preview of the Blackhawks' first line on opening night?

Anton Frondell

Like Kantserov, Anton Frondell projects to be a major X-factor performer for this team. There are high expectations surrounding the 2025 third overall draft pick. Frondell has clearly gained respect for his game, having been ranked as the third-best prospect in the league by NHL.com. He should be one of the most impactful rookies of his class.

The big story to watch with Frondell is where he is deployed in this lineup. The probable outcome is that he will line up at center; the question is whether that is on the first or second line. Frondell has high incentive to have an impressive camp and earn that 1C role while Bedard is out.

Bowen Byram

There are no questions regarding what Bowen Byram's role with this team will be. He will be relied upon as the No. 1 defenseman. He will be the power-play quarterback on the blueline. No player on this team will receive more minutes per game than Byram.

The question with Byram is whether he plays on the left or right side. The obvious answer would lean towards the left side, considering Byram is a left-shot.

However, the Blackhawks only have two natural right-shot defensemen: Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel. Meaning someone on that back end has to play on their off side.

Byram would make sense. He has previously shown that he can play on the right side during his time with the Buffalo Sabres. Blashill has a big decision to make about where to deploy Byram. Where he slots in will determine what the rest of the defensive core will look like.

Oliver Moore

Oliver Moore is a piece of this team's equation that perhaps is not getting discussed enough. Like many young forwards on this team, it is not clear what position Moore will play. He is one of many players on this team that has shown he can play both center and wing.

Between the two, most Blackhawks pundits agree that Moore performed better at center last season compared to the wing. That would mean a third-line center role would make sense for Moore. It will be imperative for Moore to show he belongs at center from the get-go, as there is no guarantee that he stays there once Bedard returns.

Kevin Korchinski

There is arguably no player on this team who needs to have a more legacy run in training camp than Kevin Korchinski. Despite the recent extension, it would appear that Korchinski finds himself on the outside looking in when it comes to the makeup of this d-core.

It's difficult to project what his role will be. Right now, he looks like the seventh d-man. Meaning, he is likely not an everyday player. Korchinski needs to come into camp and prove that he deserves a full-time position in the rotation. In order to do so, he needs to show some serious growth in his game.

Drew Commesso

Drew Commesso may not be a guy that is high on the radar of most Blackhawks fans entering training camp. With that being said, perhaps he should be. It would appear that the Chicago crease is set with Spencer Knight as the starter and Arvid Soderblom backing him up. But, what if Commesso out-performs Soderblom in camp? Why then should Soderblom hold the backup role over him?

Soderblom has had multiple years worth of experience as the team's No. 2 with mixed results. Commesso has had seemingly enough time to marinate in the minors and has shown well in his brief NHL appearances. If Commesso shows he is ready for a promotion, he should be on this team.

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