The Chicago Blackhawks took another heavy loss Friday night, falling 6-1 to the New York Rangers in what turned into a second straight blowout. After a 5-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers the night before, this young Blackhawks group is now 2-4-2 in their last eight games.
Nick Lardis Keeps Producing, But Ice Time Still a Question
One of the few bright spots for the Chicago Blackhawks was Nick Lardis, who continues to produce offensively. Lardis scored his third goal in the last four games and now has five points over that stretch. He is playing with confidence, attacking the net, and showing exactly why he deserves more opportunity.
Yet, despite the production, he was limited to just 10:57 of ice time. That’s where the frustration comes in. Head coach Jeff Blashill continues to rely on veterans like Andre Burakovsky, who has struggled to produce, while a young player like Lardis is clearly earning more minutes.
At some point, the direction has to change. The organization already knows what it has in its veterans. Now is the time to invest in young players like Lardis, give them real opportunities, and let them grow. That’s the only way development happens.
Lardis plays hard, he’s producing, and he’s trending toward becoming a solid middle-six forward with power-play potential. His game even brings flashes of Bryan Rust with his motor and scoring touch.
Anton Frondell Showing Top-Line Potential
Another encouraging performance came from Anton Frondell, who led all forwards with 20:50 of ice time. He looked composed and confident, and you can clearly see the skill level.
Frondell’s vision and awareness stand out right away. He processes the game well and has a dangerous shot that can become a real weapon at the NHL level. There’s still a learning curve—understanding the pace, details, and what it takes to be a pro—but the foundation is there.
Looking ahead, it’s easy to project Frondell as a future top-line player alongside Connor Bedard. If his development stays on track, he has the upside to follow a path similar to players like Adam Fantilli or Leo Carlsson.
At least here, credit to the coaching staff—they trusted him with big minutes.
Youth Movement Comes With Growing Pains
The Blackhawks iced seven rookies in this game: Greene, Frondell, Boisvert, Lardis, Levshunov, Del Mastro, and Rinzel. Add Frank Nazar, who is still early in his NHL experience, and this is one of the youngest lineups in the league.
That’s not easy. Mistakes will happen. Games like this will happen.
But this is the price of a rebuild.
Sacha Boisvert played just over 10 minutes in his second NHL game after logging around nine minutes the night before. Again, the message is simple: let them play. That’s how young players learn, adjust, and improve at this level.
All seven rookies are part of the future core of this team. They will play important roles down the road—but patience is required.
Next Game
The Chicago Blackhawks return to action on Sunday, March 29, when they hit the road to face the New Jersey Devils. Puck drop is set for 6:00 PM CDT.
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