Blackhawks Camp Battles: Six Factors You Need to Track

September Means Opportunity

September signals competition for Chicago Blackhawks roster spaces. Rookie camp kicks off with the Tom Kurvers Showcase, followed by the main camp and preseason games. This year, the Blackhawks arrive with a new vision under head coach Jeff Blashill and general manager Kyle Davidson.

Patience, not quick fixes, is the strategy. Instead of filling gaps with short-term free agents, Davidson is determined to let prospects fight for NHL roles.

Cap Space and Roster Flexibility

Chicago enters camp in a healthy position with about $17.64 million in salary cap space. Even more important, many of their young players are waiver-exempt, especially on defense. This gives the team room to experiment with different combinations without the risk of losing players.

That flexibility could allow general manager Kyle Davidson and head coach Jeff Blashill to make frequent moves between Chicago and Rockford (AHL IceHogs), keeping prospects fresh and active throughout the season. It also opens the door for bigger decisions down the road. With six veterans on expiring contracts, the Blackhawks have the option to create even more cap space at the trade deadline. That combination of money and roster fluidity puts Chicago in position to shape this season not just as a year of development, but as a year of opportunity.

Forward Lines: Who’s Locked In?

At forward, most of the lineup is already set. Ten players look like locks:

• 1st line: Burakovsky – Bedard – Donato
• 2nd line: Bertuzzi – Nazar – Teravainen
• 3rd line: Foligno – Dickinson – Mikheyev
• 4th line: Lafferty, with Slaggert and Reichel projected to join.

That makes 12 names. Chicago will likely add at least one extra forward, opening the door for competition.

Veterans vs. Young Talent

Two veterans are in the mix:

• Dominic Toninato, who has just 25 NHL games over the last three seasons.
• Joey Anderson, who played 18 games with Chicago last year and 55 the season before.

But the real intrigue comes from the younger group:

• Colton Dach split time last year between the NHL and AHL, with 25 games for Chicago.
• Oliver Moore left the NCAA and appeared in nine games late in the season. He is one of the top prospects with a chance to stick.

These players will push for depth roles on the fourth line or as extra forwards.

Prospect Spotlight: Oliver Moore and Artyom Levshunov

Every training camp has one or two names that fans circle before it even begins. In Chicago, that spotlight is shining brightest on Oliver Moore and Artyom Levshunov.

For Moore, this summer was all about proving he knows what it takes to be a permanent NHL player. He added eight pounds of muscle in the offseason, a clear sign he understands the physical demands of an 82-game schedule. Even though he only appeared in nine games with the Blackhawks last year, he took those nights as a classroom. The pace, the battles, the travel — Moore absorbed it all and returned this fall with a sharper edge.

That growth hasn’t gone unnoticed. Moore was invited to the NHLPA/Upper Deck Showcase this week, a sign that the league itself sees him as part of the next wave of young stars. Speed has always been his weapon, but with added strength and a better understanding of the league, Moore looks like more than just a prospect fighting for a fourth-line role. He’s trying to kick down the door to a full-time spot.

Levshunov, meanwhile, represents the future of Chicago’s blue line. With size, poise, and the ability to play in all situations, he is already considered a frontrunner in the crowded battle for defensive spots. The Hawks don’t need him to be perfect right away, but his presence is a reminder of where this rebuild is headed: toward a core built to last, not just survive.

For the Blackhawks, Moore and Levshunov are not just names on a roster sheet. They are symbols of the new vision under Kyle Davidson — a vision built on patience, development, and giving prospects the room to grow into difference-makers. Training camp will be their proving ground.

Blackhawks Defense: Crowded and Competitive

The blue line is where things get truly competitive. The Blackhawks have nine defensemen fighting for seven roster spots.

Right side: Connor Murphy, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, Louis Crevier

Left side: Alex Vlasic, Kevin Korchinski, Nolan Allan, Wyatt Kaiser (RFA), Ethan Del Mastro

Locks: Murphy and Vlasic.

Front-runners: Kaiser, Rinzel, and Levshunov. That brings the total to five.

Remaining competition: Korchinski, Crevier, Allan, and Del Mastro will battle for the final two spots.

Here’s where things get tricky. On the right side, three spots are essentially spoken for. If Crevier is used as the extra, that side is covered. On the left side, Vlasic and Kaiser are penciled in, which leaves only one — maybe two — openings for the rest.

The key advantage is that five of these young defensemen are waiver-exempt (Levshunov, Rinzel, Korchinski, Allan, Del Mastro). Management can shuffle them between Chicago and Rockford without the risk of losing anyone. But this is where development comes first: the Blackhawks can’t afford to let their top prospects sit as healthy scratches. They need to play.

That’s why the team is more likely to carry seven defensemen instead of eight. Whoever doesn’t make the cut on opening night will be logging heavy minutes in Rockford — a better outcome than watching from the press box.For that reason, expect Chicago to carry seven defensemen, not eight. The players who aren’t in the lineup on opening night will be logging big minutes in Rockford, where they can continue to develop instead of watching from the press box.

Goaltending Uncertainty

In net, the Blackhawks enter camp with as much intrigue as anywhere else on the roster. Spencer Knight, acquired at the trade deadline, is expected to get his first true chance at being a No. 1 goaltender in the NHL. At just 24 years old, he arrives in Chicago eager to take the next step in his career and prove he can handle the starter’s workload.

Behind him, Arvid Söderblom is returning on a new contract. That deal alone should bring motivation, as the organization is showing faith that he can push for more consistency. If he delivers, the Blackhawks may have the makings of a young, competitive tandem.

The wild card is Laurent Brossoit, who missed all of last season with injury. If he is ready to return, Chicago could carry three goaltenders into the season. That scenario would give head coach Jeff Blashill options — but it could also force general manager Kyle Davidson to make a move at some point. Teams like the Edmonton Oilers could be watching closely if Chicago decides to deal from a position of strength.

For now, the situation is fluid. Knight has the inside track, Söderblom is motivated, and Brossoit remains the variable that could change the entire picture.

Final Outlook: Blackhawks have a lot to prove

Chicago heads into training camp with a clear plan: let youth earn its place. With cap space to spare and a prospect pool pushing for spots, expect intense competition. The forward group looks close to set, but the defense battle may define the opening roster.

It’s safe to say that Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar are locked in. The real question is whether prospects like Oliver Moore, Artyom Levshunov, and Sam Rinzel can force their way onto the roster to start the season. These are the battles that fuel a true rebuild — giving young players every chance to prove they belong instead of blocking them with veterans.

A few roster spots remain open, and that’s exactly how general manager Kyle Davidson wants it. Competition is healthy, and it ensures only the most ready prospects make the jump. And this is just the beginning — next season, when Anton Frondell arrives, the fight for roster space will be even more intense.

So can Moore, Levshunov, or Rinzel crack the lineup right away? The final answer will come on October 6, 2026, when NHL rosters must be set. Until then, every practice and every preseason shift will serve as part of their audition.

For the Blackhawks, these battles are more than just roster decisions. They are a clear sign that the rebuild is underway, and the outcome of this camp will shape not just the opening night roster, but the foundation of the next decade in Chicago.