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Blackhawks Close Preseason with 4–0 Loss — Time for Big Decisions
The Chicago Blackhawks wrapped up their six-game preseason with a 4–0 loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night, finishing the exhibition schedule with a 2-4 record. It was a long, grinding camp where opportunities were there, but few players truly seized them. After dressing most regulars on Friday, Chicago iced a younger, AHL-heavy lineup for the finale. The result was familiar: another night that slipped away in the second period, as the Blues scored three unanswered goals and never looked back.
The opening period was a good one for Chicago’s young prospects. They battled hard, stayed structured, and managed to keep up with a veteran Blues lineup. It wasn’t flawless — there were a few nervous moments — but it was good enough to keep the game scoreless after twenty minutes.
The second period, however, told a different story. Just like Friday night, things fell apart quickly. The Blues’ experienced players took control and exposed the Blackhawks’ inexperience, scoring three times and putting the game out of reach. From there, the contest felt like a lesson in what separates seasoned NHLers from prospects still learning the pace and precision of the league.
Mixed Results in the Final Tune-Up
This was the last chance for several young players and fringe veterans to make an impression. A few played back-to-back nights, hoping to force the coaches’ hand, but no one truly changed the picture.
Head coach Jeff Blashill and general manager Kyle Davidson now face tough roster calls before Tuesday’s season opener in Florida. Expect most decisions Sunday and the official list submitted to the NHL by Monday afternoon.
Blue Line Questions Could Shift Plans
Chicago hoped to see a stronger statement from its young defense core, but Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro, and Nolan Allan couldn’t quite rise to the occasion in their final auditions. Each had flashes of solid play, yet none produced the “I belong” game that locks down a roster spot.
That could push management toward signing Matt Grzelcyk, still in camp on a professional tryout (PTO). His veteran presence would help steady a blue line where Connor Murphy is the lone skater over 30.
There’s nothing wrong with starting prospects in Rockford. Korchinski and Del Mastro would benefit from heavy minutes at 5-on-5 and on both special teams rather than limited NHL usage. Development takes patience, and Chicago appears willing to play the long game.
Forward Picture: Moore, Greene and Reichel
Among the forwards, Oliver Moore and Ryan Greene both had good camps but didn’t complicate Blashill’s decision either. Moore’s speed stands out every shift, while Greene’s faceoff ability and defensive awareness are impressive for a rookie. Still, the smart move is likely to send them to Rockford for more ice time and special-teams experience.
Lukas Reichel remains the wild card. He’s been linked to trade rumors, but for now, management seems inclined to keep him. Reichel still offers offensive upside and can grow under Blashill’s system. For opening night, he may serve as the 13th forward—a middle-ground approach that gives the staff flexibility.
Roster Shape and Immediate Focus
The Blackhawks are expected to open the season with 13 forwards, 8 defensemen, and 2 goalies. Alex Vlasic is projected to be ready for Tuesday’s game, giving the club another dependable option on D.
Blashill has emphasized structure since the first day of camp: five players connected on the ice, tighter puck support, cleaner transitions, and smarter decisions under pressure. Faceoffs and special teams were recurring problems—Chicago’s penalty kill and power play both struggled late in preseason. Eliminating those mistakes will be crucial once the games count.
Preparation and Scheduling Notes
Next season, the NHL is expected to slightly reduce its preseason schedule. Teams may play around four exhibition games with a shorter training camp. Less evaluation time will put extra pressure on young players to stand out quickly. For organizations built around development, that means every practice and rep will matter even more.
Wrapping Up Camp
The Blackhawks’ preseason wasn’t perfect, but it achieved its goal: giving management a clear picture of where each player stands. The real test begins Tuesday in Florida, when everything resets to 0-0 and the expectations start to rise.
In my next articles, I’ll dive into:
• The Winners and Losers of training camp,
• My Season Predictions, and
• The October Preview for the Blackhawks.Prospect Corner and Forum Update
While the HHS main site is still under migration, I’ll keep updates coming through the forum so we can continue our discussions.
A few prospect highlights from the weekend:
• Frondell scored a hat trick, standing out among Chicago’s European prospects.
• Nastresil netted his first NCAA goal, a solid start for the freshman forward.
• Several CHL prospects opened their seasons across Canada.Starting Monday morning, I’ll launch a weekly “Three Stars of the Week” column covering standout performances from the Blackhawks, IceHogs, and prospects.
Thanks for sticking with us through the technical issues. Once the site is fully back, I’ll make sure the conversation and community feel stronger than ever. Hockey is back—and so are we.
Frondell second goal of the day: https://x.com/Harian_Mossa/status/1974485257970749897
Another goal of Frondell https://x.com/Harian_Mossa/status/1974479614270493046
Blackhawks have recalled for today:
Taige Harding
Gavin Hayes
Kevin Korchinski
Paul Ludwinski
Martin Mišiak
Samuel Savoie
Aidan Thompson
Dominic ToninatoAs well as signing PTOs for today:
Cavan Fitzgerald
Brett Seney
Mitchell WeeksBecause the site isn’t ready yet, I’ll share some Blackhawks updates here in the forum to keep everyone informed. Here are my thoughts about last night’s game — feel free to reply and share what you thought about their performance.
BLACKHAWKS 2, WILD 3 — PENALTIES AND SPECIAL TEAMS TURN THE GAME AROUND
The Chicago Blackhawks dropped a 3-2 decision to the Minnesota Wild in their second-to-last preseason game. Both teams dressed close to full NHL lineups, and the pace felt like a regular-season matchup from start to finish.
First Period — Structure and Efficiency
Chicago came out organized and opportunistic. Even though the Wild outshot them 10–5, the Hawks made their chances count. Frank Nazar opened the scoring with his fourth of the preseason, showing great patience and finish. A few minutes later, Nick Foligno redirected a Sam Rinzel point shot to make it 2–0.
It wasn’t domination, but it was efficient hockey — good structure, clean transitions, and smart puck management.Second Period — Discipline Breaks Down
The second period changed everything. Chicago lost its rhythm with too many penalties, and Minnesota made them pay. Vladimir Tarasenko, Matt Boldy, and Ryan Hartman all scored on the power play, turning a 2–0 lead into a 3–2 Wild advantage.
The Hawks’ penalty kill never settled in — too many missed clears and coverage breakdowns. Their power play also failed to answer back, now 0-for-9 over the last two games. Momentum swung completely toward Minnesota, and Chicago spent most of the frame chasing the puck instead of dictating play.
Third Period — A Strong Push, No Finish
The third was Chicago’s best period. They controlled possession, outshot the Wild 15–4, and had multiple chances to tie it. Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar both created offense, but couldn’t finish. Bedard is doing everything right — moving, shooting, creating — the goals will come soon.
Jason Dickinson centered a responsible and hard-working line with Landon Slaggert and Ilya Mikheyev, generating pressure and drawing a penalty. Colton Dach also had a solid game in limited minutes (10:53), showing strength and good reads.
On defense, Nolan Allan logged around 15 minutes and added an assist, staying calm and simple with the puck. Levshunov continues to learn — he’ll make mistakes, but his confidence is growing. Wyatt Kaiser impressed again with his poise, and Sam Rinzel looks like a player who could force decisions soon. Matt Grzelcyk was fine overall, but it’s still unclear how Jeff Blashill plans to use him.
The one big question is Sam Lafferty’s role. He played only 6:24 and didn’t get any penalty-kill time — the main reason Chicago brought him back. If he’s not going to be used on special teams, what’s his fit on this roster?
Postgame Thoughts
Jeff Blashill after the game:
“I liked our first and third periods. The forecheck and O-zone were the best they’ve looked. We just took too many penalties. There are still some areas in the D-zone we need to clean up — we have to be stronger on pucks and break out cleaner.”
Nick Foligno echoed the same message about discipline and system progress:
“Because of the way we’re coached, it’s coming fast. The information is clear and direct. You can see we’re improving every game. We just can’t beat ourselves with penalties.”
Coach Frenchy’s Take
This wasn’t a bad game at all — Chicago was 2–0 at 5-on-5 and played the right way for long stretches. But discipline, special teams, and faceoffs under 40% were costly. If they stay out of the box and keep playing connected as five-man units, this team will start to win these kinds of games.
The Hawks close the preseason tonight at home against the St. Louis Blues — puck drop at 6:00 PM CDT.
Here’s what I’ll be focusing on this weekend:
1. Power Play – Can they find more consistency and finish?
2. Ethan Del Mastro vs. Matt Grzelcyk – How does Del Mastro measure up against an established NHL defenseman?
3. Colton Dach’s performance – consistency
4. Greene vs. Moore – Battle for last spot
5. Blashill’s system – How well are the players adapting to his structure?Thanks a lot for the kind words, really appreciate it ? You’re right, it’s been busy the last few weeks, but hockey never stops for me! I’ll definitely keep an eye on the Hawks tonight and will share my thoughts here. Big weekend for decisions ahead — should be fun to follow.
Like many of you, I’m also impatient for the site to be back online. We’re currently waiting for the migration to be completed, and once everything is running again, I’ll be ready to post new articles about the team.
In the meantime, I’ve been following all the news around the Blackhawks and reading your comments here in the forum. If you have any requests or questions, feel free to ask me directly here — I’ll do my best to provide updates during this downtime since we can’t post on the front page.
It’s a big weekend ahead for the Blackhawks with some important decisions coming. Thanks for your patience — I wish I had better answers or updates, but this situation is out of my control. Hopefully, once the migration is finished, everything will be back to normal very soon.
Frenchy
