[CoachFrenchy]

Great question, my friend. I love this type of roster-construction discussion.

This is exactly where a GM needs patience and discipline. Let’s be honest: the upcoming UFA class doesn’t offer much for a rebuilding team. Most of the big names are aging, and the rest are bottom-six forwards or third-pair defensemen. Chicago wouldn’t gain anything long-term by throwing money at that group. The only thing you really lose next year is some veteran leadership and experience.

Right now, you already have Teravainen, Bertuzzi, and Burakovsky to insulate your young core with Bedard, Nazar, Moore, and Greene. The urgency to add a top-six forward this summer just isn’t there. If there’s a chance to add a long-term piece who’s under 28 years old, sure — Davidson will listen. But if the market is empty or the price is sky-high, he’ll wait. And honestly, waiting might be the smartest move.

In two years, the contracts for Teravainen and Burakovsky expire, and that’s when KD will need to add legit top-six talent.
By then he’ll also have a better read on the next wave: Lardis, Kantserov, Frondell, Boisvert, Vanacker. One or two of them could absolutely make the jump, but the Blackhawks won’t rush any of them. They’ll come in when they’re ready — not before.

KD can still add one or two bottom-six veterans for experience, PK help, faceoffs, or specific holes in the lineup. But that’s a low-cost move, not a franchise-changing move. For me, the real excitement is at the trade deadline and next offseason — that’s when we’ll really see KD’s long-term strategy unfold.

Now, about Svechnikov…

He’s an excellent talent. No doubt. Skills, size, scoring touch. On paper, he fits the Hawks’ timeline perfectly: only 25 years old and signed for three more seasons at a reasonable number.

But — and this is important — when a team is willing to move a young, productive player, there’s usually a reason. I called a friend of mine who covers Carolina, and here’s what he told me:
• The issue is inconsistency and effort.
• Brind’Amour demands heavy forechecking, winning battles, and crashing the net.
• Those aren’t Svechnikov’s strengths.
• The Hurricanes aren’t actively shopping him, but every year someone in Carolina “wants out.” It’s almost become a tradition over there.

Would I trade for him if I were GM?
Only if the price is reasonable and only if I’m convinced his effort level won’t be an issue in Chicago.
The Hawks can’t afford to give up major assets for a player who might not bring the battle level they want in their culture.

Right now, I think Carolina hangs on to him unless he forces their hand.

If Davidson gets the right player at the right age and the right term, he’ll do it.
If not, he’ll trust the development pipeline and stay patient — and honestly, that might be the smartest move for the rebuild.

[CoachFrenchy]

Thanks for your question, my friend.

1) Absolutely.
Blashill has full control when it comes to game-day decisions like going 12/6 or scratching a defenseman. Of course he and Kyle Davidson talk — every good coach and GM do — but when it comes to roster usage, pairings, matchups, and system decisions, that’s Blashill’s bench. He has the power to decide who plays and who sits.

2) As for sending a player to Rockford, that’s a different process. A coach doesn’t make that move alone.
Here’s how it normally works:
• The coach goes to the GM and explains why he thinks a player might need a reset or a short break in the AHL.
• They discuss the situation together, including who could be called up from Rockford.
• Davidson then talks with Rockford’s coaching staff to make sure the timing makes sense and that there’s the right opportunity for the player.
• After all of that, Davidson makes the final call.

But right now, I don’t see it happening for two reasons:

1. Rinzel and Levshunov are long-term pieces.
The Blackhawks believe their development is better served in the NHL than in the AHL. They want them learning at the highest level, even if there are bumps.

2. There’s no defenseman in Rockford pushing hard for a call-up.
It’s not like the Canadiens situation with Engstrom, who dominated the AHL and earned his call-up. Rockford doesn’t have a D-man right now forcing the organization’s hand.

So in the end, it’s a combination of two things:
Rockford needing someone to step up, and either Rinzel or Levshunov showing a dip big enough to justify the move.
We’re not there yet.

[CoachFrenchy]

Because my time is limited, I can’t reply to every comment individually, but I want everyone to know that I read every message—whether it’s in the forums or under my articles. Many of you raised concerns about the 7D/11F setup, the development of Levshunov or Rinzel, and the overall direction of the Blackhawks. So here’s my take based on watching multiple games every night and digging into league-wide stats.

1. About playing 7D/11F

This setup looks unusual, but here’s the reality:
Most NHL teams today rely on 9 forwards and 4 defensemen for 75–80% of the game.

— Around 3 forwards on every team play only 7–8 minutes
— The third pairing on defense often plays 12–13 minutes
— The workload is carried by the top players

Teams with strong depth (like Carolina) can still roll four lines, but they’re the exception.

Because of more power plays and more overtime games this season, TOI for top players naturally goes up. So whether a team dresses 11 or 12 forwards doesn’t dramatically change how coaches deploy their best players.

2. About the Blackhawks specifically

Chicago is using 11F/7D because of injuries and a lack of forward depth, not because it’s a long-term plan. Their blue line is also unbalanced:
• Vlasic plays at a legit top-pair level
• A couple of others are closer to 2nd-pair calibre
• The rest are still finding their way and are more 3rd-pair style

Despite that, their goals against numbers (ignoring the Buffalo game) have been impressive.
Let’s be honest: Knight is making the defense look better than it actually is. He’s been outstanding and is covering a lot of structural weaknesses.

This is normal for a rebuilding team. Chicago is still in the middle stage of their rebuild, and the roster isn’t fully constructed yet. The schedule gets tougher soon, and at some point we might see them return to a traditional 12F/6D lineup.

3. Development of Levshunov and Rinzel

For now, I prefer both of them to stay in the trenches and continue developing. Levshunov is progressing well, and Rinzel’s healthy scratch seems to have helped reset and refocus him. They are learning the pro game at the right pace.

It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

4. AHL perspective (Rockford)
• Lardis is playing well
• Allan and Edmonds aren’t bad — but not NHL-ready yet
• Korchinski (KK) has had a strong month of November
• Development is trending in the right direction

5. Trade Deadline Outlook

Chicago will likely be sellers, which means roster spots will open later in the season.
We could see NCAA or European prospects join the team once their seasons end.

Final Thought

It’s a long season, injuries will change things, and young players will get opportunities. Enjoy the ride — this is part of the rebuild journey.

[CoachFrenchy]

Welcome my friend

[CoachFrenchy]

Slaggert draws back into the lineup with Burakovsky out.

Bertuzzi is on the top line with Bedard & Greene.

Teuvo slots back into the 2nd line with Nazar & Moore.

Dach up to the 3rd line with Donato & Mikheyev.

[CoachFrenchy]

You’re right: even if the Hawks sit low in overall top speed and 20-mph bursts, the fact they’re 12th in bursts over 22 MPH is huge. That tells you the young core has real skating potential. And the most impressive part? All the young defensemen have hit 22+ MPH already.

And you nailed it on Crevier — he actually leads the team in hardest shot, hitting over 102 mph. That’s elite power, and it’s becoming a real weapon for him.

Love conversations like this. It shows how fast this young group is growing. Thanks for your comment

[CoachFrenchy]

I don’t think you’ll find this anywhere online, but I broke it down for you:

2023-24 After 2 Periods
• Trailing: 4-43-4
• Tie: 4-5-1
• One-Goal Games: 12-9-6 (27 total)

2024-25 After 2 Periods
• Trailing: 2-35-3
• Tie: 3-7-2
• One-Goal Games: 7-9-11 (27 total)

2025-26 After 2 Periods
• Trailing: 1-3-1
• Tie: 3-2-3
• One-Goal Games: 3-2-4 (9 total)

And take note:
They are 6-0-0 this season when leading after 2 periods.

What does this tell us?
They’re playing far more meaningful games, they’re trailing a lot less after two periods, and they’re doing a much better job finishing games when they’re tied going into the third. This is real progress for a young team.

[CoachFrenchy]

One big reason behind that is simple: teams are on a tight schedule. As soon as the game ends, they’re packing up, heading straight to the airport, and flying to the next city. Everything is timed — the plane is ready, the crew is waiting, and there’s very little flexibility.

This was actually brought up as a major issue at the NHL GM Meetings last year, because the league knows travel demands affect performance and recovery.

[CoachFrenchy]

He is going to be the next Captain

[CoachFrenchy]

Thanks for your words

[CoachFrenchy]

great list…. thanks for sharing and for your work…

[CoachFrenchy]

Game Tonight 7:30PM CDT

Game 1: Chicago 4 CGY 0

Chicago Blackhawks

Ryan Greene — Connor Bedard — André Burakovsky
Oliver Moore — Frank Nazar — Teuvo Teräväinen
Colton Dach — Ryan Donato — Ilya Mikheyev
Landon Slaggert — Sam Lafferty

Alex Vlasic — Louis Crevier
Wyatt Kaiser — Artyom Levshunov
Matt Grzelcyk — Connor Murphy
Sam Rinzel

Arvid Söderblom

PP1:
Nazar
Burakovsky-Teravainen-Bedard
Levshunov

PP2:
Moore
Greene-Donato-Grzelcyk
Rinzel

Bertuzzi, Dickinson and Foligno: OUT

Calgary Flames

Jonathan Huberdeau – Morgan Frost – Matt Coronato
Yegor Sharangovich – Nazem Kadri – Joel Farabee
Connor Zary – Mikael Backlund – Blake Coleman
Ryan Lomberg – Sam Morton – Adam Klapka

Kevin Bahl – Rasmus Andersson
Yan Kuznetsov – MacKenzie Weegar
Jake Bean – Brayden Pachal

Dustin Wolf

[CoachFrenchy]

Perfect timing with the end of the month coming up…

Levshunov report — coming soon
IceHogs recap — end of the month
Blackhawks Prospects update — end of the month
NHL Draft Top 32 — end of the month

HHS also asked me to cover Columbus and Colorado,
But Chicago remains my first priority. That’s where my focus stays.

[CoachFrenchy]

I don’t expect Davidson to make any moves right now. He’s sticking to his plan for the season: give the prospects their chance and evaluate every player inside the organization.

But hey, I’m no expert — I get things wrong with my predictions just like anyone else. What I truly appreciate is the passion many of you bring to this forum. You’re building one of the best communities on HHS.

Credit goes to all of you. Keep that love for the game going.

Have a great day.

[CoachFrenchy]

A solid team effort by the Blackhawks. Another meaningful game, and with this result they’re now 4-0-1 in their last five. This young group keeps finding ways to stay in games and collect points.

[Author]

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