[CoachFrenchy]

Welcome and thanks for your comment! You’re absolutely right — they’ve been in almost every game. Honestly, playing close to a .500 pace at this stage is solid progress for a young group. They’re fun to watch, and you can really see the development of the prospects starting to take shape. Enjoy your day!

[CoachFrenchy]

Thank you my friend….

[CoachFrenchy]

Even period. Blackhawks turned up the pressure in the later half of the opening period. Oliver Moore has been really noticeable in his first period with the Blackhawks this season.

Shot attempts: 14-12 CHI
Shots on goal: 10-10
Scoring chances: 7-8 SEA

First 9 minutes Kraken had 9 shots, only one last 11 minutes…

Bon Match

[CoachFrenchy]

Optional practice this morning — no roster updates at this time.

[CoachFrenchy]

Thanks for your thoughtful comment — really great insight!

You’re absolutely right — in hockey, the toughest part of scouting is projection. Trying to predict what kind of player someone will be at 23 is never an exact science. So many variables — confidence, opportunity, injuries, mindset — can completely change a player’s development curve.

I agree, KD has done an excellent job this season. For Chicago, this year (and next) should be all about evaluation — both with the Blackhawks and the IceHogs. It’s the right way to build. You can already see key pieces of the puzzle taking shape:
• On defense: Knight, Rinzel, Vlasic, and Levshunov look like long-term core options.
• Up front: Bedard and Nazar are legit foundation forwards.
• Veterans like Donato and Bertuzzi serve as smart transition players.
• And now KD has decisions to make on guys like Mikheyev and Murphy in their final contract years — whether to keep or move them.

Meanwhile, players like Dach, Slaggert, Greene, Kaiser, and Crevier are still developing, and KD will need to determine who fits into the long-term picture. Same with the AHL group — Moore, Lardis, Commesso, and Korchinski — plus promising prospects like Frondell and Kantserov overseas.

Next season will mark Phase 2 of the rebuild: continue developing, keep evaluating, and start shaping the true roster core. The following 2–3 years will be about roster construction — building through your assets, draft picks, and smart trades rather than relying on UFAs. That’s the modern NHL formula, and it feels like Chicago is on the right path.

[CoachFrenchy]

Well said! The Blackhawks are definitely a lot more fun to watch this season.

Thanks for your comment

[CoachFrenchy]

Thanks for your great comment, my friend — really good points! 👏

About the defensemen pinching — that’s all about decision-making and game management. When you pinch on the boards, you need to make sure there’s a forward ready to cover if you get beat. That’s part of learning structure and awareness — and for a young rebuilding team, those reads will improve with time.

As for Bedard’s shot in OT, I get what you mean. Ideally, you want to keep possession, especially with no traffic in front. But there’s also a “high dot / low dot” concept in hockey — if he shoots from a low dot (closer to the goal line), you can at least create a faceoff or rebound. Maybe he was tired, or just saw a chance he liked. Either way, it’s part of the learning curve for a young superstar who’s still adapting to situational hockey.

Love the discussion — that’s how we grow the game together.

[CoachFrenchy]

Game Tonight 10:00EDT

Roster:
Chicago Blackhawks

Ryan Greene — Connor Bedard — André Burakovsky
Teuvo Teräväinen — Frank Nazar — Tyler Bertuzzi
Ryan Donato — Colton Dach — Ilya Mikheyev
Landon Slaggert — Nick Foligno

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

Spencer Knight

Inj: Dickinson

Edmonton Oilers

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Connor McDavid – Andrew Mangiapane
Vasily Podkolzin – Leon Draisaitl – Jack Roslovic
Matthew Savoie – Adam Henrique – Trent Frederic
Isaac Howard – Noah Philp – Curtis Lazar

Mattias Ekholm – Evan Bouchard
Darnell Nurse – Jake Walman
Brett Kulak – Ty Emberson

Stuart Skinner

Injury Report
Chicago Blackhawks
Jason Dickinson is day-to-day. Laurent Brossoit (hip) and Shea Weber (retired) are out long term.
Edmonton Oilers

Zach Hyman, Kasperi Kapanen and Mattias Janmark are on IR.

Bon Match mes amis!

[CoachFrenchy]

J.J. Wiebusch is a 6’0”, 176-pound right-shot forward in his second season with Penn State University. Undrafted to this point, he’s turning heads early in 2025-26 with 11 goals in his first 10 games — one of the hottest starts in the NCAA.

After a 33-point freshman campaign (14 G, 19 A in 40 GP) and a breakout 63-point season in Sioux Falls (USHL, 2023-24), Wiebusch has proven he can consistently produce offense at every level.

He’s not known for his physical play, but his offensive instincts stand out. Wiebusch owns a quick release, a deceptive wrist shot, and a knack for finding soft ice in scoring areas. His skating is average overall, yet he compensates with smart positioning and timing.

While there’s nothing that currently separates him enough to secure NHL attention, his goal-scoring touch and steady improvement make him a player to monitor closely. If he sustains this level of production, scouts may start to view him as a legitimate pro prospect later this season

[CoachFrenchy]

Thank you…

[CoachFrenchy]

I apologize — no Game Threads tonight. I wasn’t able to sign in earlier, and it seems the system is finally back up but still running slowly.

I’ll be honest, it’s been a frustrating night. I spent a lot of time writing a full article after the first 10 games, but HHS hasn’t published it yet — completely out of my control.

And to top it off, a rough game for the Blackhawks tonight. Sorry again, everyone, and thanks for your patience.

Frenchy

[CoachFrenchy]

Thanks for your comment — and you’re absolutely right about their penalty kill. It’s been one of the biggest strengths of the team so far. A solid PK gives them confidence and keeps them competitive, even when the power play isn’t clicking.

I also liked Rinzel’s response after that high hit. It sends a clear message: if you’re going to take liberties, the Hawks will push back. Sure, it might cost them a minor penalty once in a while, but when your PK is this good, it’s worth standing your ground. Plays like that build character and team identity.

[CoachFrenchy]

Just a quick reminder:

Development isn’t a one way street.

Organizations need to put players in positions to succeed, but players also need to take hold of the opportunity when it comes.

[CoachFrenchy]

Roman with his 13th goal of the season in 20 games

Roman K.

[CoachFrenchy]

Chicago Blackhawks

Ilya Mikheyev — Connor Bedard — André Burakovsky
Teuvo Teräväinen — Frank Nazar — Ryan Donato
Colton Dach — Ryan Greene — Jason Dickinson
Nick Foligno — Landon Slaggert

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

Arvid Söderblom

Los Angeles Kings

Andrei Kuzmenko – Anze Kopitar – Adrian Kempe
Kevin FIala – Quenton Byfield – Alex Laferriere
Warren Foegele – Phillip Danault – Trevor Moore
Joel Armia – Alex Turcotte – Corey Perry

Brian Dumoulin – Drew Doughty
Joel Edmundson – Brandt Clarke
Mikey Anderson – Cody Ceci

Anton Forsberg

Chicago are 2-1-0 in 2024-25 vs LAK
Chicago are 99-84-17-8 vs LAK

[Author]

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