Day 2 of Chicago Blackhawks camp under head coach Jeff Blashill was nothing short of intense. The players were pushed harder than on Day 1, with the tempo ramped up and conditioning drills that left the locker room drained. As Blashill put it, “Some of the best bonding is when you go through struggle together.”
This wasn’t just practice — it was a message. The Blackhawks want to set the tone early for what will be a critical season in their rebuild.
A New Tone Under Blashill
Compared to last year’s Luke Richardson sessions, the difference is clear: Blashill is more direct, quick with the whistle, and demanding in his approach.
He stops drills to correct details, expects high precision, and challenges players to dig deeper.
His defensive group may be the youngest he’s coached in the NHL, but he believes in their potential.
“They’re extremely big, extremely long, extremely good skating. They’re efficient in their games,” he explained. That mix of raw size and skating ability could define the Hawks’ identity on the back end this year.
Bedard’s Contract & On-Ice Role
Connor Bedard drew attention both on and off the ice. When asked about contract talks, he shrugged it off as “pretty chill.”
But behind the scenes, his camp is setting a high opening price. A likely compromise could fall in the 12–13% salary cap range — about $12.5M to $13.5M annually.
On the ice, Bedard was skating with Andre Burakovsky and Ryan Donato.
Blashill praised Burakovsky’s ability to carry pucks through the neutral zone and link up with Bedard in give-and-go plays, while Donato adds scoring touch to balance the line.
Veterans, Depth, and a Grzelcyk Watch
One storyline to watch is defenseman Matt Grzelcyk. Blashill confirmed that if young defensemen struggle and need AHL seasoning, Grzelcyk could earn a contract.
But if the kids prove NHL-ready, he may remain unsigned.
That decision ties directly to the team’s roster crunch. With Alex Vlasic, Sam Rinzel, Connor Murphy, Wyatt Kaiser, and Louis Crevier in the mix — plus Levshunov and Korchinski fighting for spots — the Blackhawks may have to send one or both of their prized young defensemen to Rockford for more minutes early in the season.
Standouts from Day 2
- Sam Rinzel stole the spotlight in conditioning skates, beating teammates by a full length of the ice in the final bag skate. His endurance and skating look NHL-ready.
- Nick Lardis and Frank Nazar continued to show flashes of chemistry together during drills — an encouraging sign for the future.
- Oliver Moore is playing with determination, and this camp feels like an important step for him to push for an NHL roster spot.
- Ethan Del Mastro also got close attention from coaches alongside Rinzel, showing the Blackhawks are evaluating their young defensive pairings closely.
Davidson’s Expectations
General manager Kyle Davidson doubled down on his belief that the youth movement is about to push Chicago forward. “It’s our belief that… youth is going to start propelling us forward.”
The Hawks may still be rebuilding, but there’s no hiding that the organization expects progress this season. Day 2’s intensity reflected exactly that mindset.
Final Thoughts
It’s only two days into camp, but the contrast from last season is already noticeable. Blashill demands more, and the players are being tested.
Between Bedard’s contract watch, roster battles on defense, and standout performances from young names like Rinzel and Moore, this camp is shaping up as one of the most important in recent Hawks memory.
