NHL News: Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno drops clear instructions for Connor Bedard, teammates

Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks are having trouble deciphering how to feel about their start to the NHL season. Chicago remains winless after three outings, yet it lost by one goal in each of them. There are no moral victories in the league, but Nick Foligno made something clear about what to make of this beginning.

Though far from ideal, the Blackhawks are witnessing the first fruits reap off of their hard work. Jeff Blashill has yet to guide his new team to a win in the 2025-26 NHL season, but it’s all trending in the right direction. Still, Bedard and company would love to have a triumph to their name after three games.

On that note, Foligno chimed in with a bold reminder to his teammates, as well as the coaching staff, about what’s necessary for the Blackhawks to have success in an environment as competitive as the NHL.

‘‘The mindset in here has to be: ‘Be comfortable in uncomfortable situations‘. We’re going to be in a lot of these games this year,” Foligno commented, via Chicago Sun-Times. “We’re going to have to find a way to have our details [to] allow us to get the win [and] not have it go the other way.”

Nick Foligno #17 of the Chicago Blackhawks against the Montreal Canadiens.

Down to lucky bounces

It seems the coin just hasn’t landed on Chicago’s side so far in the NHL. Bedard and company can rest assured, though, if they keep down this road it should start paying off sooner than later.

see also

Connor Bedard's net worth: How much money does the Chicago Blackhawks player have?

So far in the 2025-26 campaign, the Hawks have lost 3-2 to the Florida Panthers, 4-3 in overtime to the Boston Bruins on the road, and 3-2 against the Montreal Canadiens off a late game-winning goal with 15 seconds left in regulation.

What if…

Factually speaking, Chicago is last in the Central Division, but it could very well be near the top had certain plays gone its way. Either way, the Blackhawks can afford to lose these games as long as they learn from them.

Contrary to other teams in the NHL (like the ones Chicago has lost to so far), the Hawks are still young, and their main goal is to build the core for the future rather than aspire to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. If they can do both with equal success, then so be it. But right now, it may be wiser to keep their aim on the ground and not at the moon.