The Chicago Blackhawks are hoping to re-establish themselves among the best of the NHL, though that’s way easier said than done overnight. With the likes of Connor Bedard and the arrival of head coach Jeff Blashill, fans in the Windy City have reasons to be hopeful about the upcoming season, but they will be without a prospect, whom the organization is distancing from.
The Blackhawks are embracing a new identity for the 2025-26 NHL season, led by Blashill behind the bench, and Bedard on the ice along with several talents, many of which are looking to step up into even bigger roles next campaign.
Chicago may not have an NHL roster which can compete with the top sides in the league consistently, yet, but they boast a prospects pool with many names that can blossom into stars. Such young talents in the Blackhawks system led the organization to be ranked in fourth place by The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler in his NHL prospect pool rankings of 2025.
However, one prospect from the 2021 NHL Entry Draft has recently announced that he won’t be joining Bedard, Blashill, and the Blackhawks for the 2025–26 season, and the chances of him ever playing in the league are growing slimmer by the second.
Ilya Safonov, a former sixth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, is staying in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) after signing a one-year extension with Ak Bars, according to Scott Powers. Although initial reports indicated that Safonov was interested in joining the franchise in the Windy City, the Blackhawks don’t appear to be on the same wavelength with the 24-year-old forward.
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Brand-new head coach Jeff Blashill delivers bold reminder to Connor Bedard, Blackhawks ahead of first season in Chicago
New head coach in Rockford
While the Blackhawks are the team facing the most pressure in the organization, AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs are also looking to continue their rise, driven mostly by the development of young players, who hope to jump to the Hawks.
After falling in the Central Division semifinals to the Milwaukee Admirals, the IceHogs announced the hiring of Jared Nightingale as new head coach for the upcoming season.
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Nightingale spent four years (2021-2024) as an assistant coach in Rockford and was in the ECHL during the last campaign with the South Carolina Stingrays, where he led them to a 52-15-5 record, but fell to the Orlando Solar Bears in the opening round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs in 7 games.
