“[Our young players] are going to make some mistakes, and we’re going to have to be patient. It’s part of it, man. It’s part of where we’re at,” Blashill said, per Ben Pope of Chicago Sun-Times. “There’s nothing wrong with failure if you learn from it.”

Blashill pointed out that Chicago boasts one of the youngest rosters in the NHL. The trade deadline moves involving Nick Foligno, Connor Murphy, and Jason Dickinson only lowered the average age of the Blackhawks’ lineup even further. With that come the growing pains the Hawks are now experiencing.

Blackhawks’ losing streak

Dropping three outings in a row is nothing new for Blashill and the Blackhawks. So far in the 2025–26 NHL season, Chicago has had 10 losing streaks of three or more games (including a six-game winless streak). However, the current skid is the worst yet in terms of goal differential.

In their last three appearances, the Blackhawks have been outplayed by their opponents, allowing 16 goals and scoring just 5. Chicago’s all-time worst losing streak in a single NHL season stands at 10 consecutive defeats in the 2006–07 campaign.

Blackhawks can set new franchise low

With eight games left on their schedule and set to face some tough competition, there is still a scenario in which the Blackhawks make history of the wrong kind to close out the season. If they drop all remaining games, the Hawks will register 11 straight defeats, setting a new franchise record in a single campaign.

It would be a less-than-ideal season finale for Blashill, and it may drive the head coach out of a job in the Windy City. There’s a loud buzz growing around Blashill, and whether he is the right man to lead Connor Bedard and the young Hawks. Such a disheartening ending to the season could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

“[Frondell] will be with a good player,” Blashill limited himself to answer, as reported by Kalen Lumpkins of Chicago Tribune.

Blashill may as well have said nothing. As much as the Blackhawks have struggled, calling his players bad would be like shooting himself in the foot multiple times for the head coach. Thus, his answer leaves every possibility on the table.

Where will Frondell play on Blackhawks?

Frondell could join Bedard on the top unit right away, or he might be placed on the fourth line, having to earn his top-six opportunities by spending time on the bottom unit. Either way, Hawks fans are excited to watch Frondell, and they’ll be very disappointed if he isn’t given good opportunities right out of the gate.

For Bedard, the former first overall pick in 2023 has been dreading for a linemate he can build chemistry with. For as long as he’s been with the Blackhawks, Bedard’s line has constantly shifted. He’s seen linemates come and go, and has yet to center a line with true first-line talents around him.

Frondell—the third overall pick in the 2025 NHL entry Draft—could be just that. Still, Blashill is playing his cards close to the chest. Whether the Swedish rookie will join Bedard or another line, it all remains up in the air.

Frondell’s numbers

Only an 18-year-old, Frondell has put up very exciting numbers in the SHL. The teenager tallies 28 points (20 goals and 8 assists) in 43 games this season. Despite playing in a physical league, the 6’1” center has held his ground, and has given Chicago reason to believe he can make the leap to the NHL.

After losing 6-0 and 7-1 to the Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks, respectively, on consecutive nights, the Blackhawks accomplished what no other NHL team had in 25 years. The Atlanta Thrashers were the last team to lose back-to-back games by six goals or more, and there’s a reason that organization hasn’t been around for a while.

However, Blashill didn’t go completely ballistic on Bedard and the Blackhawks. Instead, the first-year head coach in Chicago delivered a sincere message to the team, seemingly looking at the glass half full in the 2025-26 NHL season.

“We’ll get out of here, fly home and get back out [to practice] on Tuesday. But there’s lessons to be learned. The one thing I’ve been impressed [about] with this team is, they’ve learned lessons,” Blashill admitted after the 7-1 defeat in Anaheim, via Chicago Sun-Times. “This is a time where it felt like they didn’t learn a lesson.”

Wake-up call for Bedard and company

The last few weeks have been particularly tough for Chicago. After a promising start to the season, adversity has hit the Blackhawks in the shape of concerning losses. Now, with the team mired in a two-game losing streak, the Hawks return home from a tough road trip. Chicago was outscored 6-18 in the four-game road trip through the West. Needless to say, it wasn’t how the Hawks expected their visit to Nevada and California to go.

“When you get your butt kicked on the scoreboard two nights in a row like that — and tonight was a total, total whooping — your confidence slips,” Blashill added. “But this is a big-boy league, man. You’ve got to have mental toughness.“

What’s next for Chicago

Now, the Blackhawks will gear up to face the New York Rangers at the United Center—where Chicago has won just one of its last four home games. Moreover, the Blackhawks are 2-6-2 in their last 10 NHL outings. No other team has a worse mark in their last 10 games this season.

The hopeful start is now facing crucial hours, and it’s up to Bedard and the youngsters in the Windy City to change the tune. If not, this campaign may go down in the history books just like many of the previous ones—filled with frustration and embarrassment. The promising start may well have been an oasis, one the Hawks only realized wasn’t real after reaching for it to no avail countless times.

Growing up is never easy. There are several pains that come with it. For Bedard and the Blackhawks, the story isn’t any different. Chicago boasts the third-youngest roster in the NHL—per Elite Prospects—and the squad’s inexperience has shown time and again in the 2025-26 campaign. After yet another narrow-margin loss to a red-hot team like Minnesota, Bedard made his frustration visible with a blunt comment.

“It [stinks],” Bedard admitted postgame per NHL.com. “I thought we played a pretty good game, but just little mistakes that we’ll clean up. Overall, I thought there were a lot of positives to take away. But in the end, obviously you’ve got to come out with the two [points].”

Bedard and Blackhawks are struggling to put games away

The Blackhawks are falling victim to a double-edged sword. In many ways, how they view their season comes down to whether they look at the glass half full or half empty. On the one hand, they have held their ground against some of the most intimidating contenders in the league.

On the other hand, though, the Hawks have had no luck closing out games. Luck tends to favor the other side, as Chicago seems to lose almost exclusively in one-goal games. It’s all part of being a rebuilding team in the NHL. The Blackhawks are still wet behind the ears. Most seem to have made their peace with this fact, as it’s all part of the learning process.

However, with Bedard registering the best numbers of his career (33 points through 23 games) and looking for a seat at the grown man’s table, the constant heartbreaking losses are taking a toll on him. Far from giving up, the former first overall pick is determined to keep the Hawks afloat in the current best division in all of the NHL: the Central Division.

Blashill admits this game serves as a lesson

No player ever enters the NHL in hopes of learning. If they were after that, then most would opt to stay in college. However, whether they are enrolling in these classes willingly or not, the league is quick to teach youngsters what it takes to win. On that note, even Blashill admitted the loss to the Wild—who have now won six games in a row—serves that purpose.

“Yeah, it’s tough. You’re going to win that game more than not but it’s part of the learning process for us,” Blashill commented after the overtime defeat at home, via NHL.com. “I thought there were times throughout the year we did a good job of either coming back or winning those close games.

“Now, we’ve given up a couple of leads here in the last few games. I’m glad we’re in that spot, but part of the learning process is to find a way to make sure there’s no way to lose that game. We played too good to lose it. That’s what we’re trying to figure out here.”

Blashill made sure to remind Bedard and company that he is getting tired of being taught lessons. Now, the Hawks must find ways to be in charge of class from time to time. If there is something Blashill knows by heart, it’s that the student can always surpass the master.

Taking down the best team in the NHL was never going to be an easy task for Bedard and the Blackhawks. Colorado (16-1-5) has lost only once in regulation this season, and against Chicago (10-8-4), it showed exactly why. Scott Wedgewood slammed the door shut at the United Center, and Cale Makar’s strike proved to be the difference between the two divisional rivals.

Bedard and the Hawks fought until the final horn, but it was all in vain. Two streaks were kept alive after the Avs’ 1-0 win: Chicago has now lost three in a row — for the third time in the NHL season — and Colorado extended its win streak to 9 games. Regardless, after the game, Blashill made sure to praise Bedard and company for their effort.

‘‘If we repeat that performance, we’re winning lots of games,’’ Jeff Blashill admitted postgame per Chicago Sun-Times. ‘‘We did an excellent job in our structure, an excellent job of [fixing] some of the things we talked about this morning that we didn’t do in Buffalo.’’

Blashill speaks honestly to Bedard, Blackhawks

Only 22 games into the NHL season, the Blackhawks have already learned how Blashill goes about his business. The 51-year-old head coach doesn’t sugarcoat his thoughts after any outing. When he likes his team’s performance, he shows it. But when he isn’t pleased, he lets the locker room know, too.

Blashill’s approach has certainly impacted the rest of the team. That was made clear when veteran forward Jason Dickinson addressed the media with a very sincere postgame admission.

‘‘We can be both happy with the process [and] not satisfied with the result,’’ Dickinson commented. ‘‘It sucks, but, for the most part, that’s a lot of good clips that we can go back and watch and be proud of.’’

Another tough test for Chicago

Though the Blackhawks showed signs of improvement against the Avalanche, they remain mired in a multi-game losing streak. The mission stays the same for Bedard and company. Up next, Chicago will host the Minnesota Wild (12-7-4), who enter the divisional matchup riding a five-game win streak. The Hawks will need to extinguish another team’s fire if they hope to put out the flames consuming the burning barn in the Windy City.

Winning is paramount for this young roster, because everyone knows what can happen when a fire breaks out in a town known for its gusting winds. Bedard and the Blackhawks must get back on track. They’ve been in similar positions before—right before their season spiraled out of control. Now, the Hawks must prove they’re a different team.

There’s still a long road ahead for Bedard and the Blackhawks. Their early fire could fade as the NHL season progresses, but the opening stretch has been a much-needed breath of fresh air in the Windy City. On that note, the 2023 first-overall pick delivered an honest message to his teammates.

“I think, overall as a group we’re playing really well. We’re playing a competitive brand of hockey,” Bedard admitted during an interview on TSN OverDrive. “I kind of found some chemistry with some guys. Sometimes the puck is going in, sometimes it’s not. Right now, it seems to be finding the net for us. Hopefully that continues, whole group is playing good, and we want to keep that rolling.“

Blashill’s message after 4-3 loss to Devils

Though Bedard kept his point-streak alive with yet another goal in the NHL season, the Blackhawks couldn’t put the game away against the New Jersey Devils. Led by Simon Nemec—who scored a hat trick—the Devils walked away from the United Center with the overtime victory.

“You look at it a few different ways,” Blashill admitted postgame, per NHL.com. “You could look at it (like) we had multiple leads and then end up giving up the tying (goal) and then they win in overtime. It was definitely a game we didn’t have our best, that’s for sure. Just looked like we had a number of guys without great legs.”

Bedard is looking unstoppable

Although the Blackhawks are still stumbling their way through the league, such growing pains are expected for any rebuilding team. However, in exchange for watching Bedard blossom into an elite player, those losses are certainly a price worth paying for fans in the City of Big Shoulders.

Thanks to his tally against New Jersey, Bedard extended his point streak to nine consecutive outings. During this stretch of the season, Bedard has recorded 19 points (8 goals and 11 assists). Moreover, the North Vancouver-native registers 10 goals, 16 assists, and 26 points—tied for second in the NHL.

Coming into the NHL season, expectations were high for Frank Nazar to emerge as a star in Chicago. Alongside Bedard, the former first-round pick was on track to become a household name, but setbacks are now threatening his production. As confirmed by Blashill, Nazar is expected to miss another game due to injury.

“Chicago head coach Jeff Blashill said Frank Nazar is not expected to play on Wednesday vs. New Jersey because of a “mid” body injury. His status for Saturday is unclear. He remains day to day,” reporter Charlie Roumeliotis stated on his X (formerly Twitter) account.

Bump in the road

Through 15 appearances in the 2025-26 NHL campaign, Nazar registered 5 goals and 6 assists for 11 points. However, as he missed the Blackhawks’ 5-1 victory over the Detroit Red Wings, Blashill revealed he isn’t returning to the lineup just yet.

Nazar participated in warmups ahead of the game at Little Caesars Arena, indicating Bedard and company shouldn’t be concerned about the young star. However, the news of him missing yet another game raised several eyebrows in Chicago.

Don’t worry, Be-dard

While Nazar’s absence in the lineup is impossible to miss, the Blackhawks have managed to stay afloat in the NHL. Bedard is playing the best hockey of his young career, making his presence felt night in and night out for Chicago.

Through 16 games in the 2025-26 season, Bedard leads the team in every category with 9 goals, 16 assists, and 25 points. At the time of writing, the former first overall pick is tied for second-most points across the NHL. Moreover, Bedard is riding the wave of an eight-game point streak. During that span, he has tallied 18 points.

Thanks to Bedard’s red-hot form and the major strides the Blackhawks have made under Blashill’s guidance, Chicago is off to an 8-5-3 record in the NHL season. As Ben Pope reported on X, it’s the team’s best 16-game start since 2016.

The Blackhawks had lost three straight games to start off a six-game road trip in the NHL. Meanwhile, Vancouver entered the matchup with an 11-game win streak against Chicago. However, anything can happen in the league, and no streak can last forever. The Canucks learned that the hard way as the Hawks won in British Columbia for the first time since November 2021.

In more ways than one, the 5-2 win over Vancouver gave Bedard and Chicago a clean slate in the 2025-26 NHL campaign. Such was the case for Tyler Bertuzzi, too. The 30-year-old winger scored a hat trick—his first multi-goal game since January. Bertuzzi’s last hat trick had been during a 4-3 win over the Colorado Avalanche on Feb. 24, 2024. After the game, Blashill spoke honest words on the veteran’s style of play.

“[Bertuzzi’s] a guy you appreciate more from ice level than you might from up top,” Blashill commented postgame, via NHL.com. “Skating doesn’t always look great, but man, he wins pucks, and that’s kind of who he’s always been for me. He’s great on that back post. He’s really learned over the years how to build a wall on that back post and people shoot for it and they go in. It’s a great way to score. ‘Bert,’ for me, has been very good all season, and he had another good one tonight.”

The means to an end matter

While Chicago escaped Vancouver with a much-needed triumph to snap the losing hex, Blashill and the Blackhawks aren’t losing sight of the forest for the trees. The Hawks struggled throughout the game, but Spencer Knight kept them in the game with crucial stops. Going forward, Chicago might not run with that luck in the NHL.

“I don’t think it was a lack of want or care or effort, so then it’s about correcting mistakes and finding a way to go out and do a better job,” Blashill noted, via Chicago Sun-Times. “I thought we were really good in the third. We talked about, ‘Good teams find a way to win this game. You’re on the road. It’s 0-0. You probably haven’t played your best. Go out and have a great period.’ And I thought we did.”

On a brighter note, Bedard put on another strong performance in his third season in the league. The former first overall selection is playing on a contract year, as his entry-level deal will expire next summer. With a goal and an assist, Bedard extended his current point streak to six games—with 11 points over that span.

Didn’t go as planned

After being traded to the Vancouver Canucks, Lukas Reichel reunited with his former NHL organization in a crucial matchup. Ahead of the game, the German forward delivered a bold statement, which he failed to deliver on. “I want to show that the Canucks made the right move,” Reichel stated before the game.

“The first two periods we doubled them in chances, I think we all saw that,” Canucks head coach Adam Foote admitted. “I think one of those goes in, there’s a pretty good chance we win that hockey game. Little mishap on the first one they got, defensively we made a mistake and I think we just got off a little bit from there. I don’t know if it was fatigue from the trip, coming back. We just over pressed. And you guys saw the rest.”

Though Reichel made his presence felt with some strong plays throughout the night, he was held scoreless and finished the game with a -2 rating. In more ways than one, the Canucks shot themselves on the foot—and it cost them the game.

The Blackhawks six-game road trip in the NHL is off to a terrible start. With three straight losses, Bedard and company must turn the tide before spiraling out of control. Blashill is well aware of the spotlight fixed upon the young stars in Chicago, and he made a clear statement addressing it.

“There’s a lot of burden on [Nazar’s] shoulders for a guy that hasn’t played a lot. For us to expect him to be on top of his game every single night is probably not realistic. It’s the same with a lot of our guys: there’s going to be ups and downs. We’ve just got to collectively make sure we have more ups than downs,” Blashill admitted postgame, via Ben Pope on X.

“I thought tonight, it was too spread throughout the team. I just think we have better in us as a group as a whole. We didn’t have enough guys who had their A-game.” Still, Blashill admitted he couldn’t think of one night Bedard didn’t have his A-game.

Leading by example

Though in the midst of a tough stretch in the NHL season, Bedard is doing everything in his power to keep the Hawks afloat. The former first overall pick is currently riding a five-game point streak, tallying 9 points (4 goals and 5 assists) over that span. During the 3-1 loss to the Seattle Kraken, Bedard extended his streak by assisting Andre Burakovsky’s lone goal. As head coach Jeff Blashill admitted, the 20-year-old phenom is responding exactly as he hoped.

“The thing I’d say about Connor is his compete every single day is outstanding,” Blashill said per NHL.com. “I asked him at the beginning of the year, as one of the better players on the team, to be a great leader in terms of playing winning hockey, and he’s done that consistently.”

Not always pretty

Bedard and Nazar lead the way for Chicago with their electric playstyle. When the two youngsters in The Second City are firing on all cylinders, they deliver highlight-reel moments all night long. However, the NHL is too demanding an environment for these young bucks to dominate night in and night out.

“[When] both teams are clogging that up, it makes it hard,” Blashill concluded, via Chicago Sun-Times. “Games are hard, man. It’s not going to be a lot of free-flowing [hockey]. You’ve got to really earn your offense. Sometimes you need some ugly ones, and we just didn’t get quite enough pucks through.”

More often than not, it takes an all-out effort and some grinding rather than dangling and playing hero hockey. Blashill noted that the team must be able to adapt to what the game calls for—it may not be as flashy, but it’s effective. Right now, Chicago needs efficiency more than beauty on the ice.

Youth can be both a weapon and a burden, but the Hawks are taking their chances. It’s a risky cocktail, but one Bedard and the Blackhawks vie to pull off. So far in the NHL season, Chicago has shown it can hold its ground against any team in the league.

So far, all of Chicago’s losses have come in one-score games. The Blackhawks don’t go down without a fight either, earning a point in two of those defeats. While learning to close out games and win tight matchups is a must, Bedard remains confident those lessons will come in time.

“We’re all confident in ourselves individually and ourselves as a team. We’re going into every game with that mindset,” Bedard stated per NHL.com. “If we were [without a win] right now it would be something we’d have to work through, but to get a couple of wins and see some good results is great. That’s something we need to keep going.”

The new duo

Ever since selecting Connor Bedard with the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL entry Draft, a big question floated around the Windy City: Who will help the wonderkid out? Though there are still areas to address, the Blackhawks have found an answer to that question—as well as one to their fans’ prayers.

Frank Nazar is as good as advertised and he proves it night in and night out. The 13th overall selection in the 2024 Draft has played lights out so far in the 2025-26 NHL campaign. The American center had shown glimpses of his ability during the past season, but under an expanded role on Blashill’s team, he’s only increased his production.

What if…

For the Blackhawks, the only issue is that both Bedard and Nazar are natural centermen. However, in times of need, the young duo can share the ice on the top unit. If it comes down to it, Blashill may treat fans to an all-out approach by playing the team’s two best players on the same line.

So far this season, Bedard and Nazar are tied for the team lead in points (seven each). Even if all goes bad, there’s a silver lining for fans in Chicago in Blashill’s first year behind the bench, and that is watching the two first-rounders thrive.

The NHL season is only just beginning. If Chicago gets carried away after every big win and deflated after tough losses, Bedard and company are in for a rollercoaster of a year. That’s why Blashill is taking a calm, cool, and collected approach. Neither the peaks are too high nor the valleys too low. For the Blackhawks, it’s all about staying the course.

It’s easy to enter a season with that mindset, but to actually maintain it after experiencing big wins like Chicago’s 8-3 triumph in The Lou, that’s when it counts. Blashill kept his word, issuing a firm statement to Bedard and the Hawks.

“Obviously, we got a couple goals early,” Blashill admitted. “Obviously, on the puck play and then the one they’d like to have back, but in the first, we were fine. They’re a good team. They probably didn’t have their best night.

“From our perspective, I thought we competed and defended hard. I think we’re continuing to improve. I thought there were some good habits there. I thought some guys individually had some good nights.”

Back on track

After a concerning sophomore slump during his second season in the NHL, Bedard is showing flashes of his best self again. His showing against the Blues on the road was a sign that the 20-year-old is finding his mojo back in the league.

Bedard registered three assists during Chicago’s win in St. Louis. It was only the second time in his career that he factored in on three or more goals in a single game. The last time he achieved that milestone was during his rookie campaign, when he recorded four assists in a 7-2 triumph over the Anaheim Ducks.

To this day, that five-point performance remains his career best. With Blashill behind the bench, Bedard is looking more confident by the minute—and a new career-best outing could be on the horizon.