Yeah… He’s the Real Deal

Yeah… He’s the Real Deal

Another opening night is in the books, boys. And wow, this one was definitely a game that happened. The Blackhawks struck first against the Florida Panthers, giving fans an early spark. Then it looked like they were about to get run out of the building. Florida flexed their championship level dominance, and for a stretch, it felt like Chicago was just trying to survive. Yet, the Hawks didn’t fold. After the first intermission, they found a way to reset and stand toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in hockey over the final 40 minutes. And yeah, I know Florida is pretty short-handed and banged up right now, but they’re still Florida at the end of the day. And they ended up taking this one 3-2, but the story for Chicago was far more nuanced than the final score. That second line for Chicago is looking real nice early on. The line carried the load offensively, combining for both Blackhawks goals. Frank Nazar and Tavu Terravine each had a goal and an assist while Tyler Batuzi picked up two helpers. There were plenty of teachable moments sprinkled throughout this one. The team will have plenty to review, both the highs and the lows before facing the Bruins on Thursday. Head coach Jeff Blashel appeared visibly frustrated at times with the team’s execution and puck management, especially during the first and third periods. Thursday will be a chance to course correct. But if there’s one guy who doesn’t need to change a thing, it’s Frank the Tank. Man, my son is going to have a lot of questions about why he got his name when he’s older. Not only did he score the first goal of the 2026 NHL season, he was doing it all. And this beautiful setup starts deep in Chicago’s end. First, credit to Petusi for the breakout pass that sets the whole thing in motion. But Nazar, that’s just great hockey IQ. He recognizes the lane, threads a perfect feed right onto Terravine’s tape. That’s great vision. Not just making the play, but making it at full speed under pressure and turning it into a goal. Another encouraging sign was Connor Bedard. Just watch this release. One second you see the puck, the next it’s gone. That’s elite level deception right there. Bob never has time to square up because Bedard disguises the shot until the last possible second. That’s why his release is so dangerous. It looks effortless, but it’s lethal. And this move against Seth Jones, this is pure confidence from a young star. He sells the inside cut, shifts his weight, and in one stride, he’s around one of the best skating defenseman in the league. That takes not just speed, but balance and edge control most guys just don’t have. And the best part, he made this look easy. Every traded player wants to make his former team regret the deal, and especially in that first matchup. Spencer Knight was the best player on the ice for both teams, keeping the Hawks in striking distance all night. Agile in the crease, he moved side to side with precision, knowing when to stand tall and when to drop into the butterfly. Both first period goals he allowed came off broken defensive coverage. Without nice 15 saves in that opening frame, Chicago doesn’t tie it early in the second. He finished with 34 saves, many of them challenging, reminding Panthers fans why he was their former first round pick. The Hawks allowed 14 high danger chances, far too many against a team like Florida. With so many young defensemen, there will be frustrating shifts in stretches. Sam Renzel and Artum Levnov both carry high potential, but Tuesday was trial by fire. Leaves struggled early. A bad turnover in his own zone, then a failed blue line hold with the top line in the offensive zone. Two penalties in the opening frame. Not egregious, but the Panthers scored their second goal while he sat. Renzel also had his moments of struggle with puck management, getting caught in no man’s land on Florida’s second goal. Keep perspective. These are young defensemen facing a relentless championship level opponent. Judging them harshly after just one game would be premature. While the second line delivered both goals, it was a rough night overall. Connor Bard showed off offseason improvements. Quicker, more aggressive with the puck and doing the subtle things. He had six shot attempts, nearly scored in the first period, and made a critical defensive play on a Panthers twoon-one in the third. one-on-one against former teammate Seth Jones. He showed the growth that summer work brings. Faceoffs, however, remained an area to improve. Bard won only three of 17 draws. The Hawks as a whole were a joke on the draws, going 26 for 70, 37%. Jason Dickinson led the way with 10 of 19. Jeff Blashel has been preaching patience and chemistry all training camp, so his early line shuffling surprised me and my cousin when we were watching. Ryan Zenado was moved off the first line for Elia McKayv after 40 minutes. Hopefully, this was just a matchup adjustment and not a sign of things to come. Chicago’s opening night delivered lessons, flashes, and plenty of growth moments. The final score didn’t go their way, but the process, the chemistry, and the individual performances. This is exactly the kind of game that sets a young team up for a season of growth. [Music] You got

Yeah… He’s the Real Deal
Another opening night is in the books, boys and wow, this one was definitely a game that happened.
The Blackhawks struck first against the Florida Panthers, giving fans an early spark. But soon, it looked like they were about to get run out of the building. Florida flexed their championship-level dominance, and for a stretch, it felt like Chicago was just trying to survive. Yet the Hawks didn’t fold. #hockey #chicagoblackhawks #nhl #blackhawks #connorbedard #franknazar
main @MSZFilms
audio@WhiteBatAudio