The Blackhawks Have a Goaltending Problem… And It’s Not What You Think

The Blackhawks Have a Goaltending Problem… And It’s Not What You Think

You’ve heard it before. The Blackhawks are stacked with forward prospects. The blue line, it’s slowly taking shape. But when you look in net, that’s where things get cloudy. Chicago doesn’t lack depth in goal. The real issue is that there isn’t one obvious path forward. Instead, there are branches. Today, boys, I’m breaking it all down. Spencer Knight, Arvid Solderloom, Drew Kso, and the Wild Cards, Laurent Bruis, and Adam Gyne. Because in any rebuild, the crease might just be the most important position of them all. Spencer Knight is the anchor man of this news team. He’s easily the safest bet moving forward. He’s got the pedigree, the technique, and most importantly, the runway. Knight’s story has been a unique one. Drafted 13th overall out of the US national team development program, he left a mark there in a huge way, tying the program’s single season record with 32 wins and finishing with 59 career victories, the most in national team development program history. From there, Spencer jumped into Boston College in 2019, where he spent two dominant seasons, going 39-12 in 54 games with a stellar 931 save percentage. After his sophomore year wrapped up, Knight turned pro with the Florida Panthers in April 2021. In his first taste of NHL action, he held his own with a 9/19 save percentage in four games. The next couple of years saw him bouncing between Florida and their AHL affiliate in Charlotte. But his journey wasn’t without adversity. In February 2023, Knight made the difficult and admirable decision to step away and seek treatment through the NHLPA’s player assistant program for his OCD. There were now a lot of question marks surrounding Knight. But when he returned for the 2024 season, he spent the year in Charlotte recording a solid 905 save percentage and setting a team record with a shutout streak that lasted over 213 minutes. proving he wasn’t going to let that setback derail his still promising young career. He was even called up as Florida’s third goalie during their first cup run, which earned him a day with the Stanley Cup. By 2025, Knight was back in the NHL mix. First stretch that season, he put up a 907 save percentage and a 2.43 goals against average in 19 games. Good enough that some in the Florida media declared the starting job his to lose. However, in March, his path took a huge turn. Knight was dealt to Chicago in the Seth Jones trade package, a move that really worked out well for both sides. The same qualities that made Knight stand out earlier in his career are exactly what Chicago values now. Calm under pressure, controlled rebounds, and the ability to outright steal games. Last season, he appeared in just 15 games for the Hawks. And while the numbers, an 893 save percentage, a 3.18 goals against average, and a 533 quality start percentage, don’t exactly jump off the page, the potential is there. With a stronger team in front of him and another year of experience, Knight looks ready to bring the stability Chicago has been searching for in net. He’s proven he can perform at every level so far, and if he delivers, this could be the year he proves he’s the real deal. The Hawks aren’t viewing him as a short-term fix. At 24, he should be entering his prime and will get every chance to show he can be a true number one at the NHL level. Behind Knight is one of the more unpredictable stories, Arvid Solder Bloom. His career has seen some brutal lows and a recent rise that’s kept him in the mix. For years, he struggled to hold his own in the NHL. By 2024, his statline looked like this. 86 games played, 77 starts with a 1752 and 111 record, and a 3.55 goals against average and an 889 save percentage. That’s bottom tier backup territory. And Hawks fans didn’t need numbers to see it. The inconsistency, the soft goals, the mental lapses were all right there. But last season, things finally trended upward. In 36 games, he earned 10 wins, a 3.18 goals against average, and a 898 save percentage. Not elite, but enough to move him from liability to viable option. Among NHL goalies in 2025, that 898 save percentage ranked 32nd. His goals against average 47th. Middle of the pack, but that is major progress compared to where he was. And Chicago noticed. In July 2025, they gave him a two-year $5.5 million extension, keeping him locked in through 2027. Solder Bloom isn’t a write-off anymore. He’s also not a guaranteed steady backup. He lives in the middle, better than before, but still volatile. Right now, his experience and contract put him as the first option behind Knight. Whether he can sustain that is the question. He’s likely going to need to take another step forward this year, especially with a goalie like Drew Kso patiently waiting for his shot at that spot. On paper, KSO checks every box of a modern goalender. Athletic, agile, and sharp at reading the play. Kameso looked strong in training camp, but he was officially sent down last week and is expected to spend the full season in Rockford. Last year, the 23-year-old made 39 regular season appearances for the Ice Hogs, going 1815 and four with a 2.54 goals against average and a 911 save percentage. He also got two brief NHL appearances, allowing four goals on 26 shots. Even so, there was a lot to like, particularly in his debut against the Devils, where he didn’t look out of place at all, saving high danger chance after high danger chance. If anything, it seemed like the team let him down. Timing will always be his biggest hurdle. Knight is entrenched. Solder Bloom returns with a fresh contract and Kesso is stuck waiting for the right opening. That opening usually comes when someone falters or when injuries strike. And when it does, he’ll be the one they turn to. The tools are all there. All it might take is one strong stretch of games for KSO to make his case and force Chicago to rethink the depth chart. Then there’s Lauren Brasis. He was signed about a year ago to bring stability to the crease. The classic veteran backup with plenty of NHL mileage. On paper, he should have been the perfect compliment, but the reality has been anything but smooth. Injuries have derailed everything. Since signing with Chicago, Bruis hasn’t played a single minute. His time with the Blackhawks has been a nightmare, and I honestly feel terrible for this guy. After a medical update at the beginning of camp, it sounds like his debut may still be far off. Brasis was brought in last summer in 2024 to form a tandem with Peter Morazzic. He came off a strong season with Winnipeg, posting a 927 save percentage, a two goals against average, and three shutouts in 23 games. Then at the end of August, he underwent meniscus surgery. Originally expected to sideline him 5 to seven weeks, but as the regular season began, he remained out. He returned briefly to practice only to vanish again. By December, he required a second surgery on his right knee. He was supposed to be re-evaluated 6 weeks later, but never returned to the ice. And now, at the start of this training camp, GM Kyle Davidson confirmed Briss had offseason hip surgery and will be out monthtomonth. The thing that’s really difficult outside of the hockey part is he’s just a great guy. He’s a hardworking pro, Davidson said. It’s not what anyone envisioned, but when you watch what he’s doing, the work he’s putting in to do everything he can to get back on the ice, you can’t ask any more from an athlete and a person you bring into the organization. He does everything he needs to do to keep this going in the right direction. Things just keep popping up. It’s unfortunate, but we’re there to fully support him and do everything we can to get him back on the ice and playing again. Davidson added that the latest injury isn’t career-threatening and that Brris is definitely expected to play in the NHL again. For now, he remains, as I like to call it, the Blackhawks shadow option, a capable veteran who, through no fault of his own, will likely just be there in the background. It’ll be interesting to see what happens if he does manage to come back this year. Would there even be a spot for him on the roster? Would Chicago try and move him? Only time will tell. The reality is for anyone just catching up, the Blackhawks technically have one of the best backup goalies in the league. It’s just that for now he’ll likely never see the ice. [Music] Now we get to the wild card, Adam Guy. He’s not ready for the NHL yet, but he’s an intriguing long-term project with upside. Born in 2004, drafted 35th overall in 2023, Guyenne is a 6-3 Slovakian net minder who’s currently developing at Minnesota DUTH after spending time in the USHL with the Green Bay Gamblers. His numbers tell a mixed story. In the USL during the 2024 season, he played in 43 games, picked up 23 wins, and posted a 3.35 goals against average and an 893 save percentage. At UMD in 2025, he played 21 games, putting up a 3.33 goals against average and an 885 save percentage. Those aren’t jaw-dropping numbers at all. However, for a young net minder adjusting to tougher leagues, he’s shown promise alongside room to grow. I think his style is really intriguing. He’s flexible, confident, and one of those goalies who seems to thrive when the spotlight’s on him. His puck handling ability stands out. Calm, calculated, almost like a third defenseman when he’s behind the net. And we’ve already seen flashes of that big game composure. At the 2023 World Juniors, he turned heads with a 33 save performance to stun the United States in a 6-3 win. And he nearly pulled off the impossible against Canada, allowing just three goals and forcing overtime before Connor Bard finally ended it on Canada’s 57th shot. The bigger picture is that Guyenne is still early in his development curve. Once his NCAA run ends, the Hawks will need to give him pro minutes, likely in the AHL or ECHL. If he progresses well, he could maybe even push KSO if their paths diverge and settle in as the third option behind Knight and Solder Bloom. What makes him the wildcard option is simple. Goalie depth gets tested fast. All it takes is one injury or set back up the chain and suddenly Guyenne is part of the conversation. So here’s the picture in net for Chicago. Spencer Knight stands as the anchor, the foundation. Soda is the redemption story, carrying something to prove. Drew Kesso waits patiently next in line for his opportunity. Laurent Bristo remains the shadow option, a very capable veteran sidelined by circumstance. And Adam Gyne is the wild card, farther down the depth chart, but holding long-term upside that could pay off in the years ahead. The problem isn’t that the Blackhawks lack goalies. The problem is that they lack clarity. This depth chart is a balancing act between development, performance, contracts, and timing. And over the next few seasons, how it shakes out won’t just decide who plays goalie. It’ll decide if this rebuild has the steady foundation it truly needs behind the rest of the young core. [Music] [Music]

You’ve heard it before: the Blackhawks are stacked with forward prospects. The blue line? It’s slowly taking shape. But when you look on the net, that’s where things get cloudy. Chicago doesn’t lack depth in goal, the real issue is that there isn’t one obvious path forward.
Instead, there are branches. Today, I’m breaking it down from Spencer Knight, Arvid Söderblom, Drew Commesso, and the wild cards, Laurent Brossoit and Adam Gajan.
Because in any rebuild, the crease might just be the most important position of all. #hockey #chicagoblackhawks #nhl #blackhawks #spencerknight #connorbedard
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audio credit @WhiteBatAudio​