The first two days of Chicago Blackhawks training camp have been anything but a routine ramp-up, with Jeff Blashill demanding hustle and crispness from his players right out of the gate. Blashill wanted to instill a strong work ethic in his group early on in camp, and he’s stayed true to his word. More in the links below on the results from Friday’s conditioning.
Also in Blackhawks news, Connor Bedard and Kyle Davidson both remain confident regarding contract negotiations, while Matt Grezlcyk’s future in Chicago might be out of his hands.
Around the league, the Edmonton Oilers are down a key forward to begin the season, the latest on notable RFAs and UFAs still on the market, and the 2024 No. 1 overall pick remains absent from training camp.
All that and more in the Daily!
Chicago Blackhawks Trade Rumors, News & Tidbits
Chicago Hockey Now: Blashill means business. Day two of training camp featured even more conditioning drills than the first day, leaving players huffing and puffing on the ice. With the team’s first preseason game now just three days away, the Blackhawks’ new head coach isn’t wasting any time in setting the tone.
More CHN: With an already crowded defensive unit, the addition of Matt Grzelcyk on a PTO ahead of training camp was a curious decision. Grzelyck signing a PTO doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll get a contract offer from the Blackhawks, but Blashill revealed how the 31-year-old can make the NHL roster on Friday.
Jeff Blashill said Matt Grzelcyk will get a contract if some of the Blackhawks’ young D struggle in camp and look like they need AHL time. If they look NHL-ready, Grzelcyk probably won’t get a contract.
— Ben Pope (@BenPopeCST) September 19, 2025
More CHN: ICYMI, Wyatt Kaiser and the Blackhawks agreed to a new contract on Thursday night to avoid a holdout during training camp.
More CHN: Connor Bedard will be asked about contract negotiations until his next deal is signed. But neither Bedard nor the Blackhawks is concerned whatsoever about how things are trending.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
The Athletic: Several notable free agents remain on the open market with less than three weeks until the 2025-26 season starts. Here’s the latest on Ryan Suter and Jack Roslovic, plus RFAs Luke Evangelista and Mason McTavish.
NHL.com: The Edmonton Oilers’ quest for a different result in the Stanley Cup Final begins without a key forward. News surfaced on Friday that Zach Hyman will miss the start of the regular season and is expected to be out until the beginning of November.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Kevin Hayes suffered an upper-body injury at training camp on Thursday, and the Penguins’ forward will be out for at least one month.
San Jose Hockey Now: Macklin Celebrini hasn’t skated during the first two days of camp, but there isn’t any reason to be worried. The Sharks’ top prospect is just dealing with an illness, and he should be back on the ice soon.
Vegas Hockey Now: Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner could be a deadly duo for years to come in Sin City. Eichel spoke with the media on Friday about his ongoing contract negotiations with Vegas, and establishing chemistry with Marner during training camp.
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