Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill certainly carries a serious demeanor on the ice when leading practice sessions. Training camp has been fast-paced and intense so far, as Blashill knows he has little time to implement his new systems and instill key details. The Blackhawks have only 11 days before the regular season begins in Florida.
But Blashill also has a lighter side to him — as evident by how he opened his media session after practice at Fifth Third Arena on Friday. Before taking any questions, he stepped up to the podium and laughed about how he got lost while going on a run yesterday.
“I was going to run four miles. I’d kind of gone right, gone right again, right again, and come back. I’ve got that [routine] down. Yesterday, somewhere in that mix, I missed my turn,” Blashill said with a wry smile. “So the next thing you know, a four-mile run turned into a five-mile run. So walking up those stairs right now [leading to the media room] wasn’t very fun.”
Outside of getting lost, Blashill said he’s loving the start of his tenure in Chicago. He’s already enjoyed plenty of the great food spots in the city.
“Great city. I knew it was a great city coming here. I’ve made my way through the restaurants in the West Loop. I’ve yet to cook one meal myself.”
After discussing his recent endeavors, Blashill also touched on various topics on Friday. Let’s dive in.
Frank Nazar’s Expectations
He’s still only 21 years old, but Frank Nazar is going to play a massive role for the Blackhawks this year. Not only is he set to center the team’s second line, but he’ll likely play on the top power-play unit and receive time on the penalty kill.
In some ways, Nazar’s growth and whether he takes that next step in his development could determine the Blackhawks’ success this season. If he can thrive and establish a true one-two punch down the middle with Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks will have a much higher upside than recent years.
Here’s what Blashill had to say when asked about Nazar’s training camp so far.
“Frank’s had a good training camp. He had a great end of the year. I think what happens then is his expectations rise. Frank could almost play the exact same, but the expectations are different. His game has to rise. He can’t stay the same, and I think Frank knows that.”
Nazar recorded 26 points (12G, 14A) in 53 NHL games last season, and then was the leading point scorer for Team USA at the World Championships this summer, where they won a gold medal. The expectation is for Nazar to carry that momentum into the 2025-26 campaign.
Drew Commesso’s Situation
With Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom both receiving contract extensions this summer, 2020 2nd-round pick Drew Commesso will begin the season in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs again. Knight is now considered the goalie of the future for the Blackhawks, and Soderblom is signed on for another two seasons. There isn’t exactly a clear path to the NHL for Commesso, who will need a new contract of his own at the end of the 2025-26 season.
“My biggest message [to Drew] is you always have to make sure you’re ready to jump through that window of opportunity. And if you aren’t, you’ll kick yourself for the rest of your life. Make sure you’re on top of your game, you’re doing all the things you can control, and then be ready for that opportunity. So go down [to the AHL] and have another great run.”
Commesso has done his part in controlling what he can control, as he posted a 2.54 GAA, .911 Sv%, and had four shutouts in 39 AHL games last season. He also had a 2.35 GAA, .926 Sv%, and 1 shutout in seven Calder Cup Playoff games. Commesso’s professional career is off to a strong start, but his future with the Blackhawks remains cloudy.
Aidan Thompson’s Path
Once his junior season in college with Denver wrapped up, Aidan Thompson signed his entry-level contract and joined the IceHogs for the Calder Cup Playoffs. He’ll be with the team again to kick off the 2025-26 season, and his speed and two-way play will be fun to watch in the AHL.
Thompson isn’t likely to develop into a top-six forward, but that doesn’t mean he can’t become a key piece of the Blackhawks’ rebuild. Blashill spoke about how Thompson can be a unique player and provide value moving forward.
“For Aidan, I think continuing to do what he does really well in terms of competing really hard. He is a competitive guy, and I think he’ll ultimately find his way. That competitiveness has to continue to shine through to make sure he’s able to be a good bottom-six forward. How do you do that? In his case, definitely energy. Get underneath other people’s skin.”
AJ Spellacy Update
Blackhawks’ 2024 third-round pick AJ Spellacy participated in training camp for the first time after suffering an injury at the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase. Blashill confirmed the plan is for Spellacy to play in one of the team’s two preseason games this weekend before getting sent back to the OHL with Windsor.
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