The 2026-27 regular season is still roughly four months away, but there are already games lined up for the Chicago Blackhawks organization. With a maximum of two more games remaining in the Stanley Cup Final, it’s almost time for everyone to start looking ahead to next year.
More in the links for a six-game schedule release from the Blackhawks’ minor-league affiliate.
Also in Blackhawks news, Roman Kantserov is expected to receive a significant offensive role during his rookie season, while the team’s center plans have also been revealed.
Around the league, rumors are swirling around Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse, the NHL announced its All-Star and All-Rookie teams, and another surprise head coaching candidate.
All that & more in the Daily!
Blackhawks Offseason, News & Trade Rumors
Chicago Hockey Now: GM Kyle Davidson spoke with the media at the 2026 NHL Scouting Combine for the first time since the Draft Lottery results were announced on May 5, and shared some insight on how the Blackhawks’ center depth will shake out next season.
More CHN: One player in the mix to play down the middle in 2026-27 is Russian rookie Roman Kantserov, who’s coming off a standout season in the KHL. Head coach Jeff Blashill recently commented on Kantserov’s projected role, and it’s expected to be a big one.
More CHN: While most NHL Mock Drafts have projected Ivar Stenberg to fall to the Blackhawks with the fourth overall pick, one top analyst offers a different 2026 NHL Draft candidate.
In Rockford IceHogs news, the club announced the dates for six home games for the 2026-27 regular season, so mark those calendars! The IceHogs’ home opener will be on Saturday, Oct. 3, with additional home games on Nov. 27, Dec. 27, Dec. 31, Jan. 30, and Mar. 13.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
NHL.com: The NHL announced its First and Second All-Star teams for the 2025-26 regular season on Saturday. A quarter of trophy winners, including Connor McDavid and Nikita Kucherov, were included on the top five-man squad.
Montreal Hockey Now: Two members of the 2025-26 Montreal Canadiens were named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team, showcasing the organization’s bright future.
NBC Sports: Sheng Peng from San Jose Hockey Now dropped a 2026 NHL Mock Draft in which beat writers for the top-five teams on the board made the selections. Ben Pope from the Chicago-Sun Times made the Blackhawks pick everyone wants to see in two weeks.
Spector’s Hockey: Edmonton Oilers’ defenseman Darnell Nurse has reportedly submitted a list of three to five teams that he would find suitable for a trade destination. Names like Morgan Reilly and Dougie Hamilton have been speculated as potential returns in a Nurse trade.
Philly Hockey Now: Speaking of Nurse, one of the teams that could be in the mix for the left-handed defenseman is the Philadelphia Flyers. Will James dissects whether adding Nurse would be wise for the Flyers this offseason.
New Jersey Hockey Now: What will happen with Nico Hischier this summer? James Nichols writes that despite some recent rumors, there’s no reason to worry about Hischier’s contract extension with the New Jersey Devils.
Sportsnet: With Mike Babcock’s past incidents being investigated by the NHL, here’s another surprise candidate for the Edmonton Oilers’ head coaching gig. It seems like GM Stan Bowman is sold on going the old-school route.
FloHockey: Chris Peters and Cam Robinson got together to predict all 32 picks in the first round of the 2026 NHL Draft. With the fourth overall pick, the two analysts have the Blackhawks selecting left-handed defenseman Carson Carels, with Ivar Stenberg going third to the Vancouver Canucks.
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