Among the NHL’s 32 franchises, a whopping 10 of them are currently without a captain to steer the ship heading into the 2026-27 season. One of those 10 clubs is none other than the Chicago Blackhawks, who’ve yet to name the successor to Nick Foligno as the 37th captain in team history.
Should the Blackhawks announce a new captain before training camp begins in one month, there are a few prime candidates to step into the role, with the most obvious choice being superstar Connor Bedard. However, with Patrick Kane’s emphatic return this summer, there’s a chance that ‘Showtime’ could be named captain for the first time in his historic career.
More in the links for a recent debate over who should be named the Blackhawks’ next captain.
Also in Blackhawks news, an interview clip with a recent first-round draft pick surfaced on social media, where he shared some insight into his training program ahead of the upcoming season.
Around the league, the Vancouver Canucks agreed to terms with a recent first-round pick, the top five restricted free agents still in need of a new contract, and the latest on Patrik Laine’s next team.
All that & more in the Daily!
Blackhawks Offseason, News & Trade Rumors
Chicago Hockey Now: The Blackhawks’ 2026-27 schedule has now been announced, and so too has the club’s giveaway and promotional schedule for games at the United Center next year. From last week, hit the link for all the festivities in store for the regular season, including the return of bobblehead giveaways.
Sportsnet: Josh Beneteau went through the 10 NHL teams currently without a captain, including the Blackhawks. Connor Bedard is the clear-cut No. 1 option to step into the role, but Patrick Kane could also be in the mix now that he’s back in town. Click the link for Beneteau’s thoughts on who will be named the Blackhawks’ 37th captain.
Blackhawks 2025 first-round pick Mason West and his Michigan State Spartans teammate Jack Hextall joined Jonny Lazerus for an interview ahead of their freshman seasons on Tuesday. Here’s a clip of West and Hextall discussing their training regimens and what life with Michigan State has entailed thus far. The full interview has yet to be released.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
The Athletic: It’s never too early to start thinking about next year’s top crop of prospects! Scott Wheeler recently went through his preseason top 32 list for the 2027 NHL Draft, with defenseman Landon DuPont leading the way. Five prospects are slotted in Tier Two behind DuPont, suggesting an intriguing battle for the second overall pick is on the horizon.
Daily Faceoff: Training camp is roughly one month away, and there are plenty of notable restricted free agents still without a new contract. Scott Maxwell lists the five best remaining RFA’s and discusses the situation for each.
NHL.com: The New York Islanders announced the eight final concepts for their first-ever fan-designed third jersey for the 2027-28 regular season. There were a staggering 80,490 submissions by Islanders fans across the globe.
NHLtraderumors.me: Russian winger Vladimir Tarasenko has been one of the premier forwards remaining on the free-agent market this summer. As it turns out, interest isn’t coming only from America, as a KHL club is now reportedly interested in signing Tarasenko. Two other NHL unrestricted free-agent forwards were also named in the article.
ProHockeyRumors: Finnish winger Patrik Laine has also been unsuccessful in landing a new NHL contract so far this summer, but that could change in the coming weeks. Multiple teams have been linked to the former No. 2 overall draft pick, including the Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Philly Hockey Now: Could Porter Martone become the Philadelphia Flyers‘ first Calder Trophy winner in franchise history this season? Will James goes over what Martone must accomplish to be named Rookie of the Year in his latest Flyers Forecast.
NewJerseyHockeyNow: Daniel Amoia dives headfirst into why the New Jersey Devils‘ unorthodox goaltending plan for next season truly makes sense. While none of Jake Allen, Nico Daws, or David Rittich is a legitimate No. 1 goalie, the Devils’ front office is betting that volatility works in their favor in 2026-27.
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