It’s been a relatively slow news week for the Chicago Blackhawks during the team’s five-day break without any games. The team held practices Monday and Tuesday before an off day today, and they’ll be back at Blackhawks Ice Center tomorrow for the final session before an original-six matchup with the Montreal Canadiens on Friday night.
As mentioned on Monday, Andrew Mangiapane’s return to practice is perhaps the most noteworthy tidbit from this week. Bowen Byram has yet to rejoin his teammates at practice since suffering an upper-body injury against the Pittsburgh Penguins last Tuesday.
While Byram’s status remains unknown, head coach Jeff Blashill commented on the defenseman’s situation after Tuesday’s practice and ruled out one specific injury in the process.
Speaking of Blashill, he and general manager Kyle Davidson were guests on the latest episode of Barstool Sports’ “The Stetch” podcast with Big Cat, Chief, and Eddie. Plus, captain Connor Bedard shared his thoughts on Kevin Korchinski’s situation.
Around the league, Dylan Larkin has reportedly expanded his trade list… again, Connor Hellebuyck’s return from suspension, and a scary situation for young Pittsburgh Penguins forward Ben Kindel.
All that & more in the Daily!
Blackhawks Game Recaps, News & Trade Rumors
The Blackhawks have been without No. 1 defenseman Bowen Byram since last Tuesday’s win over the Pittsburgh Penguins. Byram appeared to have been hit in the visor/helmet by a puck during the second period but toughed it out and finished the game. However, he’s been out since then.
Byram missed the last two games before the five-day break and didn’t practice with the team on Monday or Tuesday. The only good news is that Byram remains day-to-day and isn’t dealing with a concussion, according to Jeff Blashill. Byram dealt with concussion problems earlier in his career, so it’s positive that he didn’t suffer another against Pittsburgh. Hopefully, Byram will be on the ice for practice tomorrow and will rejoin the team on Friday.
No update on Bowen Byram, still day to day. Blashill said it’s not concussion protocol, just “upper body.”
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 20, 2026
The most notable quote from Tuesday’s post-practice media session came from captain Connor Bedard when he was asked about defenseman Kevin Korchinski’s current situation. Korchinski has played only once in the opening nine games and has fallen below Ethan Del Mastro on the depth chart, for whatever reasons.
Bedard believes Korchinski has handled the situation as well as possible, similar to forward Sam Lafferty last season. Bedard said Korchinski has been working hard on and off the ice and will be ready whenever he gets his opportunity. When that will be… remains unknown.
Now that Connor Bedard’s Blackhawks team captain, I was curious to see his view of Kevin Korchinski’s situation, his response:
“I think he’s handled it really well. He’s (come) to the rink every day with a smile on his face and positive attitude, working his ass off every day on…
— Kalen Lumpkins (@kalenalumpkins) October 20, 2026
Not everyone’s cup of tea, but Barstool Sports’ “The Stretch” podcast had Blashill and GM Kyle Davidson on as guests in their latest episode. Blashill and Davidson talked about the current state of the rebuild, Connor Bedard’s return, the decision to name Bedard the next captain, and more.
NHL Game Recaps, Rumors, & National Hockey Now
Detroit Hockey Now: Will the Dylan Larkin stalemate finally end this week? Larkin has reportedly expanded his new trade list to 10 teams. Plus, there’s been speculation that the Detroit Red Wings will trade their former captain in the next seven to 10 days.
TSN: Connor Hellebuyck is slated to return from his suspension on Friday, but the Winnipeg Jets still don’t have “100 percent clarity” on what comes next for the former Vezina Trophy winner.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: A scary situation after last night’s game in Utah. Penguins 2025 first-round pick Ben Kindel suffered a medical emergency while on the plane back to Pittsburgh, forcing an emergency landing in Salt Lake City.
Florida Hockey Now: Brady Tkachuk plays in Ottawa on Wednesday for the first time with the Florida Panthers, and he isn’t guessing how the crowd will react. George Richards from FHN reports the Senators will play a video tribute during the first TV timeout, and Tkachuk will donate any sweaters thrown on the ice.
Sportsnet: Adam Fantilli threw a booming hit on former teammate Kirill Marchenko, but the Toronto Maple Leafs got the last laugh in a 6-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Before the game, Fantilli didn’t mince words about Marchenko’s preseason trade, saying it would have been a nightmare to play on the same line as him.
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