The Chicago Blackhawks flew back to the Windy City on Monday after finishing their six-game road trip. Goaltender Arvid Söderblom said it after his 45-save performance in the 5-1 win against the Red Wings in Detroit — they were ready to come home.
Things looked bleak for the Hawks at first. A 6-3 drubbing in Winnipeg — with Jets’ Jonathan Toews‘ point against the Hawks throwing salt on the wound — an overtime loss to the Edmonton Oilers and 60 minutes of nothing at the Seattle Kraken left the Hawks 0-2-1 to begin the trip.
The next three road games against the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and Red Wings could’ve broken their season early. Lose in those three and the Hawks find themselves back in Gavin McKenna jersey edits.
Instead, the team came back to Fifth Third Arena on a three-game win streak. The Hawks once again proved they want to be different this year.
“It was a hard road trip to play six games on the road (in) 12 days,” forward Tyler Bertuzzi said. “To finish it off that strong shows a lot of what we’re about this year and how we prepare for games and how committed we are.”
Bertuzzi has been essential to the Hawks’ growth. He moved to the top line alongside Connor Bedard and André Burakovsky, which has brought a surge out of the left winger.
The 11-year veteran has six goals over the last three contests, including a hat trick in Vancouver, British Columbia. He’s on pace for approximately 49 goals for 2025-26, which would shatter his season-high of 30 set in 2022-23.
He’s on a streak now, but it’s about doing what helps the team.
“I don’t get too high or too low because I know at some point, everyone goes through a lull,” Bertuzzi said. “(I’ll) stay with the program and keep going.”
It does help when you have a 20-year-old scoring points like it’s nothing. Bedard’s current heater has turned his doubters into fans — now we can admire what he and San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini are doing instead of comparing.
“It’s been fun to watch, (Celebrini) and I are good buddies,” Bedard said. “He’s doing so well and their team’s having success, which I know is the most important thing to him. It’s been fun to watch and great for the league.”
Bedard’s recent stats align with those that an esports pro would put up in “NHL 26.” The former top draft pick has scored 18 points (seven goals, 11 assists) in his last eight games.
The center has also demonstrated his leadership and why some believe it’s a matter of when, not if, he’ll wear a captain’s patch. The young team doesn’t just want to learn — they want to learn to win.
“A couple (games) there to start didn’t go our way and for us to fight back and end the solo trip over .500 … was great,” Bedard said. “I think we’re a hard team to play with our speed, our competitiveness, how hard we play and that’s when we’re at our best.”
Chicago Blackhawks’ Nick Foligno fights with Calgary Flames’ Joel Hanley during second-period NHL hockey game action in Calgary, Alberta, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
Added captain Nick Foligno: “I’m really proud of (Bedard). He’s a guy that’s taking it upon himself to be a difference-maker, but I think he’s done it organically. It’s not because he wants it so bad, he’s realizing that he has (those) capabilities. He’s put a lot into his summer and has the confidence from that, which is huge for a young player.”
Foligno sees the drive in his teammates. He credited how the Hawks handled the second half of the road trip and the poise of the team in general.
“We were early on trying to feel our way through it, as opposed to dictating and taking over games,” Foligno said. “The thing I take away from this road trip the most is that, by the end, when you could probably make a lot of excuses, we found our best part of our game.”
The Hawks will play eight of their next nine games at the United Center, starting with the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. The goal is still the same — to keep on winning.
“Now it’s about having a home stand here and not getting caught up in what we’ve done and being ready for what we have to do here,” Foligno said. “Don’t be happy with what we’re doing right now.
“We’re still a team that’s trying to find ourselves. Don’t ever think we’ve arrived, we’re just scratching the surface and that has to be the mentality.”
Injury updates
Hawks coach Jeff Blashill said he “doesn’t anticipate” that Frank Nazar will play on Wednesday against the Devils. The forward did not participate in practice on Monday as he deals with a “mid-body” injury he suffered against the Flames.
He remains day-to-day and is questionable for Saturday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Jason Dickinson skated prior to Hawks practice. He remains on injured reserve.