The Chicago Blackhawks’ three-game Canadian road trip wraps up later this afternoon in Ottawa against the Senators. Puck drop is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CT, so the game serves as a perfect appetizer for the Bears’ monstrous NFC North Battle with the Green Bay Packers later this evening. Let’s get a pair of wins today!
Be on the lookout for CHN’s Game Day Preview this afternoon for a full preview, the projected lineups, and starting goaltenders in the matinee matchup between the Blackhawks and Senators.
Also in Blackhawks news, top prospect Roman Kantserov returned to action in the KHL on Friday and added to his league lead in goals.
Around the league, two players were traded ahead of the Holiday Freeze, the Panthers are back near the top of the Atlantic Division, and Seth Jarvis suffered an injury in overtime for the Hurricanes.
All that & more in the Daily!
Chicago Blackhawks Recap, News & Tidbits
Chicago Hockey Now: To no surprise, consistent offense has been an issue for the Chicago Blackhawks without Connor Bedard. After a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday, the Blackhawks have now scored just three goals in three games without Bedard in the lineup.
More CHN: While GM Kyle Davidson didn’t rush to get a trade done before the Holiday Freeze kicked in on Friday night. However, Chris Johnston of The Athletic recently listed one defenseman and one goaltender from the Blackhawks who could be on the move before the NHL trade deadline in March.
More CHN: ICYMI, Blackhawks prospect Marek Vanacker was among three players cut from Team Canada’s World Juniors roster this week. Vanacker currently leads the entire Ontario Hockey League with 26 goals in 27 games, but that apparently wasn’t enough to represent his country later this month.
Over in Russia, 2023 second-round pick (No. 44 overall) Roman Kantserov scored the empty-netter in Metallurg Magnitogorsk’s 7-4 win on Friday. Kantserov, still only 21, leads the KHL with 23 goals in 35 games. He has six more goals than the player with the second-most in the league.
After a break in the KHL schedule, Blackhawks prospect Roman Kantserov was back in action today and added to his KHL-leading goal total with an empty-netter. He has 23 goals in 35 games. He has six more goals than the next player. pic.twitter.com/KZO6ccnY2G
— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) December 19, 2025
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
NHL.com: One of two trades that occurred before the Holiday Freeze, the Seattle Kraken sent forward Mason Marchment to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for a 2027 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick. Marchment, 30, has 13 points (4G, 9A) in 29 games this season. It’s the second time in exactly six months, as he was dealt from Dallas to Seattle on Jun. 19.
Montreal Hockey Now: The second trade on Friday evening involved the Montreal Canadiens, as they re-acquired center Phillip Danault from the Los Angeles Kings for a 2026 second-round pick, which previously belonged to Columbus. The Habs were rumored to be interested in Danault in recent weeks, and they finally pulled the trigger before the Holiday Freeze.
Florida Hockey Now: Don’t look now, but the two-time defending champions are just one point back in the Atlantic Division. The Florida Panthers rallied from a three-goal deficit in the third period and capped off the comeback in the shootout to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-3.
Sportsnet: Speaking of the Hurricanes, star forward Seth Jarvis was injured during overtime and left the game early. During his postgame media session, head coach Rod Brind’Amour said that Jarvis will be “out for a while”. What a devastating end to Friday night for the Canes.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The news broke earlier this week, but the Pittsburgh Penguins made it official on Friday — the Hoffmann family is acquiring the team. For those who weren’t aware, The Hoffmann Family of Companies is based in Chicago. Dan Kingerski has all the details on the sale for PHN.
Colorado Hockey Now: The Colorado Avalanche extended their winning streak at Ball Arena to 11 games with a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets on Friday. Brent Burns, Martin Necas, and Parker Kelly scored for Colorado in the win, which moved their home record to 14-0-2 this season.
TSN: Kiefer Shewood, who has been involved in trade discussions over the past month, wasn’t moved before the Holiday Freeze deadline hit on Friday. Instead, Sherwood tallied a hat trick in the Vancouver Canucks 4-1 win over the New York Islanders. Former Blackhawks forward David Kampf also scored his first goal as a member of the Canucks.
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