With Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar both currently out due to injuries, the Chicago Blackhawks are desperate for more offensive support.
Sure, the team combined for seven goals in two games coming out of the Christmas break this past weekend, but there’s still more to be desired offensively. The Blackhawks have scored four goals in a single game only once in December and just three times in 22 games since Nov. 10. They’ve also tallied more than 26 shots on goal twice in their last 11 outings.
Head coach Jeff Blashill is still searching for answers in his forward group without Bedard and Nazar, the top two playmakers on the roster. Blashill has tinkered with the line combinations frequently since the dynamic duo went down, and he did so once again during Monday’s practice session at Fifth Third Arena.
With Ilya Mikheyev now back with the team from a paternity leave, plus captain Nick Foligno returning from a hand injury on Sunday, Blashill finally has the depth to roll out more standards combos for the first time in a while. No offense to Landon Slaggert or Jason Dickinson, who’ve been playing top-six roles recently with all the injuries and absences, but it’s time for them to return to their regular spots further down in the lineup.
Lardis Gets A Real Look
For the first time since being called up to the NHL, Nick Lardis was slotted into a top-six spot during Monday’s practice. Joining him was fellow rookie Oliver Moore, who Blashill has regularly played alongside Lardis since his promotion. Both Lardis and Moore finished strong in Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, creating a few quality scoring chances together in the third period. That appears to have impressed Blashill enough to give both players a greater opportunity on Tuesday night against the New York Islanders.
It’s been a strange first big-league stint for Lardis thus far, as he’s been mostly utilized down in the bottom six, despite his offensive abilities and goal-scoring prowess. In his first 24 AHL games with the Rockford IceHogs before the call-up, Lardis recorded 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 points, leading all rookies in scoring. But for whatever reason, Blashill was reluctant to put him in a more natural role on the first or second line in his first seven NHL games.
After an active NHL debut on Dec. 13, in which he recorded eight shot attempts and five hits in 15:32 of time on ice, Lardis played fewer than 14 minutes in each of his next five games. Finally, following his shootout winner versus the Dallas Stars on Saturday, the 2023 third-round pick (No. 67 overall) received an uptick in ice time. Lardis had a career-high 20 shifts and 16:03 TOI against the Penguins.
Considering the Blackhawks could use all the help they can get in the goal-scoring department with Bedard and Nazar out, it’s a little peculiar that Lardis didn’t get a look in the top six sooner. Given his special shooting abilities and prestigious background, becoming just the 13th player in Ontario Hockey League history to score 70 goals in a single season last year, a third or fourth line position felt like somewhat of a waste.
Moore Moved To Center
Not only was Moore bumped up to the second line along with Lardis, but he was also moved from the wing to center for the first time this season. Moore, the 19th overall pick in 2023, has mostly played wing with the Blackhawks since signing his entry-level contract last spring, but center is where he spent a good portion of his collegiate career with the University of Minnesota. He was also drafted by Chicago as a center from the United States Development Program.
Down the middle, Moore will have added responsibilities defensively, which could be a tall task for the 20-year-old. He’s had some issues at times with coverage in the defensive zone during his rookie year, which isn’t atypical for a first-year player. However, he clearly possesses the wheels to effectively hound opposing puck carries and force turnovers. It’s just a matter of being more consistent for the former first-round pick, and it will be interesting to see how he handles the position in the coming games.
Offensively, the Blackhawks simply need better production from Moore, especially if he wants to remain on the second line. He’s recorded only one assist in 11 games since Dec. 6 and picked up more than two shots on goal only once during that stretch.
Without Bedard and Nazar, Chicago doesn’t have many players who can skate their way into the offensive zone and make things happen. Moore is one of the few healthy forwards on the roster who can, and the team needs him to use his greatest asset — his jaw-dropping speed — to help create scoring chances until the lethal 1-2 punch returns.
Other Lineup Changes
Here’s a look at the rest of the forward lines from Monday’s practice session.
#Blackhawks lineup at practice:
Bertuzzi-Greene-Burakovsky
Teravainen-Moore-Lardis
Donato-Dickinson-Mikheyev
Foligno-Dach-Slaggert
Vlasic-Crevier
Kaiser-Levshunov
Grzelcyk-Murphy
Knight
Söderblom
Extras: Lafferty, Toninato, Del Mastro
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) December 29, 2025
Blashill also reunited Tyler Bertuzzi and Andre Burakovsky on the top line, with Ryan Greene as their center. Greene and Burakovsky spent several weeks playing together along with Bedard before his injury, and the two established solid chemistry with one another.
With Moore getting a look at center, Ryan Donato has returned to the wing on the third line with Dickinson and Mikheyev. Blashill now has his trusted shutdown defensive trio back together.
Slaggert is back on the fourth line with Foligno and Colton Dach, who’s also getting a chance to showcase his skills as a center for the first time. Foligno will likely step in and help Dach at the faceoff dot every now and then, as he’s won 51.6 percent of his draws this season.
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