How nice was it to see the Chicago Blackhawks get a win on home ice on Monday? Or just a win in general?
After losing their final five games of January, the Blackhawks kicked off February with a bang, taking down Macklin Celebrini and the San Jose Sharks 6-3 at the United Center. It’s the only home game of the month for the Blackhawks, whose next game in Chicago isn’t until Mar. 6.
While Connor Bedard extended both his goal and point streaks in the win, it was the third line of Ryan Donato, Jason Dickinson, and Ilya Mikheyev that did all of the heavy lifting offensively against San Jose. Check the links to read more about the third line’s offensive explosion.
Also in Blackhawks news, Sam Rinzel’s plans for the Olympic break have been made clear, while Bedard made more Blackhawks history in the victory over San Jose.
Around the league, a serious change is coming in Nashville, the two-time defending champions suffered another key injury, and bold predictions for the Olympic hockey tournament.
All that & more in the Daily!
Chicago Blackhawks Recap, News & Tidbits
Chicago Hockey Now: All eyes were on Bedard and Celebrini as the puck dropped in Chicago on Monday. Both players had strong performances; however, it was the Blackhawks’ third line of Ryan Donato, Jason Dickinson, and Ilya Mikheyev who stole the show. The three forwards combined for 10 points in the 6-3 win over San Jose.
More CHN: After totaling only 11 goals in their last eight home games, the Blackhawks finally received some notable depth scoring against the Sharks. Connor Bedard also found the back of the net, setting another U21 scoring record in franchise history. Here’s a breakdown of how the Blackhawks ended their recent scoring drought on Monday.
Sam Rinzel was one of five players to score in the victory, netting his 2nd NHL goal. In his first two games back with the Blackhawks, the former first-round pick has looked much more confident with the puck. He’s also been poised in the defensive zone and has avoided any major blunders.
However, the plan is still for Rinzel to return to the AHL during the Olympic break, according to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, who joined CHSN’s pregame show before the Blackhawks took on the Sharks. That will allow Rinzel to remain in action while Chicago has 22 days in between games. Artyom Levshunov, however, will not be eligible to be sent to Rockford.
Frank Seravalli on the CHSN Pregame says Rinzel will be the only Hawk headed back to Rockford over Olympic break.
“Players who have been on the team for a huge chunk of this season, or have played 16 of the last 20 games, are not eligible to go back for the break,” per the CBA
— CHGO Blackhawks (@CHGO_Blackhawks) February 3, 2026
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
The Athletic: Just eight days remain until the men’s hockey tournament at the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games commences. From the USA’s medal hopes to Jordan Binnington’s success level, here are several bold predictions ahead of the tournament.
ESPN: Major surprise news coming out of Nashville. Predators GM Barry Trotz held a press conference on Monday to announce that he will be stepping down from the position. Trotz reiterated that he IS healthy and will not be pursuing another coaching opportunity. He is retiring, but will remain in the role until the Predators find his successor.
San Jose Hockey Now: Before the Blackhawks took on the Sharks, Sheng Peng from SJHN asked both Bedard and Celebrini their thoughts on facing one another and the comparisons between the two players. But neither of the two former No. 1 overall picks was interested in talking about head-to-head battles; they were focused on their teams.
Florida Hockey Now: After losing 5-3 to the Buffalo Sabres on Monday, Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk said the team “is in trouble.” To add insult to injury, Sam Bennett exited the game early with an upper-body issue. Florida is already down Aleksander Barkov and Anton Lundell and sits nine points back of a playoff spot.
NHL.com: Former Blackhawk Nick Schmaltz recorded his third career hat trick on Monday, leading the Utah Mammoth to a 6-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks. It was also Schmaltz’s second hat trick of the season.
Colorado Hockey Now: Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog, who’s been out for nearly a month with an upper-body injury, isn’t in jeopardy of missing the Olympics. Avs coach Jared Bednar sure made it sound like Landeskog will be healthy enough to represent Sweden next week.
Sportsnet: Quinn Hughes is wasting no time adding his name to the Minnesota Wild’s record book. In just his 25th game with the Wild, Hughes tied teammate Kirill Kaprizov for the longest assist streak in franchise history. He also has the most three-assist games already in Wild history, passing Ryan Suter.
Montreal Hockey Now: It’s been another career year so far for Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki. He’s on pace for a career-best 95 points, but he’s also playing his best defensive hockey. Could Suzuki be a strong candidate for the Selke Trophy?
New Jersey Hockey Now: What should New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald do with the cap space he created in the Ondrej Palat trade? James Nichols from NJHN breaks down Fitzgerald’s next move.
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