Bedard, the Centennial Season, and a Rebuild Finding Its Legs
Connor Bedard is the unquestioned centerpiece of this rebuild, and the 20-year-old is making his case as one of the NHL's most electrifying players — including a highlight-reel overtime winner against Utah on March 13, 2026, and a new season-career high of 25 goals. Frank Nazar, locked in on a seven-year, $46.13 million deal, is turning heads as a legitimate second option, and defensive prospects Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel are logging real NHL minutes. The 2025–26 campaign doubles as the franchise's Centennial celebration, threading 100 years of Blackhawks history through themed nights and alumni spotlights all season long. Head coach Anders Sörensen is guiding the youngest roster in the Central, and after an aggressive 2026 trade deadline that netted five first-round picks over the next three years, GM Kyle Davidson's blueprint is coming into sharper focus.
Chelsea Dagger, the Tomahawk Chop, and Why the United Center Still Rocks
The moment the puck hits the twine at the United Center, 19,717 people erupt to 'Chelsea Dagger' by The Fratellis — a tradition born during the dynasty years that still sends chills down your spine on a raw Chicago night. The tomahawk chop chant, hand-painted signs nodding to Original Six history, and a sea of red-and-black sweaters — throwback Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita jerseys mixed with fresh Bedard 98s — define what it looks and sounds like to be a Blackhawks fan in the building. This fanbase lived through three Cups in six years, so they know exactly what a contender feels like; that hunger makes prospect nights and Centennial celebration game days feel electric even in a rebuilding season.
Chicago vs. St. Louis: The I-55 Rivalry That Never Cools Down
Three hundred miles of interstate and decades of Norris Division warfare have made the Blackhawks-Blues matchup the fiercest divisional rivalry in the Central. The two clubs have met over 330 times since Nov. 12, 1967, and the 2025–26 season added a new chapter when St. Louis beat Chicago 6-2 in the NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field on New Year's Eve. The Blues have dominated recent head-to-head play, going 8-2 in their last 10 meetings, so there's plenty of unfinished business — and with both teams hunting draft lottery positioning late in the season, every game between them still carries genuine stakes. Chicago holds the all-time playoff edge, winning eight of twelve postseason series against St. Louis before the Blues claimed their first Cup in 2019 to reignite the bragging-rights debate that hasn't quieted since.
Five Years Without Playoffs — Stay Sane With a Daily Blackhawks Briefing
Following a rebuilding Blackhawks team is a full-time job: prospect call-ups from the Rockford IceHogs, Bedard injury scares, trade deadline drama, and 2026 NHL Draft lottery odds all demand constant attention — on top of a day job and, you know, life. Scoutcast delivers a personalized audio briefing built specifically around what Blackhawks fans actually care about: Bedard's latest highlight, Levshunov's development arc, Nazar's emerging chemistry, and where Chicago sits in the draft lottery race. No hot takes from pundits who don't watch the games — just the intel you need, ready when you are, so you never get caught flat-footed at the office when someone asks about last night's score.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Blackhawks play 82 games in the 2025-26 Centennial season, including four matchups each against Central Division rivals like the Blues and Predators. The home opener at the United Center featured Centennial celebration fanfare, and the season wraps up in April 2026. Check NHL.com for the full schedule and broadcast listings.
Bedard hit 25 goals on a power-play snipe in late February 2026 — a new season-career high — and added a clutch overtime winner against Utah on March 13. He is on pace to become just the fifth Blackhawks player ever to post three straight 20-goal seasons to start a career, joining Kane, Toews, Savard, and Darcy Rota on that list.
Frank Nazar is the headliner after signing a seven-year deal, while defensemen Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel are both logging NHL minutes this season. The 2025 Draft added Anton Frondell (third overall) and the Blackhawks could hold two top-16 picks in the 2026 Draft, giving GM Kyle Davidson one of the deepest pipelines in the league.
Levshunov, a 2024 first-round pick, split time between the AHL and NHL in his draft-plus-one season and projects as a mobile, two-way defenseman with offensive upside and top-four potential. He's one of two young right-shot defenders Chicago is developing simultaneously alongside Sam Rinzel — a rare luxury for a rebuilding franchise.
Dating back to Nov. 12, 1967, the Blackhawks-Blues rivalry spans over 330 regular-season meetings fueled by 300 miles of I-55 and decades of Norris Division warfare. Chicago held the all-time edge for most of the rivalry's history, and the two clubs clashed memorably in the 2025-26 Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, where St. Louis won 6-2 on New Year's Eve.
Anders Sörensen is the Blackhawks' head coach tasked with developing one of the NHL's youngest rosters around Connor Bedard. His focus is on building a faster, two-way game that gets the most out of offensive talents like Bedard and Nazar while the defensive corps matures. He took over to guide the team through the core years of the rebuild.
The Blackhawks have missed the playoffs for five consecutive seasons, a stretch that is especially painful for fans who watched three Stanley Cup championships between 2010 and 2015. The rebuild is centered on Connor Bedard and a deep prospect pipeline, with the front office accumulating draft capital — potentially 16 first-round picks over a seven-year span — to accelerate the return to contention.