# @puckempire on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DbWTPAjD9yb
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/68611587-puckempire-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/dd10bd01b5.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-07-28T19:33:42.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Puck Empire 👑 (@puckempire) — https://gondola.cc/puckempire

## Caption

Continuing on with our 2026-2027 season projections, we've got the Chicago Blackhawks at #29.

This is going to be a bad, but fun year for Chicago. Young players are finally starting to be implemented in key spots of their lineup, and while it's going to take time for them to provide their projected positive impact, the skill will be fun to watch.

At offense, Chicago will struggle without Bedard, who is tiers ahead of the next best forward in the core. Frondell isn't ready to take on such a large centre role, and if they opt to play Nazar at 1C in Bedard's place, that'll be bad too. But once Bedard is back, the top-six isn't so terrible. Nazar/Bedard/Kane should provide a ton of offensive chances and we should see Bedard's goal numbers rise. I wouldn't be surprised if he hits 40 goals even with the injury taking him out until at least early November.

The bottom-six is a little more rough, with Donato & Cole Smith being pretty meh, guys like Mangiapane and Jordan Greenway aren't much better and I'm sure they'll get their fair share of minutes. Chicago will hope to see Greene, Moore & Lardis blossom.

Defensively, the addition of Byram will be huge for offense from the backend. He can carry and possess the puck in all three zones, and I'm sure Chicago's PP, breakouts, & O-zone cycle will benefit from it. I also anticipate Levshunov & Rinzel taking the next step forward and being net-positive overall players, even if the defensive skills still need work.

In net, I still don't think Spencer Knight is a full-time 55+ game per season guy, and I don't necessarily trust Soderblom as his backup. I think he can at least stay relatively consistent to what he was this past season however, and if that's the case, Chicago should be very happy with that, because he was easily a top-10 goalie.

Again, don't expect a miraculous Wild Card chase like we saw with SJ this season, but Chicago will be a FUN bad team to watch this year, unlike the past few years prior.

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