It has been a nightmare start to the 2026-2027 season for the Chicago Blackhawks. In a campaign that was supposed to provide hope of better days ahead, Chicago has remained in the league’s basement. The team has posted a 4-12-1 record through their first 17 games, which places them 31st in the NHL. Only the Vancouver Canucks have had a worse opening to the year, a team that had no expectations heading into the season. With how dire the state of affairs currently are in Chicago, this begs the question of what direction the team goes in from here.
Blackhawks Could Make Major Changes Soon
Insider Frank Seravalli discussed the outlook for Chicago on Frankly Hockey: “They go to Carolina on Saturday, but then they don’t play again until next Thursday. So, this odd second break for them in their schedule. I’m not saying something’s going to happen, but I’m just saying, if they’re going to shake things up, if they’re going to do something, you would think that would be during this break.”
The Blackhawks face a major test tonight as they face off against the defending Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. Chicago has lost eight of their last nine games heading into this matchup. Regardless of what happens in today’s game, next week would appear to be an obvious window of opportunity for the team to make a major shakeup. The next question is what could that potential move look like?
Blackhawks May Pull the Trigger on a Trade
Insider Elliotte Friedman outlined what to expect from the Blackhawks in the near future: “I think they’ll try to make some moves first. I do. You know, Kyle Davidson, GM, got a big extension in the offseason, so I don’t see it being him. I don’t think they want to make the coach the scapegoat, so I don’t necessarily think it’s going to be him. Although, like, when things go badly, the coach often takes the heat there. I don’t think they want to do that. I think they’re going to try to make a move first.”
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson has an important decision to make when it comes to how he attempts to salvage his team’s season. The obvious move would be to make a coaching change as Jeff Blashill’s system has not complemented this youth team. With that said, Blashill is in just his second year with the club. Not to mention, there are only so many options in the coaching market. Plus, that would be the third coaching change Davidson has made in his five year tenure as GM. That would not be a great look for Davidson, who could be next on the chopping block.
If Davidson opts to stick with Blashill and his staff for now, adjusting the roster would be the next play. Again, there are no easy fixes here. The team would have to overpay in order to acquire a significant asset this early in the trade season. That would likely involve making some tough choices with some of these young players that have been drafted by this regime. It will be interesting to see what route the Blackhawks go in their efforts of righting this sinking ship.
Blackhawks Could Make a Major Shakeup in Near Future