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Pre-Scout: Blackhawks have Connor Bedard back and are in the playoff hunt
Jan 10, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Blackhawks left wing Tyler Bertuzzi (59) celebrates a goal with center Teuvo Teravainen (86) against the Nashville Predators during the second period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Photo credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Michael Menzies
Jan 12, 2026, 13:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 12, 2026, 13:02 EST
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Like many youthful teams in 2025-26, the Chicago Blackhawks have yo-yoed up and down this season. After a surprisingly good start, then free-falling as the weather got colder, are the Blackhawks back on the come-up? 
That’s what their fans hope for ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Edmonton Oilers. Connor Bedard is back after nearly a month away, and he had two points as they shut out the Nashville Predators 3-0 on Saturday. 
Former second-round pick Drew Commesso made 36 saves for his first NHL win, as both Spencer Knight and Arvid Soderblom were out due to illness. 
“Something I’ve learned about pro hockey is there’s just a lot out of your control. I went from not even playing in the [Rockford of the American Hockey League] game on Friday to starting for the [Blackhawks] in back-to-back games,” said Commesso afterwards. 
The Blackhawks are 5-1-1 in their last seven games, outscoring opponents 21-15, as their special teams have ratcheted up. In their last six games, the Hawks are a perfect 14 for 14 on the penalty kill, and are 8 for 19 on the power play. 
Tonight’s matchup against the Oilers is the start of a four-game homestand, hosting Calgary, Boston, and Winnipeg – some winnable hockey games. Sitting three points back of a wildcard spot, eight of the dozen remaining games before the Olympic break are on home ice. 
The Western Conference is forgiving of teams going through the motions this year. The Blackhawks will have a chance to insert themselves into the mix, particularly with how inconsistent Seattle, Anaheim, Nashville, and Utah have been. 
Don’t forget, Chicago was 31st overall a season ago with 61. They are just 16 points back of that total already. 

Youth troupe

Have you heard of Connor Bedard? 
Chicago struggled mightily at first in his absence, losing five straight games, especially with Frank Nazar also getting injured. This will be Bedard’s third game back, while Nazar is still out after being hit in the face with a puck. 
“I thought he looked more comfortable tonight than last night, and he’s gonna look more comfortable next game than tonight,” said coach Jeff Blashill on Saturday. 
“There was some handles that he would normally do a little bit different, but he’s going to get better the more and more he plays.”
Bedard’s 19 goals and 46 points are still 10 points better than the next Chicago point earner, Tyler Bertuzzi, despite missing a dozen games. Only Jack Eichel has scored more than him, while also playing fewer than 40 games, and his points-per-game is still seventh best in the league. 
If it wasn’t for resident greybeard Nick Foligno, at 37-years-old, this team would be the youngest in the league by a lot. 
As it stands, the Blackhawks were the third-youngest team at the beginning of the season, but players like Artyom Levshunov, Oliver Moore, Ryan Greene, Wyatt Kaiser, Sam Rinzel, Colton Dach, are all 24 and younger who’ve played most of the season. 
Then stand-ins in the same age bracket, like Kevin Korchinski, Landon Slaggert, and Nick Lardis have filled in. 
So with the youth comes the streaks. 

Five-on-five struggles

At five-on-five, the Blackhawks have the sixth-worst goal share in the league at 44.97 per cent, according to Moneypuck, but it’s actually an improvement on the fancy stats. Their expected goals are second-worst, just an eyelash better than Seattle. 
They’ve struggled more overall at 5-on-5 than the Oilers this season with a -19 goal differential and the worst expected goals against in the NHL. 
That’s where a seventh-best best power play helps carry the load at 23.3. But perhaps what’s more impressive is their fourth-best penalty kill at an even 85 per cent. 
Weighing both groups of special teams, the Blackhawks will be pressed to handle Edmonton’s league-best power play, but overall, it’ll be an interesting matchup to watch with strength vs strength. 

Notes:

  • Tyler Bertuzzi is enjoying a terrific season, scoring 23 goals and 36 points. That matches his goal total from a year ago where he played all 82 games. He’s been chasing his 30-goal, 62-point season from 2021-22 as a member of the Red Wings, and this might be the season he does it. 
  • An illness running through the team forced three regulars out of the line this weekend. But Chicago re-assigned Kevin Korchinski, Drew Commesso, and fellow goalie Stanislav Berezhnoy back to Rockford, indicating that Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom, and Louis Crevier are likely ready to return. 
  • Commesso became the fourth goaltender in Blackhawks franchise history to record a shutout in his first NHL win. 
  • Bedard recorded his 41st career multipoint game on Saturday. That’s tied for the second-most by a Blackhawk before the age of 21, only trailing Denis Savard.  
  • Nick Lardis recorded his first NHL assist on Friday and has points in three straight games and four goals in 11 games. 
  • The Oilers defeated the Blackhawks 3-2 in overtime on Nov. 1, a game where Chicago had a 9-5 advantage in High Danger Scoring Chances at 5-on-5, according to Natural Stat Trick. 
  • It’s been one-sided domination in this head-to-head. The Oilers are 9-1 in their last 10 vs CHI and have won five in a row in Chicago dating back to March 2022. 

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