Several Blackhawks players attended the Bears game on Sunday at Soldier Field. From left to right in attendance were Nolan Allan, Philipp Kurashev, Joey Anderson, Nick Foligno, Louis Crevier, Connor Bedard, Ilya Mikheyev, and Wyatt Kaiser, who witnessed a tightly contested game with the Bears ultimately losing in overtime to a division rival.
The Athletic has released its first big board for the trading season, placing Taylor Hall at No. 4—an unexpected ranking given his recent lack of production and being a healthy scratch. However, this scratch seems to contribute to the reasoning behind his high placement on the list. Concerns arose when Hall was sidelined last week after struggling to regain his form following a knee injury that kept him off the ice for much of last season. Despite this, NHL Edge data reveals that his strong skating speed endures, clocking in at a top speed of 22.46 miles per hour, well above the league average. With the Blackhawks heading towards another draft lottery and Hall facing potential free agency near the end of his career, he is likely to be traded soon.
Additionally, Ben Pope provided updates on Colton Dach, who is currently second in points for the IceHogs, trailing only Frank Nazar. Dach is the closest power forward prospect to the NHL in the Blackhawks’ system, and both Dach and IceHogs head coach Anders Sorensen emphasized that his confidence is crucial this season.
Pope’s piece also mentioned that if Arvid Söderblom plays four more games this season, he will become subject to waivers if the Blackhawks want to send him to Rockford. This situation becomes tricky for several reasons, including the increasing demand for goaltenders across the league. Söderblom has shown a notable .926 save percentage and is in his final contract year; waiving him could pose a risk, especially with Laurent Brossoit still recovering from a knee injury and yet to play for the Blackhawks since his summer signing.
Furthermore, with Brossoit’s anticipated return, if the Blackhawks don’t want to risk losing Söderblom and prefer not to carry two veterans while cautiously managing Drew Commesso’s development, they might opt to keep three goalies on the NHL roster for a period, complicating their ability to call up players from Rockford. Once Seth Jones is back from injury, it’s expected Louis Crevier will be reassigned to Rockford, but roster constraints will remain.
As of the latest games on Sunday, MoneyPuck has Söderblom ranked 11th in the NHL with a 0.625 goals saved above expected per 60 minutes and tied for 20th with a total of 3.7 goals saved above expected alongside teammate Petr Mrázek. This underscores the importance of developing goalies, reminding fans to appreciate the Blackhawks for not giving up on Söderblom after a tough last year, as he has excelled this season.
Alex Pharand recorded another assist for Sudbury on Sunday, accumulating seven points in his last five games for a total of 19 points in 21 games this season, a significant improvement from last year’s 30 points in 68 games. The Blackhawks selected him in the fourth round (No. 99) in the 2023 NHL Draft, and his 6-3, 192-pound frame is promising. After missing time due to injury during prospect practices before training camp, he’s been performing well this season.
The Blackhawks will face Minnesota in a Black Friday matinee this week. On Thursday night, there was concern when Kirill Kaprizov, a strong contender for the Hart Trophy, sustained a concerning lower leg injury. Although he returned to the game, medical staff kept a close watch on him over the weekend, and his condition will be monitored leading up to the end of the week.
