Blackhawks' Connor Bedard: Set for four-month absence
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Bedard will be sidelined for four months following shoulder surgery, the Blackhawks announced Wednesday.
Based on his recovery timeline, Bedard figures to miss the first month or two of the regular season. The 20-year-old center was limited to just 69 regular-season games last year, but he still managed to set new personal bests in goals (30) and points (75). While he could certainly aim even higher with a full season, Bedard should still offer plenty of fantasy upside even with his absence.
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Blackhawks' Drew Commesso: Signs two-year deal
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Commesso signed a two-year, $1.75 million contract with Chicago on Monday, per PuckPedia.
Commesso has a two-way deal with the Blackhawks for 2026-27, and it becomes a one-way agreement in 2027-28. In three NHL outings with Chicago last year, he posted a 2-1-0 record while allowing only seven goals on 85 shots. Commesso also went 13-20-2 with a 3.08 GAA and a .901 in 37 appearances for AHL Rockford in the 2025-26 regular season. The 23-year-old netminder will probably begin the 2026-27 campaign in the minors.
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Blackhawks' Connor Mylymok: Gets two-way deal
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Mylymok signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Blackhawks on Wednesday.
Mylymok has spent the bulk of the last three seasons in the minor leagues. He had 10 points in 52 regular-season games with AHL Rockford in 2025-26. While he's now on an NHL-level deal, he has little chance of seeing time with the Blackhawks in 2026-27.
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Blackhawks' Dillon Boucher: Inks first two-way deal
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Boucher signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Blackhawks on Wednesday.
Boucher is a career minor-leaguer, and this is his first NHL-level deal. He had just eight points over 53 games with AHL Rockford on a minor-league deal last year. The 29-year-old is a long shot to see any NHL action in 2026-27.
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Blackhawks' Connor Mackey: Gets two-year contract
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Mackey signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Blackhawks on Wednesday, per Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN Radio.
Mackey had five goals, 18 points and 87 PIM in 62 regular-season outings with AHL Hartford in 2025-26. He also has four goals, 11 points and 84 PIM in 45 career regular-season appearances in the NHL. Although the 29-year-old will compete for an Opening Night roster spot with the Blackhawks, he's likely to begin the season in the AHL.
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Blackhawks' Cole Smith: Signs three-year deal
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Smith signed a three-year, $9 million contract with the Blackhawks on Wednesday.
Smith had eight goals, 12 points, 40 PIM and 173 hits in 63 regular-season appearances between Nashville and Vegas in 2025-26. Smith is likely to serve primarily on Chicago's fourth line and should continue to help fantasy managers when it comes to PIM and hits.
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Blackhawks' Dylan Anhorn: Picks up one-year deal
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Anhorn secured a one-year, two-way contract with Chicago on Wednesday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reports.
Anhorn was undrafted out of St. Cloud State and spent the last three seasons with AHL Manitoba. The 27-year-old blueliner notched three goals and 14 assists in 46 regular-season games for the Moose before adding three points in seven postseason contests. Anhorn figures to spend the bulk of his 2026-27 campaign in the minors with AHL Rockford.
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Blackhawks' Ian Cole: Heading to Chicago
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Cole signed a one-year, $4 million contract with Chicago on Wednesday, PuckPedia reports.
Cole has moved around the league in recent years, and he'll join his seventh team in as many seasons during the 2026-27 campaign. He's appeared in all 82 regular-season games in two consecutive seasons, most recently recording three goals, 20 assists, 151 blocked shots, 73 hits and 50 PIM while averaging 18:16 of ice time with the Mammoth last year.
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Blackhawks' Bowen Byram: Cashes in big time
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Byram agreed to terms on a six-year, $75 million contract with Chicago on Wednesday, Pierre LeBrun of TSN reports.
Byram's deal will make him the highest-paid defenseman in the NHL when it kicks in next season, surpassing Erik Karlsson's $11.5 million AAV. With the NHL salary cap rising, the 25-year-old Byram is unlikely to hold that title for long. With Buffalo last year, he notched 11 goals and 31 assists in 82 regular-season games. He should be capable of topping those numbers in 2026-27, especially if he can cement himself as the quarterback for Chicago's No. 1 power-play unit.
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Blackhawks' Samu Alalauri: Finnish defender joins Chicago
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Alalauri was the 66th overall pick by Chicago in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.
Alalauri got a ton of playing time in the Finnish Jr. league this past season, often averaging upwards of 25 minutes per night while posting 25 points in 40 games. He also has a long history of playing for his country on the international stage. He has some clear professional traits, most notably his 6-foot-2, 215-pound size. Alalauri is clearly ready to play in Finland's top professional league. However, he is a 2027-28 commit to the University of Massachusetts and could spend another year in the junior ranks before heading to North America. Expect him to be a big part of the Finnish World Junior team this holiday season.
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Blackhawks' Ryan Roobroeck: Sniper selected by Chicago
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Roobroeck was the 35th overall pick by Chicago in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.
One pick after shooting for upside with defenseman Xavier Villeneuve, Chicago does the same thing with a talented forward in Roobroeck. There was a time in the draft process in which Roobroeck appeared to be a lock to go early. Yet his final numbers of 30 goals and 58 points in 49 games for OHL Niagara were mediocre. There have long been concerns about Roobroeck's work ethic. The upside here is that of a perennial 30-goal sniper, given Roobroeck's elite shot and individual physical gifts. However, it's going to be a process if he reaches that point.
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Blackhawks' Xavier Villeneuve: Talented defender joins Chicago
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Villeneuve was the 34th overall pick by Chicago in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.
There's a case to be made that Villeneuve was the most talented defenseman available in the entire draft. He's a truly dynamic offensive player, but at 5-foot-11, 165 pounds, he's severely undersized, and his ability to defend in his own zone is often a struggle. There's almost no physicality to his game, and it's hard to see how he will have a productive NHL career if he isn't putting up points. That said, this kind of natural ability is rarely available at this stage of the draft, so Villeneuve was a worthy gamble by the Blackhawks. He is off to Boston University this fall.
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Blackhawks' Jordan Greenway: Off to Chicago in trade
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Greenway and Bowen Byram were traded to the Blackhawks from the Sabres on Tuesday in exchange for Louis Crevier and the fourth and 45th overall picks in 2026, freelance insider Frank Seravalli reports.
Greenway will get a fresh start after a few injury-riddled seasons in Buffalo. He was held to six points in 40 regular-season outings last year, though he had three points in 13 playoff games. Greenway will slot into a bottom-six role with time on the penalty kill for the Blackhawks, but that's unlikely to be enough to make him reliable in fantasy.
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Blackhawks' Bowen Byram: Headlines trade to Chicago
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Byram and Jordan Greenway were traded to the Blackhawks from the Sabres on Tuesday in exchange for Louis Crevier and the fourth and 45th overall picks in 2026, freelance insider Frank Seravalli reports.
Byram is the biggest piece of the trade for now, though the Sabres' asset management is a big part of the deal. The 25-year-old Byram will likely be in discussions with Chicago's brass on an extension as he enters a contract year. With the Sabres in 2025-26, Byram had 11 goals and 42 points, both career highs, over 82 regular-season games. He added 109 shots on net, 93 blocked shots, 50 hits, 48 PIM and a plus-15 rating. Byram is one of the most experienced blueliners on the Blackhawks' roster and should be in contention for top-four minutes and power-play time.
Blackhawks' Jack Pridham: Logs three points in title game
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Pridham scored a goal and added two assists in OHL Kitchener's 6-2 win over WHL Everett in the Memorial Cup championship game Sunday.
Pridham put up five goals and four assists over Kitchener's four games in the tournament. The 20-year-old forward also had a breakout regular season with 90 points in 65 outings. Pridham is in an interesting situation -- if he doesn't sign his entry-level deal or commit to playing in the NCAA on Monday, he'll re-enter the NHL Draft, per Scott Powers of The Athletic. After a 90-point breakout in the regular season, the 20-year-old forward would likely have significant attention if he's available to be drafted again.
Blackhawks' Jack Pridham: Two goals in Memorial Cup win
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Pridham scored twice in OHL Kitchener's 6-2 win over WHL Everett in a Memorial Cup round-robin game on Monday.
Pridham has three goals and an assist over Kitchener's first two games at the tournament. The Blackhawks prospect racked up two goals and 15 assists over 18 OHL postseason contests, which could be seen as disappointing after he ranked second in the league with 46 goals in the regular season. His scoring touch looks to be back now as Kitchener aims to claim the Memorial Cup for the third time in franchise history.
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