The Chicago Blackhawks are now through four games. The first two came on the road against the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins, followed by the next two at home against the Montreal Canadiens and Utah Mammoth. Chicago is 1-2-1 with 3 standings points.
One thing that is evident through the first four games is that the Blackhawks are going to be involved in a lot more games. All four were either a Blackhawks win or losses by one goal. They are fast, have more skill, and play hard for Jeff Blashill.
There were some things that we learned about the team during the first two road games. Now that they have played two at home, we know even more about them. These are the three things that the first homestand of 2025-26 told us about the Blackhawks:
Ilya Mikheyev can impact games
Chicago Blackhawks forward Ilya Mikheyev is not a star player, but he did score a cool 20 goals in 2024-25. With no power play time, that is an impressive total.
Coming into this year, it was fair to wonder how he would follow that up. So far, he’s been an impactful player all over the ice once again, which was evident in the two home games.
In the home opener against Montreal, the Blackhawks found themselves on the penalty kill 10 times. They killed off eight of them, which is a great job by those units. Mikheyev is one of the key pieces to that success, as he was all over the ice during those kills.
As a result of his work on the PK, and how frequently it was needed, he hardly had any even strength ice time. That’s the kind of warrior that helps build great cultures in the NHL.
Two days later, when hosting the Mammoth, Mikheyev was rewarded with two goals. One was a beautiful effort to drive the net, and the other was an empty-netter. After the sacrifices he made against Montreal, he deserved to be on the scoresheet more than once a day later.
Having bottom-six forwards who can do it all for your team is important. Right now, Ilya Mikheyev is a proven player who can impact games. His work on this homestand is a great sign that it will continue.
Developing a "killer instinct" is a must
In the first game of the homestand, the home opener against the Montreal Canadiens, the Blackhawks allowed the game-winning goal with 15 seconds left in regulation. They were that close to at least getting a point, and giving themselves a chance to win in overtime.
Once the game was over, Nick Foligno talked about developing a killer instinct. That is something that has lacked in recent years. The Blackhawks have become known for blowing leads late or letting their opponent find a way to win in the final minutes.
One game later against the Mammoth, they did the opposite. Once Andre Burakovsky gave them a 2-1 lead, they did not allow Utah to get it tied. Instead, they threw one into the empty net and won 3-1 for their first victory of the season.
Like Foligno said, having that "killer instinct" can be the key to winning hockey games. One game after talking about it, the team showed signs of improvement in that area. Seeing that become more of a trend is a must this year if they want to take a step as a group.
Spencer Knight may be a high-end NHL starting goalie
Spencer Knight was a first-round draft pick by the Florida Panthers in 2019. Being selected so high is rare for a goalie, but Knight had the pedigree to live up to it.
After some struggles on and off the ice in Florida, along with some flashes of incredible play, the Panthers included him in the trade to get Seth Jones. With Sergei Bobrovsky as their main man in net, they were able to make that deal to get another solid defenseman.
With the Chicago Blackhawks, Knight is getting the opportunity he deserves to be a number one in the NHL. He got himself off to a good start when he came over at the end of last season, but he's gone to another level to start this year.
Knight played both games at home and allowed only four total goals. His goals against average currently sits at 2.35 while his save percentage is .920. Knowing his team is outshot in every game, these stats look even better.
The first game of the season on the road wouldn't have been close without Knight's brilliance. He came home and started both games, and his team had a shot to win each because of him.
Is he going to compete for Vezina Trophies or lead them to deep playoff runs? That remains to be seen. All we know is that he dominated this homestand and looks like he may be a high-end NHL goalie.
If Knight can continue saving 81 of every 88 shots, the Blackhawks will be more than pleased.
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