Blackhawks’ Preseason Wake-Up Call: Same Old Struggles Cast Shadow Over “New Era”
CHICAGO — Preseason is supposed to be a place where mistakes don’t matter. Where coaches experiment, rookies learn, and veterans shake off rust. But for the Chicago Blackhawks, a franchise mired in nearly a decade of frustration, even preseason hockey carries a heavier weight. And when the Blackhawks stumbled to a 3-2 loss against a watered-down Detroit Red Wings roster, it wasn’t just another exhibition defeat — it felt like déjà vu.
Detroit left its stars at home — no Dylan Larkin, Patrick Kane, Alex DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond, or Moritz Seider. Yet Chicago, icing a lineup filled with near-NHL regulars, including Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov, Kevin Korchinski, and Oliver Moore, was outshot 43–17 and outplayed in virtually every statistical category.
Connor Bedard remains the face of Chicago’s future, but even his talent couldn’t mask a troubling team-wide performance.
A Familiar Script
For fans, it was impossible not to feel a sense of cruel familiarity. This was supposed to be a showcase of the “New Era,” a glimpse at the rebuild beginning to turn the corner. Instead, the Blackhawks looked eerily like the same team that has frustrated them for years: slow starts, defensive breakdowns, and little sustained offense.
At 5-on-5, the numbers told the brutal story:
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46–23 in shot attempts
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32–14 in shots on goal
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22–11 in scoring chances
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13–7 in high-danger looks
By the end, Detroit controlled 71% of the expected goals — an embarrassing figure for Chicago’s top young talent facing what was essentially an AHL-level roster.
Frank Nazar enters his first season under a new deal, but with it comes immediate pressure to deliver results.
The Weight of Expectations
Connor Bedard remains the centerpiece, but he cannot drag the team out of mediocrity alone. Frank Nazar, fresh off his new contract, has instantly become a player under the microscope. Sam Rinzel and Kevin Korchinski were supposed to solidify the blue line, while Artyom Levshunov has been touted as the future defensive cornerstone.
Yet in Detroit, the so-called “pillars” of Chicago’s rebuild looked shaky. Instead of a turning point, it felt like more of the same.
Rinzel still has much to prove beyond his brief NHL sample. Detroit exposed the inexperience on Chicago’s blue line.
Levshunov showed flashes, but couldn’t stabilize a defense that bled scoring chances.
Caption: Korchinski is still developing, but the Blackhawks are already leaning heavily on him to perform.
No More Excuses
Head coach Jeff Blashill pointed to growing pains, line chemistry, and preseason rust. And while reasonable, those explanations don’t erase the reality: Chicago doesn’t have the benefit of the doubt anymore.
Fans aren’t interested in “the process.” They want progress. They want proof. And this game — even as “just preseason” — didn’t provide it.
Fan Reaction
On social media, the reaction was swift and harsh:
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“Same old Hawks. Doesn’t matter if it’s preseason or playoffs, the effort isn’t there.”
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“You can’t keep selling hope if the product on the ice looks like this. Bedard deserves better.”
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“It’s only preseason… but so was last year, and look where that got us.”
The skepticism isn’t unfair. Nearly a decade of losing seasons has left patience paper-thin.
The Verdict
It’s easy to dismiss this loss as meaningless. But in Chicago, where every game feels like a referendum on the rebuild, even September hockey matters. This was billed as the beginning of a new chapter. Instead, the first page looked far too much like the old story fans are desperate to close.
Until the Blackhawks prove they can win — preseason or otherwise — doubt will linger. And one night in Detroit reminded everyone that this “new era” still has everything left to prove.
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