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Published on:

8th Sep 2026

Summer Coolers – Chicago Blackhawks

Summer Coolers – Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks continue to build around Connor Bedard and a promising collection of young talent, but Neil Smith and Vic Morren see little reason to expect a playoff breakthrough this season. Anton Frondell, Roman Kantserov, Nick Lardis, and Sam Rinzel provide hope for the future, but major questions remain about Chicago’s ability to correctly project and develop its prospects. The spotlight is especially bright on Frank Nazar as his seven-year, $6.6 million-per-season contract begins. After six consecutive seasons without playoff hockey, how much longer will Blackhawks fans have to wait?

IN THIS EPISODE:

[00:00:00] Neil wastes no time giving his assessment of Chicago’s immediate future. While Summer Coolers isn’t about predictions, he simply does not see the Blackhawks as a playoff team this season.

[00:00:20] There is optimism within Chicago’s prospect pipeline, beginning with Anton Frondell, the third overall selection in the 2025 NHL Draft. He recorded nine points in 12 games with the Blackhawks last season.

[00:00:35] Roman Kantserov represents another young forward to watch as Chicago continues attempting to build a sustainable core around Bedard.

[00:00:45] Nick Lardis also gains NHL experience, while defenseman Sam Rinzel appears in 54 games and becomes another important part of the organization’s youth movement.

[00:01:00] The biggest question may surround Frank Nazar. He finishes last season with 15 goals and 41 points in 66 games while posting a minus-21 rating.

[00:01:20] Nazar’s new seven-year contract at $6.6 million per season now begins, placing considerably more pressure on the young forward to become an impact player.

[00:01:40] Neil believes Nazar’s production must increase dramatically—and remain there consistently—for the contract to ultimately become worthwhile for Chicago.

[00:02:00] The Nazar situation leads into a larger discussion about one of the biggest challenges facing modern NHL general managers: projecting what young players will become before they have fully proven themselves.

[00:02:20] Teams increasingly must commit significant money to young players based on future potential rather than established NHL production, making talent evaluation and projection more important than ever.

[00:02:40] Neil questions whether General Manager Kyle Davidson and the Blackhawks have demonstrated that they can consistently make those projections correctly.

[00:03:00] Connor Bedard was an obvious elite prospect as the first overall selection, but evaluating the players around him presents a much more difficult challenge for Chicago’s front office.

[00:03:20] Neil points to Nazar and Bowen Byram as examples of players whose long-term value will help determine whether Chicago’s front office correctly evaluated its future roster.

[00:03:40] The Blackhawks also move on from several veterans during the offseason. Andrei Burakovsky is traded to Ottawa for a 2027 sixth-round draft pick.

[00:04:00] Sam Lafferty leaves Chicago to sign with the Florida Panthers, while Ilya Mikheyev departs in free agency for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

[00:04:20] Those departures leave Chicago continuing to lean heavily on its developing young players rather than adding established veterans capable of accelerating the rebuild.

[00:04:40] The Blackhawks have now missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for six consecutive seasons, and even an optimistic assessment suggests the franchise remains years away from legitimate contention.

[00:05:00] Vic believes Chicago may still be at least two years away—and potentially three or four—from returning to the postseason based on the organization’s current trajectory.

[00:05:20] The comparison with San Jose becomes particularly concerning. After both franchises spent several seasons near the bottom of the standings, Neil believes the Sharks have now passed Chicago in their progression toward becoming a playoff team.

[00:05:40] Chicago has accumulated young talent, but Neil does not believe the Blackhawks have made enough tangible progress in the standings to suggest the rebuild is nearing completion.

[00:06:00] The episode concludes with Neil hoping his assessment is wrong—for both his childhood favorite Blackhawks and head coach Jeff Blashill—but he simply does not see enough improvement yet to believe Chicago is ready for playoff hockey.

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About the Podcast

NHL Wraparound Podcast
Neil Smith & Vic Morren
Breadth and depth.
Contemporary and historical.
Straight-forward and experienced.
The NHL Wraparound podcast features Neil Smith, President-General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers and longtime ESPN/NHL veteran Vic Morren sharing no-nonsense opinions on news and issues around the National Hockey League.

Bringing decades of experience from their respective fields, Smith and Morren create a unique partnership that examines the NHL from multiple perspectives. Additionally, as hockey historians, the pair can delve into any topic in today’s game and enlighten the audience with connections to events from previous years. To truly appreciate where hockey stands today, one needs to understand its past.

With 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of the Rangers last championship season, a special five-part series is planned to commemorate that magical run. Expect fascinating behind-the-scenes stories and special guests with particular focus on the GM who pushed all of his chips into the middle of the table amidst the most pressurized environments – and came out on top.

Whether you’re new to the game or a seasoned fan, each episode of NHL Wraparound will leave you entertained and informed.


Bio’s
Neil S. Smith, highly regarded NHL executive, served as the President and General Manager of the 1994 Stanley Cup Champion New York Rangers. During his eleven years with the team, they achieved significant success, including three division titles, two Presidents’ Trophies, one Eastern Conference Championship, and a historic Stanley Cup victory—the franchise’s first in 54 years.

Known for his expertise in professional sports franchise economics, Smith played a pivotal role in management decisions under four different Rangers owners.. His tenure saw iconic trades and acquisitions, including Hall of Famers Mark Messier and Wayne Gretzky, as well as successful drafts and free-agent signings.

Starting as a pro scout, Smith's career highlights include the impactful 1989 draft for the Detroit Red Wings and bold trades that shaped NHL history. He briefly served as GM for the New York Islanders in 2006, later working as a consultant for the Dallas Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins, and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

A Toronto native, Smith's hockey journey began in junior leagues before a distinguished college career at Western Michigan University. He has received numerous awards and distinctions, including induction into the University's Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.

Vic Morren: Born in New York City close to the Old Madison Square Garden, Vic Morren has had hockey in his blood his entire life as a fan, player and television production manager.

A graduate of William Paterson University, Morren skated for three seasons with the Pioneers hockey club and became the first statistical analyst to apply his craft to telecasts working New York Islanders and New Jersey Devils games from 1984-87. He co-authored two NHL-based statistics books within that span before moving to ESPN in 1987 and working the final season of the original deal the network had with the NHL.
After departing in 1990, Morren worked as a studio producer for SportsChannel America’s NHL coverage and the 1992 Barcelona Olympics before returning to ESPN that fall where he worked all 12 seasons on the second ESPN/NHL deal and the first season of the most recent contract in 2021-22. Morren has also earned a Sports Emmy for his work on Sunday Night Football coverage in 2003.

His relationship with Neil Smith dates back 33 years through their mutual friendship with the late ESPN/ABC commentator John Saunders. Morren looks forward to NHL Wraparound and collaborating with Smith with the goal to provide an experience of contemporary viewpoints, historical spin and an overall enriching podcast experience.