BOSTON — The Blackhawks‘ list of problems runs so long at the moment that it’s clear no singular fix will turn things around.
Most of the problems are interconnected, too, making it impossible to isolate each one. The Hawks aren’t scoring because they don’t have the puck enough, which is because they don’t defend well enough. But they can’t overcome their flawed defense because they’re not scoring.
General manager Kyle Davidson is likely wracking his brain for ideas after witnessing a very discouraging loss Thursday in Detroit. The Hawks canceled practice Friday, so their lineup Saturday against the Bruins won’t be revealed until warmups.
Trade rumors are starting to trickle around, but the NHL market is far from robust this early in the season. Coach Jeff Blashill’s job seems safe for the time being, despite fans’ anger, but it’s impossible to know for sure.
That leaves changes to the existing roster’s composition or systems as the most viable short-term possibilities.
Blashill has already extensively experimented with line blending, discovering a few briefly promising combinations — like the Frank Nazar, Patrick Kane and Oliver Moore line — but nothing needle-moving yet.
The systems have remained the same since last season, so perhaps altering those could represent the next frontier. But that’s difficult to do amid a stretch of nine games in 16 days. The next break in the schedule (Nov. 8-11) could be a critical juncture.
Strangely, one of the few Hawks who hasn’t been involved whatsoever in Blashill’s line blending is rookie Anton Frondell.
Frondell has been stapled to center — with veteran Tyler Bertuzzi stapled to his left wing — since training camp opened. That arrangement worked well early on, but its effectiveness has faded lately.
Blashill acknowledged Frondell was one of many Hawks who didn’t skate or compete hard enough Thursday. That’s now three games out of the last five in which Blashill has described Frondell’s performance as subpar, and six straight games in which he hasn’t recorded a point.
Blashill framed that as a “pretty good” 10:3 ratio of good vs. bad games for the 19-year-old Swede overall this season, but things are trending downward.
So is his ice time. He played less than 14:10 in each of those three bad games, including a career-low 11:44 on Thursday. Afterward, Blashill admitted he maybe “didn’t give [him] enough of a chance to get out” of his funk.
I liked this defensive shift from Anton Frondell in Detroit: pic.twitter.com/Hfb7KzRMrm
— Ben Pope’s Video Clips (@BenPopeCSTclips) October 30, 2026
So why not try something different with Frondell? He’s the type of big, talented forward who could potentially make a difference both offensively and defensively if reignited in the right situation.
Perhaps he’s not ready to drive his own line for weeks upon weeks — particularly while handling tough matchups against opposing stars every night — but is ready to dominate in a complementary role.
“He seems like he’s been around a long time, but obviously he hasn’t been,” Ryan Donato said Thursday. “Lessons that you learn over time are really hard lessons, and it seems like he’s already learned a lot of them. It’s awesome to see.”
Connor Bedard’s wing opposite Roman Kantserov has been a carousel recently, with Kane, Ryan Greene and Teuvo Teravainen all getting looks there without success. That would be one obvious spot in which to slot Frondell if the Hawks are willing to simply try him on the wing.
Doing so wouldn’t require abandoning their long-term vision of him potentially becoming a Jonathan Toews- or Aleksander Barkov-type center. It could be undone quickly if it doesn’t work. In fact, they could even try Frondell at center and Bedard on the wing if so desired.
A different role could also possibly spark Bertuzzi, who’s on pace for just 13 goals this season after burying 32 last season.
One way or another, the Hawks’ strategy of spreading out their forward talent seems to be watering it down instead. It’s time to try condensing it.