Blackhawks rookie Anton Frondell didn’t enter training camp riding the same high as when he joined the team for the last month of last season.
But during two weeks of camp, he has inched toward to that level again. He scored the opening goal and was noticeably better in the Hawks’ 3-2 win over the Blues in their preseason finale Saturday.
Coach Jeff Blashill, who admitted Friday that Frondell hadn’t gotten to his “A-game” yet, saw what he wanted to see from the Swedish power forward.
“He’s a young guy that wants to be great,” Blashill said. “That’s a great thing. That means he’s ultimately going to reach his ceiling… [But] he just wants to be perfect. Sometimes you just got to free yourself up a little bit. I thought he did a better job of that tonight.
“I [had] tons of belief in him even through the first couple [preseason] games, when he probably wasn’t playing his best. I knew there was way better, and it showed tonight. He’s a horse who can make a play. That’s a pretty good combo.”
Frondell also liked his performance in his 22-plus minutes of ice time, which led team forwards.
He stuffed the box score by attempting eight shots (getting four on goal) and taking 22 faceoffs (although he won only seven). He scored in the first period after actually losing a faceoff; Tyler Bertuzzi got to the puck first and created a juicy rebound that Frondell buried.
“I would say this was my best game during those three [preseason games],” Frondell said. “I felt like I had more speed today, had some good chances and also ended up with a goal. Power play worked out better.
“[When] we end up playing five-on-five back to the smaller ice here in North America, [I] have to switch a little bit my game style. I’m getting used to it, and today felt like I was more back.”
GOAL: Anton Frondell slaps in a shot from the slot to open the scoring. pic.twitter.com/02UWa5Uc2J
— BHF (@BlackhawksFocus) September 26, 2026
Teuvo Teravainen and Ethan Del Mastro, two Hawks fighting desperately for opening-night jobs, also stood out in positive ways. Ryan Donato and Oliver Moore, two Hawks with seemingly more secure jobs, both struggled with defensive-zone turnovers.
That’s sometimes the way it goes in the preseason, which the Hawks finished 2-1-1. The team now has a couple days to finalize their roster before flying to Las Vegas ahead of their regular-season opener Tuesday.
Boisvert’s identity
Hawks forward prospect Sacha Boisvert is already an NHL-caliber fighter — there’s no doubt about that. He might even be a professional boxing-level fighter. Blues veteran Nathan Walker found that out the hard way Thursday.
Boisvert didn’t appear NHL-ready in other aspects of the game during camp, however, despite holding his own in his first seven NHL appearances last spring. He will start the season in Rockford with quite a bit to prove.
“I don’t know if he’s a better center or wing,” Blashill said. “We’re still trying to figure that piece of it out. I think he’s also got to then figure out, ‘How am I going to make myself a difference-maker at this level?’
Blashill lauded Boisvert’s fighting skills but said he wasn’t physical enough or effective enough in puck battles, especially earlier on in camp.
“He has to go to Rockford and keep finding that identity of what’s going to make him special as a pro,” Blashill added.