The Chicago Blackhawks have had their camp, played their six preseason games, and are ready for a big year ahead.

Although they’d like to take some steps in the standings, the most important thing to them is the development of their young players. 

Now we know what 23 men will make the trip to Sunrise to take on the Florida Panthers. The question is, do the players feel ready for the regular season? 

“I feel like kind of a dress rehearsal for Tuesday with pretty much a full lineup. Yeah, it's nice. I mean, it just feels like hockey.” Nick Foligno said after the NHL group’s final preseason game on Saturday. “I think guys are really excited to get to the first game of the season,” Foligno continued. As the captain of a young team, he knows the temperature of the room and how the guys are feeling at this stage. 

Foligno was also asked about there being a lot thrown at the team with new systems under a new coaching staff. He was honest about it, admitting the team is grasping it, and it shows in how they improve as games go along. With all of the youth employed on the roster, there are going to be many games that serve as learning experiences in 2025-26.

“Yeah, great. It felt unbelievable,” Frank Nazar said after his final preseason game. “Super confident, I feel happy, having fun, and I'm excited.”

It’s one thing for a veteran like Foligno to be ready; he knows what it takes to prepare for an 82-game odyssey. The younger guys, however, are still putting it all together. Frank Nazar seems to have a good grip on what is needed to succeed. He was great in the preseason and feels he is ready for the real games to begin. 

Of all the young players on the team, Nazar may have the most noteworthy voice outside of Connor Bedard. He is a very good player who will be a top contributor for a long time. If he says he's ready, it is fair to assume that his peers are following his lead. 

It won't be a team that ends by lifting the Stanley Cup above their head this year, but they are well-equipped to take the necessary strides that they can build on in the coming years. 

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