The Chicago Blackhawks have four games remaining in 2025-26. There is a lot to watch for as it comes to a close.
The Chicago Blackhawks have four games remaining in 2025-26, and all of them will take place at the United Center. They close out with games against the Carolina Hurricanes, St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, and San Jose Sharks.
All of those teams are either in a playoff spot or desperately pushing to try and get in, so it won't be an easy task in any of these matchups.
The Blackhawks will be solely focused on themselves as they try to finish the season strong. Every player on the roster is pushing to show what they can do ahead of next season, where they will be expected to take another step.
There are a lot of different storylines to keep an eye on when it comes to this team's final handful of games. These are the four that stick out with four games remaining.
1. The five-forward power play is starting to work well.
Over the last handful of games, Jeff Blashill has been using five forwards on the power play. Against the San Jose Sharks on Monday, this looked like a strong group that skated and moved the puck well with the man-advantage.
When asked if he would go back to this strategy next season, Blashill had a response that you would expect following a game where everything seemed to click:
"I’d have to be crazy not to," Blashill said on considering five forwards again in 2026-27. "I have no issue with five forwards. It doesn’t matter if it’s a forward or a [defenseman] back there. That doesn’t dictate whether or not you give up shorthanded chances. To me, it’s about the responsibility of the group. What it does is get the puck in Bedsy’s hands, and he’s the guy you want with the puck in his hands."
With five forwards on the ice, the defensive responsibility (assuming they allow the short-handed unit to get the puck and hang onto it) would be on whoever is playing at the point.
Things usually aren't negative for the Blackhawks when Connor Bedard has the puck on his stick. He is the best offensive player on the team, so getting him touches with the extra man out there is important.
Against the Sharks, Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell couldn't stop shooting the puck from the flanks, which was largely created by Bedard dancing around. In Chicago's case, it might be better to go with that instead of a defenseman at the top of the zone.
2. Kevin Korchinski's development is showing as the season comes to an end.
Kevin Korchinski was called up ahead of Matt Grzelcyk and Artyom Levshunov, who were ruled out for the season. In that stretch, he has shown great signs of development.
"He's not over-complicating it," head coach Jeff Blashill said of Korchinski. "He's using his feet to beat pressure, but then he's moving the puck to the open people. When he does that and defends with his feet, he's been a really good player."
When Korchinski was the 7th overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, the Blackhawks envisioned him as a high-end skating defenseman with great puck skills. It wasn't clicking at the NHL level early on, but he showed those skills in the AHL on a nightly basis.
Now, at 21 years old, he is starting to prove the scouting staff correct. It takes time, especially at this position with his skill set. It doesn't happen overnight. Heading into the summer, especially if he finishes strong over these four games, Kyle Davidson and his staff must work on getting him extended (RFA).
3. Anton Frondell and Sacha Boisvert are looking to have strong finishes to a wild season.
Anton Frondell and Sacha Boisvert were both inserted into the Chicago Blackhawks lineup late in the season. They have wildly different skillsets, but are each capable of contributing to the team in the long-term.
Boisvert, the 18th pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, is a scrappy bottom-six forward who can play center or wing. In addition to playing a physical game (that includes fighting), he has a knack for goal scoring. As he adapts to the pro game, he should find success reaching the high-danger areas more frequently.
As for Frondell, he was the third overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft for a reason. Whether it's his two-way dominance, elite one-time shot, or tenacity in all three zones, he already fits into a top-six NHL role.
Whether he plays wing with a dynamic center or drives his own line as a center in the future remains to be seen, but the Blackhawks will certainly do their due diligence to figure out a great plan for him.
Going into the final four games of the season, expect both of them to skate like the wind. It's been a wild season for each of them, and they'd like to finish it strong.
4. Good Draft Lottery Odds are awaiting the front office.
The Chicago Blackhawks enter the final four games with the second-fewest amount of points in the National Hockey League. The Vancouver Canucks have locked in the best odds, but the Blackhawks could finish anywhere in the bottom five.
With some incredible teams rolling through town in the next few days, there is an opportunity for them to remain with the second-fewest amount of points. They have already improved their totals from a year ago, so one more year in the top three won't hurt them in any way. In fact, they would be guaranteed to add an elite prospect.
If they stick with the second-best odds, they will enter the lottery with a 13.5 percent chance of winning the first overall pick in the 2026 Draft. Picking first or second likely means one of Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg. Dropping outside of the top two could mean anything, as this is a deep draft with some big decisions yet to be made.
Although the young Blackhawks have no interest in dropping any of their final four games, every result will have the hockey world checking the standings at the bottom.
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