The Chicago Blackhawks have many young players ready to break out during the 2026-27 season.
The Chicago Blackhawks have a roster loaded with young players. Most of their key contributors will be 25 years of age or younger. There are a few exceptions, but youthful is the best way to describe the team right now.
The best player on the team is 21-year-old Connor Bedard, but he is already an established star in the NHL. New levels of stardom are within reach for him, and the hockey world knows how talented he is.
For other young players, 2026-27 will be a chance for that first big breakout. These are the 4 non-rookie players, aged 23 or younger, who are ready to truly break out as key contributors in the league after promising starts to their careers:
Frank Nazar
During the 2025-26 season, Frank Nazar had 15 goals and 26 assists for 41 points in 66 games played. An injury slowed down a hot start to the season, but he was back on track before the year ended.
Going into the 2026-27 season, Nazar has the potential to break out. He knows his role as one of the primary offensive options on the team, and that should allow him to reach new heights.
Is it going to be his career year? Likely not, but it should end all doubts that he is a high-end contributor in the league. With Bedard missing the first month or so of the season, they will depend on him even more.
The main question for Nazar right now is his position. Is he a center or a wing? The Blackhawks are operating as if he is going to be a center driving his own line. Will he play with Patrick Kane or Tyler Bertuzzi? That would be a big help, and he is good enough to play with anyone on the roster.
Sam Rinzel
Sam Rinzel did not have the rookie year that everyone thought he would, especially after getting into 9 games following his final college season, which went so well. He was sent down to the AHL at one point, and he returned looking much more relaxed and focused.
Rinzel is now looking to break out as a key defenseman on the team going into 2026-27. With Bowen Byram in the mix, along with other young defensemen around, there is no pressure on him to be the main guy.
Rinzel can work on being a solid two-way defenseman on a team deeper at the position, which should allow him to take steps in his career. If at any point he gets time on the power play, you could see some of his offensive skills on display.
Oliver Moore
Oliver Moore had a tough injury right at the end of the year as things were starting to click for him. Like Nazar, there is still a process in place to decide whether he is a wing or a center, but his overall future in the NHL is bright.
Moore is the fastest player in the organization, and that has been his number one attribute since being drafted in 2023. This speed allows him to find pucks, defend, kill penalties, and be hard to play against.
Once that speed starts to match his skills, he will score more goals and create more plays for his linemates. As he enters this next chapter of his career, a nice breakout could be ahead.
Nick Lardis
Nick Lardis is a goal-scoring winger. There is no question about it. The only question for him is how high he can take his goal totals. In his final OHL season, 2024-25, Lardis scored 71 goals. Because of this, he entered last year thinking he could eventually play in the NHL.
Lardis' pro career began with the Rockford IceHogs, where he scored 18 goals in 35 games played. When Connor Bedard got hurt, Lardis was called up. He ended up playing half of the NHL schedule, 41 games, and he scored 10 goals. Scoring at a 20-goal pace as a 20-year-old rookie third-round pick raised eyebrows.
If Lardis plays with good playmaking linemates and is healthy for a full season, nobody should be surprised if he goes on to be a 30-goal scorer at 21 years old. In his career, he could take it even further, but a breakout in 2026-27 is on the table for the young sniper.
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