The Chicago Blackhawks' 2025-26 season is officially over. It was another season of growing pains for the rebuilding Blackhawks, as they finished the campaign with a 29-39-14 record. They also lost eight out of their final 10 games. While the offseason is now here for the Blackhawks, it is never too early to discuss what next season could look like for the Original Six club. When looking at their current group, one specific area that fans should be keeping an eye on once we get to training camp is their goaltending. The Blackhawks have their starting goalie set with Spencer Knight, but things could get interesting when it comes to the backup position. The Blackhawks have Drew Commesso waiting in the wings, and it is fair to wonder if he could challenge Arvid Soderblom for Chicago's backup spot. Soderblom had his struggles this season for Chicago, as he had an 8-13-3 record, a 3.80 goals-against average, and an .880 save percentage. The 26-year-old took a step back this season, as he had an .898 save percentage and a 3.18 goals-against average in 36 games last season for the Blackhawks. Commesso, on the other hand, has been solid for the Rockford IceHogs this season. In 36 games, he has a .903 save percentage and a 3.00 goals-against average. He was also impactful in his small sample size with Chicago this season, posting a 2-1-0 record, a .918 save percentage, and a 2.31 goals-against average in three games. This included him having a 36-save shutout against the Nashville Predators on Jan. 10. With all of this, it is going to be very fascinating to see if Commesso can challenge Soderblom for the Blackhawks' backup spot next season.
