This is the first year we decided to survey Chicago Blackhawks fans twice. In the first survey, we sought to gauge how fans felt about this past season. In the second, we wanted to do so again after they made moves and their offseason was complete.
Here are the results of the second survey, with brief commentary from us and some quotes from survey participants:
We duplicated some questions from our last survey in April just to see if there were changes based on the offseason. Danny Wirtz benefited from the last few months. He went from getting mostly 3s in April to jumping to mostly 4s now. He also got a few more 5s this time around.
“Danny Wirtz earned a bump in how he helped bring Kane back, but I’ll never be able to give him a 5 after he actually promoted Bowman in 2020.”
“Regarding the ranking of Danny Wirtz: I think hearing the news that he was directly involved with convincing Kane to return has made a very positive impression on me. He had seemed somewhat recluse and uninvolved to me when it comes to roster development, but knowing now that he personally reached out to Kane has definitely made me believe in him a bit more.”
Davidson’s results were relatively the same since the last poll. He went from having about 66 percent of the votes giving him 3s and 4s to about 72 this time around. He lost some 5s over the last few months.
“I have high marks for KD. He handled phase I of the rebuild well, acquiring a lot of picks, and many of those picks are now in the NHL. Phase II began this summer.”
“KD has been good with trades and contracts for the young guys. I’m not sure he’s had great foresight on the number of prospects we’d have in the system at any point in time and how best to surround them with meaningful vets to develop them. How the blue line prospects develop will make or break this rebuild at this point.”
“I’m not dissatisfied with how the rebuild has been going, and where it is going. What we’ve gone through is exactly what KD told us when he was hired is what we have and are going through. His plan is in motion, and I believe in most of the moves he’s done.”
“This offseason showed that Kyle from Chicago is not the right person to lead this team going forward.”
We could have probably excluded Blashill from this survey, but it’s good to have consistent data points. His results were similar to the last survey, with him getting mostly 4s. How he handled André Burakovsky last season still does not seem to sit well with some fans.
“The jury remains out on Davidson and Blashill. This next phase will be very important. They seem to have talent. Now they need the talent to develop/rise and to find balance on the lines and on defense.”
“Still not sold on Blashill being a good game coach. Shows some flexibility but also an underlying stubbornness.”
Fans appear to be somewhat satisfied with this offseason. By trading Burakovsky, signing Roman Kantserov, re-signing Connor Bedard, acquiring Bowen Bryam and Jordan Greenway, and signing Patrick Kane, Ian Cole and Cole Smith, the Blackhawks altered their present and future. With just 7.4 percent of voters giving As, the offseason wasn’t a complete win.
“Top-6 winger, CHECK, High-end defenseman, CHECK. Adding some much needed physicality, CHECK. Adding vets with championship pedigree, CHECK. Getting an NHL-caliber top 6, CHECK. Kids taking offseason development seriously, CHECK. All of this accomplished without giving up any meaningful roster player.”
“They haven’t done enough in the offseason. Kane is a nice addition but has slowed down. Our defense isn’t proven and we need additional proven scorers. It’s nice seeing all the potential young players but let them develop and get someone who can be an immediate impact.”
“Sucks to lose Big Lou, but when you look at the overall ins and outs, you see this as a much much improved roster. Also, they didn’t sign an aging vet to a long-term contract that you know will age badly. That’s the most impressive part.”
“I’m really disappointed in the offseason, specifically not being able to sign a higher-caliber winger than Kane. Bedard deserves to play with someone that can keep up, and while Kane is still awesome and forever loved, he needs another running mate that can take his line over the edge.”
The trade for and re-signing of Byram were the Blackhawks’ biggest swings under Davidson. Fans seem to approve of the acquisition more than the contract, but they’re still mostly optimistic Byram can be worth it, giving the moves mostly B’s and C’s.
“Byram better be as good as Davidson thinks he is.”
“A big bet on Byram. They paid a lot of pick and salary cap capital. If it does not work, it sets the rebuild back. I do wonder how it affects other high picks they will need to sign in the near future.”
“I wavered in my faith in Davidson when the Byram trade was initially announced, but I’ve warmed up to it a lot as the offseason’s gone on. Would much rather pay for future performance than past performance.”
“I think that Byram was a tremendous addition. By the end of the season, he will be in the discussion of the NHL’s elite D-men.”
“Everyone is sleeping on Bo Byram and it’s almost comical. I was livid that we passed on him and drafted Kirby above him. Bo is a flat-out stud. I was an Avs season ticket holder and had the chance to watch him live for a couple of years. He’s the real deal.”
“The Byram trade was good. The contract wasn’t.”
There was little doubt fans would be ecstatic about Patrick Kane coming back. The poll confirmed it.
“Can’t wait to see Kane and Bedard play together. Who would have thought after all these years Kane finally gets a similarly talented running mate? Better late than never.”
“My feeling about this team did a 180 when they signed Kane. I feel like they are one missing piece from contending. Assuming the young players keep getting better and Bedard can stay healthy, they are much closer to being the team we want them to be than they were a month ago.”
“Bringing Kaner back is great for fans. But it is not the big offseason winger move that was needed. He doesn’t move the needle towards the playoffs enough.”
“Bringing Patrick Kane back has strengthened my waning confidence in Kyle Davidson’s ability to see beyond an over reliance on developing young talent without adding proven veterans to achieve a more seasoned mix of players capable of contending for a playoff spot.”
This question is always a good gauge of where fans see the Blackhawks’ direction. It was interesting that the results didn’t change much since before the offseason. They received 32.3 percent 3s and 38.8 percent 4s in April. The 4s led the way again, at about the same percentage.
“Rebuild was going to be a tear down to the studs. That’s done, and now the drywall is on and mudding and taping is almost finished.”
“Everything is moving incredibly slow. Other teams are turning around much faster, which questions the Blackhawks’ ability to evaluate talent given all the high draft picks they’ve had.”
“The only thing KD is missing is getting the big-name free agent signed to complete what he started. The kids will all mature at a decent rate and the playoffs will be happening in the next few seasons.”
“I gave my confidence in the rebuild a 3/5, knowing that next year I will feel confident giving a 1/5 or 5/5. Davidson’s bet on his young players has the potential to make him look like a genius or a total failure. The biggest prospects are here and I’m excited to see what happens.”
“Basically how I feel depends on how the non-Bedard young players look this year. If there isn’t much of a leap this rebuild is in big, big trouble.”
“It’s hard to gauge the state of the rebuild given the players of the future are still so young. It’s taking a frustratingly long time, but the pieces are largely here. I think the Hawks would benefit from at least one more NHL-caliber player to assist these players.”
“This is the critical year of the rebuild if they don’t improve time for a change.”
“The rebuild is still behind schedule. They will be a bottom feeder team AGAIN this season.”
“Rebuilding is a tough slog. I am optimistic that they are taking the correct approach.”
The Blackhawks’ offseason didn’t create a ton of optimism about making the playoffs this season. That percentage has actually dropped since April. Most people expect the 2027-28 season to be the turning point.
“I’m excited to see how this season goes. I want them in the playoffs this year, but I expect next season is the season they will be contending for more than just a battle for a wild-card spot.”
“I do believe if Bedard comes back fully healthy at the end of October, this team will make the playoffs this season. But next season, I will fully expect them to make it.”
“The time for progress is now. I don’t expect to win the Cup this year, but there are a lot of high-end prospects that need to turn into NHL-caliber players.”
The Blackhawks finished with 72 points during the 2025-26 season. Most respondents to our survey expect them to finish between 71-80 points, which wouldn’t be a major jump. But if they can get to the 81-90 points that 37.7 percent voted for, that could be more significant. With 84 games this season, there are more possible points to obtain, too.
“Most of my 3s and mid-range answers are just because the team needs to prove their worth this year. Letting the young guys run the team this year, for better or worse, means you essentially have to give up predicting this season.”
“Key year for the rebuild. They may not make the playoffs, but they need to be in the running the last two weeks. If not, Davidson should be on a hot seat.”
“It is a confusing time to be a Blackhawks fan. I don’t believe that anyone knows what this team is, including the guys in the room.”
“I’m getting the feeling this is a make-or-break year for the Blackhawks. If Byram struggles, if Levshunov can’t take the next step, and if our young forwards can’t meaningfully contribute without Bedard, then I think it’s time to sound the alarms.”
“This season is a success if it has the vibes of the 2007-2008 season, especially as we get into February and March.”
At this point, it’d be more surprising if Connor Bedard isn’t named captain this coming season.
Bedard has elevated expectations after last season. Most fans expect him to produce more than a point per game.
Kane averaged a healthy 0.86 points per game during his three seasons in Detroit. Across a full 84 games (Kane last played close to a full schedule in 2021-22, when he played 78 of 82), that translates to about 72 points. The Blackhawks would surely take that; Bedard’s 75 points last season represented the team’s first 70-point season since Kane had 92 in that 2021-22 campaign. But most of our readers are aiming a little lower, with nearly 80 percent anticipating a solid season between 50 and 70 points. Playing alongside Bedard for most of the year should at least boost Kane’s chances of beating those expectations.
“Patrick Kane isn’t a winning player anymore.”
“Loved the Kane trade for nostalgia but he hasn’t had 60 points in four years.”
Byram had career highs with 11 goals and 42 points last season. Those are solid-if-modest totals. But he’s also never been used as a No. 1 defenseman, either. With heavier minutes and loads of PP1 time with Bedard and Kane, the Blackhawks are counting on Byram to take a big leap in offensive production. Blackhawks fans are a little more skeptical, with nearly half expecting him to be in the 40s again. Eight hundred of our voters had Byram in the 51-60 range, which the Blackhawks would love to see.
“Byram better be as good as Davidson thinks he is.”
There’s certainly more belief in Chicago’s young forwards than its young defensemen among the fans. Anton Frondell, the No. 3 pick in the 2025 draft, had three goals and six assists in 12 games after coming over from Sweden last season. Kantserov, meanwhile, was the youngest player to lead the KHL in goals since Kirill Kaprizov, so expectations are sky-high — and they’re only heightened by the knowledge that he could be spending much of the year on a line with Bedard and Kane. Nick Lardis, who looked good late last season but likely lost his spot next to Bedard, comes next in our vote. Levshunov and Sam Rinzel, leapfrogged on the depth chart by Byram, face more modest external expectations, even though internally they remain critical pieces.
“Though I picked Frondell for breakout player, I think Levshunov is the one who really needs to break out if this rebuild is any sort of success.”
“Stay the course. Young D-men don’t reach their peak until about 26 or 27.”
A remarkably even split here between the popular Nazar, the tantalizing Frondell and the rock-steady Spencer Knight. Knight isn’t featured much in this survey because he’s already proven so reliable and he’s become a fixture in net, so it’s nice to see him getting some love and respect here. Nearly 20 percent picked “other,” so perhaps those people are waiting to see how Kantserov pans out. His No. 80 has been worn by only one other Blackhawks player: Antoine Vermette, one of the great and most consequential short-term players in team history.
“I want an (Alex) Vlasic jersey! Support the hometown kid.”
From old man Lazerus, who seems to be the lone voice of dissent on this question: “Am I so out of touch? No. It’s the children who are wrong.” Blackhawks fans love the black jerseys, and Blackhawks business types love money, so these throwback kits are here to stay.
These kinds of contracts are ceremonial, of course, and Toews already held his retirement news conference with the Winnipeg Jets. But Blackhawks fans want to see the captain in red one more time. It’s not hard to envision a home-opener with both Kane and Toews being feted in different ways.
“Toews and Kane both deserve to stay and retire as a Blackhawk; this is just good business with both the organization and the fanbase.”
“I think the Blackhawks should sign Jonathan Toews to a one-year contract. He would be another great addition to the young players, as a mentor, plus who wouldn’t want to see Kane and Toews back together again?”
“I don’t really care that much about who wears what letters, whether Jonathan Toews has his ceremony, or any of the pageantry. I just hope they are fun this year.”
Kane is now the only member of the championship core still playing, so we’re going to see a lot of numbers put in the rafters in the coming years. Toews tops the fans’ list, with Duncan Keith not far behind. Shout out to the old heads out there, still (correctly) carrying a torch for the criminally under-appreciated Steve Larmer. The Blackhawks just gave his No. 28 to Ian Cole, though, so don’t hold your breath.
“Obviously Toews should have his jersey retired. But if they are both open and positive toward it, I’d like to see him and Kaner do it together.”
“I think we’re overdue for Duncan Keith getting his number retired. He’s already in the HHOF and came back for the inaugural induction of the Blackhawks HOF, I’d be slightly surprised if they don’t retire his number this season.”
“I wish there were fewer retired numbers.”
“Might be a hot take, but I don’t think Sharpie should have his number retired. I think jersey retirements should be Keith, Larmer, Toews, Hammer, Crow, Seabs, and by then probably Kaner’s clocked out and can have his raised, too.”
So what took so long?! The Blackhawks actually did this for the 2013-14 season, but because many of the fans in the 100 level live in the far suburbs, they often had a tough time fighting through traffic in time for puck drop. The team brass didn’t like the visual of so many empty seats on TV, so they went back to 7:30 starts the following season. Those 7:30 starts are getting more and more scarce throughout the league, and we’re all the better for it.
When we asked this last July, only 44 percent of respondents said they’d have access to CHSN. So, at least they’re over the 50 percent mark now. There’s still a very long way to go to have the kind of reach the team enjoyed during the Comcast and NBC Sports Chicago days. Now, if the league would drop its archaic blackout rules, this would be a lot easier for everyone.
“Still pissed at CHSN for yanking over the air coverage away like it was Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown.”
“CHSN needs to be more widely available or they need to reduce pricing. RSNs are a dying solution and as hockey becomes more expensive (both to watch and play) we need better avenues to grow the game.”
The political winds have shifted dramatically since the Washington Commanders and Cleveland Guardians changed their names and logos, and what once seemed inevitable now seems unlikely. That’s fine by Blackhawks fans, who overwhelmingly want to keep the team’s famous logo (and who, based on the comments, are very tired of us asking this question every now and then).
“Get over the name change, it’s tired.”
“Please drop the changing the logo nonsense. It’s exhausting, and a non-topic.”
“It is past time for the Blackhawks to change their logo. Even if they do not change their name (which some would argue is necessary), there is not reason to continue using a caricature. There will be incensed fans, the owners will fear the loss of revenue, but we have the ethical need to change. This is necessary. A generation from now it will begin to fade. And eventually it will not matter.”
“As for changing the logo, I selected they should keep it. My caveat would be to bring back the more realistic Black Hawk in lieu of this cartoonish version. As well as once again separating the name (into two words).”
“It is time for the logo to change. The legacy and story of Black Hawk must remain part of the brand and history of the team, but I refuse to wear anything bearing the Indian head. I live on the West Coast now and have realized how disgusted people are by the logo outside of the Chicagoland bubble — it’s deeply embarrassing. We are making fools of ourselves by failing to adapt to the times. We have seen that very cool logo design alternatives exist.”
“The logo question is political garbage. Stop the virtue signaling. There is no intent other than honoring the traditions of the Native American history. Do more if you feel guilty. Don’t run from it like cowards.”
The Hilton Chicago was the place to be every late July for years. If and when the Blackhawks muscle their way back into contention, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the convention resurrected.
“The fan convention was some of the most fun I had as a fan. I don’t know why they got rid of it.”