Anton Frondell’s goal for 2026-27 season will fire up Blackhawks fans

The Chicago Blackhawks are eyeing an end to a lengthy rebuild in 2026-27, and they’re going to need the young talent to take a significant step forward for that to happen.

The Hawks have finished dead last in the Central Division in each of the last four seasons, but the franchise has a new wave of players hoping to bring playoff hockey back to the Windy City for the first time since 2019-20.

A key piece of that quest will be 2025 third overall pick Anton Frondell, who impressed with nine points in his first 12 NHL games last year. He should play a starring role on this Chicago team for years to come, and he made it clear what his priorities are for the upcoming campaign.

“My goal for this season is to help the team make the playoffs,” Frondell said recently at the European Player Media Tour, per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti. “That’s maybe the first step in our development plan because we’ve missed the playoffs the past couple of years. Then, how far we will go, it’s just up to us.”

Frondell played an important role with Djurgården in the Swedish Hockey League last season — the highest level of competition in the country. As a teenager, he recorded 20 goals and 28 points in 43 games.

After his impressive NHL audition, he will have an opportunity to play in the top six and potentially see time with the top power-play unit. He could center Russian Roman Kantserov, who is coming over from the KHL after leading the league with 36 goals in 63 regular-season games.

Both Frondell and Kantserov will be important pieces for the team to stay afloat without franchise cornerstone Connor Bedard, who will miss the beginning of the season following shoulder surgery.

“He’s the most important piece on the team, and now he’s injured, so it’s not fun,” Frondell added. “Everyone feels like it’s a bad thing, so we want him to be back as soon as possible. I think also all the fans will miss him. So I haven’t thought like, ‘Oh, this is good for me.’ I don’t know what the coach’s response or how they think.

“If they want me to play there and fill the hole, I would for sure do it, but the players and the fans are excited for when he will be back, and hopefully it’s soon.”

With Bedard out, either Frondell or Frank Nazar should be utilized at 1C, and right now, Daily Faceoff has Frondell pencilled into that spot. The 19-year-old could be given a massive role in Chicago in his first full NHL campaign.

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