Blackhawks' Young Core Faces Tough Test After Blowout Losses

The team's ultra-young lineup struggles in back-to-back blowout defeats, raising concerns about their development.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 2:49am

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The Chicago Blackhawks, with one of the youngest rosters in the NHL, suffered two consecutive blowout losses this week, first falling 5-1 to the Flyers and then getting routed 6-1 by the Rangers. General manager Kyle Davidson, who accompanied the team on their East Coast road trip, saw the team's inexperienced lineup struggle with defensive lapses and an inability to generate offense against inferior opponents. The results serve as a reality check for the Blackhawks' rebuild, highlighting the challenges the team's young core still faces in becoming true contenders.

Why it matters

The Blackhawks are in the midst of a rebuild, having progressed through the first stage and now looking to develop their young talent into a competitive NHL roster. These back-to-back blowout losses, against teams the Blackhawks should be able to compete with, raise concerns about the maturity and readiness of the team's ultra-young core to handle the rigors of the NHL. It's a gut check moment that will test the resilience and growth of the Blackhawks' long-term pieces.

The details

In the two losses, the Blackhawks were thoroughly outplayed, with scoring chances favoring their opponents 130-59 and high-danger chances 69-23 during five-on-five play. The team struggled with defensive lapses, allowing odd-man rushes against, and failed to relieve pressure in their own zone. Fatigue from the dense schedule was cited as a factor, but coach Jeff Blashill acknowledged the team needs to do a better job adhering to their systems. The losses also had implications for the NHL draft lottery, with the Blackhawks and Rangers now tied for 30th place in the standings.

  • The Blackhawks suffered the blowout losses on March 27 (5-1 to the Flyers) and March 28 (6-1 to the Rangers).
  • The team is currently on an East Coast road trip, with GM Kyle Davidson accompanying the team.

The players

Kyle Davidson

The general manager of the Chicago Blackhawks, who has accompanied the team on their East Coast road trip.

Tyler Bertuzzi

A new alternate captain for the Blackhawks, one of the few remaining veteran players on the team's ultra-young roster.

Jeff Blashill

The head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks, who acknowledged the team's need to better adhere to their systems.

Alex Vlasic

A young Blackhawks player who recognized the responsibility of the team's core pieces to improve their performance.

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What they’re saying

“We were in the game. And then I don't know what happened in the second and third.”

— Tyler Bertuzzi, Alternate Captain

“We've got a lot of the...core pieces that that are going to be here moving forward, hopefully. So it's on us to do a better job.”

— Alex Vlasic

What’s next

The Blackhawks will look to regroup and bounce back from these tough losses as they continue their East Coast road trip. The team's young core will be tested to show resilience and demonstrate their progress in the rebuild.

The takeaway

These back-to-back blowout losses serve as a reality check for the Blackhawks' rebuild, highlighting the immaturity and growth still needed from the team's ultra-young core to become true contenders. The results will test the resilience of the Blackhawks' long-term pieces and challenge the team to better adhere to their systems and compete against inferior opponents.