Consistency, work ethic, roster, losses, repeat. You have probably read those same words ad nauseam in different pieces when describing what went wrong with the Chicago Blackhawks last season. I have written those same words too many times to count.
But that was last season, and it’s time to focus on 2025-26. The Blackhawks have a new coaching staff and new philosophy, which was evident at the start of prospect practices ahead of the Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase, with games starting on Sept. 13.
With Rockford IceHogs head coach Jared Nightingale running the practices, he said something on Sept. 10 that stood out, which hopefully creates a new narrative for the team next season. A key one is maintaining a consistent philosophy.
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The Blackhawks have been seeking to become more consistent for years, but it has been made tougher to do so with a revolving door of players and coaches. It seemed like no matter how hard the players tried to form a sense of identity or consistency in their game, no one ever seemed to be fully on the same page. Captain Nick Foligno talked in January about being understanding of what it takes to win, and things were probably amplified with a lot of moving parts, like head coach Luke Richardson getting let go, and big trades that included Seth Jones, which can unsettle a team.
It seemed like the Blackhawks started getting more confident in their messaging as a team towards the end of the season, with Connor Bedard saying their team identity is going to be speed, and the players came together to end the season with 10 points in their final eight games.
So, when it came to the prospect practices that started on Sept. 10, the stage was set right from the get-go. I attended the practice, and players were involved in a strenuous practice that lasted over an hour. Afterward, Nightingale made it clear what the organization wanted to see: “It was a tough practice. I think we talked about it before. Just really want to, early on, instill some habits that [Jeff] Blashill really values, that I value, the organization [values], really basic. It was kind of a blue-collar skate. It was hard, challenging…”
New head coach Jeff Blashill has yet to coach his first Blackhawks game, but he has spoken about what he wants his coaching philosophy to look like during his introductory press conference in June, and it includes taking away time and space from the opponent, being aggressive on the forecheck, wanting to utlize their speed by playing fast and relentless, and for the team to be predictable to each other. He also mentioned teaching the necessary winning habits and fundamentals.
The practices have been notable. The players were skating hard during drills on the first day. And on the second day, the competition level only grew with the example of A.J. Spellacy and Aidan Thompson engaging in some battles. Spellacy expounded, “I think you need to have high intensity and stuff like this. I think it kind of just brings everyone together, even when you’re battling against a guy, you know, you get off the ice and you’re best buddies with him. So, I think it’s good for these practices, for everyone to just battle.”
It brings it all together for what Nightingale said they are looking for: “You always want chemistry. It’s only three days. We want to play fast, like that’s the message tomorrow (Sept. 11). We want to track and not slow down the puck. I think there’s a lot of speed out there, a lot of size, and then relentless compete. We want to be able to just pump that puck back. I think if we can do that and set these guys up for a good training camp, I think we did our job.”
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Even though it’s just practices and it’s not too deep of an event to read into, Nightingale’s comments brought up an interesting point. With the coaches starting off with the same messages and philosophy that the players are buying into, it’s a good thing to bring into the showcase and then training camp, because no doubt, it’s the same mindset they will hope to see from the main Blackhawks squad. Furthermore, Nightingale noted he was “really, really proud” of the players after the day one practice.
If everyone from prospects to veterans to Rockford and Chicago is all on the same page early about how they want to play, having that consistency established can ease a lot of headaches. With the team having gone through a lot of changes, having a system that sticks can surely build confidence, too. And hey, nothing wrong with establishing those habits early with their rookies, as well.
