CHN Daily
Jack’s Daily: Bedard Getting Healthy; Zegras’ SPICY Interview
The start of the New Year has treated the Chicago Blackhawks well. Not only are the Hawks 3-0-0 in their first three games of 2026, but the team is finally starting to get healthier.
Star forward Connor Bedard partially participated in practice on Tuesday for the first time since getting injured, and he seemed rather thrilled with how his shoulder is progressing. Another key center for Chicago, Frank Nazar, skated ahead of practice with a full facial shield.
More in the links for the latest on the statuses of Bedard and Nazar.
Also in Blackhawks news, the team’s practice facility will officially be rebranded at the end of January. Fifth Third Arena will be no more — welcome to the era of the Blackhawks Ice Center.
Around the league, Trevor Zegras gave an iconic interview after beating his old team, Connor McDavid grabbed the NHL scoring lead, and the Devils had one of the worst losses in franchise history.
All that & more in the Daily!
Chicago Blackhawks Recap, News & Tidbits
Chicago Hockey Now: Could Connor Bedard return from his shoulder injury sooner than expected? Neither Bedard nor head coach Jeff Blashill offered a specific date for Bedard to rejoin the lineup. However, Blashill did mention that it will be a day-by-day matter moving forward. That’s tremendous news for the Blackhawks.
More CHN: Another year, another Blackhawks prospect winning a Gold Medal at the World Junior Championship. Anton Frondell, the team’s top selection in the 2025 NHL Draft, helped Sweden snap a 14-year title drought at the 2026 tournament edition. Frondell was also named the best forward at the World Juniors.
Here’s a look at the new Blackhawks Ice Center, where construction is wrapping up ahead of the official rebrand later this month. Fans are going to LOVE coming down to the new practice facility. There’s also more ice to be utilized, including USG Arena, which will become the home of the Chicago Steel in 2026-27. It’s a 2,000-seat rink located inside the facility.
NHL Trade Talk, News, & National Hockey Now
NHL.com: There’s a new point leader in the NHL, and it’s a name that won’t surprise anyone. With a hat trick on Tuesday, Connor McDavid has vaulted Nathan MacKinnon for the most points in the league with 76. McDavid extended his current point streak to 16 games in a 6-2 win over Nashville.
Philly Hockey Now: Powered by a two-goal night from Trevor Zegras, the Philadelphia Flyers cruised to a 5-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks. The win had to feel sweet for Zegras, the former Ducks’ first-round pick.
After the game, Zegras sat down with Flyers’ legend Scott Hartnell and gave an awesome interview, where he threw some shade at Anaheim. Revenge is a dish best served cold.
Forever Blueshirts: If the New York Rangers are to remain afloat in the NHL playoff race before the Olympics, they’ll need to do so without two of their most important players. Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox are both set to miss significant time after getting injured in Monday’s loss to Utah. Devastating news for the Rangers.
Colorado Hockey Now: Two consecutive regulation losses for the Colorado Avalanche? Is that even allowed? The Tampa Bay Lightning took down the Avs 4-2 on Tuesday night.
Detroit Hockey Now: After going 11 straight games without a point, it was time for Nate Danielson to be sent down to the AHL. The Detroit Red Wings assigned their top prospect to Grand Rapids on Tuesday. It’s also been 13 games since he last scored a goal.
New Jersey Hockey Now: There seems to be a new issue out in New Jersey with each passing day. The fans jumped on Luke Hughes recently, and now, the team was embarrassed 9-0 by the New York Islanders last night. James Nichols from NJHN writes that this cannot continue for the Devils.
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