After last nights 5-3 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Blackhawks’ rookies Roman Kantserov and Anton Frondell lead all NHL rookies in goals and points.
Kantserov has found his groove
Kantserov potted his second and third goals of the season last night, he now leads all rookies in that category (tied with Trevor Connolly of the Vegas Golden Knights).
It took Kantserov a few games to get on the score sheet, but it wasn’t for lack of effort or poor play. Kantserov is small, only 5’9″, but he plays a hard nosed style of hockey. Putting Kantserov next to the right linemates is important, and it seems Connor Bedard and Patrick Kane are the right ones.
Both of Kantserov’s goals were scored in areas he thrives, the bumper spot on the powerplay, and in the blue paint at 5-on-5. Kane and Bedard both draw so much of the defending team’s attention when they have the puck, leaving Kantserov free to find the open ice.
This isn’t something new for Kantserov to learn either. In Russia, Kantserov played the bumper role on the powerplay very effectively, he also scored most of his 5-on-5 goals from the slot or in front of the net. His speed and willingness to battle low for pucks, combined with his ability to score in tight make him the perfect linemate for a player like Bedard.
Kantserov was brought over to Chicago to be a top-six contributor. It took him a few games, but it seems he is up for the task.
Anton Frondell’s two-way brilliance
Anton Frondell had two assists last night and is now the stand alone leader in rookie points with six, followed closely by Gavin McKenna of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Combined with his 12 games last year, Frondell now has 15 points in 19 career games. He looks to be exactly as advertised when he was taken third overall in 2025.
Frondell’s brilliance is a little more subtle than Kantserov’s. What makes Frondell so effective isn’t just his production, it’s his two-way game that is the silent killer.
At 19-years old and with only 18 games under his belt, Frondell was given the task of shutting down Sidney Crosby’s line at 5-on-5. A task that most veterans struggle to do. More importantly, it shows how much trust Jeff Blashill has in the young center.
Frondell played a total of 10:10 vs the Crosby line at 5v5, where had a two assists and won 11/18 draws (61%). Granted, he was on the ice for both of Crosby’s goals, but so was Crosby for Frondell’s assists. To come away even, with the edge in faceoffs against one of the greatest players of all time is very promising. Hopefully this is a sign of what’s to come for Frondell.
The future is bright in Chicago
Adding two young top six contributors to this Blackhawks lineup was a boost they desperately needed. Frondell and Kantserov are both expected to be key pieces of this rebuild, and so far, they are living up to expectations.
But the optimism goes beyond just the two rookies. 20-year old Artyom Levshunov has been the Blackhawk’s best defenceman this season. A massive 180 from where he was last year (analytically one of the worst defenceman in the NHL).
Add Connor Bedard, one of the best players in the league, and a young, highly-skilled starting goalie in Spencer Knight, and you can see the pieces coming together.