The trade deadline has come and gone, and the Chicago Blackhawks are now officially in the last quarter of their 2025-26 season. There have been a lot of big changes with the deadline, including losing their entire leadership group in captain Nick Foligno and alternate captains Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson. The Blackhawks also said goodbye to depth forward Colton Dach, while welcoming a new member to their team in veteran forward Andrew Mangiapane.
This Chicago team is now officially the youngest in the NHL as they attempt to navigate becoming a contending team again. It’s a tall task, but the influx of elite young talent is promising. Let’s get to the latest news and rumors in this busy stretch of March.
Blackhawks Family Mourns Loss of Troy Murray
In very sad news, the Blackhawks announced on Saturday, Mar. 7, that longtime Blackhawks player, radio broadcaster and active community member Troy Murray had passed away from cancer at the age of 63.
Murray was selected in the third round (57th overall) of the 1980 NHL Draft by the Blackhawks, and went on to become a beloved two-way forward for 12 seasons, from 1981 through 1994. Upon retirement, “Muzz” stayed connected with the organization, and transitioned to the broadcast booth. This is what he was more recently celebrated and remembered for, as he provided exemplary WGN radio color commentary alongside play-by-play partner John Wiedeman for over two decades.
In addition, he served as the President of the Chicago Blackhawks Alumni Association, where he helped fellow alumni and was involved in a scholarship program for Illinois high school hockey players. But most importantly, Murray was known as a very special person and friend.
Panger and Tony gave an emotional tribute to the late great Troy Murray ❤️ pic.twitter.com/cBlS93Yn0c
— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) March 8, 2026
Current Blackhawks’ defenseman Alex Vlasic recently described how Murray was still active as a member of the Blackhawks’ family, going out of his way to stay connected and make people feel welcome.
He’s been here since, since I got here, pretty much. Somebody that, as a person we all looked up to. He was just such a good guy to all the young guys in here. I feel like he made everyone feel welcome, and meant so much this organization, and to the fans. So many generations that he impacted … I remember going to the Blackhawks golf Alumni outing. That was one of the first times that I saw him there. He came right up to me and introduced himself. He’s just so good at making people feel comfortable and welcome, and giving me a couple chirps here and there. So he felt like one of the guys in the locker room, and it was terrible news this morning.
I think he kind of embodied what it meant to be a Blackhawk, both on and off the ice. He was doing so many things for people. He had a big hand in doing the scholarship thing for the for the Blackhawks. And he meant so much to those guys and the people that come through there. He was just a ray of positivity.
It’s hard to believe this “ray of positivity” was fighting cancer since 2021. But he never made it about himself, which is why he was so beloved by everyone he touched. The Blackhawks’ community lost a very special person, and he will be truly missed. The Blackhawks will wear Murray’s No. 19 on their helmets in his honor for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
Bertuzzi Boasts the “A”, Leads Team in Goals
Returning to news on the current Blackhawks, we recently learned that Connor Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi will both serve as alternate captains for the remainder of the season. Bedard is an obvious choice. He’s considered a generational talent and has been the face of the franchise since being drafted first overall by the Blackhawks in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Related – How the Jason Dickinson Trade Impacts the Blackhawks
But Bertuzzi might seem to many as an unlikely candidate for an alternate captain. He’s not polished like Murphy or well-spoken like Dickison. Not to mention his long hair and rather scruffy appearance. He actually comes across as a bit grumpy and irritable, at least to the media. He fulfills his obligations with reporters, but it’s obvious he’s not very comfortable with that aspect of the job.
“he’s a great voice in the locker room. fun to be around, but most importantly, the way that he’s played in his approach”👊 pic.twitter.com/hHOWqsmR8T
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 7, 2026
Head coach Jeff Blashill gave his reasoning for giving Berttuzzi the “A” by describing him as an excellent example of what it means to play winning hockey; that he cares defensively as well as contributing offensively. Teammate Frank Nazar added his two cents recently as well.
Yeah, Bert’s been great. I think it’s definitely a guy you gotta get to know and understand before you really get a feel for him. But his heart for team, and to win, is all there. And he cares a lot. Sometimes it might not seem like it, but man, he gives it all. So, I look up to him a lot.
Blashill went into further detail about Bertuzzi after practice on Mar. 7.
He competes hard, he works hard, he’s good defensively, block shots. He’s managed the puck very well. So just first off, being an example of winning hockey. That’s who you have to be first and foremost. When something needs to be said, Bert has always kind of said it, so that won’t change either. So I just think it’s more of a reward and a recognition of the leader that he is.
Bert’s Bert. He doesn’t pretend to be anything that he’s not. And he’s a real good human being. And I think, like I said, a real good leader for us.
I’ve heard numerous players over the course of the season talk about how they just try to be themselves, learning and leading in their own way based upon their personalities. Bertuzzi appears to embody that sentiment. He might not seem like the traditional choice for a leader, but he obviously has the trust of the coach and the locker room.
Oh, and by the way, Bertuzzi currently leads the Blackhawks with 27 goals. He’s quite literally leading both on and off the ice.
Burakovsky Finally Breaks Through
Another veteran on the Blackhawks who’s actually drawn some ire from the fans lately is Andre Burakovsky. The 31-year-old, two-time Stanley Cup winner was brought on specifically to play with Bedard. This pair found some success and chemistry early in the season. But while Bedard continued to thrive production-wise, Burakovsky was in a big slump. Before the game on Mar. 10 versus the Utah Mammoth, he’d only registered a point in the last 19 games, and hadn’t scored a goal since Jan. 7.
Despite that, Coach Blashill continued to deploy him on the top line. He discussed his thought process after practice on Mar. 1.
We look a little bit at fit and stuff like that. Again, who’s the other guy that’s a better fit, or what makes sense for us? It’s easy to say you should experiment, but who’s the guy (you’re) experimenting with? Who’s that player that has the brain enough to kind of give-and-go with Connor? Playing with great players is not as easy as it always sounds. You have to, certainly with Connor, when he gives the puck to you, you got to have enough give-and-go in your game to make sure you get it back to him at the right spots. You got to be able to transport it at times a little bit. Right now, Burkey, I think his intentions have been really good. I think he’s not feeling it right now. We’ll give him another little bit of runway and see how he does.
Things finally paid off for Burakovsky against the Mammoth. He got that monkey off his back with this goal.
😁 the smile says it all 😁 pic.twitter.com/j9IXmCcO76
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 10, 2026
Postgame, Burakovsky discussed how he still feels he’s been playing well, despite the lack of production.
I look at it more as, if I’m creating. If I’m creating chances. There’s been a lot of times where maybe I could have walked away with more, and I think I just look at it, as long as I create, I’m feeling good about myself. That is took this long, I don’t want that, for sure. That sucked for sure. But there’s been a lot of games where I felt really good. Creating a lot of chances, setting up my linemates and teammates. So I haven’t really got down on myself in no way. They’re coming eventually. The only thing I’m focusing on is I’m fine if I’m creating chances.
Now the trick is to keep creating chances. But more importantly, to keep producing. Because despite the faith Blashill had in him (perhaps too much if we’re being honest), that won’t continue forever. Eventually something was going to have to give. Hopefully it won’t be an issue moving forward. Hopefully the “proverbial floodgates”, as Blashill put it, have opened for Burakovsky.
Will the Blackhawks Be Keeping Mikheyev Longterm?
One player whose name came up in trade rumors surrounding the trade deadline was the speedy Ilya Mikheyev. Also known as one of the best penalty killers in the league, the Russian forward has had an impressive season with the Blackhawks. It was reported the organization made him a contract extension offer, but he turned it down. (from ‘What I’m hearing and seeing from the Blackhawks as the NHL trade deadline nears’, The AthleticCHI – 3/4/2026)
Many speculated Mikheyev might be looking for a longer-term deal than the Blackhawks are willing to give. After all, he is 31 years old, and this might be his last chance to obtain some long term stability. But Mikheyev did not get traded, and remains with the Blackhawks until at least the end of the season. At his press conference on Mar. 6, Blackhawks’ general manager Kyle Davidson made it very clear he wants to keep Mikheyev in the fold.
Mickey is someone that I want to keep Mickey around. I really like what he brings to the team. We really appreciate him organizationally. I think he plays a big, big role for us … But I think he’s a player we really liked having around, and we like having as a Blackhawk. And so, if someone was going to approach us, they had to make it worth our while and compel us to act. And that certainly didn’t happen. And frankly, I’m glad I didn’t have to make a tough decision there, because I like having Mickey as a Blackhawk. He’s a good guy, good family, and we value him a lot.
Mikheyev boasts 12 goals and 26 points through 59 games. If you ask anyone on the team, including Coach Blashill, they rave about Mikheyev’s motor and work ethic, how he works extremely hard and does all the little things right. Time will tell whether Davidson and Mikheyev can come to an agreement beyond this season.
Other Blackhawks News, Notes & Milestones
- Mangiapane is the newest member of the Blackhawks, acquired from the Edmonton Oilers (along with a conditional 2027 first round pick) in exchange for Dickinson and Dach. In three games so far with the Blackhawks, he’s registered two shots on goal, six shot attempts, five hits, and three blocked while averaging 12:02 minutes of ice time. He also potted his first goal as a Blackhawk against the Mammoth on Mar. 9. Blashill described him as “bringing them into the fight” with his competitive style of hockey. So far, he’s off to a good start with his new team.
- On Mar. 8 when the Blackhawks faced the Dallas Stars, it was Bedard’s 200th NHL game, as well as Coach Blashill’s 600th game as a head coach. Congratulations to both on these milestones!
Coach Jeff Blashill becomes one of six US-born head coaches to reach the 600-game mark!
Congrats, Coach❤️ pic.twitter.com/2C7qq7BSHs
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 8, 2026
- In unfortunate news, rookie Oliver Moore sustained a lower body injury in the aforementioned game against the Stars. He’s expected to miss “significant time” and be re-evaluated in a month. That’s a big blow for Moore and for the team, considering the season will be over in a little over a month. The 21-year-old has contributed five goals and 19 points in 51 games this season.
- With his overtime-winning goal on Mar. 9 versus the Mammoth, Nazar is currently on a four-game point streak that includes two goals and six points.
got franked 👊 pic.twitter.com/B6WVZrbNB6
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) March 10, 2026
The Blackhawks have gone 2-1-2 in their first five games in March. They now head on the road to face the Mammoth again in Utah on Thursday, Mar. 12 and the Vegas Golden Knights on Mar. 14. Incidentally, the Blackhawks have defeated Utah in all three of their season-series games so far. They’ve split games with the Golden Knights.
Related – Assessing the Blackhawks Trade Deadline Moves, & What It Means for the Future
Then they’re head back home for a St. Patrick’s Day matchup against the Minnesota Wild. Yep, the very same division rival team that now has former Blackhawks’ captain Nick Foligno on it’ roster. It should be a very interesting week, and final stretch of the season, as the youngest team in the league tries to find their way.
