Blackhawks Could Shift Anton Frondell to Wing to Fix Struggling Defense
Coach Jeff Blashill is considering moving the rookie from center to a complementary role after a six-game point drought.
By Carlos Rousseau ·
The Chicago Blackhawks face a Saturday matchup against the Boston Bruins with an unsettled lineup and a clear tactical problem. General manager Kyle Davidson and coach Jeff Blashill are weighing a change in the role of rookie Anton Frondell to address the team's inability to defend effectively and generate offense. The Hawks canceled practice on Friday, meaning their starting lineup will not be confirmed until warmups on Saturday.
Frondell has played center for the entire season, paired with veteran Tyler Bertuzzi on the left wing. This arrangement produced early success but has lost momentum. The 19-year-old has failed to record a point in his last six games. Blashill described Frondell's performance as subpar in three of the last five games, noting that the player did not skate or compete hard enough in the Thursday loss to Detroit.
Ice time for Frondell has dropped alongside his production. He played a career-low 11:44 in the Detroit game. Blashill admitted afterward that he may not have given the Swedish forward enough opportunities to escape his current slump. The coach viewed the season as a 10:3 ratio of good to bad games for Frondell, but the recent trend points downward.
The proposed change involves moving Frondell to the wing, likely opposite Connor Bedard. That spot has seen recent rotation, with Patrick Kane, Ryan Greene, and Teuvo Teravainen all taking a look without success. Placing Frondell there would allow him to play a complementary role rather than driving his own line against top opponents. This adjustment would not change the long-term plan for Frondell to develop into an elite center.
Ryan Donato praised Frondell's maturity despite his age. The veteran noted that the rookie has learned difficult lessons quickly and seems seasoned beyond his years. A shift in position could also benefit Bertuzzi, who is on pace for 13 goals this season compared to 32 last year. The Hawks currently spread their forward talent across many lines, a strategy that has diluted their offensive output.
Blashill has experimented with line combinations, including a unit with Frank Nazar, Patrick Kane, and Oliver Moore, but no change has yet produced a lasting result. The team plays nine games in the next 16 days. The next schedule break arrives from Nov. 8 to Nov. 11, which offers a potential window for further system adjustments if the current roster configuration continues to underperform.
