CHICAGO — ​​Sam Rinzel heard the “noise” around him entering this season. It was hard not to. He had gone seemingly overnight from an under-the-radar prospect to being thought of as the Chicago Blackhawks’ No. 1 defenseman and potentially a Calder Trophy dark horse.

The Chicago Blackhawks have started the season on a surprisingly strong note, sparking renewed optimism among fans who are beginning to dream about a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2020.

Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno injured his hand when he was struck by a puck in Saturday's game and will miss four weeks.

Toronto Maple Leafs (8-8-2, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (8-5-4, in the Central Division) Chicago; Saturday, 6 p.m. CST BOTTOM LINE: The Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Chicago Blackhawks after John Tavares scored two goals in the Maple Leafs’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings.

Off to a surprisingly successful start, the Blackhawks are commanding attention again, trying to transform into a winner and giving fans a reason to go mad on Madison.

Chicago Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno opened up about what his team failed to do in a loss to the New Jersey Devils.

Exploring some of the possible explanations for why the Blackhawks have drawn fewer fans this season. Are larger numbers in sight?

Two of the NHL's top offensive options square off when the Toronto Maple Leafs (8-8-2) and William Nylander (eight goals and 17 assists) visit the Chicago Blackhawks (8-5-4) and Connor Bedard (10 goals and 15 assists) at United Center on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. ET, airing on ESPN+.

Former Chicago Blackhawks forward David Kampf mutually agreed to have his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs terminated this week. Now, he has already found his new home. The Vancouver Canucks have announced that they have signed Kampf to a one-year, $1.1 million contract for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.