What To Expect From Blackhawks' Drew Commesso Moving Forward

After the Chicago Blackhawks broke their four-game winning streak last week in a dreadful 5-1 loss to the Washington Capitals, they seem to have bounced back yesterday while facing the Nashville Predators. Once the clock ran out in the third period, the Blackhawks had clinched a clean 3-0 victory over the Predators.

In goal was 23-year-old Drew Commesso, who earned his first hard-fought NHL win after recording 36 saves, and what better fashion to do it than in a shutout? With that, he became the fourth goaltender in franchise history to record a shutout for a first win. This is particularly impressive because he was recalled to fill in while illness plagued the locker room.

"I think I’ll remember it as my first career win more (than the shutout)," the young goaltender stated during his postgame press conference. "It was just a big win for the team, especially after the game last night, where I don't think any of us were happy with how it went, how we played. For us to respond like that, really just timely goals..."

With such a stunning game under his belt, fans can expect to see more promising results from him, but for now, he's on his way back to the American Hockey League. While there, he will continue developing and patiently waiting for another opportunity to take center stage with Chicago.

Commesso Assigned to Rockford IceHogs

Chicago Blackhawks Goaltender Drew Commesso — Jan 10, 2026; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Drew Commesso (33) blocks the deflection from Nashville Predators left wing Michael Bunting (58) during the third period at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

According to Chicago, a trio of Chicago players have been assigned to the AHL's Rockford IceHogs as of today, including Kevin Korcinski, Stanislav Berezhnoy and Commesso.

This season, he has recorded a .909 save percentage and a 2.72 goals-against average with one shutout through 19 games with the IceHogs thus far.

we have assigned Drew Commesso, Kevin Korchinski, and Stanislav Berezhnoy to @goicehogs.

📰 ➡︎ https://t.co/HuBBPp5u7h pic.twitter.com/2NiNdM9Anw
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) January 11, 2026

Having played such a remarkable game yesterday, Commesso is likely feeling a substantial boost in confidence on the ice, which will only help him as the season progresses. He still has plenty of developing left to do, but he is certainly a young star worth keeping an eye on.

Now, the Blackhawks are gearing up for another matchup, this time against the Edmonton Oilers tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. The Oilers are currently ranked No. 5 in the Western Conference standings, and they recently came off a 4-3 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.

Chicago is looking to get back on track with a winning streak, and while Commesso will be with Rockford, the entire franchise is entering this matchup with some added confidence.

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