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Anton Frondell’s New Challenge Is The Grind Of A Full NHL Season
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- Anton Frondell’s New Challenge Is The Grind Of A Full NHL Season
The Chicago Blackhawks have a budding star in Anton Frondell. Through the first 9 games of his 2026-27 season, he has 1 goal and 5 assists for 6 points. He is not going to be a point-per-game player as a rookie, in all likelihood, but he can be among the leading rookies in terms of scoring. Frondell has 15 points in 21 games played, going back to his NHL debut late last season. Right now, he has to be considered in the Calder Trophy race for the league's top rookie.
What makes Frondell an extra special player is his attention to the defensive side of the game. He wants to be as good a two-way player as there is in the NHL. There will be bumps and bruises along the way in his development, but he's already on a great track.
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Over the last handful of games, Frondell has been put out there in some incredibly difficult matchups. He's gone up against superstars like Sidney Crosby, Mark Scheifele, and Wyatt Johnston, and he's done a good job against all of them.
"For me, getting trusted in those areas of the game," Frondell said about what he likes most about being in that role. "Playing Crosby was awesome. For me, just a dream. As I said, getting trusted by the coach, going and taking those faceoffs against their top line a couple of times is something I try to do the best way I can."
With Connor Bedard back from injury and everyone else pretty healthy up front, it seems like the Blackhawks have played much better as a unit. The game against Dallas was lousy, but that came after two solid performances against teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets. Frondell is a big part of that with the skill set he brings.
Frondell alluded to having "a big group" as a reason why they can sustain an injury that could keep a guy out of the lineup for an extended period. He said it's a good feeling.
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This is a different environment for Frondell compared to his playing days in Sweden. The systems are different, the people are different, and they play significantly more games in the NHL. According to him, the number of games is the biggest adjustment that has to be made compared to what he had to deal with last year.
"It's more games that we play, the longer season, and how tight the schedule is, compared to Sweden, where we only play 52, and there are 84 [here]," Frondell said." That's probably something I'll notice going forward."
Sometimes, the extra amount of games can cause rookies to hit a wall at certain points of the season. Frondell may not be immune to that, but he is already mentally prepared for that reality. He is more than equipped with the tools needed to get around some of the hardships that come with playing a full NHL schedule.
It won't be long before Frondell is the team's go-to two-way center. Connor Bedard is the guy that you build around because of how unbelievable gifted he is offensively, but Frondell is the type of center needed for big matchups. Having a duo like this will allow them each to get the most out of their abilities.
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"He's got a really good ability to check for offense, and he's still just growing and learning," head coach Jeff Blashill said of Frondell. "He's just at the cusp of what he's going to be, and he's still a really young kid."
Coming up are games against teams with more high-end centers to match up against. Some of the opposing coaches will do their best to get those matchups against Bedard, but the Blackhawks, especially at home, will do what they can to get Frondell those assignments as well.
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