Along with the San Jose Sharks, the Chicago Blackhawks were absolutely awful in 2023-24. Take Connor Bedard out of the equation — which happened for six weeks when the phenom broke his jaw — and the Hawks were barely worth watching. But general manager Kyle Davidson was one of the busier executives in NHL free agency this summer, and the roster already looks miles better than last season.
The Hawks brought in Tyler Bertuzzi from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Teuvo Teravainen from the Carolina Hurricanes, and the two veterans will help mold a revitalized forward core that should also feature a full healthy season from Taylor Hall. Chicago also added some stabilizing veterans on the blue line, signing Stanley Cup champion Alex Martinez and TJ Brodie. As well, Laurent Brossoit will back up Petr Mrazek — to start — after a phenomenal season as Connor Hellebuyck's backup in Winnipeg.
It likely won't be enough to make the Blackhawks a playoff team, but entering Year 5 of the rebuild, the fanbase is understandably getting a bit restless, especially with how potent the roster was a decade ago. But after a few shrewd moves, this squad will certainly be competitive, which couldn't be said for last year's iteration. Here are a few bold predictions ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
Connor Bedard plays a full season and finishes well above point-per-game
Philipp Kurashev had a breakout season playing with Bedard, but besides him, the No. 1 overall pick didn't really have any good linemates in 2023-24. Hall missed basically the entire season, and there was a bit of a revolving door after. That shouldn't be the case next season, with Bertuzzi and Teravainen set to join the 19-year-old on the top line, at least according to Daily Faceoff.
Both players are proven forwards coming off decent years. And Bedard has another full offseason of training under his belt after being thrown into the fire as an 18-year-old. The skill is undeniable, and with better talent both on his line and on the top powerplay unit, there's no reason Bedard shouldn't be over point-per-game after scoring 61 points in his first 68 NHL games. If Bedard can stay healthy and play a full 82-game slate, let's predict at least 30 goals and 85 points for the budding superstar.
Taylor Hall finds his form and scores at least 45 points
It seems like a lifetime ago — really it's just been six seasons — since Taylor Hall racked up 93 points in 76 games as a member of the New Jersey Devils, en route to winning the Hart Trophy as league MVP. Although he'll never be close to that again, it's been a disappointing stretch since; Hall has played for multiple teams and only cracked more than 50 points twice.
It was an insane fall from grace for the former superstar, although he did seem to find his form with the Boston Bruins in 2021-22, playing a full season and recording 61 points. That also likely won't happen again, but last season was extremely disappointing after Hall played just 10 games before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He probably won't start the 2024-25 campaign with Bedard, but he'll likely get a look on the top powerplay unit.
After Kurashev's breakout, a line featuring the duo centered by Andreas Athanasiou could be sneaky good. Hall is 32-years-old and past his prime, but if he can stay healthy, and get exposed to Bedard frequently, there's a chance he could bounce back and chip in 45 points, if not more. Let's say a clean 50 for the former NHL MVP.
Laurent Brossoit takes over Blackhawks starting job from Petr Mrazek
Mrazek struggled mightily last year, which makes sense as the Blackhawks had one of the worst defensive cores in the entire league. Seth Jones getting hurt certainly didn't help that, either. But Laurent Brossoit was fantastic for the Jets, putting up a sparkling 2.00 GAA and .927 save percentage over 23 starts in Manitoba.
Although Mrazek will likely be the starter off the hop, it'll be a short leash, especially as Stanley Cup champion Brossoit has proven himself to be a more-than-capable backup goaltender. Mrazek was excellent in his prime, but with both goalies on the wrong side of 30, it could end up being a toss-up for who gets the majority of starts. One thing is for sure: Brossoit will get more of an opportunity than he ever had behind last year's Vezina Trophy winner.
Blackhawks hang around a wildcard spot and barely miss postseason in 2025
With an infusion of talent brought over in free agency and another offseason of training for the young guns, the Blackhawks should be a much-improved team next season. The Central Division remains solid, but it's pretty certain that Chicago will win more than 23 games next year regardless.
It still likely won't be enough to get this franchise back into the dance, but if they get a few bounces, this roster should hang around a wildcard spot for most of the year. Saying that the Blackhawks will make the playoffs is bold — maybe even too bold for the bold predictions — but this team will not be finishing last in the Central in 2024-25.
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