The Chicago Blackhawks were one of the NHL's worst clubs in 2023-24, finishing second to last and looking out of playoff contention before the calendar flipped to January. But the future is undoubtedly bright in the Windy City, mainly due to 2023 No. 1-overall pick Connor Bedard.
The North Vancouver native was electric in his injury-shortened rookie campaign, amassing 61 points over his first 68 NHL contests.
But as the Hawks look to return to the type of contention that saw the organization win three Stanley Cups in a six-year stretch between 2010-15, it's going to take more than just Bedard. Chicago had one of the worst rosters on paper last season, and general manager Kyle Davidson will want to make sure the franchise takes a positive step forward next season.
The first step will be drafting either a top forward or elite defenseman in the 2024 NHL Draft on June 28. With the San Jose Sharks all but assured to select Macklin Celebrini at No. 1, it'll almost certainly be either Michigan State D-man Artyom Levshunov or Russian standout Ivan Demidov hearing their named called at No. 2.
Ater a critically important draft — which will ideally continue to stock the Blackhawks' cupboards for the future — it'll be onto free-agent frenzy on July 1. And one of the key items on the front office's to-do list is adding a top-line winger to complement Bedard, according to The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta.
“Chicago is another team I’m keeping my eye on this week,” reported Pagnotta on Monday. “The Blackhawks are looking to add a top-line winger and have a few irons in the fire beyond interest in [Trevor] Zegras.”
The Hawks are one of a handful of teams that have been directly linked to the Anaheim Ducks youngster, although their level of interest is still up in the air. One thing is very likely: Bedard figures to be even better in 2024-25. And that will be especially true if general manager Kyle Davidson can surround him with some talent this summer.
Connor Bedard badly needs some support
Last season, Bedard started with Taylor Hall on his wing but watched as the former Hart Trophy winner suffered a season-ending injury early on. His linemates after that were varied, although Philipp Kurashev had a breakout season on the wing.
It's possible that Kurashev — who put up an excellent 54 points of his own in 75 games — will start the 2024-25 campaign on Bedard's wing. But the unit could still use an upgrade, and there are some elite options on the market.
Reportedly, Davidson continues to make calls around the league as he looks to make at least one big deal to speed up the rebuild in Chicago. Besides Zegras, the club has also been linked to the Toronto Maple Leafs' Mitch Marner, the Carolina Hurricanes' Martin Necas and the New York Islanders' Oliver Wahlstrom.
On the free-agent market, the team has also been attached to Jake Guentzel, who figures to be the big free-agency fish of 2024. He was excellent for the Hurricanes after being traded from the Pittsburgh Penguins ahead of the deadline, and it's also been speculated that the Hawks are aggressively targeting the former Stanley Cup champion.
It's going to take a few more seasons for the Hawks to get back to playoff contention — that's just the reality after being the most successful hockey team of the 2010s. But the task will get much easier with a proven star like Guentzel or Marner on the roster.
Regardless, if Davidson can draft well and bring in a star player to complement Bedard in 2024-25, there's a good chance the Blackhawks will win a lot more than 23 games next year.
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