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When the Chicago Blackhawks won the NHL's draft lottery and were given the opportunity to select Connor Bedard, there was joy in the Windy City. The feeling among hockey insiders was that the Blackhawks would select the young star and he would serve as the anchor of the franchise and the team would build slowly around him.
That's certainly a logical perspective, but it did not take into account the Blackhawks advantageous salary cap situation. No team had more money to spend than the Blackhawks prior to the draft (now second), and that means they have had an opportunity to improve the team quite a bit in the offseason.
General manager Kyle Davidson is not announcing his philosophy, but a few days before the Blackhawks made Bedard the No. 1 pick in the draft, they acquired Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno in a trade with the Boston Bruins. They also acquired veterans Corey Perry and Josh Bailey.
Go slow? Not necessarily, and there's no reason to stop now. With another couple of moves in the offseason, the Blackhawks could elevate themselves to the point where they might have a shot at the playoffs.
Of course, that is predicated on Bedard stepping in and becoming a superstar as a rookie. He is considered the best draft pick to come into the NHL since Connor McDavid was the league's top draft pick in 2015, and there is a good chance he can come into the league and make a brilliant first impression.
There are no guarantees, of course. However, if Bedard can make the adjustment quickly, the Blackhawks can become a respectable team. Here are two players they should target in trades during the coming weeks.
Center Adam Henrique, Anaheim Ducks
Henrique has one year remaining on his contract with the Anaheim Ducks, and he is scheduled to earn $5.825 million in the 2023-24 season. The Ducks are clearly in the rebuild mode after coming in last in the Pacific Division, and that means they should be willing to trade a 33-year-old center.
Henrique could clearly fill a role as Chicago's first- or second-line center, and he would give the team an immediate upgrade.
Henrique is coming off a solid season with the struggling Ducks, as he scored 22 goals and 16 assists in 62 games. He has regularly been a big-time contributor during his 13-year career with the New Jersey Devils and the Ducks.
Henrique has scored 20 or more goals seven times in his career, and he had a career-high of 30 goals in 2015-16 with the Devils. While he hasn't had the opportunity to contribute in the postseason very often in his career, he had 5 goals and 8 assists for the Devils in the 2012 playoffs when they got to the Stanley Cup Final against the Los Angeles Kings. Henrique scored 2 playoff overtime goals during that run.
If the Blackhawks were to acquire Henrique in a trade, he would bring maturity, experience, talent and help give the team a sense of calmness. He's the kind of veteran player who would help the team's won-loss record and the growth of several young players.
Goalie Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
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If the Blackhawks were going to take the “slow and steady” approach to rebuilding, this is exactly the kind of trade they would not make.
But Connor Hellebuyck, widely considered one of the best goalies in the league, could give the Blackhawks a netminder who could steal games on his own. The Jets are likely to trade him — and several other assets — as they appear to be remaking their team.
He has one season remaining on his contract at a salary of $6.17 million, and the Blackhawks clearly have the salary-cap flexibility to handle the financial hit.
Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy as the league's No. 1 goaltender after the 2019-20 season. He recorded a 31-21-5 record along with a .922 save percentage and a 2.47 goals-against average that season. He also had 6 shutouts.
In addition to his Vezina, Hellebuyck has also been a three-time NHL All-Star.
Conclusion
The Blackhawks could take a conservative approach and rebuild their team slowly. However, that approach would not offer any guarantees.
The success of the Vegas Golden Knights in their first year and the Seattle Kraken in their second year shows that a team does not have to proceed cautiously in order to play competitive hockey.
The Blackhawks have already made several moves to improve their team, and they should not slow down. They have a chance to be one of the surprise teams in the NHL this season.
