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Rachel DoerrieMar 5, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
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- Rachel Doerrie is a certified records advisor focusing on records conversation and modelling. She’s labored within the NHL and consulted for pro groups throughout North American and Europe. She hosts the Group of workers & Graph Podcast and discusses sports activities from a data-driven standpoint.
The Chicago Blackhawks are so much nearer to being a drawback than many want to consider. With Seth Jones’ contract cleared from the books and two top class property bought in go back after his industry to Florida, Chicago has many key parts of a Stanley Cup contender.
The rationale they appear a ways from that description? A lot of the ones parts aren’t of prison consuming age in the USA. A lot has been made from Connor Bedard’s frustration this season, however he is a 19-year-old phenom who’s used to dominating and having workforce good fortune. This sort of dropping is new for any person as ultracompetitive as Bedard. Endurance is a distinctive feature.
However the opportunity of Chicago’s effects to make stronger temporarily is excessive, particularly with the emerging NHL wage cap giving the workforce the power to signal high-impact loose brokers to counterpoint Bedard and the remainder of the younger staff.
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“You wish to have so much to win a Cup. To have a puncher’s likelihood, you wish to have an elite middle [or two], an elite defenseman, a competent moment pair and excellent goaltender,” an Jap Convention govt mentioned. “That is a excellent method to head on. You’ll be able to have a large number of excellent items, however for those who wouldn’t have the important thing items, you might be in hassle. The existing trust in hockey is that elite ability is difficult to return by way of, until you draft it.”
In line with drafting early within the first around for the previous few seasons, the Blackhawks seem to have discovered what is usually a championship core. A former workforce govt famous that whilst you have to be competitive in loose company, nailing draft choices is probably the most crucial a part of team-building.
“It’s uncommon {that a} Jack Eichel or a Sam Reinhart turn into to be had. Have a look at Tampa. They have made adjustments, however they do not win a unmarried Cup with out the fellows they drafted. Stamkos, Hedman, Vasilevskiy, Level, Kucherov and Cirelli. Now not simply first-round guys, you must in finding guys outdoor the primary around, too,” the chief mentioned. “[Chicago] have had a variety of most sensible choices and I be expecting a lot of the ones gamers to be impression gamers on this league. If they are able to convey alongside a few of their midround choices, they’re going to be in industry.”
BEDARD CHECKS ALL the packing containers as an elite middle. He is nonetheless growing and there is a lengthy strategy to move till he reaches his attainable, however no person must be doubting the center piece of Chicago’s group.
Bedard’s construction this season has been a laugh to look at. His defensive recreation will wish to make stronger, however he is beginning to put the offensive aspect of his recreation along side little or no assist. Nathan MacKinnon wasn’t a point-per-game participant till his 5th season. He scored 38 in 64 video games all through his moment season, and Bedard has 49 via 61 via his. Now not everybody goes to be Connor McDavid the instant they step into the league, and the Avalanche would be the first to inform you that persistence is worthwhile for gamers akin to MacKinnon and Bedard.
The second one piece for a Cup contender is an elite defenseman. With Jones long gone, there will likely be a variety of alternative for Chicago’s younger defensemen to get essential mins.
Artyom Levshunov — the No. 2 pick out in 2024 — has truly come alongside within the AHL this season, and his manufacturing is beginning to replicate it. The 6-foot-2, right-handed defenseman has recorded 21 issues via 48 video games, and makes high quality defensive performs on a nightly foundation. His skating is an amazing asset, enabling him to trace down one of the most league’s fastest skaters. He is enjoying primary mins at even energy and on each particular groups, and is finding out to impose his will on combatants. There is not any wish to rush him to the NHL as a result of if he continues in this trail, there’s a actual likelihood he is a staple on Chicago’s most sensible pair for a very long time.
The Blackhawks decided on Artyom Levshunov No. 2 within the 2024 NHL draft. AP Photograph/Steve Marcus
Taking a look forward to the 2025 draft, if Chicago wins the lottery and will get to make a choice No. 1, there is an impression defenseman to be had. Via including Erie Otters blueliner Matthew Schaefer, my No. 1 prospect, they are going to be set for greater than a decade at the again finish. Schaefer is anticipated to be an elite, all-situations defenseman within the NHL, that means that Chicago may well be taking a look on the subsequent Cale Makar/Nathan MacKinnon form of dynamic duo.
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Pairing Schaefer with Levshunov has the possible to be one of the most very best tandems within the NHL if each gamers achieve 85% in their projected ceiling. Even with out Schaefer, Levshunov is able to being the elite defenseman {that a} Cup contender wishes.
The 3rd a part of the equation is a competent moment pair. Alex Vlasic has proven he is greater than able to enjoying massive mins and is strictly the kind of participant you need anchoring the second one pair. He is enjoying admirably at the most sensible pair, and is usually a long-term answer with Levshunov. He is signed via 2029-30 with a $4.6 million reasonable annual worth — a really perfect deal for the Blackhawks, given the emerging wage cap.
Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro also are contenders to be a part of a high quality moment pair. Del Mastro is conserving his personal in that spot as a 22-year-old, and is usually a shutdown sort together with his dimension and skating talent. Korchinski is a superb skater who can produce issues. The 20-year-old is an efficient defender in transition and makes high quality performs underneath power. His puck-moving skills must see him turn into an efficient second-pair defender who can ranking 40-plus issues in keeping with season, if his defensive zone play continues to make stronger.
A GOOD GOALTENDER is essential, particularly within the playoffs. Sergei Bobrovsky, Adin Hill and Andrei Vasilevskiy had been standouts for his or her respective groups of their fresh Stanley Cup wins.
Chicago has a couple of goaltenders within the machine who’ve attainable, however the acquisition of Spencer Knight is a big step ahead for the group. He used to be improbable in his first get started, making 41 saves in a 5-1 win towards the Los Angeles Kings.
In his 23-year-old season, Knight has a .912 save proportion in 24 video games, excellent for 9th within the NHL. He is maximum without a doubt going to stand tougher photographs and scoring probabilities in Chicago than he did in Florida, however Knight has evolved right into a forged goaltender. He is able to being a platoon starter and there’s attainable for him to turn into a high quality No. 1 within the subsequent two seasons.
Even supposing he will wish to replace the design on his masks, Spencer Knight appears to be like each and every bit the a part of a possible franchise goaltender for the Blackhawks. Michael Reaves/Getty Pictures
Arvid Soderblom has a decent .906 this season and is usually a succesful 1B to Knight. Drew Commesso and Adam Gajan are within the machine however may well be a couple of years away. Goaltending construction is tricky to venture, however the extra cracks you may have at it, the at an advantage the group will likely be.
SERIOUS CONTENDERS NEED excellent gamers past that core staff. Chicago has a couple of younger gamers who’re already enjoying within the NHL, and an in depth staff of potentialities at the cusp.
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Frank Nazar has attainable to be an impactful offensive participant. He used to be over a point-per-game tempo within the AHL, and has scored 14 issues in 32 NHL video games.
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Colton Dach and Lukas Reichel are discovering their approach as complementary gamers within the backside six.
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Oliver Moore, Sacha Boisvert and Nick Lardis may turn into middle-six forwards for Chicago, with well-rounded offensive toolboxes and in Moore’s case, breakneck pace.
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Sam Rinzel is a large defenseman with a forged transition recreation who may are compatible well on Chicago’s backside pair within the subsequent couple of seasons.
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Chicago has the important thing items that many contenders need to have — and none of them are older than 23. The workforce is extremely younger, with stocked prospect cabinets that can be utilized to procure confirmed NHL ability by means of industry.
Now not handiest that, however with the volume of cap area at their disposal, the Blackhawks will be capable to move after big-name loose brokers must the likes of Mitch Marner or Mikko Rantanen be to be had July 1. There’s a actual chance that Chicago is far better subsequent season, particularly if it makes a dash in loose company.
If the Blackhawks do not, they nonetheless will take a step ahead, with eyes on contending for a playoff spot in 2026-27. At that time, Bedard and Levshunov will likely be 21, Knight will likely be 25 and whomever they draft in 2025 will likely be 19 or 20. The window for the Blackhawks hasn’t opened but, however it is coming quickly. And when it does, it may well be open for a long time.
