NHL Offseason Preview Episode Two: Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are up next for the 2024 NHL Offseason Preview. They were not expected to do much this season, even after drafting rookie phenom Connor Bedard. He missed a chunk of the season due to injury. However, he returned for the final few months and showed glimpses of the future superstar he could turn into. This time around, Kyle Davidson has his work cut out for him. Last year it was turn in the draft card and make sure the team hits the cap floor.
There is a real need to surround Bedard with talent to continue his development. Former #1 pick Taylor Hall was supposed to be the guy who would show him the ropes to the NHL. However, he missed all but 10 games this season after getting injured early on. The Hawks have a lot of cap space to play with and not too many players worth keeping long term. They can afford to go after the top of the free agent pool considering they are a big market team with a young star. My version of how things could go down is not entirely based on rumors, but rather what makes sense to fans and others.
