Blackhawks: Five thoughts now that the playoff hope is officially over

4. The NHL Draft is right around the corner

With the Blackhawks being out of the playoff picture, now we get to look forward to the NHL draft. Personally, I cannot wait to dive into some analysis on all the different prospects available for the Hawks.

Sure, Chicago is not going to find an impact player to fix their roster right now, but the NHL draft is an opportunity to revamp the farm system of an organization. Plus considering the team has a first-rounder and a couple of seconds, there is a lot to look forward to.

5. I cannot wait to watch the Blackhawks be competitive again.

Watching Carolina compete for the Presidents Trophy ahead of the playoffs reminded me of how exciting it is to watch playoff hockey with some expectations. Sure last postseason was fun to watch, but the Hawks were not supposed to be there, plus there were no fans in the stands.

Right now Blackhawks hockey might be pretty tough to watch at times, but it is all going to pay off when the team is competitive again in a few years. I know a lot of fans are not sold on next season being a better year. Truthfully neither am I with how many holes are on the roster and how different the league could look with traveling more and maybe bringing back old divisions.

At the end of the day though I think the Hawks are poised to be competitive again in the next two or three seasons. Maybe they do not win the Stanley Cup, but there is a fair chance they will make the playoffs again soon and start rebuilding that legacy.

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The playoffs are going to be fun to watch as a fan of hockey, but there is nothing like watching the Blackhawks compete for the Stanley Cup for a few months!