3 Chicago Blackhawks players who must redeem themselves this season

The Chicago Blackhawks are not expected to make the playoffs this season. It would be nice to see some good individual performances then.

Connor Bedard taking the next step toward superstardom would be welcomed. Frank Nazar joining him as an All-Star would go a long way toward the rebuild being successful.

The Hawks have a collection of exciting young defensemen. It would be great if a couple of them can emerge as stars.

A bonus would be a couple of players redeeming themselves this season.

Lukas Reichel

Reichel has been the epitome of unfulfilled talent.

He has reached his floor by proving he can be a fourth-line player. That is not good enough, as he has the talent to be a top-line forward.

He should have had at least one 20-goal season by now. Instead, he has 20 career goals over four seasons.

Reichel has found inventive ways to work his way into the doghouse. This season should be his last shot to prove that he can be an elite winger worthy of playing among the top six. If he cannot reach that level, then the team must move on.

Jason Dickinson

Dickinson scored a career-high 22 goals during the 2023-24 season. He was rewarded with a two-year extension.

The hope was that Dickinson was a late bloomer who finally unlocked his ability to score goals by adjusting his shot. Instead, that season was his career year.

He regressed to just 16 points last season while he battled injuries.

Dickinson was still solid on the defensive end, but he provided next to nothing offensively. It would go a long way if he could return to being a solid two-way center this upcoming season.

If he does not, then he is likely on his way out of Chicago.

Wyatt Kaiser

Kaiser skated in a career-high 57 games last season. That was a good sign as it was a jump from the 39 games he played in during the 2023-24 season.

He still only had four assists this past season. He did get demoted to Rockford at one point.

The organization still thinks the restricted free agent can be something since he was tendered a contract.

Kaiser still has to sign his new deal. Once he signs, he must prove he belongs among a very talented collection of young defensemen.

Hopefully, Kaiser provides better offensive support while using his speed to be in spots defensively to limit opponents' scoring chances. Moving his feet consistently has always been his problem. If he can fix that issue, there is a chance he proves he is a long-term piece.