Blackhawks' Davidson needs to improve the team this offseason

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson has a big task ahead of him this offseason. The task is to upgrade the entire Blackhawks roster. Connor Bedard has been nothing short of amazing since his career began in 2023-24, but success has not found the team. Davidson must improve the team before Bedard wastes his full potential due to the lack of a supporting cast.

Overall roster needs changes

When Davidson got the general manager job, he knew changes had to be made. He slowly made changes, trying to improve the team overall, but they have not worked out as of yet. Bedard has been Chicago's main offensive force, and fans wonder whether his potential is being wasted. The Blackhawks have not come close to a playoff spot, and they seem to be crawling along every season.

The forward group needs the most attention. With the additions of Tyler Bertuzzi, Andre Burakovsky, Ryan Donato, and Teuvo Teravainen over the past couple of seasons, they have supplied another scoring option. The bottom six also need an upgrade. The Blackhawks do have some young talent on the roster that could make a difference, including Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, and Ryan Greene. Davidson must add some scoring forwards with NHL experience to help Bedard and company. Of the 24 skaters for Chicago last season, 18 had 30 points or fewer. Forward Roman Kantserov was signed from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) after his contract was terminated. He scored 36 goals last season to lead the league.

The Blackhawks might want to seek out a backup goaltender for starter Spencer Knight. Netminder Arvid Soderblom was the backup last season but failed to make an impact. He posted a record of 8-13-3 with a 3.80 goals against average and an .880 save percentage. There are some talented goaltenders in the free agent crop, so there will be options for Davidson to upgrade that position.

What do the Blackhawks do at the draft?

Before free agency, we have the 2026 NHL Draft. The Blackhawks will be picking fourth and have unlimited options. Do they make the pick and bring in a young talent that could be a game breaker? Do they trade that pick for more picks and maybe an asset? Do they trade the pick for a bigger package that involves proven NHL talent? A lot of things are up in the air for this draft, but either way, Chicago will improve their organizational roster.

In the last few years, teams have made trades that have paved their way to a Stanley Cup. While Chicago is still a few years away from Stanley Cup contention, it could have a massive impact on the roster in the coming months. Their roster is guaranteed to change, but in what way? Improved defense? Top-six forward? New backup goaltender? Davidson has a chance to make this team much better if he plays his cards right.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow