Blackhawks’ offseason approach has rebuild fatigue setting in

The Chicago Blackhawks could be on their way to another rough season in 2025-26. While no one has been expecting the Blackhawks to be playoff contenders this upcoming season, the team’s activity suggests the club is happy with another bad season.

Other rebuilding clubs like the Anaheim Ducks have made strides to improve. The San Jose Sharks have been adding pieces on the fringes to help out their young core. Other clubs like the Detroit Red Wings are desperately looking to find some semblance of competitiveness.

But as far as the Blackhawks are concerned, it seems they’re happy where they are. Yes, the club extended Ryan Donato. Yes, the Blackhawks landed Andre Burakovsky and Sam Lafferty.

Those aren’t exactly earth-shattering moves

The Blackhawks, it seems, are content with finishing at the bottom of the NHL standings again. Now, there’s no indication that the club is purposely tanking, but when the team has over $20 million in cap space, there’s room to wonder why they haven’t done much.

Perhaps the Blackhawks were biding their time, hoping to get their foot in the door with some players. Maybe the team thought it had a shot at Mitch Marner or Nikolaj Ehlers.

Those assumptions belong in some parallel universe no one really knows about.

The reality is that the Blackhawks haven’t done much to get better. And that reality signals that it will be another sour season in the Windy City, unless the team can somehow put forth a miraculous performance.

Blackhawks have plenty of incentive to win race to the bottom

It’s been about two weeks since the 2025 NHL Draft ended, and the talk has already shifted to next year’s class.

The 2026 NHL Draft features a clear-cut number-one pick in Gavin McKenna. Unlike this past draft, McKenna is the consensus top pick. Throughout the 12 months or so, fans will be hearing plenty about McKenna.

That situation means hearing a lot about how McKenna can become the next Auston Matthews or Connor McDavid.

For Chicago fans, the comparison to Patrick Kane is both tantalizing and nostalgic. Imagine rekindling Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane with Connor Bedard and Gavin McKenna.

Would that be worthy compensation for years of suffering?

Again, there’s no reason to believe the Blackhawks are tanking. But it does seem interesting that certain teams are not actively looking to get better for the 2025-26 season. About a half dozen teams will be protagonizing one of the most heated races for the top-overall pick.

Not since 2015, McDavid’s draft year, have teams been so excited about a prospect. Blackhawks fans had better brace themselves because next season figures to be one heck of a bumpy ride.