Blackhawks playoff wish list

There is nothing better in all of sports than the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Unfortunately, Chicago Blackhawks fans haven’t had the experience of the postseason in quite a while. They haven’t qualified for the playoffs proper since 2017. This offseason could go a long way in helping the Blackhawks meet their expectations of returning to the postseason.

General manager Kyle Davidson has a big summer ahead of him. While he’s doing a great job at restocking the prospect pool, it’s time for him to put a winning NHL team together. This will not be an easy task, as the free-agent class is mediocre at best. If he wants to make a big splash, it will have to come via a trade.

While watching the first two weeks of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, I’ve been putting together a wish list of players I’d like to see Davidson go after this summer. Now, this is a list of realistic targets. Of course, we all want Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, and Quinn Hughes, but these are some of the players that would fill specific needs on the Blackhawks roster.

Unlikely Swings

There are three players on my list who’d make an immediate impact, but the likelihood of them actually being available this summer is small. The top of that list is Dallas Stars forward Jason Robertson. He is a restricted free agent and will be looking for a massive contract. He put up 45 goals and 96 points this past season, the third 40-goal season of his career. He hasn’t missed a game in four years, so he’s as reliable as they come. The Stars' early playoff exit had nothing to do with Robertson, as he had five goals and eight points in their six-game series against the Minnesota Wild. At 26, he’d be the perfect fit on the Blackhawks, and Davidson has plenty to offer in a trade. However, despite the rumors that he might be available, I don’t see how the Stars don’t figure it out. Jim Nill is too good at his job not to have a plan.

Of all the remaining unrestricted free agents, Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch is the most appealing. He gives the Blackhawks something they don’t have: a big winner who can play with Connor Bedard. He scored 33 goals and 66 points this season, giving him at least 33 goals in three of the last four seasons. Bringing him in would be like adding Brandon Saad in his prime, which worked pretty well. However, with the Sabers finally turning the corner, I can’t see new general manager Jarmo Kekalainen letting the upstate New York native walk away.

A third player who could be a good addition to the Blackhawks is Zachary Bolduc. He wouldn’t be as impactful as Robertson or Tuch, but he certainly will make the Blackhawks harder to play against. The 23-year-old forward was the 17th overall pick by the St. Louis Blues in 2021 and played well in his first season with the Montreal Canadiens. He had 12 goals and 30 points in the regular season, and there were rumblings before the playoffs that the Canadiens might look to trade Bolduc this summer. However, with the way he played in the first round against the Tampa Bay Lightning, I doubt the Habs are still thinking about moving him.

Free Agency Options

While there are no real stars available in free agency this summer, there are some players who will make the Blackhawks tougher and deeper defensively. Three forwards and two defensemen have stood out as candidates to fill the needs of the Blackhawks.

Up front, Michael McCarron, Kevin Stenlund, and Scott Laughton would give the Blackhawks what they are lacking. They are all experienced veterans who would provide size and physicality to the bottom six. In years past, a player of this ilk would have been asked to play above his pay grade. Now, with the top six filling out with the arrival of Anton Frondell and other young players, any one of these players would be used in their proper role.

McCarron is the most appealing of the three due to his size. At 6’6 and 230 pounds, he would instantly become the Blackhawks’ biggest forward. He’s been very effective with the Minnesota Wild and has added some key scoring depth in the playoffs. He’s shown that he can play down the middle, as well, winning 57.8% of his postseason faceoffs.

Stenlund is another big bottom-six forward who would bring a lot to Chicago's young locker room. He’s a veteran of 37 playoff games, including winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in 2024. His offensive numbers won’t wow you, but he is a solid defensive forward who excels on the penalty kill. Adding Stenlund would help limit the shifts of being hemmed in the defensive zone.

Laughton is a veteran of 745 regular-season games and has been to the postseason five times, including with the Los Angeles Kings this spring. He’s a dependable fourth-line center who can shut down the opponent’s top players. He’ll chip in around a dozen goals and 30 points, while winning over 50% of his faceoffs and dishing out plenty of hits. However, it sounds like there is mutual interest in a return to the Kings.

As we saw after the trade deadline, the Blackhawks are in need of a veteran defenseman to provide leadership and shore up the blue line. All you have to do is look at how the Anaheim Ducks insulated their young players with effective veterans. One of those acquisitions, John Carlson, would be an ideal target. Even at 36, he’s still put up 14 goals and 60 points this season, while averaging over 23 minutes a night. The former Stanley Cup champion may want to sign with a contender this summer, but the Blackhawks have the cap space to overpay him for the next two seasons to help get this young group to the next level.

Brett Kulak could replace what the Blackhawks lost in trading Murphy. He’s a veteran stay-at-home defenseman who never met a blocked shot he didn’t like. He is a good skater, so he’ll fit in well with his younger teammates. He is calm under pressure, and his puck-moving skills will help get the puck into the offensive zone more. He wouldn’t be a sexy acquisition by any means, but he’s exactly what the Blackhawks’ defensive corps needs.

While Davidson believes in the young players he’s drafted, if this team wants to make a run at the postseason next year, they will need to add this summer. There are plenty of options available, so we’ll see what he does.

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