Blackhawks to watch coming out of the Olympic break

The Chicago Blackhawks returned to the ice today for the first time during this Olympic break for an optional skate as the team gears up for its approaching return on Feb. 26 versus the Nashville Predators. With 25 games left in the campaign, there is still plenty for this group to play for as they currently sit ten points out of a wildcard spot.

These players are the ones fans should watch closely for the remainder of the season, as the team aims for a strong finish to what has been an up-and-down year of growth for this rebuilding squad.

Connor Bedard

Connor Bedard will always be in the spotlight, given his status as one of the top up-and-coming young faces in the NHL and what he means to this Blackhawks team as its franchise player. But he will be especially fascinating to watch coming out of this Olympic break based on the fact that he was left off the Team Canada roster. Many pundits believe Bedard should have been on that team based on his breakout performance this year, which has seen the North Vancouver native amass 23 goals and 30 assists in 44 games.

Regardless of whatever result Canada brings home, the way Bedard performs for the rest of the season will reveal a lot about whether the brass made the correct decision. With the way Macklin Celebrini has played in the tourney, the comparisons between him and Bedard will ramp up. Connor should have plenty of motivation to prove his doubters wrong by asserting himself as one of Hockey Canada's core pieces and leave no choice when these matters arise again in the future.

Frank Nazar

Frank Nazar has enjoyed a hot and cold sophomore season in the NHL. After getting off to a strong start to the campaign, his game has cooled off as the year has progressed. Much of that has to do with the broken jaw injury he sustained that interrupted a month of his season.

There is reason to believe Nazar can end the year on a high note. His best hockey last season came in the latter portion, when he averaged a point per game in April. With time to rest and reset, Nazar should be energized coming out of the break and ready to regain the spark he had at the onset of the year.

Artyom Levshunov

Artyom Levshunov has undergone a roller coaster rookie season to say the least. While he has shown the flashes of brilliance you would expect from a second overall pick, he has also had a plethora of games where he has seemed out of place on the ice.

Levshunov was scratched for the last three games before the break, as the Chicago coaches decided to use that time to work on his development. Hopefully, this time spent will benefit the young 20-year-old Belarusian defenseman as he aims to find more consistency and stability in his game.

Oliver Moore

Oliver Moore is another of many rookies to suit up for this youthful Blackhawks team this season. Amongst the freshman forwards, Moore has arguably made the strongest impression as he has been noticeable on a regular basis since his call-up from Rockford early on in the year.

While his stats don't jump off the page, Moore's game has translated well to the NHL, showing he is a player who can be relied on in all situations. Similar to Nazar last year, it would not be surprising to see Moore play his best hockey at the end of the season as he continues to gain confidence playing at this level.