Could the Blackhawks finally make the playoffs this season?

The Blackhawks could be on their way back to the playoffs, but not Stanley Cup contenders... Yet.

It is early November, and the season is still quite young; however, the Chicago Blackhawks have held a consistent position in the standings as playoff contenders. Connor Bedard is officially a bona fide star in the NHL, being tied for second in the NHL with 25 points. Spencer Knight has stolen a couple of games (and will likely steal more in the future), and the depth of the team appears to be skewed, but everyone is producing as expected. Andre Burakovsky and Tyler Bertuzzi have 14 points in 15 games, Frank Nazar has 11 in 15 games, and Ryan Donato and Teuvo Teravainen have 11 points in 16 games. Compared to Bedard, the numbers look weak, but considering the number of games played, Bedard finally has help offensively.

The defense does need more time, but in the young season, the core has performed as expected: Limiting high-danger chances as much as possible and covering the rush responsibly. On an odd-man rush, the defense can't cover everyone, so quick thinking and decision-making are necessary. Artyom Levshunov and company have learned to cover the cross-crease play and let the goalie handle the shot rather than crowding the puck carrier like they have done for years.

Goaltending doesn't really need any recap. They are stealing games and giving the team chances to win every night. This has never really been a concern for the Blackhawks in the rebuild, and has proven to become even more of a strength as the young season continues. Knight is already an elite goalie, and having him in the crease for the next (hopefully) 10-15 years is a relief. Arvid Soderblom has proven to be an excellent backup, though as he looks more and more like a starter, the Blackhawks may have to consider moving him.

Could the Blackhawks be "conservative" buyers at the trade deadline?

Sure, the Blackhawks could ride out the season and hope to make a splash during the offseason via free agency. They could wait to see how much better Nazar will be by March. The team likely will wait until March to see how the market shapes up, and what they could do with their current trade capital: multiple NHL-ready defensemen prospects, and two first-round picks this year.

It doesn't make sense to keep guys like Kevin Korchinski and Ethan Del Mastro in Rockford for the foreseeable future; their value will decrease every year. The team is likely headed for a wildcard spot if this continues, and considering that Jeff Blashill's teams generally pick up momentum in the second half of the year, I believe the playoffs are not a reach.

Exciting times are ahead for the Blackhawks, and all loyal fans who have gone through this rebuild with cautious optimism are finally being rewarded.