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Grading the Chicago Blackhawks' Young Players 15 Games Into the Season

The season is still young, but it cannot hurt to check in on how the Hawks' young players are doing.

By Ethan Gawronski |
Detroit Red Wings v Chicago Blackhawks
Detroit Red Wings v Chicago Blackhawks / Michael Reaves/GettyImages
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The Chicago Blackhawks are now 15 games into the 2024-25 season, and the team's start has left fans and players wanting more.

With a record of 5-9-1, the Blackhawks currently sit 28th in the NHL standings.

While the rebuild was never meant to be over this season, the expectation was that the team would show notable growth and take a step further.

The Blackhawks have shown growth in their ability to push back and shift the momentum to make the games closer. However, the issue is that they are not consistently starting strong enough to put themselves in the driver's seat.

A team still getting used to one another is bound to have some growing pains, and it feels as though the Blackhawks are figuring those out in the early parts of this season.

Line chemistry overall has improved, and the defense It looks much stronger than last season despite a few too many moments where they are caught in their zone.

However, one area that has, overall, been positive is the performance of the young players on the roster.

Most of the Blackhawks' youth is still developing, leaving only a few spots on this year's roster for young players. But, those on the team have made promising impacts early on this season.

Connor Bedard receives an A.

Bedard's sophomore season expectation was to take his game to another level, and so far, he is looking the part.

Currently leading the team with 13 points, Bedard is the focal point of the Blackhawks' offense. His confidence with the puck is even higher than last season, as he has built upon his ability to make high-level plays.

Frustrations have also been building for Bedard as the goals have not come in spades yet for him. He has been generating scoring chances and likely should have more points, but the luck has not been on his side.

Soon, enough those chances will start going in and his points should skyrocket.

Wyatt Kaiser's early season grade is a B+

After spending some extended time in Rockford (AHL) last season, Kaiser is looking like a much different player than at the beginning of last season.

Lately seeing more time in the Blackhawks' top-four alongside Seth Jones, Kaiser is becoming a relied-upon member of the team's defense core as a 22-year-old.

Despite only having one assist in fourteen games, the young defender has shown sound defensive instincts and aggressiveness in the defensive zone. His confidence is showing as he continues to develop his game at the NHL level.

The smooth skating Kaiser looks much more poised and acclimated to professional play which is mainly in-part to his time spent in the AHL. With the progress he's shown since last year, Kaiser is a bright spot on the Blackhawks' roster.

Lukas Reichel's grade is a B+

Going into this season, there was no guarantee that Lukas Reichel was going to have a spot on the Blackhawks roster. He even spent the first few games as a healthy scratch before making his debut in the home-opener.

Since being a healthy scratch, Reichel has not looked back and is showing the confidence that was lost last season.

Mainly centering Pat Maroon and Craig Smith, Reichel has tallied one goal and six points through eleven games. His play has also rewarded him with consistent power play time and looks in the top six.

Reichel's speed is arguably his best asset and he's used it to his advantage this season as he creates offense on a much more consistent basis.

If Reichel is able to keep up his play, his future with the team will be in a much better place than it was a couple of months ago,

Nolan Allan gets a solid B to start the season.

After spending the entire season in the AHL last year, Allan impressed once again in training camp and made the team on opening night.

Allan has had moments where he truly looks like a rookie in the NHL, and there is no problem with that. There have been times when he's been outmuscled to a puck or caught in his end a little too long, but those are expected areas for a rookie to grow upon.

In his short time in the NHL, Allan is already looking more situated and has been a solid defender for the team. He plays a sound game and is a smart player who does the little things that often go unnoticed.

If there comes a point where Allan looks overwhelmed, he can go back to Rockford like Kaiser did and develop his game with the valuable experience he's earned this year. Though, the day has not yet come to have those discussions as Allan has looked NHL-ready since day one.

Alex Vlasic's early season rating is an A.

Despite only being in his second full season, it feels as though Vlasic is an established veteran in the NHL. That is because of how good he has been since becoming a full-time NHL'er.

Looking to build off his stellar rookie year in 2023-24, Vlasic has taken his game even further and has been great for the Blackhawks this season.

With seven points in 15 games, Vlasic's offensive game has improved as he has become a consistent presence on the power play and the attack at 5-on-5.

The 23-year-old has grown into a two-way threat for the Blackhawks and has impressed at both ends of the ice. He has deservedly become one of the team's most relied-upon players and brings hope as a future cornerstone of the organization.

An honorable mention who deserves praise this season is Arvid Soderblom, who has been fantastic early on and may be worthy of his article entirely.

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