How have the Blackhawks gotten their rebuild so wrong?

On June 28th, 2023, the Chicago Blackhawks selected generational talent Connor Bedard in the NHL draft. It was a selection that was anticipated to change the franchise completely. It returned Chicago to where it once was in the 2010s. And it was the start of a long-awaited new era. It is now October 2026, and the Chicago Blackhawks are no better off than they were then. They have mastered how to do a rebuild the wrong way.

The root of the failure

Chopping and changing coaches and training staff is not the answer. Hanging the responsibility on the younger guys to step up is not the answer. Neither is making no real strides toward getting game-changing players. Chicago has spent years going backwards in their rebuild. General manager Kyle Davidson has been praised for his smart drafting and good contracts. Yet the team is stuck in the bottom five, and his time may be coming to an end.

When you look at teams that were once in the same boat as the Blackhawks, they are opposites. Montreal is arguably the closest match, and they look to be on course for the playoffs soon. The idea is to get your core of young star prospects, and build around them with league veterans and players with a reputation. Not just try to put square pegs into round holes like the Blackhawks have done.

Poor roster management

The biggest problem for the Blackhawks has been building the roster. Davidson has made some really nice draft picks in his time, but hasn't used their value to full effect. Sometimes a franchise can have too many young prospects that simply don't fit into the plans. However, Davidson has been reluctant to use his young prospects as trade capital, and it has proved to be a massive factor in slowing down the progression. For years, Blackhawks fans have been asking, 'Where is the help for Bedard?' a question that desperately needs answering but keeps being ignored.

Picking up guys early on in the rebuild, like Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen, were smart moves. At the time, they were reliable, decent veterans who could teach the youth. But this season so far, they have outstayed their welcome. Not only are they taking up two really valuable roster spots, but they also aren't producing. As good as they have been at times, they were the guys who needed replacing with the real elite talents.

Too many coaches, not enough success

It isn't just the guys on the ice who have played a role in the failure of the rebuild so far. Picking up coaches left, right, and center hasn't exactly been ideal for the young guys. They lack direction, a mentor, and a clear philosophy early in their career. This is something that can be crucial for the development of younger players. The Blackhawks haven't gone out and targeted a real long-term winner and have settled for coaches who might be good enough. Not someone they can settle down with and trust going forward.

Poor player management and asset dealings, along with ineffective coaching, have significantly contributed to the drawbacks of the rebuild. The organization poorly developed their players before throwing them into the deep end, and they brought in the wrong players. When free agency and the trade deadline are so quiet for a team in need, it is hard to see the positives in the last four years for the Blackhawks. The organization has put themselves in a position no team wants to be in; whether it's coaching, the guys behind the operation, or the players.

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