Kyle Davidson's vision for Blackhawks remains intact after trade deadline

Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson just navigated his fifth NHL trade deadline. While many fans hope this is the last one in which he focuses on subtracting veterans for draft capital, he did a good job over the past few days.

Getting a first and second-round pick from the Edmonton Oilers for Connor Murphy, Jason Dickinson, and Colton Dach, while getting Andrew Mangiapane to fill the veteran void, was a better return than most expected. Davidson later took care of captain Nick Foligno by giving him one last postseason run playing with the Minnesota Wild. He finished off his day by trading prospect Aidan Thompson to the New York Rangers for Derrick Pouliot, who will provide a veteran presence for the Rockford IceHogs.

Time for a New Leadership Group to Emerge

Davidson did something this week that very few NHL general managers have ever done, if ever, by trading away his captain and two alternates at the same deadline. He obviously felt the veteran trio of Foligno, Murphy, and Dickinson had done their jobs to the fullest, and it was time to open the door for the future leaders to take over. This deadline also gave him a chance to reward those guys with legitimate shots at deep playoff runs after they willingly took on important roles during the early stages of a long rebuild.

“There are some people who have left a very strong, positive, and impactful mark on our organization, our city, and a lot of our players that’ll be here for a long time to come,” he said of the trio. “I just can’t thank them enough for their professionalism, their play, their dedication, everything they brought to the organization.”

It’s pretty much a forgone conclusion that Connor Bedard will be the next captain of the Chicago Blackhawks. He will be an alternate captain for the rest of the season and will likely swap the “A” for a “C” next fall. Tyler Bertuzzi will also wear an “A” going forward. The last 21 games of the season will be a good test run for the younger players to take on a bigger leadership role.

“We did move out a lot of leadership, but I think we still have a lot in that room,” Davidson said. “There are still a lot of good veterans in that room. And we have a lot of emerging young leaders. Alex Vlasic has been around this league a while, and we’ve got some guys who know what they need to do to win and know what they need to do and what the team needs to do to keep progressing.

“It’s an opportunity for a lot of young players to step into the void, to continue progressing their own leadership capabilities and developing their voice in the room. So, I don’t necessarily fear for the lack of leadership. I think it’s there. It’s just going to come in a different form now, and I’m excited for a lot of those young guys to find that voice and find that next bit of contribution.” 

Davidson Has the Ammo to Act

The sentiment in the Blackhawks locker room was clear the past couple of days. Nobody is thrilled that the team is talking about guys leaving instead of the excitement of bringing in a needed addition. Head coach Jeff Blashill, Foligno, and Bedard all said it.

“Honestly, I’d probably worry more if it wasn’t bothering guys, to be honest, because I think that would reflect some sort of disengagement from the group,” Davidson said. “I don’t think anyone’s pleased about being sellers. I don’t want them to be. I think that’s something they’ve got to feel, and they've got to take not only into the game but into the offseason and do everything they can to individually and combine that into a collective effort to make sure we’re just not in these spots moving forward. You don’t know what the future’s going to bring, but I think it’s a healthy thing to be that invested into your teammates and into your group and love the group you’re working with every day to the point where unfortunately when the business side of the industry takes hold and guys do move on, that you do feel that because we want that close knit group. We want that investment from everyone into each other, and I think we’ve seen that over the last couple of days.”

Fans are ready for the next phase of the rebuild. While many are still on board with Davidson’s vision, they are starting to lose patience with the constant stockpiling of draft picks and young players. The good news is, there could be a change in philosophy coming soon. Davidson knows that he will eventually need to add talent from the outside, and some of the moves made this week could help that happen.

“Whether people want to hear it or not, we are committed to a vision here,” Davidson said. “We’ve picked a path, we’re committed to it, and we’re going to execute within that vision. We’re going to continue to believe in these young players. As they continue to mature, and continue to get comfortable, and develop into the players we see them becoming, and expect them to, that’s going to drive our team success.

“That doesn't mean it’s only going to come from these players. There are opportunities along the way that I would hope and expect in the future to add and inject more talent. But we can only deal with what we know, and we know all these young players coming up. We believe in them wholeheartedly, and not just with rose-colored glasses.

By acquiring picks in 2027, or possibly 2028, in the two trades with the Oilers, Davidson has more ammo for future trades. As we’ve seen, the days of getting an elite talent via free agency appear to be over, at least for the time being. It sure sounds like when the real deal presents itself, Davidson will be ready to throw his hat in the ring.

“Those are things we have explored, and we have attempted,” Davidson said of making a big trade. “The reality of it is that really good players are so hard to shake loose. We’ve got the ammo to explore those avenues and try to acquire talent with the future in mind. We’re well-positioned for that. It’s something you have to plan for and be prepared to execute when the opportunity presents itself. What we can control is being prepared, and we are prepared from that standpoint. We’ve got the capital, we’ve got the assets, it’s just waiting for the right window to open.”

While none of the players traded this week were unexpected, it still doesn’t feel great to be subtracting leaders at this point in the season. Hopefully, this is the last time with this group we’re talking about important guys getting chances on other teams.