Making the playoffs next season is not too far-fetched for the Chicago Blackhawks

While the Chicago Blackhawks may not have hired a major, ground-breaking head coach like David Carle, the Blackhawks found a not-so-bad candidate in Jeff Blashill. The Blackhawks laid out a blueprint of who exactly they want in a head coach via Kyle Davidson:

1. Grow with the team.

2. Someone who would instill, teach, and hold players accountable fundamental winning habits.

3. Someone who would embrace the challenge of working with and developing young players.

4. Someone who shared the same vision as management.

Jeff Blashill does bring the experience of developing young players: He won the Calder Cup with the Grand Rapids Griffins, coached Team USA in the IIHF, coached college hockey, and arrives with experience from a previous rebuild in Detroit. It seems that that experience of working with rebuilds AND working with contenders in Tampa Bay that KD believes Jeff knows what it takes to be at the top of the league this time around.

The Blackhawks are unique in that they have likely superstars in every position, which is rare for rebuilders at this stage. Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar, and the 2025 first-round selection will be the next core at the forward position. Alex Vlasic, Artyom Levshunov, and Sam Rinzel make up the core of the defense, all under 25 years old. They also have their goaltender for the future in Spencer Knight at age 24. As far as the rebuild is concerned, this has to be the best case scenario since drafting Bedard in 2023.

Every Cup contender has these traits, especially a reliable, superstar goaltender who can duel with the opponent's goalie, coming out winning or at least equal. The Cup final shows that the goalie really is the difference, and the Blackhawks finally have theirs for the Bedard era.

Looking at the postseason, one team stood out to me the most: the Montreal Canadiens. This roster is full of young guys, but also with veterans who know how to win. Joel Armia went to the Cup final, as did Brendan Gallagher, and David Savard won a Cup in Tampa.

They have a Hall of Famer as their coach in Martin St. Louis. The young core of the Canadiens is solidified, and they put up a fight on their first trip to the big show. Ivan Demidov (sigh...) showed his skills and why he will be a force in the league for a long time, as did Lane Hutson.

The Canadiens also showed one more thing that was obvious: Tenacity. They did not play like they will win by skill, but by outworking the opposition, and they did that. They were not pushed around by a bigger, stronger Washington Capitals team, and that made it a series.

The Blackhawks were pushed around way too much this season, and if they did make the postseason (somehow) they would have been demolished. Not just with skill, but also in tenacity and work ethic. They lack the depth forwards who make life miserable for the opposition, though they have the guys with the potential for that. Ensuring that the young guys know their role and how to play it will be key.

The playoffs are NOT too far-fetched for the Blackhawks.

They have the skill. In many games, they were one mistake or a series of unfortunate puck luck from putting up more wins, coming closer to the number 16 pick instead of the No. 3.

I feel like the team could have put up close to 40 wins this season, and they have the potential to make the playoffs in 2026.

If Jeff does what he wants to do with this team and instills those fundamentals, which is what this team is lacking, really, this season could be one to watch out for.