One team the Blackhawks can aspire to be when October 2025 rolls around

Oh, the Chicago Blackhawks fell so short of expectations, that I couldn’t blame a single one of their fans if they already switched to following their favorite MLB or NBA teams. Or, if they’re die-hard NFL fans, they’re more interested in seeing what the Bears will do in the 2025 NFL Draft.

But, if you’re in the Hockey or Nothing club, then you’re still paying attention to the Blackhawks. And I don’t even need to put the word ‘right,’ followed by a question mark behind it. You want to see player development in these final few games, and, chances are, you want to see a few more wins so the Hawks can enter the 2025 offseason on a high note. 

When October 2025 rolls around, you’re saying, “Lack of progress is not an option.” And maybe that will be the case, especially as we’ve seen a few teams go from having virtually nothing to being surefire playoff contenders. In the East, I’m talking about the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens, and I’m specifically zeroing in on the latter. 

The Blackhawks can become the 2025-26 version of the Canadiens

Yep, a former Original Six rival who the Blackhawks are all too familiar with. And a team that nobody saw coming even close to the playoffs earlier this season. As Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times writes, “One key to the Hawks enjoying a Canadiens-esque season: Artyom Levshunov or Sam Rinzel exploding onto the scene with a Hutson-esque individual season. Their playing styles are different than Hutson’s, but if one of those young defensemen proves to be as good as Hutson has been — which will be a tall task — the Hawks’ complexion will change quickly.”

Pope also mentioned coaching, and I agree on both what I’ve shared above. It would be rare to see another bottom-tier team jump the same way the Canadiens have, but should either Levshunov or Rinzel hit the ground running, both, ideally, it alone would give the Blackhawks more weapons than they had this season. 

That’s not saying much, but giving opponents a young player or two to account for, players not with the team full-time this season, will go a long way. Then, there’s the coaching, something the Hawks must get right if they plan on giving their fans a little more entertainment next season. 

The most realistic approach for the Blackhawks in 2025-26…at this point…

Ben Pope projected something along what we’ve seen this season from the Anaheim Ducks is what’s in store for the Hawks, and I’d agree with him. Further, I’d also add that the Hawks will likely, should they hire the right coach and see steady growth from their youngsters, fall somewhere between the Ducks and the Utah Hockey Club, and if we want to give them a ceiling, that’s where the Canadiens come in.

Obviously, it’s not enough for a playoff berth, but Blackhawks fans are probably not thinking about making the 2026 postseason. It’s not necessary for a successful 2025-26 campaign, and that’s something we’ll be talking about in greater detail as the summer progresses. 

In the six months prior to next season, and it is just six months away, believe it or not, every single Hawks fan taking a realistic approach will be just fine to see their team finishing somewhere between 10th and 12th in the Western Conference. Moving forward, the entire narrative around this team will shift north.