3 centers the Chicago Blackhawks could target in free agency

The upcoming 2023-24 offseason will be an important one for the Chicago Blackhawks.

After another rebuilding season, the Blackhawks finished 31st in the NHL with a 23-53-6 record. Management and players alike expressed the need to take a step further in the coming season when the team hosted their season-ending exit interviews. General Manager Kyle Davidson was open about making changes in the offseason to make the team more competitive, going on to say that another season finishing in the bottom five would be unacceptable. Similar claims were made by members of the leadership group such as Nick Foligno, Seth Jones, and Jason Dickinson, who all mentioned players needing to be on the same page and setting the standard higher.

As the NHL Draft approaches, teams will soon get a better idea of what the trade market will be. If the Blackhawks plan to exercise a trade, they have a plethora of draft picks spread out over the next few seasons to help them do so.

Aside from the trade market, the Blackhawks also have over 33 million dollars in salary cap space which they can utilize to bring in free agents. One area that will need to be addressed is the forward group, the Blackhawks offense finished dead last in goals scored this season with 179. Connor Bedard and Jason Dickinson were the only two players to surpass the 20 goal plateau, and only three other player surpassed 15.

With more young players expected to join the Blackhawks roster next season, there will be more talent throughout the lineup, but the goal will be to surround the youth with quality NHL talent to alleviate some of the pressures of the NHL. The second-line center position will be an area to look at, as the Blackhawks could use a reliable, quality, center behind Bedard that can help to add more scoring from the top-six.

The Blackhawks likely won't target one of the big name players, but there are still good centermen in free agency who can bring secondary scoring to a Blackhawks team that is desperate for it.

Elias Lindholm

The Blackhawks will be looking to sign quality NHL players in free agency that won't cause large cap concerns later on when the young players are ready for their second contracts. Elias Lindholm could be just the player they are looking for.

Lindholm is coming off a down season where he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks from the Calgary Flames, his season ending in a Western Conference Semifinals loss to the Edmonton Oilers. With 44 points scored in 75 games between Vancouver and Calgary, Lindholm's 2023-24 campaign is not the standard for his play.

In his previous season with Calgary, Lindholm finished with 22 goals and 64 points, which was a dip in production from his 42 goal and 82 point season in 2021-22.

The 29-year-old centerman is coming off a strong playoff performance with Vancouver with 10 points in 13 games. He is a strong two-way player who can contribute well on offense, as shown by his strong seasons in Calgary. His high hockey IQ would compliment the Blackhawks' young players well and give the team a consistent presence down the middle. It is also worth noting that Lindholm can also play the wing, which is common amongst many Blackhawks forwards.

Lindholm is coming off a contract where he was making $4.85 million per season, and he will likely get a raise in free agency. At 29 years old, he is still in his prime and could command a deal of four or more seasons. If the Blackhawks target Lindholm, he can be a big part of the team going forward.

Sean Monahan

After an injury-plagued past few seasons, Sean Monahan had one of the biggest comeback seasons in the league this year. He started the season on the Montreal Canadiens, where he was sent as a camp dump after the 2021-22 season, and was traded to the Winnipeg Jets at the trade deadline. He tallied 26 goals and 59 points as a quietly consistent player all season long.

Monahan ended up playing in 83 games this year for Montreal and Winnipeg, the first time since the 2016-17 season that he played in over 80 games. He was considered one of the most consistent young players in the NHL in the early days of his career, with the centerman surpassing 60 points four times in his first six seasons.

Monahan proved this season that he can still play at a high level and could be a welcomed addition to the Blackhawks top nine as a scorer. He went seven straight seasons with 20 or more goals to begin his career and returned to that mark once again this year. As a goal scorer, he knows how to be consistent and the Blackhawks need more goal scorers.

At 29-years old, Monahan brings leadership to his game as well after spending seven seasons in Calgary with a letter on his jersey.

Monahan's health could be an issue for a team looking to sign him to a longer-term deal, which could give the Blackhawks a chance to give him a shorter deal with a higher salary attached. Though his defensive game is not what it was, Monahan could be a very solid scoring option alongside the Blackhawks' young players.