The Blackhawks ultimate checklist for a successful 2024 offseason

The Chicago Blackhawks 2023 offseason was a resounding success simply because they drafted Connor Bedard, and he rewarded them with an outstanding rookie year. The presumed Calder Trophy winner has 59 points and 22 goals in 63 contests as of April 9th, and his three-zone game will only improve as he becomes more acclimated to the NHL when next season rolls around. 

But as we have seen this season, Bedard’s presence alone won’t change the Blackhawks fortunes, and it shows just how important it is to build a complete team, even around a generational talent. If the Blackhawks can do something similar to what the Pittsburgh Penguins managed with Sidney Crosby, then this team has the brightest future of any non-playoff team in 2023-24. 

Blackhawks need another outstanding offseason to take a few steps forward

The Blackhawks aren’t a good hockey team, but one look at their lineup shows us that it’s full of primarily cast-offs sans a few seasoned veterans and either pending unrestricted free agents or RFAs who will be looking to earn an extension in 2024-25. We will see which RFAs stick around and how their presence will impact the Blackhawks next season, but deciding on who stays and who goes will play a role in shaping this ever-important summer. 

But if general manager Kyle Davidson wants the next few months to be a resounding success, making decisions on pending RFAs is also just a small piece to the puzzle. With another high pick in the upcoming draft and free agency on the horizon, there are plenty of decisions for Davidson to make that will leave a lasting impact on how Chicago’s 2024-25 campaign unravels. 

If he wants the team to ultimately build on the first layers of the foundation that was laid this season, there is a checklist of items Davidson must tackle. Let’s explore all three of them in detail, starting with the upcoming draft. 

Draft the absolute best player available 

Although it was predictable, the Blackhawks hit a home run with Connor Bedard. But that needs to happen at least one more time, as Chicago is destined to get another top-four pick. After I made nearly two-dozen simulations at Tankathon, the Blackhawks rarely even landed outside the top three, and they also snagged the No. 1 overall spot on three occasions. 

If the No. 1 pick last season meant Connor Bedard, it would mean Macklin Celebrini this time around, and like Bedard, he should jump right into the NHL unless an unforeseen setback occurs. But even if Chicago isn’t lucky enough to land the top pick for two years running, it doesn’t mean they’re out of luck, considering the sheer talent in this draft class. 

In Tankathon’s April 9th mock draft, they have Chicago taking Ivan Demidov of the MHL, whom Tankathon has ranked second. Regardless of where, presumably in the top four (even the top three, per the simulation), the Blackhawks pick, Davidson must roll with the absolute best player on his board and get them into the NHL as soon as possible. 

That said, if they aren’t NHL-ready, there is no need to rush them. But anyone drafted in that top four needs to learn how to be contributors sooner rather than later. 

Keep the door open for prospects who could land with the big club

Another reason Kyle Davidson must roll with an older, more cost-effective group for the upcoming offseason is that it is inevitable that he will have prospects who may not be NHL-ready at the moment earn a chance to compete in the big league at some point in 2024-25. 

Even if this isn’t something that will, or should, occur early in the season, Chicago’s prospects pool is an outstanding bunch, and they should comprise the team’s not-so-distant future. This isn’t to say that Davidson shouldn’t go after the big-name free agent or a major trade acquisition in time. It just doesn’t need to happen in the summer of 2024 or even during the 2024-25 season. This is a year when it’s best to resist adding top-end talent to the organization and instead add another layer to the foundation. 

No, there is also no guarantee the method will work. But if the endgame involves maximizing the organization’s overall window of opportunity, and it should with such a young group, taking a more calculated approach is the best way to go about it. 

Sure, Davidson could choose not to extend the current RFAs and make blockbuster moves all he wants this summer. But there are also no guarantees that method will work either, and it would also come with the inevitable shortening the window of success. Such a method may have been feasible with Patrick Kane in town, but long-term success should be key with Connor Bedard. 

(Statistics provided by Hockey-Reference)