Kirill Kaprizov and the Chicago Blackhawks will be a perfect fit in 2026

A lot of buzz was generated in the hockey world yesterday when Mark Lazerus of The Athletic reported that Minnesota Wild star Kirill Kaprizov would be “intrigued” by the prospect of signing with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2026.

Later, Lazerus clarified his report on X:

While it may be disheartening for Hawks fans to find out that “Kirill the Thrill” is not dying to play in the Windy City, there is still a chance the Hawks are on Kaprizov’s shortlist when he reaches unrestricted free agency two summers from now.

And why shouldn’t they be in the mix for Kaprizov?

The Hawks are building something special with Connor Bedard as the centerpiece, and in two years they will be looking to take that next step towards Stanley Cup contention.

By the time Kaprizov hits free agency, first-round forwards such as Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, and Sacha Boisvert will likely have cemented themselves as legitimate top-six/top-nine contributors, and all will be under 22 years old.

That’s not to mention the stable of blueliners GM Kyle Davidson has developed or will continue to develop in Rockford, headlined by Artyom Levshunov, Kevin Korchinksi, and Alex Vlasic.

By 2026, the Hawks will be on the rise and will undoubtedly be attractive to a would-be 29-year-old Kaprizov looking to cement his legacy with a championship. As a bonus, the team should have enough cap space to pay Kaprizov fair market value as the young core will be on bridge deals or modest long-term contracts, like Vlasic.

The situation appears eerily similar to the summer of 2009 when the Hawks added Marián Hossa to push them over the proverbial hump, as Lazerus notes in his X post.

Many fans and reporters have noted the Hawks have an abundance of forward prospects, but no one in the same stratosphere as Bedard. Kaprizov certainly checks that box to the tune of 330 points in 278 career games. A lot can happen between now and July 2026, but Blackhawks need Kaprizov, and, if Kaprizov wants the Hawks, Davidson should move heaven and earth to make it happen.