3 major setbacks the Blackhawks suffered this season that won’t be issues in 2024-25

This time last year, everyone in the NHL universe thought highly of Connor Bedard, who was finishing up his storied career with the Regina Pats. Simultaneously, nobody thought highly of the Chicago Blackhawks, an organization that moved one of its best players in franchise history in March 2023, signifying the beginning of a massive rebuild. 

Luckily for the Blackhawks and their fans, they got the first selection in the 2023 draft lottery, and not long after, Bedard became part of the organization. That said, no 18-year-old player was going to turn around what had become a downtrodden franchise in a year, especially with a barren roster of youngsters and so-so players. 

The results were predictable: Just 51 points in their first 80 contests and a team that, in that same frame, saw itself score just 174 goals or 2.17 per game. It was a rough year for Chicago, and a myriad of issues faced this hockey team from when the puck first dropped in October in what was an Icon vs. Future Icon matchup between Sidney Crosby and Bedard. 

Blackhawks won’t win often in 2024-25, but they will move one step forward

This season, the Hawks weren’t just a bad hockey team; they were one of the worst in franchise history alongside the Sharks. But unlike San Jose, they have a player who could easily, within five years from today, become the face of the league, or at least among the NHL’s younger players. 

That may not come next season since it will take more than one year to transform one of the most historical franchises in NHL history back into a winner. But with a year of this rebuild heading into the rearview come the end of the week - shortly before the end, to be exact - expect a few issues to alleviate when the 2024-25 regular season begins roughly six months from today.