The Windy City is always a ray of hope as the Blackhawks miserable run continues

As I write this, it's August 6th, meaning a lot of teams still. have time to make another transaction or two before the season begins. But you can count the Chicago Blackhawks out of the running for new players, as any new acquisitions are likely to land in spots where they can compete to win a Stanley Cup.

Or, at least contend for the playoffs. This means that the team you see skating into the Windy City this season is the one you're going to get. And as you might know, I have some more optimism than many heading into 2025-26, with a young team that's another year older and a star player with even more NHL experience.

Plus, I'll always look at the Montreal Canadiens, and say, "Hey, they can do it, and they don't have a generational talent on their team." Sure, they have Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Patrik Laine at forward, plus a dynamic defenseman in Lane Hutson. So, there are cornerstones.

But the Hawks have that generational piece in Connor Bedard, plus a supporting cast that consists of proven winners like Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, and now, Andre Burakovsky. It's why I have a tough time counting them out, especially if Alex Vlasic and Artyom Levshunov take leaps. And then, there's Ryan Donato, who's poised for another good season.

The Chicago Blackhawks only need to exceed expectations, and they'll entice veterans

With 100 years of history, the Blackhawks and the City of Chicago are hockey royalty. That's a given. And the Blackhawks aren't like the Buffalo Sabres, or even the Florida Panthers, for that matter. And I'm using two extremes here on purpose in terms of recent franchise success.

Even when the Sabres looked like they were about to break their playoff drought earlier in the decade following the 2022-23 season, the place never looked like a hotbed for hockey. Even when they thought they had something following the 2023-24 season, albeit a decrease in production, it was still tough to entice any real talent to call Buffalo home.

I mean, Kevyn Adams basically admitted nobody wanted to come to Buffalo. And then there's Sunrise, Florida, which is the Hockey Capital of the World at the moment because of its back-to-back Stanley Cups and the fact it'll host the Winter Classic in 2026.

Still, when were the Panthers on anyone's radar even when they were kind of, sort of good before their attempt at a dynasty? When the Panthers, just like any team, are winning, they're going to get immense coverage.

But when they're even enjoying a solid season that might end in a first-round exit from the playoffs? You're not going to see them get as much coverage as, say, the Blackhawks. I mean, they played in the most recent Winter Classic, and you can probably figure out why that is.

Why this matters regardless of what era it is

While there's a salary cap in hockey, there's still leverage that your larger, more historical markets hold over those smaller markets. It's why it's rare to see talent in Buffalo unless the Sabres are winning, despite the fact you can call the city a hockey town.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has long been regarded as one of the best places for hockey in America, but before the Crosby era and Mario Lemieux left his prime? Interest was so-so during a good season, but other than that, it was really nothing doing.

As for Chicago, they've proven in the past that turning the needle north just a little will entice talent to come in from the outside. And that will be the case again once this team starts playing respectable hockey.

Chicago is a large market and one so rich with history in the sport that players will want to be a piece of the puzzle for that next run. It also gets a whole lot more attention and national coverage, even during those down seasons - hence, the 2025 Winter Classic, and the season-opening game in 2025-26.

Don't expect that trend to go to the wayside any time soon, even if the Blackhawks can't figure out how to win just yet.

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