This one move could define the Chicago Blackhawks entire rebuild

The Chicago Blackhawks have been in the midst of a rebuild for the better part of half a decade. The teardown and reconstruction process has yielded numerous young stars who promise to usher in a new era of contention.

But as encouraging as that sounds, fans have grown impatient at the lack of tangible on-ice success. This past season saw the Blackhawks sink to the bottom of the Central Division, netting the team another lottery pick.

Sure, the lottery picks are nice, but there comes a point where the team must begin to show signs of contention. That situation means moving away from veterans on relatively cheap contracts and focusing on high-level NHLers who could contribute meaningfully to the team’s turnaround. While the Blackhawks can learn a lot from the Stanley Cup Final, the team needs help here and now through some big additions this offseason.

So, that brings this year’s UFA market into focus. The Hawks already have a budding franchise center in Connor Bedard. The defense pipeline looks solid with Alex Vlasic emerging as a potential number-one blue liner.

That is why the Blackhawks must explore bringing in one or two solid vets who can really turn things up. Specifically, I’m thinking about UFA-to-be Brock Boeser.

Boeser is coming off a relatively down year with the Vancouver Canucks. But he’s one season removed from a 40-goal campaign. While one could argue that his 40-goal performance in 2023-24 was an outlier, I would argue that his fall back to earth was more a result of the overall disappointing season in Vancouver.

Adding Boeser would instantly provide Bedard with a gritty, talented winger who could easily slide into the top line with Bedard and Ryan Donato. That would allow the Hawks to deploy Ilya Mikheyev in a middle-six role more suited to his speed and skill set.

The Blackhawks could also experiment with Boeser alongside Frank Nazar, giving the team another completely different look on the second line.

Overall, Brock Boeser could be the sort of player that opens the door to other free agents potentially interested in moving to Chicago. Once other big-name players see that someone like Boeser signs in Chicago, interest could pick up from other free agents on the fence about joining the Blackhawks.

Signing Brock Boeser would signal Chicago Blackhawks are ready to compete

Beyond Brock Boeser representing a pure goal-scorer the Blackhawks need, signing a player of his stature signals that the Blackhawks are done rebuilding. They have enough pieces in place to contend while leveraging their cap space to attract high-profile players.

Down the line, I could see the Blackhawks landing one or two elite players to push the team back into Stanley Cup contention. That situation would hinge on Bedard taking the next step toward becoming a true NHL superstar, while the remaining cast of characters prove they’re up to the task.

If that seems like a far-fetched tale, think about how the Penguins turned things around when they drafted Sidney Crosby. They had Crosby and Malkin much the same way the Hawks had Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane back in the day.

So, who’s to say that can’t happen against in the Windy City?

Add one or two high-end free agents and the stage is set for what could be a decade of contention for a fanbase that’s hungry to win.

But it all starts with landing a key free agent that tells the NHL the Blackhawks are ready to win.