Ultimate turning point in the Blackhawks rebuild is here and fans are thrilled

Will the Chicago Blackhawks pull off their best impression of the 2024-25 Montreal Canadiens? Probably not. But that doesn't mean this season's not the turning point in what's been a far-too-long rebuild.

Why is that? While you won't get all the top prospects with the big club this season, you're getting Frank Nazar, Artyom Levshunov, Connor Bedard, Alex Vlasic, Spencer Knight, Arvid Soderblom, and Sam Rinzel at the absolute least with the big club in 2025-26.

While not all of the above are prospects, like Bedard, Knight, and Vlasic, the point is that this core is past the initial 'brewing' stages. That should be a clear signal to fans that this rebuild is just about ready to hit its next stage, from foundational to building.

Yeah, it means the Hawks are another year or two away from serious contention. And yep, it also means a team full of youngsters and mainly mediocre veterans will struggle again through rough periods and dry patches.

There's not even a light at the end of the tunnel. But with top picks from past drafts and faith in players like Nazar and Vlasic through long-term deals, those long-awaited results are about to begin.

The journey for the new-look Chicago Blackhawks is moving, but it's far from over

No, you won't see Anton Frondell much this season, if at all, depending on what happens with his pro team in Sweden. But Rinzel and Levshunov are ready, and that's two more than what the Hawks had to work with last season.

Not one, but two steps in the right direction. And this isn't even accounting for prospects who could make a jump later this season, or even claw their way into the opening night lineup, especially on the blue line.

With more youngsters heading to the NHL level this year, the number of cast-offs compared to players who'll be in the Windy City to help this team win games will tilt in the latter direction. For fans who've waited years for this, your patience will finally get a reward. Or, the first of a few rewards.

And it all started with identifying talent that's well-suited for the NHL game. Talent that has the potential to thrive, and filling the pool with prospects who met that criteria.

Instead of asking, "When are we gonna see these players on the ice full time?" The new question is, "How many prospects will be full-timers" come April 2026?

We don't know the answer to that question yet, but we do know that there's a chance over 50 percent of the team could be 25 or under by the time the season ends. So, pay close attention to what's going on in Rockford, because when some of these players show their worth consistently, they're going to the big club.

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