Why Alex Tuch makes sense as Blackhawks' next big addition

At a certain point, the Chicago Blackhawks have to stop chasing draft lottery balls and actually take the next step in the Western Conference. The Blackhawks finished 30th or worse in four consecutive seasons after their 31st-place finish in 2025-26, and haven't made the playoffs since the 2019-20 season. If they are going to change that, they'll have to start adding some big fish, and Alex Tuch is the lunker this summer.

The time to go is now for the Blackhawks. They added Anton Frondell to the fold late in the year, and he'll be on his entry-level deal for another two seasons. Connor Bedard's salary will be added to the cap this summer, but the team has enough young pieces to avoid worrying about hitting that ceiling anytime soon. Their defense is still young, but they are gaining experience and should be able to be the backbone of at least a playoff-contending team.

Any questions about Spencer Knight as a goalie that can lead a team to the playoffs were silenced last season with his .902 save percentage and 10.90 goals saved above expected, but the goaltender didn't get a ton of help, as the Blackhawks scored the second-fewest goals in the NHL with 210. If they are looking for some more offense, Tuch's 30+ goals in three of the past four seasons would certainly help.

Adding Alex Tuch on Connor Bedard's wing would create one of the best lines in the NHL

Some doubters remain about Bedard's ability to play center, which makes Tuch an even more justifiable acquisition. If a center doesn't play the two-way game as well but brings more offense from that position, his organization better find a winger who can play that style well, and there aren't many better two-way wingers in the league than Tuch.

Tuch had a tough second round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, which led to the Buffalo Sabres' elimination at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens. Even when he produced zero offense for Buffalo, he was still one of their most reliable forwards. With the Blackhawks having a considerable number of forwards who need to produce offense to be effective, a presence like Tuch is something they can work with on their quest for playoff contention.

The Blackhawks watched the San Jose Sharks sniff postseason contention this past season. As two teams on similar rebuilding paths, the Blackhawks should be motivated to realize that it's time to start thinking about playoff dates.

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