The Chicago Blackhawks‘ rebuild may have come and gone quicker than anticipated, but it isn’t without success. Winning the draft lottery and being able to select Connor Bedard definitely sped up the process, but the Blackhawks were able to assemble a team of highly drafted players as well, young and older.
Impressively, the Blackhawks could have up to 11 first-round picks on the roster this season, from rookies to veterans. By stating that, it may seem like Chicago should be built to win the Stanley Cup, but that’s not the case yet.
Not every first-round pick turns into a Bedard. Some players find other roles if the scoring doesn’t transfer over from before they were in the NHL, others haven’t hit their stride yet and may never will, and certain veterans are past their prime. This is what the Blackhawks have this season, and while 11 first-round picks won’t be as amazing as it sounds, it’s still pretty good.
Kicking it off from the top, two players on the Blackhawks were drafted first overall – Bedard and Taylor Hall. Bedard is already living up to the hype that comes with being picked where he was. He had a great rookie season as an 18-year-old, not only winning the Calder Trophy, but leading the team in goal and points as well as all forwards in ice time. Bedard is going to be the cornerstone piece of the franchise for a long time, but he isn’t in his prime yet. He’s going to get a whole lot better.
Potentially on his wing will be Hall. He is a few years removed from his prime that seemingly ended in 2019-20 with a trade from the New Jersey Devils to the Arizona Coyotes. He won the Hart Trophy in 2017-18 with 39 goals and 93 points, but did show signs of life three seasons ago in Boston with 20 goals and 61 points.
Hall is coming off of an injury that kept him out for the final 72 games last season, but has some new life with the Blackhawks getting better so quickly. Whether he plays on the top line with Bedard in the spot he started last season or on the second line, Hall will contribute, even if it’s not in first overall form any longer.
Artyom Levshunov might be a long-shot to stick on the Blackhawks all season, but wasn’t necessarily a long-shot to make the team before his injury. He was drafted second overall for a reason and is already 6’2, 209 lbs. He is coming off a near point-per-game season in the NCAA and there may be a spot up for grabs on the back-end for him to get a trial run.
Related: Blackhawks’ Artyom Levshunov Expected to Miss More Time Than Anticipated With Foot Injury
General manager Kyle Davidson made it very clear that spots are up for grabs if prospects outplay the veterans and earn them. But in reality, expect a few games at most for Levshunov in the NHL later this season at this point.
The Blackhawks have two more players drafted in the top-10 that include defensemen Seth Jones and Kevin Korchinski. While not partners, one or the other should be on the ice for a large chunk of each game. Jones was drafted fourth overall by the Nashville Predators in 2013 and later acquired in a big trade with the Columbus Blue Jackets while Korchinski was drafted seventh overall in 2022 by the Blackhawks.
Jones is Chicago’s number one defenseman that plays in all situations. He should continue to do so this season and play a massive role on the back-end, even with the new additions. Korchinski may have to prove he belongs on the Blackhawks in training camp and out of the gate, but he is very talented and is expected to play the full season in Chicago again. This time he’ll have more NHL experience and the Blackhawks will also have a safety net with T.J. Brodie and Alec Martinez.
Two younger players in the Blackhawks organization fall into this category. There are a lot of prospects or players at the beginning of their professional careers trying to make a name for themselves and solidify their spot in Chicago. Of the first round picks who should be on the roster at one point this season, there are Lukas Reichel and Frank Nazar.
Reichel didn’t live up to expectations last season and couldn’t hold down the spot as the second line center. He may be more suited for the wing, but spent time in both the NHL and AHL to develop his game more. After the Blackhawks’ season was over, Reichel played in the playoffs for the Rockford IceHogs (Blackhawks’ affiliate) and for Germany at the World Championship.
Reichel did very well in both, proving what he can do. His confidence has to be very high heading into the season and isn’t exempt from waivers. If Chicago cuts him, another team will definitely claim him. Reichel is going to start the season on the Blackhawks and there’s a good chance he starts on the third line as well.
Nazar came out of university where he was a point-per-game player (41 points in 41 games) and burned a year of his entry-level deal with the Blackhawks by appearing in three games at the end of the season. He scored a great goal in one of those games, but possibly needs a bit more seasoning until he steps into the NHL in a full time capacity.
Nazar is an offensive talent that will have an impact for the Blackhawks in the years to come and will likely earn some more playing time in Chicago at one point this season. I’m not counting out the possibility of the former 13th overall pick making the team out of training camp, but he will have to prove without a shadow of a doubt that he belongs in the NHL right now as he’ll be taking a spot from a veteran.
There are four veterans on the Blackhawks that were selected in the latter half of the first round years ago. Teuvo Teravainen, who just signed back with Chicago this offseason, was selected 18th overall in 2012 by the Blackhawks. Connor Murphy was selected 20th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2011, while the Ottawa Senators selected Nick Foligno 28th overall in 2006 and the Dallas Stars drafted Jason Dickinson in 2013 at 29th overall.
Teravainen is a lock to play in the top-6 for the Blackhawks this season. The team needed more offense after scoring the least amount of goals in the league last season. The 30-year-old scored 138 goals and 415 points in 555 games for the Carolina Hurricanes in the eight seasons since leaving Chicago. That amounts to over 61 points per 82 games.
Murphy is going into his eighth season with the Blackhawks and has played over 400 games for the team during that span. He is a second pairing defenseman, and a reliable one at that. He should be playing beside Korchinski again this season as they had chemistry when the veteran was healthy.
Foligno is going to be playing for the Blackhawks all season, but his role will be much less than it was last season. He played over 17 minutes per game in 2023-24, but with all of the injuries and lack of better talent, that made sense. He averaged under 13 minutes per game in the two seasons prior. I expect that is where he should hover this season at age 36.
Dickinson took a big step forward in an unexpected season for the two-way center. The Blackhawks needed a top-6 centerman and he proved he was up to the challenge. That isn’t a long-term solution, but he was the best defensive forward on the team and one of the best around the league last season. He should be playing down the middle on the second or third line this season for Chicago.
Expectations are much higher for the Blackhawks, but it is going to take some time for them to become Stanley Cup contenders. All of the talent on the team, young and old, should be a good mix throughout 2024-25.
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