A phenom can’t carry dead weight forever.
I, like most of Chicago last season, sat in anguish watching the Blackhawks set a franchise record of 22 consecutive road losses in a season. I witnessed the injury bug infect a new player seemingly every week. To say the very least, last season was rough.
Kicking off their first game of the 2024-2025 season Tuesday against the Utah Hockey Club, the Blackhawks still have a lot of kinks to iron out in order to be successful. Here is what I’m optimistic about as a delusional hockey fan.
AND HIS NAME IS CONNOR BEDARD
There’s still a buzz of excitement surrounding the first pick of the 2023 draft, forward Connor Bedard.
The Windy City celebrated like they’d won the Stanley Cup when the draft lottery awarded the Blackhawks the first overall pick in 2023. General manager Kyle Davidson didn’t disappoint us by drafting the hockey phenom, painting fans a picture of what he sees for the future of the Blackhawks. There were some doubts about Bedard shooting straight into the show, but he lived up to his expectations.
Bedard was the glimmer of hope for the future throughout an otherwise lifeless season, leading the team with 61 points in 68 games played. If he hadn’t fractured his jaw in January, I think Bedard could’ve easily reached 75 points or higher. Despite missing 14 games, he still led the team in assists (39), tied for first in goal-scoring (22) with forward Jason Dickinson and led in shots on goal with 206.
Bedard went on to win the Calder Memorial Trophy, cementing his rookie year as one of the only positives Chicago witnessed last season.
With fewer cameras in his face and reporters hounding him about his expectations, I see Bedard putting his head down and getting to work in his sophomore season. He’s proved he can hang around with the big kids in the league.
He’s also proved there’s more to him than just his mechanical skill. Without the weight of the captaincy on his shoulders (for the time being), he can only get better with age. If he stays healthy, I can see him leading the team in points once again by a large margin.
VETERANS OF THE GAME
There is no greater resource to help prospects flourish than the seasoned hockey players who’ve earned their stripes (and lost some teeth).
Davidson has a good grasp of this concept and it shows in his signings and acquisitions, locking down a lot of big names on the first day of free agency this summer.
A familiar face has returned to Chicago in former Stanley Cup champion forward Teuvo Teräväinen. After trading him away for nearly nothing in 2016, Teräväinen grew his game during his time with the Carolina Hurricanes. He’s a good playmaker who knows how to keep and shoot the puck. He helped the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup in 2015, and he just might help the team get into postseason form.
Another player I was happy to see signed is forward Tyler Bertuzzi. If a missing front tooth doesn’t tip you off, Bertuzzi is one tough customer. He’s known to screen goalies and cause a lot of trouble in front of the net. He’s a vicious forechecker and can create opportunities for his linemates by throwing his weight around. If there’s one player who can keep up with Bedard and make sure nobody touches him, it’s Bertuzzi.
With forward Nick Foligno being named captain before the start of the season, I think the Blackhawks now have the solid leadership they were missing the past few years.
THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT
Did you know we have other promising players under the age of 22 besides Bedard? No? OK.
It’s an understatement to say everyone is excited to watch Bedard do Bedard things again this season, but Chicago has other young talent who hopefully pan out well in the future.
One player worth noting is Frank Nazar, a smaller, speedy forward with good game sense drafted in the first round of the 2022 draft. He isn’t racking up points at lightning speed like Bedard, but he’s the one making plays to put his teammates in scoring positions.
After earning 41 points in 41 games for the University of Michigan, we might see him make a few appearances for the Blackhawks this season.
A prospect on the defensive side of the game I’m excited for is defenseman Nolan Allan. Drafted during the first round of the 2021 draft, Allan got his first taste of the AHL last season where he tallied 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists) for the Rockford IceHogs. He’s a defensive defenseman with a solid frame. He also stays on the safe side of the plays and shuts down an opponent’s offense with hockey IQ over speed.
If given the chance to play with our new seasoned defensemen TJ Brodie and Alec Martinez, I think he could learn a lot in a short amount of time.
MY EXPECTATIONS
I think the Blackhawks need to beat the tanking allegations this season. They’ve been vibing at the bottom of the league for too long, and this season might just be the one that sees a competitive spark.
If Chicago sees 30 wins after only seeing 23 last season, I’d consider that a win. If they can squeak out more points from overtime losses, I’d be happy with that too. I expect to see some (a lot) of losses, but if the Blackhawks can remain under 50 this season, then I think that would give fans hope for the near future.
