NHL Hot Seat Radar 2023: Chicago Blackhawks

The Chicago Blackhawks are still rebuilding, but players like Taylor Hall will still be on the hot seat to meet expectations, writes Adam Proteau.

The NHL's 2023-24 regular season is a couple of months away, but you’d be kidding yourself if you believed people involved in hockey’s top league weren’t dealing with some degree of pressure year-round. This THN.com hot seat series focuses on that pressure, continuing today with the Chicago Blackhawks.

We’re moving in alphabetical order of teams, pointing out individuals on some form of the hot seat: one player, coach or GM will be on the hot seat itself, categorizing them as someone under considerable pressure to post positive results this coming season or find themselves in the doghouse. A second person will be placed on the “warm” seat – putting them in a position where, although a trade or firing isn’t imminent, there remains a chance their time with their current team ends at some point next season. A third individual will go on the cold seat, indicating they’re an individual very likely to be staying with their current franchise for the foreseeable future.

Chicago’s tank job in 2022-23 worked out to perfection, with the Blackhawks landing junior hockey phenom Connor Bedard with the first overall draft pick. But Hawks GM Kyle Davidson quickly made a slew of veteran additions this summer, making it clear his team is not content to languish at the bottom of the Central Division standings for very much longer. New faces in 2023-24 for Chicago include forwards Nick Foligno and Corey Perry, but both of those greybeards are much closer to the end of their NHL playing days than they are to the beginning. However, Davidson’s trade for the 31-year-old Hall is a different animal altogether.

Hall is 31, but he’s entering the second-to-last season on a contract that carries an annual cap hit of $6 million – making him the highest-paid Hawks forward and the second-highest player on the roster. 

Hall signed with Boston in pursuit of a Stanley Cup, and he’s not going to get there with this coming season’s Blackhawks lineup. Hall will be playing on the same line with Bedard, but he could easily be moved at or before the trade deadline in exchange for long-term help. Hall does have a modified no-trade clause, but it only limits him to 10 teams he cannot be dealt to, according to PuckPedia.

Hall has had issues staying healthy, but he posted 16 goals and 36 points in 61 games with the Bruins last season. He’s going to get more playing time than the 15:55 he averaged with Boston in 2022-23, but he’s also going to be in the spotlight to a greater degree than he’s experienced of late. If Bedard’s incredible talents don’t push Hall back to above and beyond the 20-goal plateau, the Hawks may choose to move him next summer. But if he does generate a solid amount of offense, he’s almost assuredly going to be moved in return for draft picks and prospects. Chicago’s rebuild isn’t close to being over, and Hall’s value as a movable asset puts him on the hot seat more than any other Blackhawk.

After bouncing around the league in the past four seasons, Athanasiou found a permanent home in Chicago, putting up 20 goals – his best total since 2018-19 with Detroit – and he re-signed with the Hawks for the next two seasons at a $4.25-million cap hit. That said, Athanasiou doesn’t have any no-trade or no-move clause in his new deal, and the 28-year-old may prove to be a valuable commodity Davidson could trade at some point in the next year.

The fact Athanasiou is a known commodity through the 2024-25 campaign makes him more than just a rental player for potential new employers. Teams know he’s secured for a couple of years, and if he’s being honest with himself, Athanasiou understands he likely won’t be a top contributor by the time Chicago is a legitimate playoff contender. He can increase his value to the Blackhawks with a strong start to the season, but if he does so, he’ll be increasing the likelihood he gets moved sooner than later.

Of course, there’s always pressure on any No. 1 overall draft pick. But let’s be real: Bedard – a true generational talent who is only 18 years old – is going to get a long stretch of runway in his acclimation to the NHL. Hawks coach Luke Richardson will expect consistently above-average play from his new star center, and few observers doubt Bedard can deliver.

Regardless of his play out of the gate, Bedard will be instantly adored by Hawks fans and media. But even if he struggles, Bedard isn’t going to be derided or lampooned by Chicago fans who are sick and tired of the lack of team competitiveness. Bedard is “The Man” in the Windy City, and while his rookie year may have its unique challenges for him, Bedard isn’t the type to be bogged down by expectations. He’s been thriving throughout the hype surrounding his amateur career, and he’s very likely to succeed at hockey’s top level.