With the Blackhawks entering the fourth year of their rebuild, there's no doubt fans are growing impatient. The Blackhawks have finished dead last in the Central Division the last three years, mostly due to a lack of depth and star talent in their lineup. Over the last two years, the Blackhawks have chosen not to add pieces to build around 2023 first overall pick Connor Bedard, but this year could be the beginning of a new era.
While the Blackhawks are expected to once again be at the bottom of the standings, this will be the first full NHL season for their top prospects Artyum Levshenov, Sam Rinzel and Oliver Moore. All three prospects showed promise after being called up late last season, so there's no reason to doubt they'll be main contributors as the team nears the end of it's rebuild.
Chicago is also projected to lead the league in cap space next season, with just over $54 million.
Not to mention, Gavin McKenna, a generational prospect and close friend of Bedard, is projected to be the first pick in the upcoming 2026 NHL Draft. If Chicago lands him at the end of this season, he would likely join Bedard on the first line, and would significantly boost the team's offense.
The assets are there for the Blackhawks, it's just a matter of putting them all together.
