The Blackhawks are being urged to address two notable roster needs this offseason.
The Chicago Blackhawks have some decisions to make this offseason. If they want to take that next step and compete for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, it would not necessarily be surprising if they looked to make some upgrades to their group.
Due to this, in a recent article for The Athletic, Scott Powers urged the Blackhawks to add a top-four defenseman and a top-six forward this offseason.
The idea of the Blackhawks adding a top-four defenseman is an interesting one. They have several promising young blueliners on their roster who will be competing for spots on the NHL roster next season. While this is the case, it also could be beneficial for the Blackhawks to add a proven top-four NHL defenseman.
When it comes to adding a top-six forward, Powers argued that the Blackhawks should bring one in if Roman Kantserov does not sign his entry-level contract with Chicago this offseason and if they don't land either Gavin McKenna or Ivar Stenberg in the draft.
The Blackhawks need to give Connor Bedard more help on his wings, so it would make a lot of sense for the Blackhawks to add a proven top-six winger. As for their blueline, it is already crowded, but adding a top-four defenseman could be worth it if it is a player who would help them out significantly.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see if the Blackhawks address these needs during the summer from here.