The Chicago Blackhawks have seen plenty of good talent come and go during or even before their rebuild, but some players fizzled out and couldn't replicate the good breakout season they had. In recent years, the first player this happened to was Taylor Raddysh.
He was acquired by the Blackhawks during the 2021-22 season from the Tampa Bay Lightning and finished the season with six goals and 10 points in 21 games for Chicago. This was a good sign for the then 23-year-old.
Playing in the top-6 the following season, Raddysh broke out for 20 goals and 37 points in 78 games. It isn't a major breakout by general standards in the NHL, but an important one for the Blackhawks, who were trying to find young talent to be a part of the future.
After that impressive season, things fell apart very quickly and Raddysh just couldn't produce the following season, scoring five goals and recording 14 points in 73 games. He was a healthy scratch at times and fell down the lineup. Following the season, the Blackhawks didn't qualify him as an RFA and he became a UFA that summer, eventually signing with the Washington Capitals.
It was a better season, but he still didn't regain his scoring touch, scoring just seven goals in 80 games, but something clicked in his previous game on his new team, the New York Rangers.
Raddysh scored a hat trick in the Rangers' loss to the San Jose Sharks, being outperformed by Macklin Celebrini, who also had a hat trick and five points. But those three goals by Raddysh popped him up to four goals in nine games, far ahead of the pace he was on the last two seasons. It is something the Rangers desperately need given their lack of quality depth.
Raddysh wouldn't have a place on this Blackhawks' team, but it is good that a former 20-goal scorer has regained some of his scoring ability at the very least.
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