It was getting a little worrisome for a while until the Chicago Blackhawks finally locked up Ryan Donato on a four-year, $4 million AAV deal. He definitely deserves it after being arguably the best player on the Blackhawks this season.
So what comes next as the draft and free agency approach quickly? With two draft picks in the first round and one of them being the third overall, plus seven picks in the first four rounds, there should absolutely be focus on the 2025 draft. Considering the amount of talent the Blackhawks have and the need to start improving, I could see multiple picks being traded to either move up at certain points or acquire a player. Chicago can't be quiet this offseason.
The Blackhawks have a full roster under contract for next season, but have RFAs to still deal with and players to move. The team has over $25 million in projected cap space at this time, so that is a lot to use in targeting one or more top players. While Chicago has history, convincing free agents to sign on a team that finished 31st isn't that easy, even with players like Connor Bedard, frank Nazar, Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov, and more on the roster.
Obvious targets include Mitch Marner, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Brock Boeser, but we'll see if any of them choose teams that aren't able to win next season, even for big money. There are more teams than just the Blackhawks who have money to throw around this offseason.
While offer sheets shouldn't be a concern for the young Blackhawks with lots of cap space, extending RFAs like Wyatt Kaiser and Arvid Soderblom needs to get done. I wouldn't give Philipp Kurashev a qualifying offer and would look to trade Louis Crevier before re-signing him.
The buyout window is quickly approaching, and while Chicago doesn't need to free up cap space, they should be opening up a roster spot by buying T.J. Brodie out of his final year. He's overpaid and wasn't a huge help this season. The defense is now run by the young group of talented players.
I can see the Blackhawks entertaining trades for Connor Murphy, Laurent Brossoit, and Jason Dickinson, but I'm not sure if anyone but Murphy will be able to be moved. For a team like the Blackhawks, the most important items on the offseason agenda are making a splash by bringing someone big in and doing well at the draft. The Blackhawks aren't expected to make the postseason in the next couple of years, but with the talent on their team and in their system as well as 1-2 big external moves, it can turn around in a hurry.
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