3 questions facing Chicago Blackhawks

NHL.com is providing in-depth analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Chicago Blackhawks.

1. Who could start the season on Connor Bedard’s line?

We’re phrasing it this way because there’ll likely be changes throughout the season. Although it would be nice to see Bedard, the Blackhawks’ No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, with steadier linemates with whom he can build chemistry.

It’s most likely that Andre Burakovsky will be on Bedard’s left wing. Burakovsky is healthy again after injuries hampered him two of his three seasons with the Seattle Kraken and is looking to help the Blackhawks’ young centers.

Perhaps it will be Ryan Donato on the right side. Donato is coming off a career season in which he had 62 points (31 goals, 31 assists) in 82 games, 31 points more than his previous career high of 31 (16 goals, 15 assists) he had with the Kraken in 2021-22. Donato will go to the tough areas, and he and Burakovsky were teammates in Seattle in 2021-22, so it would be a good fit off the top.

2. How does the goaltending stack up?

As of now, it’s looking like the Blackhawks will start this season much like they ended last season; Spencer Knight as the No. 1 goalie with Arvid Soderblom backing him up. The Blackhawks acquired Knight when they traded Seth Jones to the Florida Panthers on March 1. Soderblom agreed to a two-year, $5.5 million contract ($2.75 million average annual value) with Chicago on July 26.

Laurent Brossoit, who signed a two-year contract on July 1, 2024, was expected to be the backup. But he’s had two surgeries in the past year, and general manager Kyle Davidson had no update on his status when he spoke to the media in early July. If Brossoit is healthy to start training camp, the Blackhawks could have a competition in goal. But it’s looking like their top two are set.

3. How much can the Blackhawks improve this season?

We asked this question last year, when the Blackhawks expected to be much improved after signing seven veterans on July 1, 2024. But they finished with nine more points last season (61) than in 2023-24 (52).

So, the improvement has to come from a deep pool of young talent and their remaining veterans. The young players, from forwards Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore to defensemen Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel, should certainly be hungry starting at training camp, where there’ll be some vacancies they’ll try to fill.

No one expected the Blackhawks’ rebuild to be fast, but at some point, they’d like to see more progress, not just with individual improvement but also the team climbing the standings.