Some people felt this was the year for the Chicago Blackhawks to become aggressive. They've built one of the deepest farm systems in the NHL, headlined by Connor Bedard, Artyom Levshunov, and now Anton Frondell. Shouldn't this be when they start pursuing top free agents and trade options to infuse this roster with the necessary veteran guidance to create a contender? It appears they don't think so. The Blackhawks were silent in free agency this year. Their only move of note was bringing back Sam Lafferty and scooping Andre Burakovsky from Seattle.
While those two should help, it doesn't move the needle enough to make people think this team is ready for a playoff run. So, what is the plan? Elliot Friedman of the 32 Thoughts podcast confirmed that Chicago is moving away from acquiring veterans. This season will be about one thing: letting the kids play. They want all their top prospects to compete for jobs on the roster and then prove they can keep them during the season. It will truly be about separating the men from the boys.
The Chicago Blackhawks are doing the right thing.
If you want to build a sustainable winner, it comes through drafting consistently and letting those young guys learn how to play in the pros. You can't do that if you keep bringing in veterans to take up precious jobs. GM Kyle Davidson had hoped his spending spree last year would give the roster the kickstart it needed to get over the hump. It didn't. To his credit, he's not lingering on that mistake. This time around, the Chicago Blackhawks will bite the bullet and let the youth movement sort itself out.
There were already signs of progress last season. Frank Nazar and Lukas Reichel showed encouraging signs down the stretch. Sam Rinzel only played nine games but racked up five assists. Nick Lardis set records in the OHL with 70 goals in a season. Levshunov started out hot when he arrived before cooling off. There are signs that something is building. It's time to let the kids off the leash.
