"The Blackhawks improving by 19 points in the standings over the past two years hasn't seen them climb the standings enough. That's a simple fact for most fans. But we need to layer some context over the past three seasons to truly evaluate what "progress" means in the Blackhawks' current situation."
"When Connor Bedard made his NHL debut to open the 2023-24 season, he joined a lineup that was still in the middle stages of a tear-down. The Blackhawks were still adding pieces to their lineup based on potential trade value at the deadline as much as they were targeting difference makers."
"Over the first two years of Bedard's career, the Blackhawks primarily added players on short-term contracts with future trades in mind. That limited commitment focus, and the team's relatively low level of competitiveness, limited their options on the free agent market. Some of the placeholders they've acquired have worked better than others. Some - Jason Dickinson, Ilya Mikheyev, Nick Foligno - have performed well in their roles. Others have been undeniable debacles."
"The context I'd like to explore today is the lineups the Blackhawks have put on the ice to start and end each of Bedard's three NHL seasons. How have the forward lines evolved over those three full seasons, from the start to the finish. And where can we find progress in the rebuild from looking at the lineups over those three seasons."
The Blackhawks have aimed to rebuild through the draft, finishing near the top of the NHL Draft Lottery for four straight years, with three of those years intentionally positioned for high selections. General manager Kyle Davidson stockpiled high picks and built a pipeline from the ground up. The team improved by 19 points over the past two seasons, yet that improvement has not lifted them enough in the standings for many fans. Evaluating progress requires context across Bedard’s first three NHL seasons. In 2023-24, Bedard debuted on a roster still in teardown mode, with additions driven by potential trade value. Over Bedard’s first two years, the team relied heavily on short-term contracts and placeholders, which produced mixed results and limited free-agent options. Progress can be assessed by how forward lineups changed from season start to season end.
Read at Bleacher Nation
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