The Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase is over, general manager Kyle Davidson has spoken, and training camp is set to begin. As the Chicago Blackhawks turn the page to the 2023-24 season, it’s hard not to feel excited. Though it remains to be seen how much they improve in the standings, this season will be about growth and development as Connor Bedard, Lukas Reichel, possibly Kevin Korchinski, and other young players enter the picture. With that said, here’s a look at the team’s eventful offseason.
Blackhawks’ Rebuild Takes a 180 in Early May
The Blackhawks began their offseason with a bang. Just 25 days after Jonathan Toews’ farewell, they earned the rights to land their next face of the franchise, winning the 2023 NHL Draft Lottery on May 8 and the opportunity to select Bedard first overall.
This was a thrilling yet surreal moment. By parting with Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome, and others during the 2022 offseason, the Blackhawks put themselves in good shape to finish at the bottom of the league standings in 2022-23 with the highest odds of picking first. They ultimately finished 30th, meaning they had a mere 11.5% chance of landing the first-overall pick, as opposed to the 25.5% chance they would’ve had if they finished 32nd. However, with a bit of luck, they landed the top pick.
This year’s draft class was exceptionally good, and the Blackhawks were always going to land a special player no matter where they picked. But as great as Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson, and Matvei Michkov could be, Bedard is firmly above the rest. With 143 points in 57 games for the Western Hockey League’s (WHL) Regina Pats last season, he’ll have an immediate impact on and off the ice, as ticket sales skyrocketed minutes after Chicago won the lottery.
Blackhawks Have a Franchise-Changing Draft
A little more than seven weeks after winning the lottery, the Blackhawks made it official on June 28 in Nashville, selecting Bedard first overall. He wasn’t the draft’s only highlight, however. The Blackhawks later took forward Oliver Moore of the U.S. National U18 Development Program at No. 19 overall with the Tampa Bay Lightning’s first-rounder. Arguably the fastest skater in this year’s draft, some pegged Moore as a top 10-to-12 pick, and Davidson later said he worked the phones trying to trade up and select him. Realistically, Moore’s at least a few years away from his NHL debut, but he could be another cornerstone of the rebuild.
Related: Lessons the Blackhawks Can Learn From Previous Rebuilds
The Blackhawks began round two on June 29, selecting goaltender Adam Gajan of the North American Hockey League’s (NAHL) Chippewa Steel No. 35 overall. He joins an already solid goaltending pipeline of Arvid Söderblom, Drew Commesso, and Jaxson Stauber. The Blackhawks then took forwards Roman Kantserov and Martin Misiak at No. 44 and 55, respectively.
Other notable selections included forward Nick Lardis at No. 67 and forward Marcel Marcel at No. 131, the latter of whom has already signed with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Rockford IceHogs. Chicago ended the draft with 11 picks over seven rounds, selecting nine forwards, one defenseman, and one goaltender (Gajan). The team then hosted its annual development camp from June 30 through July 6 in Chicago, which featured off-ice activities such as boxing lessons, breathing classes, and group outings, including a Cubs game at Wrigley Field and an architecture boat tour.
Hall, Foligno, Perry & Donato Acquired
With Toews and Patrick Kane gone, a major question entering the offseason was how Davidson would use his cap space and what veterans he’d acquire to play with Bedard. Two days before the 2023 Draft, on June 26, Davidson acquired forwards Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno from the Boston Bruins in exchange for defensemen Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula. While his production has regressed since winning the Hart Trophy in 2018, Hall is still an elite top-six forward and should be a nice mentor for Bedard as a former No. 1 pick himself. Foligno, on the other hand, should also be great for the locker room and bolster the bottom-six.
Davidson then made another interesting move on June 29, acquiring veteran forward Corey Perry from the Lightning. Perry is a polarizing player, and it’ll be interesting to see how Chicago fans warm up to him. Nonetheless, he’s another reliable veteran, even if he’s far from his prime of the late 2000s/early 2010s. It’s worth noting Perry spent one season (2020-21) under Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson during his Montreal Canadiens tenure.
After signing Foligno and Perry to one-year deals during draft week, Davidson’s lone move on July 1 was signing forward Ryan Donato to a two-year, $4 million deal. The 27-year-old posted 27 points in 71 games for the Seattle Kraken last season and brings good versatility; much like Sam Lafferty in 2022-23, Donato can play up and down the lineup and could improve the penalty kill. A 2014 second-round pick by the Bruins, he has also spent time with the Boston, Minnesota Wild, and San Jose Sharks organizations, skating in 325 NHL games over the last six seasons.
Rocky Wirtz Passes Away
One of the most influential figures in Blackhawks history, team owner and chairman Rocky Wirtz unexpectedly died at age 70 on July 25 after a brief illness. This sent shockwaves throughout the hockey and Chicago sports communities. After taking over the franchise in 2007, Wirtz revitalized the Blackhawks and oversaw the greatest period in team history, highlighted by three Stanley Cups in 2010, 2013, and 2015. From hiring John McDonough as president to improving the team’s reach across the greater Chicago area, he made the Blackhawks relevant again after ESPN dubbed them one of the worst franchises in professional sports in 2004.
Related: Kane, Toews, Sopel Praise Rocky Wirtz After His Passing
Granted, Wirtz leaves behind a complicated legacy. He was at the helm during the team’s sexual assault scandal and responded negatively after he was asked about changes and policies the team would implement during a town hall meeting in Feb. 2022, four months after the investigation. But there’s little doubt he left a positive impression on many players and fans. The Blackhawks later held a memorial honoring his legacy on Aug. 9 at the United Center, featuring speeches from team alumni, including Chris Chelios, Marián Hossa, and Brent Seabrook.
Other Highlights & Surprises
Along with their new additions, the Blackhawks re-signed forwards Andreas Athanasiou and Philipp Kurashev to two-year deals. Athanasiou was set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) before Chicago re-upped him in June, which was a logical move after he tied Taylor Raddysh for a team-high 20 goals in 2022-23. Kurashev was a restricted free agent (RFA) and went through salary arbitration before he and the Blackhawks settled on a $4.5 million contract. Entering his fourth NHL season, the 23-year-old is facing a make-or-break campaign and could be one to watch over the next few seasons as to whether he stays long-term.
Off the ice, the Blackhawks added to their broadcast booth, hiring former goalie Darren Pang as their primary TV color analyst. As one of the league’s most respected broadcasters, he’ll partner with play-by-play voice Chris Vosters and should provide consistency in the booth after Patrick Sharp and Troy Murray split the analyst duties last season. Additionally, former enforcer John Scott also revealed on his podcast he plans to do studio work for the team.
The Blackhawks are preparing for their first season without Kane and Toews since 2006-07, but having Bedard changes everything. While it may be another long campaign in terms of the on-ice results, that doesn’t mean there isn’t reason to be optimistic, as the team’s prospect pipeline is in its best shape in years. Training camp should provide the first glimpse into how this season’s team will look before preseason action begins on Sept. 28 against the St. Louis Blues.
