Chicago Blackhawks

In full rebuild mode, with Connor Bedard leading the charge into the future

It’s been a great run for the Chicago Blackhawks organization and their fans alike, but the party is over (sort of), and the club is in a total rebuild as they head into the 2023-24 season.

Chicago moved on from one of the organization's best players to ever pull on their famous sweater when they shipped Patrick Kane to the New York Rangers. With their hands tied due to Kane’s no-trade clause and desire to only play with the Rangers, Chicago couldn’t extract all they hoped in return, receiving only a second and fourth-round pick this year.

With Kane and Jonathan Toews combined $21M coming off the books this off-season, the Blackhawks have the most available cap space this off-season, at $41.1M. Tyler Johnson ($5M) is the team's only forward on the roster set to make over $3M next season.

Seth Jones, who could be looked to take over the team's captaincy with the departure of Toews, is the only roster player with any career accolades. This is not a franchise that will be ready to compete next season, as this rebuild will be done over multiple off-seasons.

With the Blackhawks winning the NHL Draft Lottery and the right to draft Connor Bedard, the organizations time table to once again compete for a playoff position has shortened dramatically. They now have a centerpiece to build around and a player who will instantly become one of the league's most marketable. Less than six months after moving on from Kane, the organization already has a shiny new toy to show off.

General Manager Kyle Davidson has his work cut out for him as he tries to bring this proud franchise back to the pinnacle of the hockey world. Davidson does have a very substantial prospect pool to work with whether he decides to develop those prospects or use them as assets to acquire NHL-ready players.

1. Kevin Korchinski, 18, D, 1st Round (7) 2022, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

   54 Games Played, 11 Goals, 62 Assists, 73 Points

   Kevin Korchinski is a defenseman bred for the modern game. A puck-moving defenseman who can quarterback the power play, Korchinski finished the WHL season with the sixth most assists for a defenseman, despite playing nearly ten games less. He was selected to represent Canada at the 2023 World Junior Championship, where he won a gold medal as the team's youngest defenseman. Korchinski could see the jump to the NHL next year to gain more experience while the club rebuilds. At the least, there’s a good chance he could get his ten-game look before being returned to Seattle and his entry-level contract kicks in.

2. Lukas Reichel, 20, LW, 1st Round (17) 2020, Rockford IceHogs (AHL)

   AHL: 55 Games Played, 20 Goals, 31 Assists, 51 Points
   NHL: 23 Games Played, 7 Goals, 8 Assists, 15 Points

   With some NHL experience already under his belt, Lukas Reichel has been one of the top point producers for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL. Chicago’s first-round pick back in 2020, the German-born forward was able to join the IceHogs at 19 years old since he was playing overseas at the time he was drafted. He spent the final 19 games playing with the Blackhawks, where he’s been especially impressive. He plays both sides of the ice well and should be a vital piece in Chicago’s post-Kane/Toews era. Reichel will likely start the NHL season in Chicago, where he'll hope to play himself into the lineup for a full season.

3. Frank Nazar, 19, C, 1st Round (13) 2022, University of Michigan (NCAA)

   12 Games Played, 2 Goals, 5 Assists, 7 Points

   The Blackhawks selected Frank Nazar with the 13th overall pick in 2022, which they acquired from the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Kirby Dach. Playing at the University of Michigan, Nazar missed the first few months of the season due to injury, not making his debut until February 10th. It took him a bit of time to become comfortable with the speed and physicality of the collegiate game but has since picked up the pace. Nazar was a critical cog in the lineup for the Wolverines' run to the Frozen Four before being eliminated a game shy of the National Championship. Nazar is a speedster with gifted puck-handling skills. Development has been slowed down because of injury but he’s the type of player who’s worth the wait.

4. Ryan Greene, 19 C, 2nd Round (57) 2022, Boston University (NCAA)

   37 Games Played, 9 Goals, 22 Assists, 31 Points

   Selected at the back end of the 2022 NHL Draft, Ryan Greene has shot up the Blackhawks prospect rankings due in large to his outstanding freshman season at the University of Boston. In an NCAA season that has freshmen producing across the nation, Greene put up lights-out numbers this season for a Terriers team that struggled throughout the regular season but managed to get hot at the right time as they advanced to the Frozen Four. Still needing time before he’s NHL-ready, Greene will likely be back with the Terriers next year as they look to repeat this season's deep postseason run.

5. Sam Rinzel, 18, D, 1st Round (25) 2022, Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)

   58 games Played, 9 Goals, 27 Assists, 36 Points

   Sam Rinzel was drafted as one of the highest-ranked players out of the USHL last season, even spending some of his time playing at the high school level in Minnesota. His jump to the USHL full-time has been seamless, as he finished in the top 10 among defensemen in scoring this season. At 6’4”, Rinzel has the size to be a force at any level, but his thin 176 lbs frame needs some bulking up. Rinzel doesn’t turn 19 until three days before this year's draft, so he has plenty of time for physical maturation, which should give him a needed boost in his development. He’s a very intriguing prospect who along with Korchinski, could be the future of Chicago’s blue line.

Phillip Kurashev

While the prospect pool may be loaded, the Blackhawks don’t have much youth within their current roster carrying over into next season. Chicago is going to be dependent on their prospects and available cap space to compete whatsoever next year.

Over the past two seasons, Davidson has been doing what he can to off-load older players on the roster in exchange for draft capital. With eight picks in the first three rounds of 2023, including two first-round picks, the Blackhawks are prepared to add to their prospect pool.

This roster of players under 24 will become mostly role players going forward, and any extra production they may produce can be looked at as supplemental.

• Mackenzie Entwistle, C/RW, 23

• Phillip Kurashev, C/W, 23

First Round Picks

No. 1 & No. 19/20

First Round Targets

With the first overall pick, there’s no debate it will be Connor Bedard.

The Blackhawks acquired the Lightning first-round pick in a trade this season, giving them two in the first round. If the Florida Panthers close out the series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Blackhawks will select 19th. If Toronto comes back to claim victory, Chicago’s second pick in the first round will be 20th overall. With this pick, Chicago could target Riley Heidt, Mikhail Gulyayev, Calum Ritchie, Nate Danielson, and Matthew Wood.