In discussing the Chicago Blackhawks’ potential transformation from rebuild to championship contender, Mark Lazeras of The Athletic wrote in a mailbag article this week:
Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers, John Tavares, Shea Theodore and Aaron Ekblad are set to become unrestricted free agents next summer, along with Oliver Moore and [Artyom] With Refshunoff poised to make his full-on entry into the NHL, things could get interesting soon.
Source – “Is it a good thing that Blackhawks fans actually root for the team to win? Lazeras Mailbag, Part 1” – Mark Lazeras – The Athletic – July 26, 2024
His theory is that the Blackhawks might not be looking for big names or big trades this season, but by the time the 2025 NHL offseason arrives, the team wants to be in a position to make big bets on available players and surge up the standings as a championship contender, especially with some of their young core players in good form and ready to make it in the NHL by the time the 2025 NHL offseason arrives.
Is this the right game plan for the Blackhawks?
The Blackhawks, like any rebuilding team, will need to finish their rebuilding phase at some point and add players that will impact their win-loss record. Led by Connor Bedard, the Blackhawks have a strong group of young talent and veteran players. They added a few players who committed this offseason, specifically Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen. Meanwhile, the 2025 and 2026 UFA candidates look solid, and if the Blackhawks can add a player or two, the team could be significantly improved.
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The Blackhawks also have some cash to spend. With three players — Taylor Hall, Andreas Athanasiou and Alec Martinez — off their contracts at the end of this season, they'll have $14.25 million in cap space and roughly $30 million to spend. That's enough to make some big-name plays and build a star-studded roster. That's likely to be the case in 2026.
Who should the Blackhawks target?
If he does become a free agent, the obvious choice would be Mitch Marner. The idea of Bedard and Marner on the same line would make Chicago fans salivate. Marner, Bertuzzi and Bedard on the top line might not work, but if they do, it's a strong trio. Based on what Travis Konecny made with the Philadelphia Flyers ($8.75 million per season), it's hard to know exactly what Marner is worth. That said, the Blackhawks could afford to pay him more than most other teams.
From there, the Blackhawks may want to focus on the defensive line. 28-year-old Shea Theodore would be an incredible acquisition for the team. The Golden Knights aren't going to let him go, but Vegas is becoming a team known for losing roster members, either due to salary cap issues or lack of loyalty. It's not too far-fetched to assume Theodore might explore his options, and adding a defenseman who can play 22 minutes a game and add 40 points a season would make a big difference.
Those two players alone will take up a significant chunk of the Blackhawks' cap space, but not enough for the team to worry about: If Theodore makes about $8 million and Marner about $12.5 million, that would leave a little more than $20 million in solid cap room for Bedard in the summer of 2026, when the cap rises by another $5-6 million.
And the more players like that the Blackhawks add to their roster, the more other talented free agents will consider Chicago as a realistic destination to play in. Adding big-name players in the short term and attracting others is where the Blackhawks can move forward.
The only question that remains is goaltending. Igor Shesterkin is set to become a free agent in 2025, and the Rangers are unlikely to let him go. That said, they could also acquire Rinus Ullmark. If that works out, Thatcher Demko would be an interesting name to watch when the contracts of both Petr Mrazek and Laurent Brossoit expire in 2026.
