Blackhawks named frontrunners to land elite forward in splashy move

The Chicago Blackhawks are heading into a critical offseason in which they have the goods to make some significant moves.

Not only are the Blackhawks armed with some hefty cap space, but they also boast some impressive draft capital, owning the No. 4 overall selection as well as three second-round picks. And remember: Chicago also possesses three first-rounders next year.

The Blackhawks have shown improvement each of the last two seasons, going from 52 points to 61 and 72, respectively. But now, it’s time for them to take that next step and get Connor Bedard the wing help he so desperately needs.

Chicago is expected to be a major player in both free agency and on the trade market, so it should not come as a surprise that the club has already been linked to some big names.

Most recently, Bleacher Report’s Lucky Ngamwajasat has named the Blackhawks one of the top contenders to land Buffalo Sabres forward Alex Tuch, who was just eliminated from the playoffs and is now set to enter free agency.

Chicago Blackhawks named among favorites to sign Alex Tuch

Tuch will be one of the best options available on the open market this summer and could command a contract worth $64 million over eight years, but Chicago has the funds to absorb him. Ngamwajasat thinks the Blackhawks will be squarely in the mix, tabbing them as one of the top five landing spots for the 30-year-old.

“It might be finally time for general manager Kyle Davidson to open up the wallet and get Connor Bedard some badly needed help on the wing,” Ngamwajasat wrote. “… Money won’t be an issue for Chicago, which has over $40 million in cap space. The question is, will Davidson be desperate enough to make an offer large enough to lure Tuch?

Tuch scored 31 goals while tallying 33 assists this season and has racked up over 30 scores in three of the last four years. He topped out at 36 goals twice in 2022-23 and 2024-25, and during the former campaign, he also registered a career-high 43 assists.

Outside of Tyler Bertuzzi, Bedard has next to no help, so if the Blackhawks were able to snatch Tuch, it would be a major coup for the talented young center.

If Chicago wants to be taken seriously and wants to keep Bedard happy long term, it should absolutely make a strong push for Tuch this July.

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