Blackhawks’ Jeff Blashill makes offseason priority abundantly clear

The Chicago Blackhawks are entering a pivotal offseason in which they will have plenty of major decisions to make, ranging from how they will use all of their draft capital to what players they will sign in free agency with their cap space.

The Blackhawks have missed the playoffs six years in a row, equaling their longest drought since 1952. However, Chicago has shown notable improvement the last couple of seasons and appears to be on the upswing, even after finishing in last place in the Central Division.

The goal this summer will be to continue building a capable roster around Connor Bedard, who, by the way, is hitting restricted free agency in July. Bedard isn’t going anywhere, but the Blackhawks may want to start expediting and streamlining their rebuilding process.

So, what players will Chicago target in the coming weeks?

Blackhawks head coach Jeff Blashill spoke to Scott Powers of The Athletic about that very subject in a recent interview, and Blashill made it clear that Chicago will be prioritizing finding a veteran defenseman this offseason.

Chicago Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill makes intentions clear

The Blackhawks are loaded with young defensemen, but they could use a more proven player in the group. It seems like finding one is a goal of Blashill and general manager Kyle Davidson.

“Certainly, when guys get traded away, you lose some of that. So, is there some need for that again, potentially? These guys are also a year older. That’s something we’re gonna have to work out, and then, is the right guy available?” Blashill said. “I know that’s something Kyle and I have discussed, and Kyle’s management team will look at and see what’s the best thing for us, both for next year and for the growth of our young players long term.”

Davidson himself alluded to chasing a veteran defenseman earlier in the month, so it definitely appears that Chicago will be making a push to improve its blue line this summer.

Of course, that isn’t all the Blackhawks need. They also must find another scorer alongside of Bedard up front, because just having Tyler Bertuzzi isn’t cutting it. For that reason, Chicago is also expected to add a wing, and it has been floated as a potential destination for several established wings — both on the open market and via trade — heading into the offseason.

That being said, Davidson still must actually get something done, so we’ll see if he and Blashill can put their words to action.

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