After trading the fourth pick in the NHL draft and selecting five players, the Chicago Blackhawks headed to free agency with work still to be done to compete in the Central Division. After years of losing seasons, the Blackhawks appear ready to transition away from rebuilding by locking up their future and acquiring talent to support their young stars. Here are three moves they must make before training camp begins.
The former first-round draft pick and assistant captain of the team, Bedard has completed his three-year entry-level contract. As a restricted free agent, he was issued a qualifying offer by the Blackhawks while they negotiate a long-term extension. Should the two sides agree to a long-term deal, the extension would be projected to fall in the range of $12.5 to $16 million annually. Should they go for the maximum long-term extension, that would keep the 20-year-old in Chicago for eight years.
Despite missing 13 games during the 2025-26 season, Bedard still managed an impressive 75 points for the Blackhawks. His 45 assists led the team by a wide margin, with his 30 goals coming in second on the team behind Tyler Bertuzzi. After only three seasons, Bedard led his team in points and time on the ice. Keeping him around long-term and adding more talent around him points to a bright future for the Blackhawks.
A team desperate for goal scoring and offense, the Blackhawks finished tied for second to last in average goals scored per game at 2.56. With a particularly weak offensive free agent class, the Blackhawks could look to reunite with a legendary player from their 2010’s dynasty. After three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, RW Patrick Kane is testing the market in free agency.
While Kane will have many suitors across the NHL, a reunion with the Blackhawks could be beneficial for both parties. He is coming off back-to-back 57+ point seasons, with 25 points coming over his final 24 games following the Olympic Games break. Still a potent scorer, he may want to continue chasing another Stanley Cup, and that most likely would not put the Blackhawks as a destination for his services.
If General Manager Kyle Davidson wanted to make another splash in Chicago, he could trade for Dallas Stars’ Jason Robertson. After scoring 45 goals and having 51 assists, the left winger could be on the move, as the Stars have been talking to teams about a massive trade involving multiple first-round picks. Any team looking to acquire Robertson would have to get his okay for a contract extension, essentially acting as a no-trade clause. Robertson would bring firepower to a Blackhawks team sorely lacking a proven goal scorer.
The Blackhawks shocked the hockey world when they acquired defenseman Bowen Byram and Forward Jordan Greenway from the Buffalo Sabres before the NHL draft. They gave up the fourth overall draft pick and a second-round pick as well as defenseman Louis Crevier for the two Sabres players. While the general sentiment is that the Blackhawks massively overpaid in the trade, they acquired a solid defensive talent in Byram.
The newly acquired Byram is entering the final year of his contract before he becomes an unrestricted free agent after the 2026-27 NHL season. The Blackhawks have been discussing a contract extension with him since he arrived in Chicago. The two sides appear close to an agreement that would keep him in the city for an additional six years and pay him $75 million. This average salary would come after Byram set a career high with 42 points (11 goals, 31 assists).
This has been a busy offseason for the Blackhawks, and the team shows no signs of slowing down. After a controversial trade that saw them give up the fourth pick in the draft, the team still has several moves they need to make if they want to contend for the long term. Locking up Bedard and Byram are excellent next steps, while acquiring a proven goal-scoring threat will put them over the top for this offseason.
If you love sports, download Stadium Rant from the Apple App Store and join one of the fastest-growing social sports communities. Be sure to follow us on socials too — you can find all our profiles on our Linktree.
