While discussing the potential pivot from rebuild to contention for the Chicago Blackhawks, Mark Lazerus of The Athletic wrote the following in a mailbag piece this week:
With Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser, Nikolaj Ehlers, John Tavares, Shea Theodore and Aaron Ekblad among the players slated for unrestricted free agency next summer, just as players such as Oliver Moore and [Artyom] Levshunov are ready to break into the NHL for good, things could get interesting very quickly.
source – “Is it OK for Blackhawks fans to actually root for wins? Lazerus mailbag, Part I’ – Mark Lazerus – The Athletic – 07/26/2024
His theory is that the Blackhawks may not push for big names or huge trades this season, but by the time the 2025 NHL offseason rolls around, the franchise wants to be in a place where they can take a few big swings on available players and shoot up the standings as contenders, especially as some of their young core rounds into form and is ready to make a difference in the NHL.
Is This the Right Game Plan for the Blackhawks?
At some point, the Blackhawks, like any rebuilding team, need to leave the rebuilding phase and start adding players who can impact the wins and losses record. Led by Connor Bedard, they have a strong group of young talents and some veterans on their roster. They added a few pieces that they’ve committed to this offseason, namely Tyler Bertuzzi and Teuvo Teravainen. Meanwhile, the crop of potential UFAs in 2025 and 2026 looks solid and if the Blackhawks can add a piece or two, they could be a much-improved team.
Related: Meet the New Blackhawks: Ilya Mikheyev
The Blackhawks have left themselves room to spend money too. With Taylor Hall, Andreas Athanasiou, and Alec Martinez all coming off the books after this season, that adds $14.25 million in cap space, giving them around $30 million to spend. That’s enough to make big plays for big-time players and put a solid set of stars together. A similar situation exists in 2026.
Who Should the Blackhawks Target?
The obvious choice if he makes it to free agency is Mitch Marner. The idea of Bedard and Marner on the same line would have fans in Chicago salivating. It may not work out to be Marner, Bertuzzi, and Bedard on the top line, but if it was, that’s a potent trio. Based on what Travis Konecny just got with the Philadelphia Flyers ($8.75 million per season) it’s hard to know exactly what Marner is worth. That said, the Blackhawks can potentially afford to pay him more than most teams.
From there, the Blackhawks might want to focus on their blue line. 28-year-old Shea Theodore would be an unbelievable get for the team. The Golden Knights won’t let him go without a fight, but Vegas is starting to become a team known for losing their roster members, either because of their salary cap situation or a lack of loyalty. To assume Theodore might explore his options isn’t that much of a long shot and to add a 22-minute-per-night defenseman who can add 40 points per season would make a world of difference.
These two players alone would eat up a huge chunk of the Blackhawks cap space, but not enough that the team should be concerned about it. If Theodore gets around $8 million and Marner around $12.5, that’s just over $20 million with room leftover to ensure Bedard gets the bag in the summer of 2026, when the cap has risen another $5-$6 million.
And, the more players like this that get added to the Blackhawks’ roster, the more other talented free agents look towards Chicago as a viable destination to play. Adding big-name players and attracting others in a short period is where the Blackhawks could make their push.
The one remaining issue is goaltending. Igor Shesterkin is a pending UFA in 2025, but the Rangers won’t let him go. That said Linus Ullmark also may be available. If that does work, in 2026, when both Petr Mrazek and Laurent Brossoit see their contracts expire, Thatcher Demko becomes an intriguing name to watch.