Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson settled one issue emphatically on Wednesday night when he said the team sees Connor Bedard as a center, full stop. So you can hopefully etch the 17-year-old wunderkind’s name in stone at No. 1 center for the next, oh, 15 years or so.
Seth Jones, meanwhile, is locked into the lineup at the top defensive pairing for the next seven seasons.
After that? Considering all the bottom-six options already under contract, and the four veteran forwards — Taylor Hall, Ryan Donato, Nick Foligno and Corey Perry — Chicago brought in during free agency?
Hey, it’s anybody’s guess. So here’s ours.
Forwards
Taylor Hall — Connor Bedard — Tyler Johnson
Lukas Reichel — Andreas Athanasiou — Ryan Donato
Philipp Kurashev — Jason Dickinson — Taylor Raddysh
Nick Foligno — Colin Blackwell — Corey Perry
Extras: MacKenzie Entwistle, Cole Guttman, Reese Johnson, Boris Katchouk
Andreas Athanasiou: The Blackhawks seemed to find some chemistry between Athanasiou and Reichel late last season. Athanasiou could get a crack at center again, too.
Connor Bedard: The Blackhawks are going to do everything they can to ensure Bedard succeeds this season. Hall is a logical linemate on the top line. There are an assortment of options on the right wing.
Colin Blackwell: There are probably four-five forwards who don’t have a definitive spot in the lineup. Blackwell will likely be in that mix. He’s coming off a disappointing offensive season, but he does bring a defensive element this team could need.
Jason Dickinson: Dickinson was the Blackhawks’ top defensive player last season, according to the analytics. He will be asked to carry a large role in matching up against top centers and on the penalty kill.
Ryan Donato: Donato was the Blackhawks’ major signing as free agency opened. The Blackhawks see him as a top-six right winger who can also move positions if needed elsewhere in the lineup. He had 14 goals and 13 assists in 71 games with the Seattle Kraken last season.
MacKenzie Entwistle: Entwistle will be another one who has to fight for his ice time. He appeared in 66 games last season.
Nick Foligno: Foligno, like Donato, is someone the Blackhawks can move around the lineup at various positions. He’s probably more suited for a bottom-six spot now, but he has some flexibility. He had 10 goals and 16 assists with the Boston Bruins last season.
Cole Guttman: Guttman had right shoulder stabilization surgery in March. It’s unclear whether he’ll be fully ready to go once training camp starts. Once he’s ready to play, though, you would expect him to enter the lineup in a top-nine role, further complicating the situation for players such as Blackwell, Entwistle and Reese Johnson.
Taylor Hall: Hall is excited to take on a larger role again after being pushed down the lineup with the Bruins. The former MVP and No. 1 overall pick also could become a terrific trade chip either next spring or the following spring if he clicks with Bedard.
Reese Johnson: Johnson is another player not guaranteed the same role as last season. His speed, physicality and ability to play on the penalty kill could work in his favor, though. His motor has made him a coaching staff favorite.
Tyler Johnson: Johnson’s hockey sense and ability make him a potential fit to play alongside Hall and Bedard. The key might be finding someone who is willing to be a distributor to Hall and Bedard.
Boris Katchouk: Katchouk was part of one of the Blackhawks’ better lines late in the season. He could be in the running for a similar bottom-six role again, but it’s crowded. The NHL is expected to soon release its report on allegations of sexual assault by unidentified players on the 2018 Canada World Junior team. Katchouk was a player on that team.
Philipp Kurashev: Kurashev was the lone restricted free agent to receive a qualifying offer by the Blackhawks. He could play almost anywhere in the Blackhawks’ lineup.
Corey Perry: As much as Blackhawks fans loathe Perry now, they’ll love him soon enough. That’s always how it works with guys like that. Another former Hart Trophy winner, he’s still got some gas in the tank, having scored 31 goals over the last two seasons with Tampa Bay.
Lukas Reichel: Hall’s arrival allows Reichel to split from Bedard and learn to drive his own line, rather than be a distributor for Bedard. He’s another guy who could theoretically play center, but he’s played almost exclusively left wing in the NHL. Bedard’s the top guy now, but the Blackhawks still expect big things from Reichel.
Taylor Raddysh: With Patrick Kane and Max Domi gone, Raddysh probably has the best shot on the team. Given a large role for the first time in his career, he scored 20 goals last season. He’s another right-wing option for Hall and Bedard. Like Katchouk, Raddysh was on the 2018 Canada World Junior team.
Defensemen
Kevin Korchinski — Seth Jones
Alex Vlasic — Connor Murphy
Jarred Tinordi — Nikita Zaitsev
Extras: Wyatt Kaiser, Isaak Phillips, Filip Roos
Seth Jones: Jones started to look like his old self in the second half of last season, which had to be a relief for the Blackhawks. He could be quite a partner — and mentor — for Kevin Korchinski should the 19-year-old crack the lineup. With Kane and Toews gone, and Bedard just getting started, this is Jones’ team now.
Kevin Korchinski: Korchinski will get plenty of opportunity to earn a spot on next season’s roster. There’s always a chance he begins the season with the Blackhawks and ends it elsewhere. It probably makes financial sense for the Blackhawks to burn the season on his contract.
Wyatt Kaiser: Kaiser could be in the mix for a defenseman spot after turning pro late last season. The Blackhawks might also start him in the AHL and give him a ton of ice time.
Connor Murphy: Murphy hasn’t been quite the same player he was three seasons ago, when he emerged as the Blackhawks’ most reliable defenseman, but he’s still a steadying presence on the back end. If the Blackhawks decide to name a captain in the fall (Luke Richardson said it hasn’t been determined yet), the longest-tenured (by far) Blackhawk would be an obvious choice.
Isaak Phillips: The 21-year-old, 6-3 blueliner was far from overwhelmed in his 16 NHL games last season. He might not start the season in Chicago, but he might be first in line down in Rockford.
Filip Roos: The Blackhawks have a few defenseman spots up in the air. Roos should be in the competition. He played in 17 NHL games last season.
Jarred Tinordi: Tinordi made quite an impact on and off the ice last season, prompting the Blackhawks to bring him back despite the glut of young defensemen knocking on the door of the NHL. Luke Richardson’s a big fan of Tinordi, but if those prospects break down that door, it’d be easy to bump Tinordi into a rotational role.
Alex Vlasic: Vlasic has probably graduated to a full-time NHL role, but he’ll have to show that again in training camp. The Blackhawks loved the step he took in his development last season.
Nikita Zaitsev: Zaitsev did not look good at all in his brief time in Chicago last season; there’s a reason Ottawa was looking to unload his contract. For now, he’ll be a third-pairing guy who can be rotated out when better options present themselves.
Goalies
Arvid Söderblom: The Blackhawks see Söderblom as their future No. 1 goalie, but he’ll likely enter the season as the backup, or at most, 1B on the depth chart. Don’t be surprised if he owns the net by the end of the season.
Petr Mrazek: Mrazek had decent stretches last season, but for the most part, played the role he was brought in to play — a stopgap. Often injured and rarely dominant, Mrazek will ideally be replaced by Drew Commesso, perhaps as soon as 2024-25.
(Top photo of Taylor Hall: Joel Auerbach / Getty Images)
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