The Chicago Blackhawks have had a simple goal the past few seasons - just get through the year. With general manager Kyle Davidson putting together some underwhelming teams the past few years, the Blackhawks could do nothing but watch the season tick by, hoping to not get too embarrassed night in and night out.
Now, Connor Bedard is entering his third year in the NHL, the Blackhawks are entering their third season without Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, and the future is starting to become the present with so many young guys like Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore ready to make an impact.
While the Blackhawks may still be in the hunt for the first overall pick, that can no longer be management's goal. So let's talk through some goals for the Hawks entering the season.
1. Get to 30 wins.
First and foremost, the Blackhawks have not won 30 games in a season since the 2019-20 season. Last year, Chicago finished 25-46-11 and were one of only 2 teams not to get 30 wins. This seems like a manageable goal for the Hawks as it's just a few wins away from their total last year.
Now, there are a couple of minor goals to focus on to help get to 30 wins. Last year, the Blackhawks were 20-4-6 when leading entering the 3rd period. Those numbers are not horrible - but they also don't scream with confidence. The Blackhawks need to be better when defending a lead entering the final 20 minutes of a game.
On the flip side, Chicago was 2-35-3 when trailing entering the 3rd period. Those numbers are pretty pathetic and needs to be better this season. Pretty much every game if the Hawks were trailing entering the second intermission, fans could turn their TV off—or more likely radio, considering how hard it was to actually watch them play last season.
The Blackhawks need to become a team that can battle back into a close game in the 3rd period, because last season it seemed they had already given up if they were trailing.
2. Help Connor Bedard have his breakout season.
Connor Bedard is already 20 years old and entering the final year of his entry-level deal. In 150 NHL games, Bedard has registered 45 goals and 128 points—those numbers are not bad, but they are also not as dominant as fans expected from the first overall pick.
The Blackhawks need a breakout year from Bedard this season. Now is the time for him to show the elite franchise player he was expected to be, and this season also includes a little extra motivator with the Olympics.
Most Blackhawks fans are tired of hearing the noise around Macklin Celebrini and NHL fans comparing him to Bedard. This year should be the year Bedard puts those comparisons to rest. The Blackhawks need to help put Bedard in a position to succeed, including playing with the best linemates as possible on a consistent basis.
3. Have fun again.
This final goal is pretty simple. The Blackhawks need to start having fun again. Each of the past two seasons hit a point where the Blackhawks were having closed-door player meetings and players' frustrations were making their way to their postgame interviews.
This season needs to be lighter. The Blackhawks are building out a young roster with plenty of top prospects, and with that youth should come some fun. It's a long 82 game season, and the Blackhawks can afford to have some fun along the way, celebrate big goals, enjoy the wins and try to move on/learn from each loss along the way.
