What the Blackhawks defense currently looks like for next season

The Chicago Blackhawks made their first official trade of the offseason on Friday, sending the rights to defenseman Victor Soderstrom to Boston in exchange for defenseman Ryan Mast and a 2025 seventh-round pick.

While this was a relatively minor move, it did also show general manager Kyle Davidson's cards.

Soderstrom, 24, registered 37 points in 49 games this past season in Sweden. He was acquired this past March when Chicago took on the Shea Weber contract from Utah. All in all, Soderstrom looked like a solid defensive prospect who rediscovered his game after leaving the Arizona Coyotes.

Soderstrom very well could compete for a roster spot with the Boston Bruins, but the Blackhawks decision to deal him shows that Davidson is confident in the defense he is assembling in Chicago.

What Kyle Davidson's defense could look like next season with the Blackhawks.

Mast, 22, is a 6-foot-5, 221 pound defenseman who could be a great fit in Rockford with the defense Davidson is putting together. Davidson has emphasized larger defenders capable of defending a larger area, and so far that has really come to fruition with the roster Chicago could have next season.

The defensemen signed for next season include Alex Vlasic, Connor Murphy, TJ Brodie, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, Kevin Korchinski, Nolan Allan, Taige Harding, Ethan Del Mastro, Ryan Mast and Dmitri Kuzmin. Additionally defensemen Wyatt Kaiser and Louis Crevier are without contracts.

The last few names there are probably going to be filling up the Rockford IceHogs lineup but for the most part the Hawks defense seems to be locked in for next season. Let's look at what the lineup could look like.

Alex Vlasic - Sam Rinzel

Wyatt Kaiser - Artyom Levshunov

Kevin Korchinski - Connor Murphy

Tj Brodie is not in this lineup projection just based on the fact that it doesn't look like Brodie returns to the Hawks next season. Brodie has been in the mix of buyout rumors and didn't standout in Chicago last season.

The Blackhawks left side might need an upgrade with Wyatt Kaiser and Kevin Korchinski. Ethan Del Mastro, another left d-man, could also compete for a spot in training camp.