Blackhawks have young help coming on the way
While some NHL clubs are scratching and clawing their way to the spring in hopes of clinching a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Chicago Blackhawks are among the latest teams to see an “e” beside their name in the standings, signifying they have been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention and will miss the playoffs for both a fifth straight season and for the seventh time in eight years.
On Friday’s episode of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk discuss the Blackhawks’ disappointing season and what fans have to look forward to going into 2025-26.
Tyler Yaremchuk: Despite their winning percentage climbing from a .317 points percentage last season to a .355, but this still feels like a step back in their development, doesn’t it?
Frank Seravalli: Yeah, no one is getting excited about a .355 points percentage, I can tell you that.
Even .500 hockey is no good, you need to be at .590 or .605 to be a playoff team.
It does feel like a bit of a step back, because Connor Bedard didn’t blow up and become, at least to this point, a point-per-game or north of a point-per-game player, and there’s been all sorts of frustrations and issues with the team’s body language, how they sag at times, that they’ve changed coaches. There’s a lot of reasons to point to as to why this season has not been a success.
That said, I think the eye on the Blackhawks needs to remain on the future, because unlike a team like the San Jose Sharks, where you see Macklin Celebrini, and William Eklund, and William Smith in the lineup, your future pieces for the Hawks are playing college and junior. Until that changes, it’s hard to really get excited, so I’m going to mention three names that we’re going to see the Hawks’ lineup over the next couple weeks:
The first is Sam Rinzel, who will leave the University of Minnesota. That will happen when his college season concludes, and he will more than likely bring with him Oliver Moore. Both of those players were first-round picks for Chicago. I project both of those guys are going to be the Hawks’ opening night lineup, and for the full season, in 2025-26.
Moore will be a bottom-six guy who can hunt down pucks and use his speed, while Rinzel will be a stud with a capital S, a right-shot defender that I think, as a different style of player, but can have the same NHL-level impact as Brock Faber with the Minnesota Wild.
Your blueline is then Alex Vlasic, Sam Rinzel and Artyom Levshunov as your top-three defensemen next season — you’re in a good place.
The other guy is Ryan Greene, a second-round pick out of Boston University. A center with some size, I project him as a middle-six center, and probably gets sent down to the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL. But again, you start to see some more pieces come together. You see Rinzel, Greene and Moore step right into your lineup to close out this year, and all of a sudden, it might have a different feel as the Hawks last week had 10 players who were 23 and under.
Not an exciting year, still questions to ask about Bedard, who needs a lot more help. But a step forward behind the scenes.
You can watch the full segment and the rest of the episode here…