{"id":718513,"date":"2026-06-22T03:56:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T03:56:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/718513\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T03:56:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T03:56:15","slug":"blackhawks-offseason-preview-connor-bedards-contract-is-top-priority-but-big-addition-would-be-welcomed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/718513\/","title":{"rendered":"Blackhawks offseason preview: Connor Bedard’s contract is top priority, but big addition would be welcomed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two busy weeks lie ahead for the Blackhawks<\/a> during the zenith of the NHL offseason.<\/p>\n

With considerable improvement \u2014 if not an outright playoff berth \u2014 set as the expectation for next season, general manager Kyle Davidson must do everything in his power to try to upgrade his young roster.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what this summer might bring:<\/p>\n

Draft<\/p>\n

The Hawks are less than a week away from a decision regarding the No. 4 overall pick. The first round of the draft<\/a> will take place Friday (6 p.m., ESPN), followed by the second through seventh rounds Saturday. It\u2019s the second consecutive year of the remote format.<\/p>\n

The Hawks are slated to make only one first-round pick for the first time in Davidson\u2019s tenure, but that doesn\u2019t reduce the drama. Things could get even more dramatic if the Hawks trade the pick for an immediate impact player.<\/p>\n

If they keep it, will highly touted Swedish wing Ivar Stenberg<\/a> drop to No. 4? Might the Hawks trade with the Sharks to move up to No. 2 to guarantee they get him? If Stenberg doesn\u2019t fall, is U.S. defenseman Chase Reid the most likely choice?<\/p>\n

The Hawks also have three second-round picks (34th, 37th and 45th overall), one third-round pick (66th), one fourth-round pick (119th) and two seventh-round picks (194th and 200th).<\/p>\n

It wouldn\u2019t be surprising if they package a couple of those second-round picks to trade up for another first-rounder. If they keep them, however, expect them to make defensemen a priority after a few years of drafting very few of them. Adam Goljer, Xavier Villeneuve, Juho Piiparinen, Jakub Vanecek or Ben Macbeath might be in play at 34th and 37th.<\/p>\n

Buyout?<\/p>\n

Davidson said at the combine that he doesn\u2019t expect to buy out anyone this summer. That\u2019s interesting because wing Andre Burakovsky, who has one contract year left, seemed like such a logical candidate.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the Hawks think Burakovsky\u2019s $5.5 million salary-cap hit will help ensure they reach the salary floor. Or perhaps their abundance of cap space makes them willing to give him one more shot (and send him to the AHL, if need be). Or perhaps their plan will change. They have until June 30 to decide.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Andre<\/p>\n

Embattled veteran Andre Burakovsky might get to stick around for next season.<\/p>\n

Internal free agents<\/p>\n

Connor Bedard is a restricted free agent who needs a new contract this summer. That represents Davidson\u2019s most important negotiations since he became GM.<\/p>\n

So far, it doesn\u2019t sound as though the sides have made much progress. Bedard repeatedly has said he wants to stay with the Hawks for the long term, but that won\u2019t stop his agents from negotiating for the best deal.<\/p>\n

Bedard\u2019s cap hit likely will fall in the $13 million-to-$16 million range \u2014 an enormous number, but one the Hawks have budgeted for. The bigger question is whether he will sign a maximum-length eight-year deal (as many stars have in recent years) or push for a four- or five-year deal that could set him up for an even bigger payday in his prime.<\/p>\n

The Hawks also need to re-sign RFAs Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro and Drew Commesso. None of those contracts should be too onerous. Commesso is the only one with arbitration rights.<\/p>\n

The Hawks\u2019 unrestricted free agents are Ilya Mikheyev, Sam Lafferty, Joey Anderson and Matt Grzelcyk. Mikheyev is the only one who might return. Davidson repeatedly has indicated interest in re-signing him, but the penalty-kill specialist seemingly thinks he can beat the Hawks\u2019 offer on the open market.<\/p>\n

The sides might circle back a couple of days into July, based on how things go. Mikheyev, who at 31 knows this might be his last sizable NHL contract, probably is looking for a three- or four-year deal.<\/p>\n

External free agents<\/p>\n

The 2026 free-agent class is bleak. Alex Tuch (Sabres) is the only top-six forward slated to become available July 1. Tuch would look great next to Bedard, but the bidding war for his services will be ridiculous.<\/p>\n

Other available wings include Anthony Mantha, Mason Marchment, Bobby McMann, Viktor Arvidsson and Andrei Kuzmenko. But unless the Hawks see untapped potential in one of those guys, they\u2019re not really seeking depth.<\/p>\n

Wings are the target because Davidson has said Bedard, Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell will start next season playing center.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"Alex<\/p>\n

Former Sabres winger Alex Tuch is the top free agent on the market this summer.<\/p>\n

Jeffrey T. Barnes\/AP Photos<\/p>\n

The class of defensemen is slightly better. John Carlson (Ducks) and Rasmus Andersson (Golden Knights) headline it. Carlson, 36, would fit the Hawks\u2019 need for an experienced, puck-moving defenseman to stabilize their ultra-young group. One issue is that he reportedly wants to return to the East Coast.<\/p>\n

Mario Ferraro (Sharks) is another logical target. He\u2019s left-handed \u2014 the weaker side of the Hawks\u2019 defense \u2014 and is one of the youngest UFAs at 27. Connor Murphy is a UFA, too, and that would make for a heartwarming reunion.<\/p>\n

It wouldn\u2019t be surprising if the Hawks brought in a physical fourth-line forward with fighting experience, someone such as Beck Malenstyn, Nick Cousins, Brandon Duhaime or Cole Smith.<\/p>\n

Trades<\/p>\n

The trade market features more big names, to the extent that most teams\u2019 Plan A is to acquire talent via trade and Plan B is doing so via signings. That might push a lot of trade activity into draft week.<\/p>\n

Jason Robertson (Stars) and Pavel Dorofeyev (Knights) are elite RFA forwards whose teams are in cap crunches. Acquiring either drastically would change the complexion of the Hawks\u2019 top line, but they don\u2019t have the assets those contenders likely will be seeking.<\/p>\n

Matthew Knies (Maple Leafs) is a confirmed Hawks target<\/a> whose name continues to circulate in rumors, despite the Leafs\u2019 GM change. With five contract years remaining, Knies would cost a boatload to acquire, but the Leafs might be more interested in a picks-and-prospects package.<\/p>\n

One team definitely interested in that type of package is the rebuilding Canucks, so even though Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Jake DeBrusk wouldn\u2019t be perfect fits for the Hawks, they are worth considering. If the Penguins finally decide to retool, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell also would join that group.<\/p>\n

In terms of defensemen, two left-handed veterans in Darnell Nurse (Oilers) and Morgan Reilly (Leafs) recently hit the market, and their albatross contracts will reduce their value. But they can veto any suitors with their no-movement clauses.<\/p>\n

One defenseman who would fit the Hawks\u2019 long-term timeline nicely is Bowen Byram (Sabres), whose name has surfaced now that he\u2019s one year away from UFA status. He doesn\u2019t have the best analytics, however.<\/p>\n

Extensions and more<\/p>\n

Starting July 1, the Hawks\u2019 robust group of 2027 RFAs \u2014 which includes Oliver Moore, Ryan Greene, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, Wyatt Kaiser and Louis Crevier \u2014 will become eligible for extensions.<\/p>\n

Davidson jumped on that opportunity with Nazar and Spencer Knight last summer, so it\u2019s something he might consider again, even though none of those guys has proved his value as definitively as Nazar and Knight had.<\/p>\n

The Hawks\u2019 prospect-development camp will run June 29 through July 3.<\/p>\n

With the NHL moving to an 84-game regular season, the 2026-27 season opener reportedly is slated for Sept. 29 after a shortened training camp and preseason. The schedule will be released in July.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Two busy weeks lie ahead for the Blackhawks during the zenith of the NHL offseason. With considerable improvement…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":718514,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[385,99],"class_list":["post-718513","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nhl","tag-nhl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/718513","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=718513"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/718513\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/718514"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=718513"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=718513"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=718513"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}