Reminder to Blackhawks Fans: Practice Patience With This Methodical Rebuild
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By Charles Webber
If you’re already feeling skeptical—or maybe a little weary—about Kyle Davidson’s rebuild, I’m guessing this blog title isn’t winning you over right away. “Patience,” you say? For the Blackhawks, who finished second-to-last in the league last season? With the impact free agents off the board, and half the roster still learning where the trainers' room is? Hey, I get it. It’s been a long and disastrous few seasons, and none of us have forgotten the glory days, but we can’t rush the return of those days.
Even if you’re not sold on the progress of this rebuild (or the guy running it), there are still some valid reasons to stick with the process and give these young players time. Connor Bedard’s already showing why he’s such a big deal, and honestly, it’s a joy to watch the kid start to figure things out and make plays. All those viral clips from his offseason training in Vancouver have many Hawks fans expecting a breakout year from #98, and I am certainly one of those fans. His skill and finesse are undeniable.
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With the 1st line center spot seemingly locked up for the long term, Kyle Davidson thinks he’s found the future 2C behind Bedard with the 3rd overall pick in this year’s draft-Anton Frondell. The 18-year-old Swede out of the SHL is a super-skilled forward who had scouts buzzing in Sweden, and he’ll spend another season overseas getting his game ready for the NHL spotlight. Frondell Fridays are on the way.
On the back end, Sam Rinzel appeared comfortable and more than ready for the moment in his 9-game intro to the NHL in April. With Rinzel’s emergence as a potential top-4 defenseman, many forget about Artyom Levshunov, who got 18 games of NHL experience last season while logging heavy minutes and showing flashes of why he was taken #2 overall last summer. Levshunov looks to be a key two-way defender on the blue line for many years.
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Those two up-and-comers, along with established but young Alex Vlasic, hope to be the future of Chicago’s defense. Frank Nazar had a pretty nice rookie year, too, producing at a good clip and showing all the signs that he’s ready for a bigger role, and could have a good shot to earn a top-six spot on this Blackhawks forward group. All in all, it's time to let the kids play. Give them ice time, let them make mistakes—this is how the next core gets built.
Sure, you may have been hoping for some big names or veteran signings, but plugging those guys in only blocks the path for the young talent. It’s all about letting these prospects play and grow with each other. There’ll be tough stretches, no doubt, but watching guys like Bedard, Nazar, Levshunov, and Frondell get their shot is what an actual rebuild looks like.
So if “patience” isn’t your favorite word as a Hawks fan, I hear you—but it might just be the best one for now. Give it a little time, and we could have something really worth cheering for again.
