Blackhawks offseason hinges on Bedard contract, draft help

With improvement expected next season, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson has a tight summer ahead. The biggest priority is Connor Bedard’s restricted free-agent contract, while the draft and a potentially busy free-agent and trade market could determine

Two busy weeks are coming for the Blackhawks as the NHL offseason reaches its busiest stretch—one that could shape what the next season looks like for a young, still-developing roster.

If the expectation is improvement next season. even if it doesn’t become an outright playoff run. general manager Kyle Davidson’s workload is clear. He has to negotiate Connor Bedard’s contract. He also has to steer a draft weekend that could swing quickly depending on one pick. a handful of other selections. and what becomes available when the free-agent and trade market shifts.

The timing is tight. The first round of the draft is set for Friday at 6 p.m., with ESPN carrying the broadcast. The second through seventh rounds are scheduled for Saturday. It will be the second straight year the draft is held in a remote format.

The spotlight starts with the Hawks’ No. 4 overall pick, which comes with its own version of suspense. The Hawks are less than a week away from a decision on that selection. and things could get more dramatic if they trade it for “an immediate impact player.” If they keep it. the question becomes whether a highly touted Swedish wing. Ivar Stenberg. could still be there at No. 4.

There are multiple paths from that one slot. Would Stenberg drop? Could the Hawks trade with the Sharks to move up to No. 2 to “guarantee” they get him? If Stenberg doesn’t fall, U.S. defenseman Chase Reid becomes a plausible choice.

Chicago also has additional draft ammunition: three second-round picks at 34th. 37th and 45th overall. a third-round pick at 66th. a fourth-round pick at 119th. and two seventh-round picks at 194th and 200th. Davidson could decide to package a couple of those second-round selections to trade up for another first-rounder. If they keep the picks instead. the Hawks may prioritize defense after a few years of drafting very few of them.

Names tied to that defensive emphasis include Adam Goljer, Xavier Villeneuve, Juho Piiparinen, Jakub Vanecek and Ben Macbeath—potentially in play at 34th and 37th.

The Hawks’ off-ice decisions aren’t limited to draft night. Davidson said at the combine that he doesn’t expect to buy out anyone this summer. That point matters because wing Andre Burakovsky, who has one contract year left, seemed like a natural candidate for a buyout.

One reason that may be floating behind the scenes: Burakovsky’s $5.5 million salary-cap hit. which could help ensure the Hawks reach the salary floor. Another possibility is that Chicago’s cap space gives it flexibility to keep him and allow another opportunity—potentially sending him to the AHL if needed. Either way, they have until June 30 to decide.

For all the moving parts around it, Bedard negotiations remain the defining event of the summer. Connor Bedard is a restricted free agent who needs a new contract, and Davidson has only had one other negotiation that size since becoming GM.

So far, it doesn’t sound like progress is being made. Bedard has repeatedly said he wants to stay with the Hawks for the long term, but that hasn’t stopped his agents from pushing for the best deal.

His cap hit is expected to fall in the $13 million-to-$16 million range. That number is big, but the Hawks have budgeted for it. The more decisive question is the length of the deal: does Bedard sign a maximum-length eight-year contract—something many stars have chosen in recent years—or does he seek a four- or five-year agreement that could set up an even bigger payday during his prime?.

Beyond Bedard, the Hawks have internal contracts to handle. They need to re-sign restricted free agents Kevin Korchinski, Ethan Del Mastro and Drew Commesso. None of those contracts should be too onerous. Commesso is the only one with arbitration rights.

Unrestricted free agents add another set of questions. The Hawks have Ilya Mikheyev, Sam Lafferty, Joey Anderson and Matt Grzelcyk set to hit the market. Mikheyev is the only one who might return, and Davidson has indicated interest in re-signing him. Still, Mikheyev, a penalty-kill specialist, seems to believe he can beat the Hawks’ offer on the open market.

As July approaches, the sides might circle back a couple of days into the month based on how negotiations go. With Mikheyev turning 31, this likely is his last chance at a sizable NHL contract. A three- or four-year deal is what he probably will be looking for.

Outside the Hawks’ own roster, the 2026 free-agent class is described as bleak. Alex Tuch of the Sabres is the only top-six forward slated to become available on July 1, and while he would fit well next to Bedard, the bidding war for his services is expected to be significant.

Other wings available include Anthony Mantha, Mason Marchment, Bobby McMann, Viktor Arvidsson and Andrei Kuzmenko. But the Hawks aren’t necessarily hunting for depth unless they see a path to untapped upside.

What makes wings especially important is where the Hawks say their centers will begin the season. Davidson has said Bedard, Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell will start next season playing center.

The defense market looks slightly better. John Carlson of the Ducks and Rasmus Andersson of the Golden Knights headline the class. Carlson. 36. would fit a need for an experienced. puck-moving defenseman to stabilize the Hawks’ ultra-young group. though there is one issue: he reportedly wants to return to the East Coast.

Mario Ferraro of the Sharks is another logical target. He’s left-handed—on the weaker side for Chicago’s defense—and at 27, he is one of the younger unrestricted free agents. Connor Murphy is also a possibility as a UFA, and a reunion would be described as heartwarming.

Along with skill, the Hawks could also look for toughness. It wouldn’t be surprising if Chicago brought in a physical fourth-line forward with fighting experience, with Beck Malenstyn, Nick Cousins, Brandon Duhaime or Cole Smith named as examples.

Trades also loom over the summer in a way that could affect the draft and the rest of the offseason. The trade market features more big names. and the league-wide reality is that most teams’ Plan A is to acquire talent via trade. while Plan B is signings. That combination could concentrate activity into draft week.

Among the names involved in that trade chatter: Jason Robertson of the Stars and Pavel Dorofeyev of the Knights. Both are elite restricted free-agent forwards whose teams are in cap crunches. Landing either of them could dramatically alter the complexion of the Hawks’ top line. but the Hawks likely don’t have the assets the contenders will seek.

Matthew Knies of the Maple Leafs is a confirmed Hawks target. and his name continues to circulate in rumors despite a change in the Leafs’ front office. With five contract years remaining. acquiring Knies would likely require a major price. but the Leafs may be more open to a package built around picks and prospects.

If there’s a team that fits that style of conversation, the rebuilding Canucks do—named as a club likely to be interested in picks and prospects. That has widened the list of players the Hawks could consider even if they wouldn’t be perfect fits: Elias Pettersson, Brock Boeser and Jake DeBrusk.

The Penguins are mentioned as another possible trade partner if they decide to retool. Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell would join that same broader group of trade-eligible names.

On defense, Darnell Nurse of the Oilers and Morgan Reilly of the Leafs hit the market recently. Their contracts are described as albatross deals, which would reduce their value. But they also carry no-movement clauses, meaning they can veto any suitors.

One defenseman who fits the Hawks’ long-term timeline is Bowen Byram of the Sabres. His name surfaced now that he is one year away from unrestricted free agency. His analytics are described as not his best area, but the fit with Chicago’s future is the key point.

Starting July 1, the Hawks will also be eligible for extensions with their robust group of 2027 restricted free agents: Oliver Moore, Ryan Greene, Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, Wyatt Kaiser and Louis Crevier.

Davidson previously took advantage of extension opportunities last summer with Nazar and Spencer Knight. It’s something he might consider again, though the report notes that none of the 2027 group has proved value “as definitively” as Nazar and Knight had.

The Hawks’ prospect-development camp is scheduled to run June 29 through July 3.

With the NHL moving to an 84-game regular season, the 2026-27 season opener is reportedly slated for Sept. 29, following a shortened training camp and preseason. The schedule will be released in July.

In the end, everything points back to the same question: can Davidson translate all of this offseason motion—Bedard’s contract negotiations, the draft’s No. 4 pick and the possibility of trades—into real roster upgrades that make the Hawks meaningfully better next season?

Chicago Blackhawks Kyle Davidson Connor Bedard NHL offseason 2026 draft No. 4 pick Ivar Stenberg Chase Reid Andre Burakovsky Ilya Mikheyev NHL free agency Bowen Byram