The top line has Connor Bedard centering dynamic wingers, such as Teuvo Teraveinen, who in 2023-2024, played 76 games for the Carolina Hurricanes, scoring 53 points( 25 G, 38 A) and flanked Bedard on his left.
While former Maple Leaf Tyler Bertuzzi, the gritty, agitator who will be a great winger who can help get pucks for Bedard, scored 43 points( 21 G, 22 A) in 80 games with the Buds.
This looks like a solid first line, for a Blackhawks who should improve significantly offensively, and in the NHL rankings.
Taylor Hall and Ilya Mikeheyev will flank Philipp Kurashev who will center the two wingers and drive offense on his own, without Bedard this season it looks like.
Kurashev played 75 games for the Blackhawks and was a fixture on the team's top line last season, which saw him post 54 points( 18 G, 36 A) with Connor Bedard being his primary linemate.
Hall and Mikeheyev will likely approach 2023-2024, as players who need to rebound from their past troubles.
Hall spent the majority of his first season in Chicago injured and unable to contribute, playing 10 games last season, scoring only 4 points( 2 G, 2 A) and the Blackhawks would love to see Hall who scored 61 points( 20 G, 41 A) with the Boston Bruins in 2021-2022 produce that kind of result again.
Hall is a former 2019 Hart Trophy winner, and is in the latter stages of his career, but is still a capable winger.
The Blackhawks made a major roster decision yesterday which saw AJ Spellacy return to the OHL's Windsor Spitfires, and sent Frank Nazar( 2 points against the Iowa Wild yesterday), and Kevin Korchinski to the Rockford IceHogs yesterday.
GM Kyle Davidson is banking on the fact the team should be far more competitive this season, and we're hoping the newest additions strengthen the roster, while the prospects continue to develop in the AHL.
Source: The Hockey News
Korchinski Surprisingly Part of Blackhawks' Latest Cuts
POLL | ||
How many points will the Chicago Blackhawks finish the 2024-2025 season with? | ||
75 | 32 | 65.3 % |
85 | 10 | 20.4 % |
90 | 5 | 10.2 % |
100 | 2 | 4.1 % |
List of polls |