Is Kyle Davidson failing at the rebuild? Fans are outraged they're not in playoff territory yet

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Joshua Deeds
November 8, 2024 (10:09 PM)

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Ultimately as fans of theChicago Blackhawks, we want to see the team do their best on the ice every night. That includes the organization itself holding themselves and the players accountable.

The Blackhawks have just begun their rebuild in 2022, and while last season was abysmal, it seems like they have inched forward in play just a bit.

With competitive pieces added like Tyler Bertuzzi, and Teuvo Teravainen, and meaningful veteran depth like Alec Martinez should fans be frustrated with a lack of a playoff spot?

Well, yes and no.

The Blackhawks should reach another level in this rebuild, but the variables seem to get in the way. Whether it is players who lack confidence, and a coach struggling to find the right pieces to make the puzzle fit. Fans have legitimate reasons to be unhappy with the play this season.

They spend their hard-earned cash on tickets, concessions, and merchandise. All the while putting up with the CHSN situation, it is palpable anger that is legitimate.

But in the case of a rebuild if you look at a team like the Tampa Bay Lightning, who didn't win their first cup with their new core until 2020, how patient should fans be?

Nate Brown of Chicago Hockey Now offers a reasonable outlook:

Making sure that gradual growth along with finding those right players takes precedence after selecting high again in the 2024 NHL Draft. The first box checked in the Blackhawks rebuild should be picking lower next year in the first round-only because it shows growth had been there. From there, .500 play or better should dictate the conversation a year from now heading into 2025-26. In the 2026 offseason, the playoffs should start the discourse.

It likely won't be a linear path and it'll have bumps, too. But a reasonable timeline recalls that not all paths are the same-and the Blackhawks offseason work now can save them a whole lot more work later.

But for a tried-and-true method, the Lightning is a great example of a rebuild succeeding at this point in modern NHL history.

Tampa Bay's run of the last decade started with the 2007 drafting of Alex Killorn in the third round but really took off with the next two drafts, highlighted by Steven Stamkos in 2008 and Victor Hedman in 2009. It also benefitted from 2011's drafting of Nikita Kucherov in the second round and Ondrej Palat in the seventh round along with the undrafted free-agent signing of Tyler Johnson in March 2011. Tampa reached a Cup final in 2015 and the window of contention remained open until they won back-to-back Cups in 2020 and 2021.

So it is honestly not wrong to be angry, but with drafting and building talent naturally rather than free-agency, comes patience.

If the Blackhawks are to become a dynasty once more, it may be longer than 2025-2026 before the Blackhawks see a deep post-season run.

There's plenty of exciting talent in the pipeline, and we could even see Frank Nazar in next half of the season.