The offseason is finally over for the Chicago Blackhawks! Training camp officially begins, with player physicals this Wednesday, Sept. 18 and the first practice on Thursday, Sept. 19. The first exhibition game will be the following Wednesday, Sept. 25, when the Blackhawks host the Detroit Red Wings. A lot has transpired during the summer, leading to an underlying sense of hope and excitement in Chicago. As we get ready for the 2024-25 campaign, let’s look at four big storylines to follow as camp gets underway.
Who Will Be Connor Bedard’s Linemates?
This is by far the biggest storyline, so we might as well just get right to it. The Blackhawks stated at the end of last season that they wanted to take the next step in their rebuild. They have a huge head start with their 2023 first overall draft pick, Connor Bedard. But despite an impressive rookie season, even Bedard struggled at times with little or no help around him. One guy, no matter how talented, just can’t do it alone. Especially if they’re only 18 years old, and brand new to the NHL.
The Blackhawks recognized this, and addressed it accordingly in the offseason. They added five veteran forwards to the mix, as well as expecting some injured players to once again be healthy this season. The organization is obviously trying to build around Bedard as they determine their top-six forwards. So what are the options? I’ll break it into three scenarios.
Blackhawks New Additions
Most people think this is the most likely set-up. Why wouldn’t newly acquired Teuvo Teravainen and Tyler Bertuzzi be Bedard’s linemates? After all, they’re both highly skilled veterans that will know how to complement this young talent. Bedard really didn’t have anyone that could keep up with him last season (we’ll get to Philipp Kurashev in a bit).
Both Teravainen and Bertuzzi would likely not only keep up with Bedard, but also find ways to capitalize off his skill. One or both of them could easily find themselves deployed with the young phenom.
Blackhawks Existing Veterans
Let’s not forget about Taylor Hall, who was brought in to mentor Bedard last season….
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at The Hockey Writers…