The NHL trade deadline has passed, the smoke has cleared and the Chicago Blackhawks find themselves as one of NHL’s youngest teams.
General manager Kyle Davidson traded away four players this week, three of them veteran captains in Nick Foligno and alternates Jason Dickinson and Connor Murphy. They were difficult but necessary moves to make, Davidson said Friday.
“They are some people that have certainly left a very strong, positive and impactful mark on our organization, our city, and a lot of our players that’ll be here for a long time to come, and so I just can’t thank them enough for their professionalism, their play, their dedication and everything that they brought to the organization,” Davidson said in his opening remarks at a post-trade-deadline news conference at the United Center.
“We accomplished some pretty strong acquisitions in terms of future assets and players that can serve a purpose here with us over the next little while. It’s tough to see really amazing people move on, but I’m really excited for all of them and their new opportunities.”
Murphy and Dickinson joined the Edmonton Oilers in separate trades this week, while Foligno went to the Minnesota Wild on Friday. Both teams are in playoff position. The Hawks’ plan for the future is to be buyers, not sellers.
The Hawks find themselves in a peculiar position in the last stretch of the season. Their playoffs odds are very low — at 23-28-10 (56 points), they’re 11 points out of a wild-card spot — but with 21 games remaining they’re not completely out of the conversation.
Davidson, though, didn’t emphasize a late-season playoff push, instead highlighting youth, opportunity and development.
“It’d be nice if we hit a high point towards the end, (but) I’m just excited to see some of these young players take on a little more opportunity (and) a little more ownership of the of the season,” Davidson said. “There’s some really good opportunities for guys to jump in grab hold of.
“There’s a lot to watch, a lot to pay attention to and a lot to be excited about from a youth and opportunity standpoint. Hopefully that translates into some nice results down the stretch and some good success for some young players to build on exiting the season and going to next season.”
The Hawks need to learn from scratch to win consistently, as the roster now has little to no experience in that area. The longest-tenured player is defenseman Alex Vlasic, 24, who is in his fifth season.
Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson, left, speaks during the introductory news conference for coach Jeff Blashill on May 27, 2025, at the United Center. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Davidson has preached about giving his young players experience come the deadline, and the trades signaled as much. This week seems to be the next step in the franchise’s lengthy rebuild.
“Alex Vlasic has been around this league a while, and then we’ve got some guys that know what they need to do to win and know what the team needs to do to keep progressing,” Davidson said. “(It’s) an opportunity for a lot of young players to step into the void and continue progressing their own leadership capabilities and developing their voice in the room. I don’t necessarily fear for the lack of leadership.”
One of those leaders will be star Connor Bedard, who is expected to take over as Hawks captain in the near future — pending a contract extension. Davidson said he’ll revisit the issue in the offseason but has shared repeatedly his desire and expectation to keep the young center.
Bedard said he’s doesn’t feel the need to change the way he presents himself, noting he is leader now. He also agreed it’s time for others to step up with the three veteran voices gone.
“It would be weird if I just started giving speeches and stuff, that’s not who I am, especially at this stage of my life,” Bedard, 20, said Friday. “It’s not an exciting opportunity because you’re losing a lot of great people, but it’s an opportunity for everyone to grow and in every sense on (and) off the ice.”
Blackhawks center Connor Bedard talks with left wing Nick Foligno against the Flyers on Feb. 21, 2024, at the United Center. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Bedard didn’t hide his frustration about the Hawks losing players who “help us win games.” The Hawks were preparing to play the Vancouver Canucks on Friday night in their first home game since Feb. 2, but the thoughts of losing friends and teammates clouded the United Center locker room.
Davidson knows that being sellers is frustrating for Hawks players and fans alike. He also would rather the players feel that way than be numb to it all.
“I’d probably worry more if it wasn’t bothering guys, to be honest, because I think that would reflect some sort of disengagement from the group,” Davidson said. “I don’t think anyone’s pleased about being sellers. I don’t want them to be.
“That’s something that they’ve got to feel and they’ve got to take not only into the game but in the offseason and do everything they can to individually combine that into a collective effort to make sure that we’re not in these spots moving forward. You don’t know what the future is going to bring but think it’s a healthy thing to be that invested in your teammates.”
The Hawks acquired two draft picks — the Oilers’ 2027 first-rounder and 2028 second-rounder — and left winger Andrew Mangiapane in return for the three veterans and Colton Dach.
While compiling draft capital is nice, it hasn’t netted the Hawks the main thing they’ve been lacking in recent years: wins. On one hand, having the picks will give them buyer leverage in the future. On the other, it’s another cycle in seeing whether the draftees will blossom — or underachieve.
Davidson, 37, has exceled at getting higher-than-expected returns for his players since he took over as GM in October 2021 after Stan Bowman’s resignation. Now, it will be about hitting the jackpot with the draft picks and trades for the organization to truly turn the corner.
“Whether people want to hear it or not, we’re committed to a vision here, we’ve picked a path, we’re committed to that, and we’re going to execute within that vision,” Davidson said. “I believe in these young players. I believe in this group of young prospects that we have coming, and as they continue to mature (and) as they continue to get comfortable and develop into the players that we see them becoming, that’s going to drive our team success.
“We believe in them wholeheartedly, not just with rose-colored glasses, that they can get us to where we want to go. That’s the vision, that’s what we’re committed to.”