The Chicago Blackhawks are in the midst of one of their worst stretches in franchise history, as they have missed the playoffs six years in a row. That marks their longest drought since 1952.
On the bright side, the Blackhawks have shown some signs of improvement the past couple of seasons, going from 52 points to 61 to 72. They still finished in last place in the Central Division by a rather wide margin this past year, but at least they made some progress.
Chicago is, for the most part, an incredibly young team that clearly has potential, but it absolutely needs to add some established talent in order to reach that next level.
The good news is that the Blackhawks have around $40 million in cap space this summer, and while extending Connor Bedard will probably be their top priority, they also need to put some serious pieces around him, as well.
On that note, Michael DeRosa of Heavy has linked Chicago to a very intriguing name in free agency: winger Alex Tuch.
Chicago Blackhawks linked to Alex Tuch in NHL free agency
May 1, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Buffalo Sabres right wing Alex Tuch (89) points to his goaltender after being congratulated at the bench after scoring against the Boston Bruins during the first period of game six of the first round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Tuch is playing for a tough Buffalo Sabres squad that is currently in the NHL playoffs, and the Sabres might do everything they can to re-sign him. However, with Buffalo possessing just $13 million in cap room, that may prove difficult.
The 30-year-old racked up 33 goals and 36 assists this season and would represent a terrific complement to Bedard and Tyler Bertuzzi, the latter of whom led the Blackhawks with a career-high 32 goals in 2025-26. Now, imagine adding Tuch on the other side?
Tuch is being projected by some to bag an eight-year, $64 million contract this offseason, identical to the deal Nick Schmaltz — who, like Tuch, is 30 years old — just received from the Utah Mammoth. Chicago can definitely afford that, so the question may come down to whether or not Tuch wants to play for a team that has been regularly missing the playoffs.
The Syracuse, N.Y. native began his NHL career with the Minnesota Wild in 2016 but spent just one season there before being traded to the Vegas Golden Knights. He resided in the desert for four seasons before being dealt to the Sabres in 2021, which was when he really broke out.
Tuch registered a career-best 36 goals during his debut campaign in Buffalo and equaled that mark in 2024-25, when he led the league with six short-handed scores.
Chicago would certainly be wise to pursue him, but would he be interested?
Chicago Blackhawks connected to blockbuster trade for 45-goal ironman
Read More
For More Great Chicago Sports Content
Get the latest Chicago sports news, analysis, and breaking stories on the Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, Cubs, White Sox, Sky, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, so you never miss a story on your favorite Chicago teams.
Follow us on Twitter at @chicitysports23 for more great content. We appreciate you taking time to read our articles. To interact more with our community and keep up to date on the latest in Chicago sports news, JOIN OUR FREE FACEBOOK GROUP by CLICKING HERE