FEATURE: Davidson, Richardson Ready to Enter Second Season Together

Heading into their second season together, Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson feels like there is more excitement in the air. With questions around possible trades and certain roster spots that took up most of the 2022-23 season, he and head coach Luke Richardson can now focus on the current roster they have now and not what can happen later.

With training camp underway, they both look forward to witnessing the positive progress that some of their younger players can bring this season.

“I think every year brings a different set of challenges and opportunities,” Davidson said. “So, you're always busy, you're always kind of dealing with a bunch of different things, but it feels a little more settled this year, to be honest walking into training camp.”

Davidson hired Richardson back in June 2022 to help work on a new culture within the team, systems and style of player. With a foundation set, they now hope to build off that. 

After watching Davidson flourish in both the 2022 and 2023 NHL Draft, Richardson continues to boast about the trust they built in their coaching and GM relationship. Now that they established the defensive style team, they want to see more execution on the ice. 

“Now we got to build on it,” Richardson said. “We put the next block on top means more execution, so a lot of that is on the ice from the players, but a lot of it is how we teach and how we show video and try and correct and help them achieve that.”

Seth Jones even noticed the growth from the second-year head coach on the first day of training camp in video room sessions. 

Last season, the team entered with a new system to learn and constant changes. However, the veteran defenseman can see that not only are the players comfortable with the style but Richardson can perfect it as well. 

“I think that's going to help us just having that year of that system and not just doing it off the cuff like we were last year,” Jones said. “You can just feel that everyone's a little bit more comfortable, including himself.”

While they continue to build the final team roster leading up to Oct. 10, there is still some work to be done.

But after trades that acquired three first round picks in 2022, and players like Jason Dickinson, Richardson knows that moves like these will go a long way with Davidson’s decision making.

“We have one guy here competing this year, and we'll have guys coming in the future,” Richardson said. “So, a little bit of patience for all those moves goes a long way, but he did a great job. Even just little subtle moves, and they weren't little moves, but they were just timely moves.”

As for Davidson, he hopes to see more prominent leaders rise from not just veterans but some younger players as well. But most importantly, he hopes to see development and improvement from players that can support the Blackhawks in the future.

Throughout the season, the two will continue to focus on the team as a whole and prepare player whether they make the roster with Chicago or in Rockford.

“We continue to build this as a team, we're not looking to any one player or prospect as a solution,” Davidson said. “We’re looking forward to continuing our development this year and filtering in some younger players into the NHL roster this year. I think we've made some very positive progress, but still a lot of work to be done.”