Blackhawks counting on Bedard to speed up rebuild

After the NHL Draft, free agency and other offseason moves, NHL.com is examining where each team stands in preparation for the 2023-24 regular season, which starts Oct. 10. Today, the Chicago Blackhawks:

2022-23 season:26-49-7, eighth in Central Division; did not qualify for Stanley Cup Playoffs

Key arrivals

Connor Bedard, F:The 17-year-old was the No. 1 pick in 2023 NHL Draft and is expected to help speed up the Blackhawks rebuild. Bedard led the Western Hockey League with 71 goals, 143 points, 360 shots on goal and 2.51 points per game in 57 regular-season games with Regina last season. … Taylor Hall, F:The 31-year-old was acquired with forward Nick Foligno from the Boston Bruins on June 26 for defensemen Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula. Hall, who will likely play with Bedard, had 36 points (16 goals, 20 assists) in 61 regular-season games and eight points (five goals, three assists) in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games for the Bruins last season. … Nick Foligno, F:The 35-year-old, acquired with Hall from Boston, had 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) in 60 regular-season games and three points (goal, two assists) in six playoff games for the Bruins. He signed a one-year contract June 27 and will provide a physical game as well as a veteran presence. …Corey Perry, F: The 38-year-old was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning on June 29 for a seventh-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft and signed a one-year contract the next day. Another veteran with a physical presence, Perry had 25 points (12 goals, 13 assists) in 81 regular-season games and five points (two goals, three assists) in six playoff games for the Lightning last season. …Ryan Donato, F: The 27-year-old signed a two-year contract July 1. He had 27 points (14 goals, 13 assists) in 71 regular-season games for the Seattle Kraken last season and two assists in 14 playoff games.

Key departures

Video: NHL Tonight talks about Connor Bedard in Chicago, F:The captain since 2008, Toews was told at the end of last season that he would not be re-signed. The 35-year-old had 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) in 53 games last season and, along with Video: NHL Tonight talks about Connor Bedard in Chicago, who was traded to the New York Rangers on Feb. 28, was a major part of the Blackhawks winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, 2013 and 2015. Toews ranks in the top 10 in Chicago history in games played, goals, assists and points. …Video: NHL Tonight talks about Connor Bedard in Chicago, G:The 35-year-old, who is an unrestricted free agent, was 9-15-2 with a 3.01 goals-against average, .908 save percentage and two shutouts in 27 games (24 starts) last season. … Video: NHL Tonight talks about Connor Bedard in Chicago, F:The 28-year-old, who is an unrestricted free agent, had 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 51 games last season.

On the cusp

Video: NHL Tonight talks about Connor Bedard in Chicago, F:The 21-year-old has gotten his glimpses, with 16 points (seven goals, nine assists) in 34 games over the past two seasons. Considering he's gotten his feet wet here and done just about everything he could in the American Hockey League -- he had 51 points (20 goals, 31 assists) in 55 games last season with Rockford -- it's time he sticks with the Blackhawks. … Video: NHL Tonight talks about Connor Bedard in Chicago, D:The 19-year-old had 73 points (11 goals, 62 assists) in 54 games for Seattle, which won the Western Hockey League championship and advanced to the Memorial Cup Final. He impressed the Blackhawks at last year's camp, and given Chicago's need for defensemen, Korchinski should make the opening night roster. He's not eligible to play in the AHL, per the Canadian Hockey League-NHL agreement (must play four full junior hockey seasons or be 20 years old). … Video: NHL Tonight talks about Connor Bedard in Chicago, G:The 23-year-old got some opportunities last season due to illness/injuries to Petr Mrazek and Stalock, going 2-10-2 with a 3.45 GAA and .894 save percentage in 15 games (13 starts). With Stalock gone, Soderblom will likely split time with Mrazek or get more starts, depending on the latter's health. ...Video: NHL Tonight talks about Connor Bedard in Chicago, D: The 22-year-old, who was a second-round pick (No. 43) in the 2019 NHL Draft, played six NHL games last season and 21 over the past two seasons but should be a regular in the lineup this season.

What they still need

Getting restricted free agent forward Video: NHL Tonight talks about Connor Bedard in Chicago signed is one task. The 23-year-old had 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in 70 games last season. Other than that, Chicago could use a right-handed defenseman. That's the one thing the Blackhawks don't have many of right now, especially after trading Mitchell and Regula, each a right-handed shot. Seth Jones, Connor Murphy and Nikita Zaitsev are right-handed shots, but general manager Kyle Davidson said July 5 that it's unlikely the Blackhawks do much more in free agency. They may make a move closer to the season, which is when they acquired defenseman Jarred Tinordi off waivers from the Rangers last year (Oct. 10).

They said it

"Those players that can reach star potential are the hardest boxes and hardest positions to fill when you're building a team and obviously first overall is a place where you hope you can get that. I feel like we've got a player in Connor that has every chance to be that type of player for us." -- general manager Kyle Davidson on building around Connor Bedard

Fantasy focus

Bedard has point-per-game potential playing on a line with Hall, who won the Hart Trophy voted as NHL most valuable player in 2017-18 with the New Jersey Devils and set NHL career highs in goals (39), points (93) and power-play points (37) that season. Bedard also has a proven power-play quarterback in Jones, making Bedard NHL.com's top fantasy rookie and ranked among the top 40 overall players for this season.-- Pete Jensen

Projected lineup

Taylor Hall -- Connor Bedard -- Tyler Johnson

Lukas Reichel -- Andreas Athanasiou -- Ryan Donato

Philipp Kurashev -- Jason Dickinson -- Taylor Raddysh

Nick Foligno -- Cole Guttman -- Corey Perry

Kevin Korchinski -- Seth Jones

Alex Vlasic -- Connor Murphy

Jarred Tinordi -- Nikita Zaitsev

Petr Mrazek

Arvid Soderblom