Chicago’s five years of rebuilding – are the Blackhawks inching closer to success?

Nestor Quixtan of Blackhawk Up argues that five years into general manager Kyle Davidson's rebuilding plan, the Chicago Blackhawks have made only minimal meaningful progress toward success. Despite snapping a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings behind a Wyatt Kaiser goal, Chicago opened the 2026-27 season with a 4-8-0 record to sit last in the Central Division.

Quixtan writes that while the initial teardown and drafting produced young talent like Connor Bedard and Roman Kantserov, recent offseasons have seen heavy spending without significant standings improvement. The article notes that despite major veteran additions and Bedard signing a five-year contract extension, the franchise continues to face long odds to reach the Stanley Cup playoffs.