The Chicago Blackhawks will have a very young center core in place next season. General manager Kyle Davidson recently outlined his plan of attack when it comes to designing the 2026-2027 Chicago roster.
Via Ben Pope, Davidson stated he will be building next year's team with Connor Bedard, Anton Frondell, and Frank Nazar as their 1-2-3 center trio down the middle. Is this the right call by the Blackhawks GM? Let's get into the pros and cons of this idea.
The Positives
The main positive of this development is that it will give the Blackhawks a strong group of centers to work with. There is arguably nothing more important towards constructing an elusive forward core than having deep center depth.
With Bedard, Frondell, and Nazar all on separate lines, this has the potential to be a nightmare for the opposition to deal with. There will be a few breaks given to teams during Blackhawks games, as they will often have to deal with at least one of these three players on the ice.
Having this trio drive their own lines spreads the wealth throughout the lineup. The 2010s core was built in a similar light. There is a reason why Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews were often separated in even-strength play. Perhaps Bedard and Frondell can mirror this energy and provide the team with two elite lines.
As for Nazar, there is a debate to be had that he is a player too talented to be placed in the bottom six. However, there is the counterargument that having a dynamic top-six is not good enough in today's NHL. Most of the best teams have three dangerous lines, forming a powerhouse top-nine. Think about the 2024/2025 Florida Panthers with Alexander Barkov, Sam Bennett, and Anton Lundell forming a scary center formation.
Maybe this process will hurt Chicago in the short term. But this is a philosophy aimed at driving success in the long term, according to Davidson. The Blackhawks will need to have a dynamic center rotation when they are a playoff team. This could be the group to get the job done when that time arrives.
The Negatives
There is logic to this plan, especially in the future when the Blackhawks have asserted themselves as a contender. With that said, that has not happened yet. In the present, this is an inexperienced rebuilding team that has not sniffed postseason hockey.
In the meantime, should developing chemistry and maximizing the most out of the youth core forwards not be prioritized? Three years into his career, Bedard has not had a linemate even close to his skill level. Chicago has two sound options right here in Frondell and Nazar at their disposal, yet it appears neither will be placed on his wing. Of course, they will still get reps together on the power play. But the point stands.
Was Frondell not drafted to be Bedard's wingman? That was the thought in mind last June when Davidson selected him third overall. It seems that has changed since, with the team now working towards making Frondell's primary position center.
Nazar on the third line is questionable as well. His form dropped off late in the season when he was demoted from the second line following Frondell's arrival. Although playing with Andre Burakovsky did not help his cause.
The silver lining here is that it forces Davidson to be aggressive this summer, if he was not already planning to do so. He needs to provide Jeff Blashill with solid wingers to pair with the trio, beyond the current group. Tyler Bertuzzi has become a reliable veteran. Roman Kantserov coming in will help. Nick Lardis, Oliver Moore, and Ryan Greene could all be viable options as well. Nevertheless, a formidable top-six winger should be an offseason target. Whether that player is found in the draft, free agency, or trade will have to wait to be seen.
Overall, this gives us a better idea of how Davidson will be addressing the Blackhawks' lineup ahead of the next campaign. With the center position figured out, he knows the objective is to bolster the wing. The number-one goal should be to surround Bedard, Frondell, and Nazar with weapons.
