Blackhawks GM outlines where Chicago is looking to upgrade this summer

The Chicago Blackhawks know their rebuild cannot take the next step without improvement on the blue line.

While the organization’s young forward core continues to generate excitement, general manager Kyle Davidson acknowledged that strengthening the defense corps will be one of the team’s priorities this offseason.

Speaking at the NHL Draft Combine, Davidson admitted the Blackhawks are likely to explore adding a veteran presence to a defensive group that struggled throughout the 2025-26 campaign.

“We wanted to see how it went; it didn’t go quite the way we were hoping to give us that full shot in the arm, that ‘set it and forget it’ [feeling],” Davidson told the Chicago Sun-Times’ Ben Pope.

“So [adding a veteran defenseman is] probably something we want to at least explore.”

The comments come after another difficult season in Chicago. The Blackhawks finished at the bottom of the Central Division for a fourth consecutive year, although the development of Connor Bedard, Frank Nazar and Anton Frondell provided reasons for optimism.

The same couldn’t always be said for the defense.

Following Connor Murphy’s departure to the Edmonton Oilers, Chicago relied heavily on one of the NHL’s youngest blue lines. The organization remains confident in the long-term potential of players such as Artyom Levshunov, Sam Rinzel, Wyatt Kaiser, Alex Vlasic and Louis Crevier, but the growing pains were evident throughout the season.

Five defensemen are already under contract for 2026-27, and all of them are 25 years old or younger.

According to Pope, a left-shot defenseman could be the most logical addition given the current makeup of the roster. Regardless of the specific target, Davidson suggested finding help may require a trade rather than simply signing a free agent.

“There’s a lot of teams looking to add,” Davidson said. “So if you’re looking to find a player, they probably want a player [or players] back. It feels like there’s much more of a desire for ‘hockey trades’ rather than a player for futures or prospects.”

That reality could force Chicago to make some difficult decisions. Although the Blackhawks remain committed to their young core, the organization possesses several NHL-ready assets that could potentially be used to acquire immediate help.

Whether that help arrives through free agency or the trade market, Davidson made one thing clear: improving the defense will be a major focus this summer as the Blackhawks attempt to return to legitimate playoff contention next spring.

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