The 2025 NHL free agency is shaping up to be a league-wide bloodbath, with many teams eyeing Mitch Marner, who’s trending to be the top UFA in the upcoming class. The Chicago Blackhawks could certainly benefit from pairing him with Connor Bedard, but according to reports, Jeff Blashill and his staff aren’t entirely sold on the idea of spending big just yet.
The Blackhawks have far too many areas that need addressing ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season. So many that they can’t possibly work them all out and turn from a bottom-feeder to a contender overnight. Signing Marner could aid some of their problems, but it could also cause many new ones to arise.
Although Bedard is in desperate need of a star sidekick to form a dynamic duo on the ice at United Center, the Blackhawks don’t seem to share the urgency for such a bold move this offseason. Jeff Blashill is gearing up for his first season at the helm in Chi-town, fully aware that his mission isn’t to chase a championship just yet, but to help the organization take a dominant step forward in its rebuild.
While the Blackhawks are expected to sniff around the Marner situation if he hits the open market, reports suggest Blashill and Chicago aren’t fully sold on the Toronto Maple Leafs star. Right now, the focus is on acquiring draft capital to keep fueling an exciting prospect pool.
Mitch Marner #16 of the Toronto Maple Leafs stands during the anthem prior to the game against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on January 18, 2025 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
No unrestricted free agent is considered a necessity at this stage—only a luxury—and their price tags may not align with the actual value they would bring to the rebuilding Hawks.
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Troubled times ahead
On that note, recent reports from The Athletic’s Scott Powers paint a concerning—yet accurate—picture of what lies ahead for Bedard’s Blackhawks this coming NHL season.
“As much as [the Blackhawks] like Marner, they don’t see him—or any UFA—as an essential piece to add, considering where they are in their rebuild,” Powers reported. “Two years from now, that could be different. But as of now, the Blackhawks don’t believe there’s enough upside in making Marner one of the league’s highest-paid players.”
Connor Bedard #98 of the Chicago Blackhawks controls the puck during the second period against the Winnipeg Jets at the United Center on April 12, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
Putting the Hawks back on their feet
Blashill’s coaching staff, made up of Anders Sorensen, Michael Peca, and Mike Vellucci, is one that can make headlines in the league. Peca, a former 2-time Selke Trophy winner, will look to inject the two-way playstyle to Bedard and the rest of forwards on the team. That is a thought that definitely excites the assistant coach, who acknowledges they stand in front of a great chance to bring an NHL giant back to its feet.
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“I like when a coaching staff has the opportunity to make something special,” Peca said, per Chicago Sun-Times. “There’s something more satisfying when you get to be part of something from somewhat the ground up. There’s a lot of pieces in place in the [Blackhawks’] organization now. It’s not necessarily on the ground level; it has started its ascent. But to be a part of that process and get to have a lot of influence was a very exciting opportunity for me.”
