Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to tank 2025-26 NHL season to draft Connor Bedard's cousin 1st overall
Photo credit: NHL
Chicago Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson is reportedly set to tank in the 2025-26 NHL season in hopes to draft rookie sensation Gavin McKenna.
The projected first overall selection in the 2026 NHL draft is Gavin McKenna, who recently announced his commitment to Penn State for the upcoming NCAA season, and is oddly enough also Connor Bedard's cousin.
Drafting Connor Bedard first overall caused a huge turning point in the Blackhawks rebuild, but his once-deemed 'generational talent' is not enough to get the organization back into their rich winning ways.
According to a recent column from Bleacher Report, 8 NHL Teams Are Already Looking Toward Gavin McKenna and 2026 Draft Class and the Blackhawks are one of them.
Blackhawks going all in for Gavin McKenna
"Chicago GM Kyle Davidson learned a hard lesson last season in that surrounding a young star like Bedard with a pack of wily veterans doesn't always work out. The team struggled terribly, and it got so rough that people started wondering if Bedard was worth the hype he got as being The Next Big Thing.
This offseason, however, things cooled off in a big way. Chicago re-signed 30-goal scorer Ryan Donato and added Andre Burakovsky and Sam Lafferty in trades. Their one signing so far in free agency was depth forward Dominic Toninato who very well might spend more time in the AHL than the NHL."
This offseason, however, things cooled off in a big way. Chicago re-signed 30-goal scorer Ryan Donato and added Andre Burakovsky and Sam Lafferty in trades. Their one signing so far in free agency was depth forward Dominic Toninato who very well might spend more time in the AHL than the NHL."
Joe Yerdon notes that the Blackhawks are 'laying low' and are letting their youth take the ice next season, which will be a big learning lesson for several of their newbie NHL players.
Learning lessons comes with mistakes, and it appears that it will be another dreadful season for fans to watch.
"By laying low, they've made it clear that they're keeping the road open for younger guys like Kevin Korchinski, Frank Nazar, Sam Rinzel, Oliver Moore and Artyom Levshunov to stake their claims in the NHL. Considering the talent level of all of those players, it'll be exciting to watch. That said, that's a lot of young players who could wind up in the NHL and with that comes a learning curve that can lead to losses being strung together.
If the youth doesn't cause a rocket rise, hey, one more future franchise cornerstone in McKenna couldn't hurt, right?"
If the youth doesn't cause a rocket rise, hey, one more future franchise cornerstone in McKenna couldn't hurt, right?"
With another tanking season incoming, Blackhawks fans must embrace their expectations for one more season.
Previously on HawksInsider
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 11 | 537 ANSWERS Chicago Blackhawks reportedly set to tank 2025-26 NHL season to draft Connor Bedard's cousin 1st overall Will you be disappointed if the Blackhawks finish last in the NHL once again? | ||
| Yes | 269 | 50.1 % |
| Maybe | 52 | 9.7 % |
| No | 216 | 40.2 % |
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