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The season is over for the Chicago Blackhawks. They came in 31st place out of 32 with a record of 25-46-11. It was a year that didn’t go according to plan in a lot of ways.
The good news for them is that a season that began with an older team became younger and younger as the season went along. There were a handful of NHL debuts for their top prospects and departures of veterans who didn’t want to be there.
The young guys carried the torch to the finish line by the end. To say they ended on a good note would be an understatement.
On Thursday, the team had their exit interviews. General Manager Kyle Davidson, interim head coach Anders Sorensen, and about a dozen players spoke to the media to discuss the season, their upcoming summer, and plans for the future.
Overall, the vibes were incredibly positive for being a team that came in 31st place. That is reflective of the strong ending that they had with the young talent leading the way.
"I feel like at the end of the day, standing here now, that we feel like we’re in a good spot moving forward." Kyle Davidson said about the state of his team. "I don’t know how sitting in my seat, I can’t be optimistic where we’re headed, given what we saw towards the back part of the season."
Kyle Davidson wanted to make it clear that he likes where this team is standing right now. He claimed that they will be a lot pickier when choosing their next head coach to lead the way in 2024-25.
Although Davidson said that interim head coach Anders Sorensen is a candidate to be the next full-time guy and that they have both internal and external people in mind, it sure feels like they are going to go in a different direction.
Sorensen knows the situation. To his credit, he hopes to stick around in some sort of role with the organization, which speaks volumes about his loyalty. He cares about these players and wants to help them succeed in any way he can.
"I'm a team-oriented person," Sorensen said on exit interview day. "I want to help the organization. I want to help these young players take the next step."
One of the most interesting quotes to come from this event came from the mouth of Sorensen when he talked about his relationship with Connor Bedard.
“He’s a hockey junkie like I am," Sorensen said of his star player. "We see the game in similar areas. He puts his best foot forward and tries everything we’ve talked about. He’s a bright young man with a super bright future.”
You can tell that the coach thinks the world of Bedard. Why shouldn't he? He saw as much as anyone how talented and special he is. That's a player that Chicago should want to keep around for a long time.
On July 1st, Connor Bedard will be eligible for a contract extension. This will be his first non-entry-level contract in the NHL. Despite chatter about Bedard being unhappy in Chicago, he has made it clear time and time again that those are false allegations.
“I’ve said it 100 times. I love it here." Bedard said when asked about playing in Chicago. "I want to be here for a long time. If I look a little sad on the bench, people sometimes take it out of context. People that know me know that I love being here.”
In addition to talking about playing for the Blackhawks, he talked about how things are with him and Kyle Davidson.
"I have a great relationship with Kyle and everyone," Bedard said. "I know that I want to be here for a long time.”
When they work on this pending contract situation, both sides should be able to look at it with the long-term common goal in mind.
“He’s done an incredible job handling the season on and off the ice," Davidson said of Bedard. This wasn't an easy year for anyone, especially Bedard, who has a ton of pressure on him to lead Chicago to the promised land. When the lights come back on in the fall, expect Bedard to reach another gear as a lot of star players do in year three.
Whether it was any of the people above, Spencer Knight, Ryan Donato, Nick Foligno, or one of the many other players who gave an exit interview, there was one common theme: the future.
With all of the prospects, draft picks, and cap room, the Blackhawks can turn this into a winning machine shortly. It sounds like they know it, too.
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