The Chicago Blackhawks have been a strict watch this season. General manager Kyle Davidson said last April that things must get better. Another 52-point season was unacceptable. Yes, the Blackhawks should surpass that mark by the end of the season, but it won’t be by much. Many pundits, myself included, predicted this team would finish somewhere in the 70–75 point range with the additions of Tyler Bertuzzi, Teuvo Teravainen, Alec Martinez, and Laurent Brossoit. Nobody expected a Stanley Cup playoff run, but they weren’t supposed to have the second-best odds for the number one overall pick in mid-February, either.

So, why should you watch the final 27 games of the season when the National Hockey League returns from the 4 Nations Face-off break on Feb. 22? That’s a very good question, and I have three good answers for you.

Connor Bedard’s Continued Improvement

Let’s face it: Connor Bedard was the biggest reason to watch this team coming into the season, and he still is now. Despite what some national “experts” might say, the young star is making strides this year. He is still the most dynamic player on this roster, and when he’s playing confidently, he’s dangerous every time he touches the puck.

Bedard will surpass his 22 goals and 61 points in his rookie season, as he needs just six more goals and assists to set new career highs in each category. You must remember that he only played in 68 games last season because of a broken jaw. If you project his scoring pace from last season to a full 82 games, Bedard would have scored 27 goals and 74 points. If he continues his current pace this season and stays healthy, he’ll finish with 24 goals and 73 points.

As you can see, his scoring pace has dropped slightly from a year ago. His 12-game goal drought in November is a big reason for this. Bedard’s numbers have improved since Anders Sorensen took over in early December. Switching to the more offensively aggressive 2-1-2 system from Luke Richardson’s defense-first 1-2-2 system. Bedard has 34 points in his 34 games, with the last 29 of those games under Sorensen.

No one has questioned whether Bedard will put up points at the NHL level. Instead, it’s his play without the puck that gets criticized. He still has a lot to learn without the puck, but very few teenagers enter the NHL as defensive wizards. It takes time. Sorensen has seen defensive growth since arriving in Chicago.

“I think he’s improved a lot in those areas defensively, his compete level in terms of turning his feet over more, he’s tracking hard,” he recently said. “He’s trying to do all the right things. I don’t think anybody’s perfect here. We all have stuff we need to keep working on, but everything we’ve asked him to improve on, he works on and improves on, whether it’s faceoffs or defensive responsibilities. It was a mistake; it’s part of the game, but his overall game defensively has gotten a lot better.”

The Bedard haters love to point out his dismal plus/minus numbers since his NHL debut, but that’s not that stat doesn’t tell the whole story. Far too many outside factors out of a player’s control affect that number. His Corsi for percentage (CF%) is slightly better this season. It’s to 43.3% from 42.6 last season. CF% is the percentage of shot attempts your team takes when a particular player is on the ice. Neither of those numbers from Bedard is great, but it’s trending in the right direction. Sorensen has more trust in him, as he’s given him tougher defensive assignments since Jason Dickinson was lost to injury.

Even his faceoff numbers are improving. In five of his last six games, he’s finished over 50% at the dot. His worst performance was 42.9% against the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 30. Bedard is not on the fast track to the Selke Trophy by any means. Still, if he can become a replacement-level defensive player, at the very least, that will make him a more elite player.

Post Trade Deadline Lineups

The roster could look different when the Blackhawks take the ice on March 7 against the Utah Hockey Club. The NHL’s trade deadline passes earlier that afternoon, and the youth movement might be in full effect that evening. Davidson has many trade chips he could move. Veterans Ryan Donato, Pat Maroon, Alec Martinez, and Craig Smith could all be traded before the deadline. Even Seth Jones, Connor Murphy, and Philipp Kurashev have appeared in recent trade rumors.

With every veteran player traded away, a roster spot opens up for a young player. Colton Dach and Landon Slaggert should have permanent lineup spots after the deadline. We could see more playing time for young defensemen like Nolan Allan and Ethan Del Mastro and possibly another recall for Kevin Korchinski. Also, let’s not forget about some amateur players who might turn pro before the end of the season, like Oliver Moore, Aidan Thompson, Sam Rinzel, or Nick Lardis.

Goaltending Situation Plays Itself Out

Arvid Soderblom’s improvements between the pipes this season have been remarkable. Last season, he was one of the worst goaltenders in the NHL with a .879 save percentage (SV%) and 3.92 goals-against average (GAA). Through 25 games this season, he’s posted a .901 SV% and 3.01 GAA.

It’s not just the better numbers on paper; he’s a more confident goaltender on the ice. Soderblom’s rebound control is much better, and he’s not fighting off the puck like he did for much of last season. He went from being replaced by Brossoit to becoming the team’s best netminder and re-entering the long-term plans.

Petr Mrazek has taken a step back in his third season with the Blackhawks. A groin injury is a factor in that, but even before the injury, his consistency was not at the level we were used to seeing last season. It will be interesting to see if Soderblom gets more starts down the stretch or if Sorensen continues to split the starts. Plus, you never know if a team will pursue Mrazek before the trade deadline.

It sure doesn’t sound like Brossoit will play this season after two knee surgeries: one in August and a second in late November. He has not been on the ice since his second procedure. Every time Sorensen is asked for an update, he simply replies that Brossoit is on LTIR. Maybe we’ll see him before the end of the season, but that is doubtful at this point. Figuring out what to do with the crowded crease is just one of many items on Davidson’s to-do list in the offseason.

Yes, this season has been disappointing, but this team has played better over the past few weeks. What makes the final games worth watching is that we are starting to see signs that the rebuild is working. The young players who will make up the core when this team is a contender again are beginning to make a difference. That should be more than enough to keep you interested.