We can draw a few conclusions pertaining to the Blackhawks in 2024-25: For one, they’re stuck in last place again. And therefore, we can conclude they’ll be sellers, this time trading off and utilizing more assets than we saw last season.

This isn’t to say the Hawks won’t surprise us and buy, since a few players rumored to be on the trade block could help speed up the rebuilding process. But common sense says selling is in their near future. They don’t need to rush, however. And in fact, rushing to make a trade could be one giant mistake.

One reason for this is that the Hawks have some talent they could send elsewhere, and the longer general manager Kyle Davidson holds out, the better those trade offers might get. Someone like Ryan Donato has more than exceeded expectations this year, and holding out until near or at deadline day would only entice more organizations to call with better offers in hand.

Holding out until the trade deadline would be an excellent strategy

Now, you may point to an obvious downside in this plan, and it’s something I see clearly. The longer Davidson holds out, the more lucrative the offers he may get, but it also runs the risk of teams acquiring similar players or losing interest and nixing a potential trade.

Of course, this strategy is only as good as assuming another general manager isn’t giving Davidson a hot offer that could involve a higher draft pick or higher potential prospects. In such a case, Davidson needs to just take the deal and run. But if teams aren’t offering what he could potentially get out of players like Donato, keep them sweating and wait for the right offer to come.

Seth Jones may not have had his best run this season, but his play will turn around once he’s playing for a decent hockey team. Jones can be a two-way talent and if a team that needs someone with playmaker potential comes calling,

Chicago Blackhawks could use this strategy to intensify rebuild

It’s clear that fans are growing impatient throughout this Blackhawks rebuild, and it’s hard to point the finger at them. It’s like watching the same movie over and over again. Fans know how it ends, but they keep tuning in, hoping for a different outcome, which isn’t going to happen.

Therefore, Kyle Davidson must find ways to get more creative, and if that means refraining from taking the first offer he’s given, or even the second, third, and forth, so long as they keep getting more lucrative, then he needs to hold out as long as he needs to, especially if teams are still inquiring as the March 7th deadline nears.

Yeah, if there’s a deal on the table that he’d be foolish not to take, then by all means, take the deal. But if Davidson realizes he can get more than what some contenders are offering, he should be perfectly fine with rejecting offers and waiting until near or at the deadline before he started trading those assets elsewhere.