Blackhawks are no closer to contention than before

The 2026-27 NHL season is well into its second month, and it’s clear that no team is off to a more disastrous start than the Chicago Blackhawks. Based on their offseason moves and posturing, the Blackhawks were ready to try to go from perennial rebuilder to playoff caliber team this season. General manager Kyle Davidson spent big, in terms of both trade assets and cap space, to land Bowen Byram to be his new franchise defenseman. Now, with new captain Connor Bedard carrying a $15 million cap hit after the team achieved nothing while he was on his entry-level deal,…