NHL analyst backs Blackhawks' quiet offseason over chasing Mitch Marner-type star but warns of 'more pain' ahead

The Chicago Blackhawks finished last season with a 25-46-11 record and missed the playoffs by a wide margin. This was star player Connor Bradard's second season with the team, and Chicago finished with the second-fewest points in the league.

NHL insider James Mirtle discussed the Blackhawks' hopes next season. He answered a fan's query, which questioned if the team could finish in the mid-20s instead of near the bottom.

In his Wednesday column for The Athletic, Mirtle said it 'feels like more pain is coming for Chicago.'

"It certainly feels like there will be more pain coming in Chicago," Mirtle wrote. "I actually thought they made the right move with a pretty quiet offseason this year.

Mirtle said there had been talk that GM Kyle Davidson might go after a big star like Mitch Marner. However, Chicago's quiet offseason has helped it retain almost $20 million in cap space.

"They’ve left open nearly $20 million in cap space to try and accumulate future assets and aim for a rise up the standings in another couple years."

Mirtle said this approach might frustrate players like Connor Bedard, but rushing the rebuild could have been a mistake. He added that signing a big-name free agent now might hurt later if the player declines.

"If Chicago had signed a big-name UFA this summer, that huge-salaried star could be well onto the wrong side of the aging curve by the time they’re ready to contend and still making big money," Mirtle wrote.

Blackhawks are focused on improving their young players as they continue to explore the market

The Chicago Blackhawks have added players like Andre Burakovsky and Sam Lafferty; however, they are focused on improving young players like Oliver Moore, Artyom Levshunov, and Sam Rinzel. These are expected to play bigger roles, but Connor Bedard remains the main focus of the rebuild.

GM Kyle Davidson has said the team will look at trade options to improve.

"Of course, we're going to continue to explore options out there," Davidson said, via NHL.com. "I don't know how much will be available to us, but it's always something we're exploring and looking into. But it feels like we're in a pretty good spot."

Patience is potentially the best approach for the Blackhawks right now. The team is likely to struggle again next season, but their rebuild is centered around the development of their young players. This will take time, but when they are ready, Chicago will take a step forward and be more aggressive.