The Chicago Blackhawks are eager to surround Connor Bedard with talent, and a leading insider has disclosed that they sought to acquire Jake Guentzel this past summer.
After securing Connor Bedard with the top overall pick last year, General Manager Kyle Davidson has been focused on bringing in elite players to support his potentially franchise-altering talent.
This summer, the Blackhawks signed notable players like Teuvo Teravainen, Tyler Bertuzzi, Alec Martinez, and T.J. Brodie. However, according to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, the team had bigger aspirations initially.
“Similar to the Ducks, Chicago made significant attempts this summer, expressing interest in Jake Guentzel, who ultimately opted for the Tampa Bay Lightning,” Friedman mentioned. Although the Blackhawks found other options to bolster Bedard’s support, it resulted in a more well-rounded roster.
Friedman highlighted that while the team pursued Stanley Cup Champion Guentzel, the 29-year-old chose the chance to chase another championship with Tampa Bay. As players like Kirill Kaprizov, Mitch Marner, Brock Boeser, and Mikko Rantanen become free agents in the coming years, the Blackhawks are likely to target these talents to build a competitive team around Bedard.
Even though it’s early in the 2024/25 season and Bedard is showing significant progress from last year, the 19-year-old may eventually attract star players to Chicago. Currently, however, the situation looks bleak for the Blackhawks, as they lack substantial talent surrounding their young standout, though this report indicates they are making considerable efforts to change that.
