Chicago Blackhawks fans had been begging general manager Kyle Davidson to make a big move and turbocharge this long-term rebuild for months, if not years. Then Davidson did so — sending out the No. 4 pick and Louis Crevier to Buffalo for new No. 1 defenseman Bowen Byram — and was immediately met with criticism for the high price he paid (both in the trade and the ensuing six-year, $75 million contract extension). Tough business.But that business isn’t quite done yet. The big moves might be done as much of the league departs for lake cottages up north for the summer (though Jason Robertson and Matthew Knies are still theoretically out there, and Davidson made a point of saying his phone will still be on). But there are still decisions to make and questions to answer. Let’s get into them:1. What will Connor Bedard’s extension look like, and when will it come?Davidson said Wednesday he didn’t have an update on the negotiations with his biggest star. There isn’t likely anything to read into that. He’s repeatedly said he won’t comment on it until there’s a deal in place.Overall, almost no news has trickled out about negotiations. The fact that it isn’t done yet indicates that Bedard and his representatives aren’t in a rush. It’s hard to blame them either, as the entire league is trying to figure out what a rising salary cap means for contracts.It’s a safe assumption that Bedard’s annual average value will come in higher than Byram’s $12.5 million. How much higher and for how long are the unknowns.2. Who will be Bedard’s linemates?The Blackhawks appear to be going with internal options for Bedard’s line after not signing or acquiring any proven top-six wingers this offseason. Forward prospect Roman Kantserov is the most likely new candidate for one of the wings after leading the KHL in scoring. Bedard and Kantersov could be joined by Nick Lardis, who will be entering his second pro season and scored 10 goals in 41 NHL games last season. Lardis finished last season on Bedard’s line.Davidson ran through an assortment of options on Wednesday and mentioned Kantserov, Lardis, Ryan Greene, Oliver Moore and “a number of different vets.” It’s also entirely possible that either Anton Frondell or Frank Nazar, each currently at center, gets a look at wing.“A lot of those things are trial and error,” Davidson said. “Sometimes you work in pairs rather than in threes, so you get a pair and mix and match and see what works from there. We don’t know if Roman’s going to work there. We believe it will, based on the traits and how they play the game and how they see the game, but that’s what training camp and games are for. It’s their job to get together and find that little bit of magic. We believe it could be there, and then we’ve got a lot of other players that can be complementary and add something to the dynamic qualities that both players possess.”3. Can the Blackhawks spread out Bedard, Frondell and Nazar at center over three lines? Ideally, the Blackhawks would like to have Bedard, Frondell and Nazar down the middle. That kind of center depth is what separates teams like Vegas and Colorado from other Western Conference contenders (see the Minnesota Wild, who have a ton of talent on the wings but a gaping hole down the middle). Whether that can be a reality likely depends on whether the Blackhawks can get enough offense from the players around them, as that trio comprises some of the highest upside on the roster.Blackhawks coach Jeff Blashill will soon have a larger sample size of Frondell at center. Frondell began his NHL career at wing and played there last season in Sweden, but Blashill moved him to center, thinking he had more of a two-way upside there. Frondell showed some promise, but it’s too early to say he’s not better off on Bedard’s wing.
Blackhawks offseason: 10 questions still hanging, including Bedard’s extension
As much of the NHL heads into summer vacation, the Blackhawks still have quite a few decisions to make.
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