Since Kyle Davidson took over as the Blackhawks’ general manager a few years ago, one trend within his pipeline that we’ve seen develop is that Chicago is using the AHL as more of an asset. Whereas GMs of the past would let their prospects develop at their own colleges, Davidson has made it very clear that he values the IceHogs as a development path and prefers to let his players hone their skills in-house most of the time.
If the latest rumors about the next NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement are any indication, the Blackhawks’ in-house development could become even more robust. If the new changes take hold, Rockford could become more important to the Blackhawks than ever before.
As a reminder, this is only a rumor, but it seems to have been gaining more traction in recent weeks, and there certainly appears to be some substance to it. Commissioner Gary Bettman said earlier this month that CBA talks could begin at the start of 2025, while the current agreement ends in 2026.
That deadline is far too late to affect any of Chicago’s current talent. One’s mind immediately goes to Kevin Korchinski, who was 19 last season and was forced to either play in the NHL or return to junior play. He obviously wasn’t quite ready for the big show, but had nothing left to learn from the CHL, so they brought him up anyway. If this new change was in effect, he could have gone straight to the AHL.
Nick Lardis is another example of a guy who would probably be in the AHL if it allowed 19-year-olds. His offensive skill set is one of the best in Chicago’s prospect pool, and the IceHogs would be a perfect squad for him to develop on this year.
With the Blackhawks’ prospect pool nearly fleshed out, players are starting to graduate to the AHL anyway. With that in mind, could this rule potentially hurt Chicago by the time it takes effect? The goal is obviously for the new wave of talent to hit the big club in one to two years, so it could help other teams more in theory.
However, with the Blackhawks’ new strategy of using the AHL more than some other teams, it would benefit them as much as anyone. Forget the current wave of prospects in the CHL and AHL – it could completely change the way young prospects are viewed and developed. It would be a huge boost for everyone in North American hockey – everyone except the CHL, that is.
