Projecting the next leadership group for the Blackhawks

We are entering what is perhaps the most crucial offseason for the Blackhawks since the rebuild began in 2022. With roster decisions to be made, extensions to be signed, and a fresh slate for the leadership group, this should be a busy summer for Kyle Davidson and his team.

Photo by: Chicago Blackhawks

The Blackhawks became the first team in NHL history to trade away their entire leadership group at the trade deadline when they sent Connor Murphy and Jason Dickinson to the Oilers, and Nick Foligno to the Wild. To end the season the Blackhawks kept the captaincy vacant and only assigned letters to two players, an “A” for both Tyler Bertuzzi and Connor Bedard. With key pieces of the rebuild starting to arrive and find their place in the NHL we can now start to talk about what this next leadership group may look like.

All signs point to Connor Bedard getting the “C” this offseason. Connor Bedard has stated he is ready for that responsibility during this year’s exit interviews, and multiple insiders have alluded to it themselves - Elliote Friedman on 32 thoughts/March 6, 2026:

"I think Bedard's gonna be captain"

"as soon as next year?"

"Yeah”

Bedard showed both on and off ice growth this past season, he started to play like a leader, like a captain. He has the ability to put the team on his back and drag them into the game when they need offense. He showed an example of this on November 30th, 2025 when the Ducks went up 3-0 in the first 10:25 of the game. Bedard put up 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points in a 5-3 comeback win. He also demonstrates his willingness to put his body on the line for teammates. He leads by example — last off the ice after practice, always working on his game, he takes responsibility for the team’s struggles, and when the team is winning (often due to him) he credits everyone around him. Bedard has worn a letter on his jersey most of his life, so the on ice responsibility isn’t new. The off ice pressure and accountability isn’t either, Bedard has been micro analyzed and criticized since he was 12 years old. He is more than used to the pressure, so expect the announcement to be made this offseason.

When it comes to the alternate captains, it’s much more of a guessing game. The bulk of the core are still so young and some guys aren’t even here yet, but I like to guess anyway! My first group are guys I think have already shown they fit the role and can handle the responsibilities — this group includes Alex Vlasic, Tyler Bertuzzi, Ilya Mikheyev (assuming he re-signs), and Wyatt Kaiser. The obvious standouts are Bertuzzi and Mikheyev, both 31 years of age and have plenty of NHL experience. Both these guys lead by example on the ice, always giving 110% night in, night out. I think either of them would fill the role effectively and be able to act as guides until they move on. Vlasic and Kaiser are much younger and are likely long term fits. They have both shown the ability to be leaders in the locker room. Vlasic is the “veteran” of the young core — at 24 years old, having played 260 NHL games he is already one of the more vocal players in the locker room and someone that the young defensemen look to for guidance. The Wilmette, Illinois native was the first player of the future to sign long term. Wyatt Kaiser doesn’t have quite as much NHL experience as Vlasic, having played only 175 regular season games. Coming off his first full year with the Blackhawks, appearing in 77 games, Kaiser has shown the ability to lead by example, while also being a vocal leader. His ability to communicate, and aid in the development of the other young players (specifically Artyom Levshunov) is unmatched on the Blackhawks in my opinion. I think Kaiser would naturally fit into the role of alternate captain.

The next two guys are players I believe have the potential to be effective leaders but it’s too early to give them that responsibility. Those two are Frank Nazar and Oliver Moore. I believe both these players have the tools to be leaders on the Blackhawks. Oliver Moore for instance has already become such a valuable member of this team. When he got injured on March 8th against Dallas, it was enough to sideline him for the remainder of the season. His absence was felt in those final 19 games. Oliver Moore plays a style of hockey that is hard to find. He is undersized (5’11 188lbs according to NHL.com) but he uses his body as an advantage. He is a dog on the puck who forechecks harder than anybody else on the team. Combine that with his speed and he can be very effective both 5 on 5 and on the penalty kill. He provides a “drag you into the fight” energy that is lacking in Chicago, but with Moore it’s infectious. A standout moment this season was when Nick Lardis got hit by Carolina’s Alexander Nikishin and Moore stepped in to defend his teammate. Despite the fact that Nikishin is 6’3 and 218lbs (4 inches taller and 30 pounds heavier than Moore) they dropped the gloves. Nikishin predictably had his way with Moore and gave him a beating. However, Moore took it and carried on. That’s the type of teammate Oliver Moore is, a true leader and team-first player.

If I had to predict the leadership group for the 2026-2027 season I would anticipate: Connor Bedard (C), Alex Vlasic (A), and Tyler Bertuzzi (A) (perhaps a home/away rotation with Nazar or Kaiser)

However, in the long run I highly anticipate at least one of Wyatt Kaiser, Oliver Moore, and Frank Nazar to wear letters.