The Chicago Blackhawks are hoping to take a major step forward in 2025-26. Connor Bedard and the Blackhawks did not have the greatest season last year. Head coach Luke Richardson was fired during the season. And the team generally seemed to take a step back on the ice.
Chicago hired Jeff Blashill as the new bench boss this summer. This is Blashill’s first head coaching job since he spent seven years behind the bench with the Detroit Red Wings. His most recent job was as an assistant to Jon Cooper on the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Blashill is tasked with leading this team into its next era of glory. So far, though, the team has not given him much in the way of roster additions. In fact, Chicago’s biggest move to this point is extending young star Frank Nazar to a seven-year contract on Thursday. Beyond that, Andre Burakovsky and Sam Lafferty are the marquee additions.
The Blackhawks need to supply Blashill and Bedard with more. The new Chicago bench boss certainly gets on well with younger players. But they need some established talent to help this team potentially take that next step.
With this in mind, Heavy.com is proposing the following trade between Chicago and its Original Six rival, the Boston Bruins:
Chicago Blackhawks acquire:Â Casey Mittelstadt
Boston Bruins acquire:Â Lukas Reichel and a 2026 second-round pick originally owned by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Casey Mittelstadt Could Re-Establish Himself
Mike Carlson/Getty ImagesCasey Mittelstadt could be an effective outlet for Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks.
It’s been a wild few seasons for Mittelstadt. The former first-overall pick emerged as a top-six center for the Buffalo Sabres a few years back. However, Buffalo was going nowhere fast. And they elected to trade Mittelstadt to the Colorado Avalanche at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline.
Mittelstadt showed flashes of what made him a promising talent in Buffalo. At the same time, he never took the leap to become a true second-line center on a contending team. For whatever reason, he couldn’t find consistency with the Avalanche.
At the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, Colorado cut bait. They sent him to the Boston Bruins in a trade that sent Charlie Coyle the other way. In 18 games with Boston, he scored four goals and six points.
Mittelstadt is a consistent 40-50 point scorer when he’s on his game. Perhaps he can find his consistency in Chicago. He would certainly receive every opportunity to find his mark.
Blackhawks Have Options With Mittelstadt Trade Pitch
Mittelstadt could work in any number of ways for Chicago. As things stand, playing center in the top six is unlikely. Bedard is the undisputed first-line center. And Nazar seems to be cemented as the second-line anchor heading into 2025-26.
However, there are opportunities for Mittelstadt. He could push Burakovsky down the lineup, for instance. There is a chance he could see time as the second line center, as well. Blashill could elect to have Nazar on Bedard’s wing, freeing up the second line job for the taking.
Mittelstadt has a solid track record and has clear talent. It’s all about putting it together and finding consistency. This proposed trade could be what sees the former first-round pick discover his scoring touch again moving forward.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post New Blackhawks Trade Pitch Lands Top-6 Support For Connor Bedard appeared first on Heavy Sports.