Next up in our 2023 Fantasy Hockey Breakouts series is the Chicago Blackhawks. Even after a busy offseason, the Blackhawks are heading into the 2023-24 season with low expectations. Yet, they also have multiple young players who are clear breakout candidates. Due to this, they warrant consideration in your fantasy hockey drafts. Let’s discuss three of them now.
Chicago Blackhawks Breakouts for 2023-24
Connor Bedard
Connor Bedard is the Blackhawks’ most notable breakout candidate for the 2023-24 season. The generational prospect is entering his rookie season with an immense amount of hype, and it’s understandable. He dominated junior hockey since his arrival and took it to a whole new level in 2022-23. In 57 games with the Regina Pats last season, he had 71 goals to go along with 143 points.
Bedard is set to be the Blackhawks’ first-line center in 2023-24. With that, he is going to be the heart of their power play, so he should put up strong numbers as a rookie. He also has a decent supporting cast of forwards to work with, led by Taylor Hall and Andreas Athanasiou. Due to this, he should make a huge impact immediately, and you should snag him in your fantasy draft.
Lukas Reichel
Although Bedard is garnering a lot of buzz, Lukas Reichel should not be ignored. The 2020 first-round pick was excellent for the Blackhawks last season, posting seven goals and 15 points in 23 games. He also had an impressive 51 points in 55 AHL games with the Rockford IceHogs. Now, he is gearing up for his first NHL season and should take a major step forward during it.
Reichel is likely to form a trio with Bedard and Hall on the club’s first line. He also will be a major asset on their power play. Due to these big roles, Reichel is a breakout candidate who fantasy managers should not overlook. This is especially so when noting that he also has the potential to become a star forward. Let’s see if he is just that for Chicago in 2023-24.
Taylor Raddysh
The last Blackhawks breakout candidate who fans will need to watch is Taylor Raddysh. The 25-year-old winger had a breakout of sorts last season, posting 20 goals and 37 points in 78 games. However, one could argue that he can take another notable step forward this season.
When looking at the Blackhawks’ current roster, Raddysh is likely to play in their top six and on their power play. With that, although the Blackhawks are still rebuilding, they have more offensive weapons in 2023-24. This support should be enough for Raddysh to improve his offensive totals. Due to this, he’s a breakout candidate to consider, whether it’s in the later rounds of your fantasy draft or on the waiver wire.
Alas, it is quite clear that the Blackhawks have some very interesting breakout candidates heading into the new season. Bedard is naturally the player whom all hockey fans will be watching, but Reichel and Raddysh should not be ignored in fantasy hockey. Let’s see how this trio performs for the Blackhawks in 2023-24 from here.
Make sure to check out all of the sleepers and breakouts of the 2023 fantasy hockey season!